How To Learn to Love Exercise

Exercise is critical for a long, healthy life. Exercise not only increases longevity, but it also helps us feel better now. As 60% of American adults are overweight, it seems that exercise is difficult for most of us. However, there are people out there, lots of them, who actually love exercise. They love to run, lift weights, and swim. Wouldn't it be a lot easier to exercise if you were one of them? How do you learn to love exercise? Read on.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 30 minutes at least twice a week

Here's How:

1. Begin a Time Habit

   The single hardest thing about exercise is scheduling. Everything else seems to take priority. Exercise is viewed as a free-time activity, and who has free time anymore? Before getting wrapped up in buying the right shoes and finding the right exercise routine, practice setting time aside.

   • consistently reserve 30 minutes at least 3 times a week
   
   
   • set aside your time and do nothing with it (see below)
   
   

2. Follow your Bliss

   Here's your task: for 30 minutes, at least 3 times a week, think about exercise. Just sit somewhere and think.

   • Do not answer the phone
   
   
   • Do not surf the internet
   
   
   • Do not write.
   
   
   • Do nothing but think about exercise.

   Think about what exercise you could be doing during this 30 minute period.

   • Could you be walking?
   
   
   • Marching in place in front of the TV?
   
   
   • Going to a gym?
   
   
   • Doing yoga at home?

   What feels right? Do this exercise for 3 weeks or until you feel ready for the next step. Don't miss the minimum of three times.

3. Substitute with Real Exercise

   Now that you are used to thinking about exercise at least three times a week, begin experimenting by substituting thinking with exercise. Choose what feels right:

   • walking
   
   
   • going to the gym
   
   
   • stretching.

   You've already overcome the biggest obstacle -- time. Now have some fun experimenting with your style.

   • Do you like group classes?
   
   
   • Do you like to work out at home?

   Don't worry about intensity or results. Just continue to establish the habit of exercising 3 times a week. Continue for another 3 weeks or until you are ready for the next step.

4. Set a Minimum

   Set a minimum number of times each week that you will exercise. Commit to yourself that you will NEVER drop below that minimum.

   If you are sick, traveling, or just incredibly busy, you can still honor your commitment through gentle stretching, walks, or massage.

   If you do this every week for the rest of your life you will have more health and energy. Adhering to your minimum is the single most important action you can take. Sometimes you will exceed the minimum, sometimes you will have bad exercise days where you just walk on the treadmill. All the is fine, just NEVER drop below the minimum.

5. Change Your Goals

   Those magazine perfect bodies are hard to obtain and harder to maintain. Those perfect bodies take years to get. Let go of that goal. Exercise instead for health, energy and vitality. You will feel those benefits immediately.

   Make feeling good the goal of your exercise, not weight loss or muscles. Those will come, but let them be a bonus to the increased energy and health you get. Tell yourself each time that you exercise that your goal is health and energy. You will accomplish that goal even on light workout days just by reinforcing your minimum amount of exercise.

6. Become Aware of Mental Benefits

   Notice how exercise makes you feel:

   • Do you deal with stress the same way?
   
   
   • How is your creativity?
   
   
   • Your problem-solving skills?
   
   
   • Do you enjoy food more?
   
   
   • Do you feel tired on non-exercise days?
   
   
   • Do you crave different foods?

   The more you understand the immediate benefits, the more you'll want to exercise each week.

7. Enjoy the Changes

   As you exercise regularly you will notice changes in your body:

   • weight loss
   
   
   • muscle gain
   
   
   • increased flexibility

   Enjoy these benefits as they come. Be prepared to notice them:

   • Is your posture improving?
   
   
   • Do grocery bags feel lighter?
   
   
   • Are you less stiff in the morning?
   
   
   • Can you go up and down stairs more easily?

8. Enjoy Exercise

   Enjoy how your body feels during exercise:

   • Really feel your muscles and limbs.
   
   
   • Marvel at the mechanics of running, walking, or lifting.
   
   
   • Feel your pulse increase and your blood flow quicken.
   
   
   • Really appreciate what happens during exercise.

9. Improve Your Intensity

   Now that you have established an exercise habit complete with weekly minimums, you can start experimenting with the intensity of your workouts:

   • Hire a trainer for a few weeks to learn new routine
   
   
   • Train for a 5K or longer run
   
   
   • using all the fancy computers and counters on the machines.

   But remember that the most important goal is to maintain your minimum. How fast you run a mile, how much you can lift, or touching your toes does not matter if you are not exercising at least several times a week.

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