How to Fall in Love with Exercise (Even If You Currently Hate It)
I've worked out four times per week for the past three years. I genuinely look forward to each of my workouts.
But it hasn't always been like that. I hated exercising three years ago.
I found it exhausting and dull. I had no idea what to do. I had never tried strength training before.
After I tried, I felt insecure. I didn't see any results for 3-4 months. I didn't see exercising as a sustainable part of my life.
So, how did I turn exercising into my favorite non-negotiable habit?
It simply helped me to enhance the quality of my life ten times.
Here's how you can do it, too.
8 Steps to Fall in Love with Exercise
The Plan
1. Start by defining your why.
What do you want to change in your life? How do you think exercising will support this change? What's your exercise goal? Why do you want to exercise?
Give honest answers to those questions. Be as descriptive and detailed as possible.
Knowing your why will:
- Remind you why you need to keep going
- Motivate you when you don't feel like exercising
- Help you understand yourself and your inner world better
2. Change your mindset
Whenever you want to build a new habit, start with your mindset. Instead of making yourself exercise, think like a person who likes exercising.
“True behavior change is identity change. When your behavior and your identity are fully aligned, you are no longer pursuing behavior change. You are simply acting like the person you already believe yourself to be.”
A regular exerciser doesn't see exercising as a punishment. By changing the way you think of working out you would likely turn it into a habit.
Next time you want to skip a gym workout, ask yourself: "What would a regular exerciser do?" Then, do the same.
3. Stop expecting immediate results.
Quick fixes are not your friend.
Long-term dedication is.
Exercising won't give you overnight results.
There's no sustainable solution that will.
Hard pill to swallow: If you're serious about turning exercise into a habit, it will take hard work and dedication to achieve it.
That's why having a strong why is crucial (step 1).
4. Find what you like
Now it's time to experiment. Try different activities until you find the ones you genuinely enjoy.
As a beginner, it takes a lot of dedication to be consistent. If you don't enjoy doing something, it'll be even harder to turnit into a habit.
Don't be shy to try different stuff. Going out of your comfort zone will show you new horizons, opportunities, and points of view.
You can't stay consistent with exercise because you don't enjoy it. To turn an activity into a habit, make it pleasant.
5. Decide how often you want to exercise
It's time to decide how often you can work out. Be realistic. It's better to exercise 3 times per week regularly instead of 5 once in a while.
Go for consistency, not perfection. It's a lifetime journey.
6. Schedule your workouts
Put your workouts in your physical (digital) schedule. Once it's on your calendar, it's harder for you to skip it.
Also, it'll help you accept it as an arrangement.
You wouldn't skip a business meeting that's on your calendar. Why would you skip a workout?
7. In hard times, go back to your why
You will have moments when you don't feel like exercising.
You'll have days when it feels dreadful.
In those days, remember - even a 10-minute stretch is a workout.
Have you ever done a workout and thought:
"Ugh, I don't feel good. This was a bad workout."?
There are no bad workouts. Any workout is better than none at all.
Whenever you want to skip a workout, remind yourself of your why.
Also, don't forget about your identity change. What would a regular exerciser do in a harsh moment?
8. Only if you quit, you will fail.
Making exercise a part of your daily life is a long and bumpy ride.
You'll have your ups and downs.
You'll have seasons.
Accept them and try to gain the most out of every situation.
Constantly remind yourself why you started and why you need to keep going.
20 Tips to Stay Consistent in Your Workouts
#1 Get a training buddy.
Everything is smoother with a friend.
Having someone to push you when you don't feel like it is a definite recipe for success.
Also, it is less intimidating, especially if you're a complete beginner.
Make sure your training buddy is serious.
You'll both have your good and bad days.
However, you don't want to train with someone with zero motivation.
#2 Think of it as self-care - because it is.
Have you heard of health tax?
It's not a tax you pay to the government.
But you'll need to pay it later in life if you don't take care of your health right now.
If you skip regular health practices, you increase the risk of various diseases and health problems in the future.
Taking care of your body while exercising is a long-term self-care.
The more you do it, the more benefits and dividends you'll receive.
#3 Set goals.
To increase your motivation, set some goals for your exercise routine.
Goals can be various and don't have to be all about outer looks - like losing weight or gaining muscle.
Here are some goals examples:
- Hit the gym three times per week for a whole month
- Run a mile for under 10 minutes
- Hit a new PR at the gym
Keep your goals realistic, simple, and measurable.
Setting concrete goals will help you choose the right workout for you, see the progress you’re making, and motivate you to keep on going.
#4 Make working out inspiration for healthy choices.
No matter whether you're beginning your health journey now or you've already established a couple of healthy habits, make exercise an inspiration for other healthy choices.
The four pillars of healthy living are nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management.
#5 Make a great playlist.
Some workouts are good for you, and you genuinely enjoy them.
And others are good for you but just feel so hard to do.
In those moments, a killer playlist is a must to stay consistent and grow into loving the activity.
Is there a type of workout that feels extremely hard for you? Let me know in the comments.
Mine is running.
#6 Listen to a fun podcast.
There are highly educational and inspirational podcasts.
And some podcasts are all about gossip, reality shows, and curious stories.
Your time to exercise is the perfect excuse to listen to those types of podcasts.
It's a win-win situation.
#7 Track your progress - Visualize it.
Seeing how far you've come increases your motivation and willingness to go on.
It gives you the proof that your hard work is paying off.
However, keep in mind that exercising is a long-term game.
You can't expect magical transformations or learning how to handstand for two weeks.
And remember that even a tiny progress is still progress.
#8 Get a mood log.
Take note of your mood upon waking up and going to sleep.
