Exercise is a fundamental part of life, as is sleeping enough hours and eating the right foods. Yet too many people fail in all three departments. For some though it is exercising that is the real killer. People describe themselves as lazy, unmotivated, and failed fit people. The truth is that people are not either lazy or not lazy it is our habits that make us feel this way. If you have tried to get fit and exercise in the past but failed then this article is for you. You didn’t fail because you were useless you just approached it in the wrong way. Read on to learn how to approach fitness in the right way.
The first thing I want to address is self-criticism. Many fit people look at those who don’t exercise and say they need to “sort their life” “give themselves a kick” and “stop making excuses”. The reality is that those people sitting on the couch probably want to get up and exercise far more than the guy who is already in the gym but it is much easier to go to the gym on a Tuesday when it has been part of your routine for months compared to someone stepping in for the first time.
The truth is that you are not the problem but starting is. It is not easy to start exercising and if you approach it in the wrong way you are likely to fail. Being self-critical will probably get you off the couch. You will look at a layer of fat and say no more. You will say it is time to make a change. However, this same self-critical approach will be what causes you to fail as well.
When you hit your first roadblock in the gym, whether it is missing a day, failing to reach a goal, or something else you will look at the entire journey as a failure and this is where most people give up. Doing something is better than doing nothing and failure is part of the journey. Stop being so hard on yourself and realize that anything you do is a positive step.
This doesn’t mean goals aren’t important. Goals are something for you to aim for and to force you to get up and get active. You should set up rewards when you reach goals but don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t make it. Just try again. When starting out you should really make your goals achievable too.
If you decide to start exercising and plan to work out for 30 minutes every day, it sounds achievable. However, if you miss a day it could upset you and result in your canceling the whole plan. Instead, try to work out twice or three times a week. If you miss a day there are other days in the week where you can catch up. Slowly build up your goals from there.
Motivation is the key to success and everyone finds motivation in different ways. For me, I am motivated by competitions whether it is entering a race or trying to achieve a certain time for a workout. For others, it is looking good. Maybe you have a dress that you want to fit into. For some people, motivation comes from a community. There are so many communities that you can join that will offer a supportive environment and lifelong friends.
Find out what your secret sauce is and make it work for you. While you should listen to others and take advice, always do what you feel is best. Exercise is a difficult thing to start and it will only work when you make it part of your routine. Give it time and make it work for you.