One of the biggest changes I have seen in clients over the years is not just becoming fitter, it is changing the way they think about exercise. Most people carry around a collection of beliefs that make exercise feel much harder than it needs to be. They think they have to join a gym, work really hard, spend ages doing it or somehow become one of those “fitness people”. None of that is true. Here are a few thoughts I think can completely change your relationship with exercise.
I Can Do Exercise & Enjoy It – If you already enjoy exercise then you can skip this one, but so many people have labelled themselves as “not an exercise person”. Someone who just could never be into fitness. However, what does that actually mean? Walking to the shops is exercise. Standing up from a chair is exercise. What if you walked a little further or found a small hill? You are now doing aerobic fitness. What if you stood up and sat back down ten times? You are now doing resistance training. This is exercise.
This is where you could start, without ever leaving your house, without ever feeling uncomfortable. Nobody said you have to join a gym, go for a run or even change your clothes to move. Enjoying exercise usually begins by finding something so easy that you do not mind repeating it. Over time you accidentally become someone who enjoys moving.
An Easy Workout Is Good Enough – One of the biggest killers of motivation is believing every workout has to be hard. People imagine they need to be lying on the floor exhausted, dripping in sweat or barely able to walk afterwards for it to count. You know you are allowed to go easy? You can go to a class and just cruise through it. You can walk instead of run. You can use lighter weights. You can squat 5cm instead of 50cm. You can even stop halfway through if that is what your body needs today. You are not back at school or in the army. Nobody is grading your effort. Ironically, people who allow themselves to exercise gently often end up doing far more exercise over the course of a year than those who believe every session has to be perfect.
A Short Workout Is Fine – The second major barrier is time. People think if they cannot do 20, 30 or 45 minutes+ then they may as well not bother. This newsletter two weeks ago discussed the new research showing this simply is not true. Just a few minutes here and there can get great results. A shortened workout is always better than no workout, cutting your planned workout 25% short works fine, as does leaving a class early.
Exercise Can Be Fun – Another mistake people make is believing there are only a handful of ways to exercise. If you hate running, perhaps dance is your thing. If you hate gyms, then just do something at home. Feel free to make up your own routine or exercises. Add in fun sports such as climbing, paddleboarding, tennis or hiking would suit you better. There are hundreds of ways to become fitter. The aim is not to force yourself to enjoy something you hate forever. The aim is to find movement that fits your personality. This even applies if you are at a higher level of fitness, you can pick more of the fun workouts, methods or approaches that you find enjoyable. For many, any sort of change may reinvigorate you.
Exercise Is Better Together – One of the easiest ways to make exercise stick is to stop trying to do it alone. We naturally do more when other people are involved, even if they are not particularly fit or motivated themselves. A walk with a friend, a weekly class, a local running group or simply agreeing to meet someone at the gym can completely change your consistency.
Do not worry about finding the “perfect” training partner either. A friend who only wants to walk around the park is often better than no one at all. Even if they are lazier than you, you are still far more likely to get out of the house than if you had planned to exercise on your own. Exercise becomes less about the workout itself and more about seeing another person, with the fitness simply becoming a bonus.
I Belong, Whatever My Fitness Level – This one stops so many people before they even begin. People worry everyone in the gym is watching them, judging them or laughing because they are not very good. The reality is they are far too busy worrying about themselves. Think about a local parkrun. The fastest runners are often elite athletes. The slowest walkers may take over an hour. Yet everyone gets applauded across the finish line. Exercise is one of the few places where people generally respect the fact you turned up. You do not have to be good to belong.
What Does This Mean For You
If exercise has never really become part of your life, perhaps the problem is not your fitness, it is your view of what exercise has to look like. Try lowering the bar. Make it easier, shorter, gentler or more enjoyable than you think it needs to be.
The funny thing is that once exercise becomes something you can happily repeat, your fitness often improves far more than when you were trying to force yourself through workouts you hated.
Photo – A few very different types of exercise over the years, from Hyrox and running to stretching at home and simply getting out for a walk. The best exercise is the one you will still be doing next year –
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