Mental Tricks to Avoid Skipping Exercise
Exercise is one of the best habits that you may want to incorporate in your lifestyle. There’s a plethora of scientific evidence pointing to the health benefits of physical activity, ranging from a better figure to lower risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes and many other chronic diseases. But let’s face it - working out can be a hard habit to start with. Many people who start a fitness programme quit after some time (more likely after a few months). After they have reached their target weight, many choose to stop working out and simply go back to their old lifestyle.
So how do you make sure you are able to stick to your workout habit? That’s the challenging part. Sure - the intense sweat and breathlessness can make you feel helpless and not wanting to exercise anymore. But you can actually trick your mind to get going! Here’s how:
Make it fun.
Topping our list is making exercise fun. If you don’t like a fitness routine, there’s a big chance that you won’t be successful with it. You might just find yourself feeling tired and bored doing the workout. So you need to choose a fitness programme that you will actually have fun doing! Don’t hesitate to try different workout plans. There are so many of them, ranging from cardio workouts to circuit training, plyometric training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and so much more. And when you choose the one you like the most, make your environment and your experience even more fun by doing it outdoors or turning on the music nice and loud. Adding fun to your workout routine makes you enjoy it more rather than feeling obligated to do so.
Invest on your workout outfit.
Having a new pair of workout clothes can increase your motivation to stick to your fitness routine. It feels so much motivating to see yourself looking great on your workout outfit. Get yourself a good-quality pair of exercise shoes as well. Not only do you want to feel comfortable, you also want to avoid getting injured during your workout session.
Make some tweaks.
Just because you’re on HIIT doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try any other form of exercise anymore. Sometimes, even the fitness programme you like the most can get boring especially if you’re doing it over and over again. So go try a different routine once in a while. Not all workout routines are those you do inside the gym. Swimming, trekking, mountain climbing, cycling and other sports can be wonderful exercise options too!
Buddy up with someone.
They say ‘two heads are better than one’. That’s so true especially when it comes to keeping up with an exercise programme. Working out is more enjoyable when you have someone to go through its ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ with you. And by the way, ‘the more the merrier’ too!
Focus on your progress.
The worst thing you can do is to compare your progress with other people. Doing so can demotivate you as you may start wondering why you are not progressing as fast as your peers doing the same workout routine. Remember that everyone responds to workouts differently. There are so many factors to consider too, not just your exercise, in trying to lose weight. Furthermore, focus on yourself. Why do you want to exercise? If your reason is to simply look good to other people, you have lower chances of getting successful with your workout plan. The reason should be intrinsic. It should be for yourself.
Keep challenging yourself.
Always try to dig deeper. If you were able to do plank for 30 seconds last time, why not aim for 40 seconds this time? As you keep challenging yourself, you will start to experience the amazing benefits of exercise not just on your health but also your quality of life. Also, realising that your body is capable of doing workout routines that other people can’t do, makes you feel stronger and keeps you going.
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