Making exercise an enjoyable part of our everyday life may be easier than we think. If we are having trouble beginning an exercise plan or following through, we not alone. Many of us struggle getting out of the sedentary rut, despite our best intentions.
We already know there are many great reasons to exercise—from improving energy, mood, sleep, and health to reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. And detailed exercise instructions and workout plans are just a click away. But if knowing how and why to exercise was enough, we’d all be in shape. Making exercise a habit takes more — we need the right mindset and a smart approach.
While practical concerns like a busy schedule or poor health can make exercise more challenging, for most of us, the biggest barriers are mental. Maybe it’s a lack of self-confidence that keeps us from taking positive steps, or our motivation quickly flames out, or we get easily discouraged and give up. We’ve all been there at some point.
Whatever our age or fitness level—even if we have never exercised a day in our life —there are steps we can take to make exercise less intimidating and painful and more fun and instinctive.