How do you view exercise?

You surely know that physical exercise is a key activity to keeping your body in great shape. However, just the thought of having to sweat yourself out over countless bench presses and weight lifting may not seem so appealing. Nor does the idea of having to grit your teeth and bear the muscle strain that physical exertion causes sound particularly exciting.

Is there any way for you, then, to make exercise enjoyable?

You would be glad to know that you could tailor your exercise, so it does not feel like a heavy physical burden for you. Read on to learn about the ways you could make exercise fun and effective.

1. Don’t overstrain your body

Unless you want to become a bodybuilder or an Olympic weightlifter, you do not need to push your body to the limit. Exercise in moderation, and by that, fitness experts mean that your physical routine should not be too taxing. For instance, your exercise should make you breathe heavier than normal but you should not find yourself out of breath. You should note a difference in your body temperature during exercise, but you should not be too sweaty. Again, you need to remember that you are exercising to keep your body physically active and your circulation normal. Save the physical stress for when you want to build muscle or improve your body shape.

2. Incorporate physical activities into your routine

Exercise is not all about doing sit-ups or crunches (although such methods are also effective). Really, the point of exercising is to get you to move regularly. So, make it a point to avoid becoming a couch potato whose only physical activity involves pressing the keys of a remote control.

There are simple ways for you to incorporate physical activities into your daily life. For instance, you can make it a habit of going up the stairs to your office instead of taking the lift. You can also park your car a little farther from where you usually do so you would have to walk more distance than usual. During weekends, you could make it a habit to jog or bike around the neighborhood or at a nearby park with your family or friends.

3. Change your perspective

Much of the fun (or torture) you link with exercising lies in how you choose to view the activity. If you keep on thinking that exercise is nothing but a tiresome routine, you need to change your perspective. Focus on the health benefits that regular exercise brings instead of the effort you need to exert. And if you think that you need to exercise at least an hour every day, you would be happy to know that fitness experts say otherwise. In fact, half an hour of physical activity five times a week is already good enough.

If you feel that your daily schedule will not allow for a full 30-minute exercise, you may try breaking your exercise routine into three 10-minute or two 15-minute segments throughout the day.

4. Make your hobby your form of exercise

If you hate walking or jogging, you will never survive an exercise routine that involves doing just those things. So instead of sticking it through a routine that you find no happiness in, why don’t you make your hobby your form of exercise instead? Let’s say that you love to swim; then make it a point to swim regularly as a form of exercise. Do you enjoy dancing? Enroll yourself in a dance class and get your groove moving.

Remember that your regularity also determines how effective your exercise routine will be. If you tailor your exercise so that it goes with your interest, then you will most likely get to keep your exercise routine alive.

5. Do not set impossible goals for yourself

Another way for you to make exercise fun is to set achievable goals for yourself—not impossible ones. You would not want to feel disappointed with yourself every time you realize that you have not reached your exercise goals. Always remember to take things slow. Do not shock your body with a sudden and intense physical routine. Instead, exercise at your pace, with your focus on short-term goals instead of long-term ones.

For example, do not be overly conscious about the pounds of flesh that you have lost with every day you spend exercising. Instead, you could make it a goal to relieve yourself of tension or improve your mood with your 30-minute exercise routine.

6. Do not expect too much from yourself

You have to expect that there will be days when you would not feel like exercising; days when you will break your exercise routine. Do not dwell on such setbacks. Instead, remind yourself that your body is still trying to adjust to your new physical activity and it will take some time before exercise becomes your way of life.

Instead of constantly blaming yourself for not being the disciplined individual you want to become, turn your energy to starting on your routine again. In time, you will find it easy to exercise on a regular schedule, so always strive to be patient with yourself.

7. Live healthily

Since your goal of exercising is to improve your health, you need to live accordingly. Remember that regular exercise will not be so effective if you also have bad habits such as smoking or excessive drinking. It is also important that you take note of the food you eat, especially your calorie intake. Do not starve yourself because if you do, where will you get the energy you need for exercise? You may also find it helpful to take organic supplements such as Triphala extracts that can help your body sustain your physical activities.

8. Exercise with people whose company you enjoy

An activity, no matter how tough it may be, becomes bearable when we do it with people we like. The same principle applies to exercise. If you exercise with people whose company you honestly enjoy, you won’t feel much of the physical aspect of exercise.

So sign up for swimming class or yoga sessions with a buddy or a circle of friends and have fun while staying fit!