Question:
I don’t like physical activity of any sort. I’ve tried going to the gym, doing home workouts, but I just can’t get into it. I know it’s good for my body and health, but how do you suggest I overcome this hatred for physical activity?
Answer:
Starting an exercise program is tough especially when you are constantly in pain during or after a grueling session. Most of the time, you will find it hard to continue on.
The most challenging part of training is the breathing or the intensity level. The breathing level that you are used to is called the intrinsic level. During exercise, you will most likely surpass this level which may create a lot of discomfort for most people. You will need to breathe harder and more frequently to get more oxygen into the body and muscles whilst expelling carbon dioxide from the body.
The other reason why you may dislike exercising is the soreness that you will experience after the session. This feeling is normal and it is a sign that you have worked past your current
threshold and your muscles experienced micro-tears. The more experienced exercisers will always seek this feeling post-training.
To overcome these issues, here are a few ideas you can choose from:
1. Get professional advice
Hiring a personal trainer will give you more clarity on the types of movements to do.Do not simply pick one off the Internet and just do it just because an unqualified online coach said so. You may get injured or get demotivated because you didn’t complete the whole sequence. Hire a trainer and get honest feedback on your performance.
2. Mentally prepare yourself
Start with small steps and celebrate victories when you achieve them. Do not beat yourself up even after giving your best and still finding it tough to continue. Keep going with your plan, and don’t give up.
3. Join a sports community
Pick up a sport where you can learn new skills or make new friends. Share your opinions and voice out any challenges that you may be facing. Most of them will be willing to give
you tips and advice on how to feel better about the sport.
4. Use technology
Get gadgets that track your time on-the-go/sleeping/stationary, daily steps taken, and your lifestyle habits. Inculcate positive ones and be aware of the negative ones that are pulling you down e.g. you walk 10,000 steps a day (positive habit) yet you only sleep 4 hours at night (negative habit).
It’s always good to know where you are now and the baby steps you need to take to get to your goal. Starting hard too strongly may cause you to lose interest in exercising and improving your health. I always believe in taking one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other. Have faith and believe in constant improvement and you’ll be on your way to success!
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