Open a magazine, turn on the television, glance at highway billboards or Internet ads and the message about fitness is clear as day: Exercise does a body good. — Deborah R. Glasofer Ph.D.
Sites like She Knows also said that exercising more than once a week is vital to ensure that blood flows well throughout the body. If you don’t do it, the saturated fatty acids from the burgers, pizzas, and fries that you get from fast food chains may clog your arteries and cause heart problems. Toxins need to leave your system too, and the quickest way to do that is by sweating while working out. Furthermore, doctors recommend the activity to patients whose health issues originate from obesity, lack of muscles, and other weight-related stuff.
The thing is, although everyone is aware of the benefits of exercising, we don’t all do what we know is right. For instance, you have initially told yourself that you will go to the gym after your mid-afternoon nap. When you wake up, but the bed and the pillows feel extra comforting at that time, you tend to tell yourself that you can complete your workout tomorrow.
While that sounds like an acceptable excuse, there is no denying that you procrastinate because you find this activity a grueling task. You have to lift weights and perform rigorous exercises. You will undoubtedly sweat buckets, to the point that you no longer know if you still smell like humans.
Considering working out is something you cannot let go of no matter how much you despise it, here are some tips on making exercise less exhausting in your head.
1. Establish Your End Goals
The first trick is to identify your objectives for working out. Technically speaking, there is no wrong answer here. You may want to exercise to boost your confidence, fit in your old clothes, or take care of your health. However, ensure that every single goal is distinct to avoid forgetting all of them later.
2. Tune In To Music
Assuming you are starting to hate the sound of heavy breathing coming from your workout buddies mixed with the clink of metal in the fitness center, you should consider bringing your smartphone and earphones next time to listen to your favorite songs. That can distract you from the noises – or perhaps the silence – in the gym.
3. Try Different Exercises
Do you dread entering the gym because you often see the same equipment there? The solution here is to sample other fitness routines. Say, on Monday, you go to a yoga class. Come Tuesday, try Pilates. The next day, run with your pets at the park. By changing up your exercises, you might always look forward to working out.
There is a 48-hour rule about muscle conditioning, because these tissues need time to heal in between training sessions. — Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D.
4. Join An Event
In case you often run on the treadmill, and it no longer gives you good vibes, you may use the skills you’ve gained from that by participating in a marathon or walkathon. Not only will it allow you to breathe in fresh air as you prepare for the event, but it also provides you with a new reason to continue your fitness journey.
5. Don’t Do It Alone
Working out becomes exhausting when you are doing all the routines on your lonesome. Even if you join a class, yet you know nobody there except for the instructor, it can be lonely too. The situation may get better, though, once you invite some colleagues to work out with you.
6. Make Non-Workout Hours Fun
Lastly, when you are outside the gym, you may stop worrying about your next workout session. Have fun with friends; travel with your family members. The exercise will merely consume at least two hours of your day, and so you have 22 more hours to use for other activities.
Extraversion describes the degree to which one behaves in a bold, assertive, gregarious, and outgoing way. Several studies have shown people who are more extraverted enjoy higher levels of well-being. — Luke D Smillie Ph.D.
In Conclusion
Whenever laziness drags you away from your fitness routine, you should think of why it happens. Is it because you feel bored? If that’s the case, you can bring a friend, listen to music, or do other workouts. Is it because you can’t see what you’ll get out of it? Well, that is where establishing goals becomes essential.
Exercising does not have to be grueling. In moderation, it can help you live longer and fulfill more dreams in life. Don’t let procrastination rob you of your future. Good luck!