Do you have problems exercising? You are not alone. Millions of adults are in the same position as you. You know you need to exercise, and your doctor has suggested it several times. Your health may be suffering from lack of activity, and you’re in a position where exercise will bring you vital benefits. An exercise program is more important to you now than ever. It’s easy to put off or skip physical activity in your 20s and 30s. But it catches up with you sooner or later.
You are struggling to fit a regular exercise plan into your day. You know you feel good when you exercise…
- you have more energy
- your blood sugar level drops, and
- you feel great
But fitting exercise into your busy life isn’t always easy. Don’t think that just because some people have the habit locked in, it’s necessarily easy. Remember, we all have the same amount of time to work during the day. We all have, more or less, 16 hours a day to use. While most of this will go toward essential responsibilities, there’s always time for a thirty or forty minute workout somewhere.
If you’re having a hard time motivating yourself, make sure you don’t use lack of time as an excuse. Most of the time, it is unjustified. If it helps, think about what the exercise will do for you now. Don’t focus so much on long-term benefits, because if motivation is the main missing factor, you may need more reasons to get inspired and get moving.
If you haven’t been exercising in the past few years, you may have forgotten what it feels like to complete a workout. You’ve probably heard of the good feelings that come when you’re done as a result of neurotransmitter activity in your brain. But do you remember how it feels? Why not…
- Do 40 minutes of cardio.
- attend an active yoga class.
- take a long walk on a Sunday afternoon.
You’ll feel great when you’re done. Not only this, but the feeling of having been productive through physical activity and working on your health provides a boost in your mood on its own.
Have you ever wondered why some people can be so addicted to exercise? Partly because of the positive emotion it often brings. If you’ve been stressed or overwhelmed with anxiety lately, exercise will especially help as it provides a therapeutic way to relax mentally. And of course it will do wonders for your health if you can make it a habit. You have to start somewhere.
So for now, do it for the post-workout feeling. It may be the highlight of your day, considering that most days are normal for most of us.
Exercise doesn’t always have to be a struggle.