How to Make Exercise Fun

How To Make Exercise Fun

3 December, 2013 Article Fitness

Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise does not always have to be the highlight of your day. It’s true that at some point you have to “stuck it up” and get it over with, but your overall mindset towards exercise should be positive because you should be doing something that you enjoy.

Common Exercise Mistakes

  • Having a “no pain, no gain” attitude
    • This is a sure fire way to get injured. Yes, you need to challenge yourself when you workout- but if you have to skip the next 2 workouts because your muscles & joints are too sore, you overdid it. Consistency is the key to success and you cannot be consistent if you’re injured.
  • Exercising for the soul purpose of “burning calories”
    • Calories matter, but they are not the whole story. Measure your success by the effort you put out & by your ability to be consistent about your exercise routine.
  • Not being intentional about your approach
    • “Winging it” with your workout is a great way to get bored, frustrated and eventually give up. The internet is a great tool to use to find a routine. Decide on your goal, find a program and stick to it. Check out my online coaching section if you  need help.
  • Thinking that exercise automatically means going to the gym
    • If you want to run a marathon, you have to run. If you want to be a bodybuilder, you have to go to the gym and lift weights- Other than those 2 goals, there is a lot of room for variety. Choose something you think will be fun & give yourself options so that you can be consistent no matter what.
  • Doing the same type of exercise every day
    • Just like having no plan at all is a bad idea, deciding to do the exact same thing everyday is a great way to burn yourself out and sabotage long term consistency. Find a well designed program that gives you variety to keep it exciting.

“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” ~H. L. Hunt

Make Exercise Fun

  • Invite a friend, family member or co worker to join you
  • Go to MeetUp.com to find active groups in your community
  • Play a game or sport [tennis, golf- walking the course, soccer, volleyball, basketball, racquetball]
  • Give yourself options to allow for differences in your mood and energy level from day to day
  • Buy new workout clothes that you would like to be seen in 🙂 [No one feels self confident in a pair of old sweat pants- treat yourself and buy a few new outfits that will make you happy to go to the gym. It doesn’t need to cost a lot, even Walmart and Target carry good quality brands.]

Add Variety to Your Workout Routine

  1. Buy a Groupon and try something new
  2. Go for a Hike
  3. Try a Dance class
  4. Invite a friend to go for a walk
  5. Find Bike Trails in your area & go for a ride
  6. Go rock climbing
  7. Try a Crossfit Class
  8. Join a Bootcamp
  9. Try Paddle Boarding
  10. Try a Yoga
  11. Try Zumba
  12. Try Spinning
  13. Look for Run clubs in your local area
  14. Sign up for a Race [Spartan Race, 5K or 10K Runs, Warrior Dash, etc]
  15. Search YouTube for classes

If you don’t know what your city has to offer- Google it. 🙂 You’ll be surprised how many resources and groups there are out there for you to choose from. The important this is that you find something you enjoy so that you can be consistent.

If you have found this information to be useful, please SHARE this information to help spread the message of healthy living. Feedback and questions are welcome in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!