How to Make it Easier to Workout
Contributing post
Everyone knows the importance of working out, and, of course, if they could have it their own way, then they’d get their fill each week. But of course, life can’t be quite that straightforward. Exercising and getting fit is a challenge; it’s for this reason that many people decide that a life spent on the couch is a better alternative. It’s important to remember, however, that while things can be difficult, there are ways to make building exercise into your routine easier. We take a look at a few tried and tested tips below.
Find Something You Like
You’ll find working towards your fitness goals much more straightforward if you’re doing something that you inherently enjoy. Many people sign up for the gym, but quickly realize that it’s not something that’s going to be all that much fun. Before they know it, they’ve adopted a “the gym is misery” mentality -- and that, of course, makes it next to impossible to build into your routine. It’s much better to do an activity for 4 hours a week rather than have a gym membership but never go! So try a few, and see what you like.
Get the Equipment
We’ve come a long way when it comes to fitness. Today, we know more than ever before about the best ways to get fit and healthy, and there’s also plenty of equipment that can help us, too. You can build your athletic lifestyle by investing in the items that’ll make working out more straightforward. This could involve investing in high-quality running shoes, or buying Oakley glasses for women or men; they’ll help you to work up a sweat outdoors, even when the sun is shining. Other tools could be wireless headphones that were designed with sport in mind -- they’re much better than trying to mess around with wires.
Setting Targets
Most people begin their more active lifestyle with enthusiasm, but it begins to taper off after a while. Part of this reason is that the initial challenge -- proving that they make it part of their routine -- has already been overcome. If there are no more challenges, then you’ll be liable to fall into a relaxed approach to your workout. You won’t be pushing yourself; you’ll just be going through the motions. As such, one recommended way to stay motivated is to set new challenges for yourself. This could involve trying to lift heavier weights or decrease the amount of time it takes to run a mile. And when you’ve reached that target, you can set another. And on and on and on….
With Friends
Everything’s better with friends! And that includes working out. There are times when you’ll be self-motivated enough to hit the gym and push yourself to the limit...but there will also be times when you feel like phoning it in. At those times, it will be your friends that help to pick you up and make sure that you stay on top of your fitness goals. There’s the idea that exercising has to be some sort of solitary, miserable pursuit, but this isn’t the case -- it’s also a great way to fit in some time with friends, too, which becomes increasingly hard to do once responsibilities begin stacking up.
Enjoy the Pain
There’s no getting around the fact that the gym can be painful -- indeed, in many ways, it should be painful (to a degree anyway). If you’re battling the pain and the general uncomfortable feeling, then you’ll run into trouble sooner rather than later. So it’s best to adapt your mind so that it’s welcoming of these sensations, rather than forever in battle. Learn to enjoy the more miserable aspects of the gym. If you appreciate the feeling of leaving the gym drenched in sweat, and being a little sore after, then you’ll find it easier to make progress.
Make it Fun
Finally, look at ways of making you're exercising more fun. Even if you don’t enjoy the actual activity, there are still ways to get some benefits from your time spent in the gym (or wherever you exercise). This can involve listening to music, or downloading podcasts -- who knows, you might just learn something fascinating while you’re improving your overall fitness. Things like a bicycle machine or treadmill can be excellent spaces to get some deep thinking done, too -- if you’re working on an issue in your mind, hit the gym. You might just find that it provides the perfect environment to think clearly and move forward.
For more fitness inspiration and barre workouts visit Nadia Murdock Fit on Instagram @NadiaMurdock and the NMFIT Blog!