Keep it for at least 1-3 months to see the impact exercise would have on your life.
Seeing actual proof that exercise improves your mood would definitely... Well, improve your mood.
And you know - a better mood equals higher motivation.
#9. Go for consistency - even 10 minutes of stretching is exercise.
You're trying to build a habit. Your goal is not to win an Olympic medal.
Make working out a part of your day.
There'll be moments when you'll have time just for a quick stretch, a 15-minute run, or a walk around the neighborhood.
Get into the habit of moving your body daily.
#10 Be gentle in your self-talk.
Calling yourself weak, undisciplined, or lazy won't help you exercise.
It has the opposite effect.
The second step of the plan is to change your mindset and identity.
If you keep on repeating to yourself that you're lazy, undisciplined, or weak, you'll continue acting like that kind of person.
Accepting the identity of a healthy person would make your mindset switch way faster. Therefore, you're much more likely to act like that person and embrace their habits.
When you think about your journey, be gentle to yourself.
Don't make excuses, but try to treat yourself like you would a friend. You wouldn't call your friend lazy, right?
#11 Focus on yourself, don't worry about the others.
When I started going to the gym, I was so intimidated by the other people working out.
I thought everyone was looking at me and thinking: "Why is she working out in such an absurd way?!"
Truth be told, people are selfish creatures. They tend to care about their problems and lives.
Everyone is in their head, thinking about what worries them. Just like you.
#12 Get a nice gym outfit.
Cute gym outfits can motivate you to show up to your workouts with higher motivation.
Let's face it, who doesn't like to look nice?
P.S. You don't have to spend fortunes on gym fits. You can find good quality gym fits that are affordable and will help you look stunning during your workouts.
Prepare your cute gym fit from the previous night. In the morning the idea of looking good will motivate you to go exercise.
#13 Create a plan for your workout.
If you want to be consistent, you need a plan.
Showing up to the gym without knowing what exercises you'll do today, how many sets, reps, etc., is a recipe for failure.
If you want to see better and faster results, work out with a program.
There are so many free ones out there, or you can pick 3-5 Instagram workouts from your favorite fitness influencer.
Repeat them for 4-6 weeks, and I assure you, you'll see the progress.
#14 Research how to do exercises in advance.
After you pick what exercises you'll do for your next workout, make sure you know how to perform them.
Watch videos, graphs, and explanations on how to perform them best.
And remember, good form is your number one priority.
#15 Get adequate rest.
Working out too often without stretching or active recovery days would slow down your progress.
Your muscles get sore and can't recover without proper rest.
This would lead to poor performance, less energy, and low motivation.
If you want to make exercise a part of your routine, don't skip rest days.
#16 Hire a coach.
Having someone to navigate you and give you professional advice may be the right decision for you, especially if you struggle with discipline.
Investing in a coach shows you are dedicated and serious about making progress.
Hiring a coach will help you to build a working-out habit.
A professional can show you what you're doing wrong, recommend more of the things you like, and give you the best advice to achieve your goals.
#17 Do what works for YOU.
There's a lot of advice out there.
Some people would tell you that morning workouts are the best.
Others claim that challenges give amazing results.
The most important thing to remember is that no one is you.
What works for somebody else doesn't have to work for you and vice versa.
Find what you like, what you can fit into your schedule, and what would bring you closer to your goals.
That's the best strategy to have.
#18 Nail the basics.
As a total beginner at the gym, I was constantly watching different Instagram workouts.
I usually picked the ones with some complex exercises. I used to believe that the harder the exercise, the more effective it is.
Today (3 years after being a regular at the gym), I fill most of my workouts with basic exercises.
Nailing the basics would give you spectacular results.
Most of the time, the famous Instagram influencers you follow do basic exercises like squats, lunges, bench presses, deadlifts, etc.
But you won't get hooked by watching people online doing the same stuff.
That's why they constantly offer new variations of a basic movement.
Mastering the basics is the quickest shortcut to achieving your goals.
Focusing on good form and basic exercises will give you the quickest progress.
And a quick progress keeps the motivation high.
#19 Create a healthy environment.
Your environment can either support your progress or ruin it.
Carefully pick the habits, books, and people that are around you.
Reading health articles, following fitness influencers, and being around people who work out regularly will help you build your exercise habits with less effort.
#20 Celebrate your wins. Yes, even the smallest ones.
You hit the gym three times this week? Celebrate.
You did a new squat PR? Celebrate.
You ran a mile for under 10 minutes? Celebrate.
Honor your progress and enjoy even the smallest victories.
You don't build habits by doing everything at once.
You build them by taking small steps every day.
Conclusion
Making exercise a part of your routine (turn it into a habit) is simple but not easy. Nothing that has the power to change your entire life is easy.
But it can feel easy when the motivation comes from within.
Your focus is not on outer looks. It's about living your best life and feeling your best in your skin.
That's when you'll stop finding exercise a struggle.
Building a new habit is hard and intimidating.
If exercising is easy, everybody would be in top shape.
It takes time, experimenting, and patience. Although, your quality of life will improve ten times.
If you want the best, dare to be your best.
If you feel lost in the nutrition world and need guidance to live your healthiest and happiest life, check out my 1:1 coaching. I can’t wait to help you build a healthy lifestyle you can stick to daily.
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Comment below: what other guide do you need to feel more confident in your health journey and accomplish your goals?
If you enjoy short and handy nutrition and wellness tips, follow me on Instagram. I share my perspective on how to ditchthe diet culture, make healthy eating easy, and build wellness habits.
I hope this article motivated you to keep on going with your wellness journey with more confidence.
Until next time.
- Mariya
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