You know the importance of exercising. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, boost your mental health, and reduce the risk of many health problems. But exercising is much easier said than done. Between work, school and other obligations, it's hard to squeeze in a workout. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Are you bad at exercising? If so, here are seven ways to fix it.
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1. Break It up
If you’re aiming for 30 to 60-minute workouts a day, there's no rule that says you have to complete the entire workout in one setting. Depending on your schedule, break it up over the day. You can work out for 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes on your lunch break and 10 minutes in the evening. At the end of the day, you would had completed a 30-minute workout without much effort.
2. Discover What You like
It’s important to find exercises you enjoy. If you hate cardio workouts or DVD workouts, skip these. Likewise, if going to the gym sends you into a panic, find other ways to be active, such as riding your bike, swimming, jogging or dancing.
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3. Patiently Wait for a Habit to Form
A regular exercise routine isn’t going to happen overnight. It takes about 21 days to form a new habit. So even if it's hard to squeeze in exercise today, keep at it and it’ll eventually become second nature and you’ll look forward to your workouts. For this to happen, make sure you come up with a doable schedule. In other words, don't plan for 60 minutes of exercise if you only have time for 20 or 30 minutes a day.
4. Get a Partner
An accountability partner is more beneficial than you might think. This is a person you can check in with, and she can help you reach your fitness goals. This person can also work out with you and make your exercise sessions more enjoyable.
5. Turn on the Music
From personal experience, working out with music is more enjoyable and music makes the time pass quicker. For example, if I'm walking around the block without music, this walk seems like forever. But with an upbeat playlist and my earphones, I'm more pumped and able to pick up the pace and burn more calories.
6. Reward Yourself
You can trick yourself into exercising by rewarding yourself. If you're trying to drop weight or maintain a healthier diet, you might cut out sweets and fatty foods during the week. As a reward, you can allow yourself one cheat meal if you stick with your exercise plan for the entire week. This might seem too simple, but it works.
7. Make Exercise Your Stress Buster
Exercise can do wonders for your mental and emotional health. It increases your brain’s production of endorphins, which are hormones that help you feel better and reduce stress. If you start a routine of exercising whenever you feel stressed, you'll notice your mental health improve. Before you know it, exercise will become your go-to strategy when you need a mood lift.
Even if you've never been a big fan of exercise, you can adjust your mindset and enjoy your workouts. The trick is finding what you enjoy and getting creative with your workouts. What are other ways to improve your exercise routine?
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