Does Exercising Ever Really Sound Fun?

By: Kristie Delgado, MS, GMC’s Fitness Specialist

We all know the importance of exercise—improved circulation, healthy weight, lower cholesterol—and the benefits it offers—reduced stress and boosted energy—but there are days (and weeks) where finding the motivation to go just feels impossible.

After all, the last thing you want to do bright and early in the morning or late on a Friday afternoon is to go to work mentally and physically, which is exactly what exercise can feel like. But why does it have to feel like work? Who said exercise has to be hard and boring? You see, most of us have built exercise up in our minds to the point that stress and anxiety surround it, instead of happiness and empowerment.

So let’s change the way we talk to ourselves about exercise. Here are a few of my favorite tips:

1.            Ditch the all-or-none thinking.Getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise (30 minutes, 5 days a week) may seem daunting, so just remember that something is better than nothing. Even just 10 minutes of activity a day will make a difference—seriously. Don’t believe me? Give it a try.

2.            It doesn’t have to be miserable.You may feel like unless you’re dripping sweat after a workout, then it doesn’t really count. But that isn’t at all the case. You don’t have to pound through a long run or lift heavy weights, to get ample activity. Things like housework, dancing and playing with your kids can all count as physical activity. As an added bonus, it counts as moderate intensity if you’re out of breath while you’re doing it.

3.            No gym or equipment? No problem. You don’t need any fancy equipment (it can be super expensive) or a gym membership (because it’s not always convenient) to reap the benefits of physical activity. You can do tons of exercises at home: march in place for cardio, do core-strengthening exercises in your living room or go up and down the stairs. 

If you’re struggling to get the minimum amount of physical activity, you are not alone! Only 20% of the American population meets those guidelines. If you need help with creating an exercise program that will maximize your benefits in the time you have available, reach out to the personal trainers at GMC’s Ellis Fitness & Performance Center.