How to Get Fit in 2019 If Fitness Isn't Your Thing
Are you struggling with your fitness-oriented New Year’s resolution because you simply just aren’t someone who enjoys working out to begin with? Know that you are not alone!
Exercise isn’t necessarily meant to be enjoyable. It’s a bit uncomfortable, sweaty, difficult and challenging. However, this is exactly what makes us stronger – discomfort and challenges, situations that are hard and push us to our limits!
This month, we want to help you get started on the right track if you are someone who wants to up your fitness game but doesn’t quite know how to get inspired.
Let’s begin with reframing your fitness goal altogether. If your resolution looks a little something like this – “I want to get into shape this year” – then we’ve got to make a little tweak. Instead of saying “I want to get into shape,” how about saying “I’d like to be a healthier person who is happier in their body?”
This shift makes your resolution more well-rounded. Focusing on being healthier and happier will permeate into everything that you do! How would a healthy person who is happy in their body honor themselves through exercise? What time would they wake up on Saturday morning? How often would they put their physical health on the back burner? Asking yourself these questions will encourage and motivate you – most likely resulting in you getting into better shape and feeling more body-positive!
Think about how exercise will make you feel.
Aside from any soreness or fatigue that you may experience when getting into a new fitness routine – how will exercise make you truly feel? Will it boost your mood and self-esteem? Give you the body that you desire? Help you meet people that are like-minded? Ultimately, exercise will make you feel good. Afterwards, you always feel accomplished, proud, more energized and happier. The rush of endorphins that you experience after a good sweat session will surpass the comfort of the couch any day.
Keep your workouts shorter.
You don’t need to participate in a high-intensity activity for 60 minutes in order to experience the benefits of exercise. Start small – 20 minutes of exercise is better than nothing! Simply go for a walk or jog, dance around the house, download a yoga routine from online or do a body-weight circuit in your living room. By eliminating the belief that exercise has to look like an hour-long group-workout class every day, you will feel more motivated to stay on track and get moving. Do what you can with the time that you have!
Find an accountability partner.
Whether it’s your significant other, best friend or coworker – find someone that you can count on to hold you accountable in your fitness goals. It’s always more fun to workout with someone that you are close with; and an accountability partner will be there to cheer you on when you think that you can’t possibly do one more push-up!
Get motivated through music.
A good playlist is sometimes all it takes to get up and moving. Follow some of your friends on Spotify and see what they’re listening to! Listen to curated playlists on Apple Music and find a radio station that you love. Ask your coworkers what they enjoy listening to and see if you find their favorite artists energizing. Discovering new and fun jams that you enjoy listening to will motivate you to workout in no time!
Remember that it is a blessing to be able to move.
As cliché as it might sound, remind yourself how lucky you are to be able to move your body in ways that others cannot. It is a beautiful thing to be able to run, jump, skip and dance. Simply remind yourself of this anytime that you are feeling lazy and uninspired and hopefully it will give you the motivational boost that you need.
Think about the kind of movement that you most enjoy.
Do you love the water and swimming? Or do you prefer to get out into fresh air and walk through different neighborhoods and parks with your dog? What feels good to you and your body? Craft your fitness regime around whatever your preferred type of movement is and you’ll find that working out becomes enjoyable and something that you look forward to!
Start paying attention to how your attitude around fitness changes as you follow some of the outlined tips above. Remember – your resolutions and goals for this year are not about perfection! They are about consistency and bravery. Be willing to do something every day that makes you feel like the best version of you, and slowly but surely you will see your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health shift in a positive direction.
Nest Health Connections
Nest Health Connections is a corporate wellness company revolutionizing health and happiness in the workplace. We create holistic customized wellness programs for employers and their employees.