If you want to lose weight or were told by a health care professional you need to exercise more and eat healthier, remember that negative thoughts hold you back. Changing how you think about something can make all the difference in the world. While you might not be able to fill your bank account or shed extra pounds by simply thinking happy thoughts, you can change your perspective and start to look forward to a healthier lifestyle with anticipation and pleasure. There are a few ways to make striving toward good health more enjoyable.
Make it a friends, couples or group activity.
If you have a best friend, start working out with them. Instead of going to the local coffee shop or bar after work, go to the gym. Get a shot of exercise to clear your brain and get your blood circulating. Instead of going to a show for couples night, make it at the gym for a workout. You’ll both feel better afterward. (Remember that exercising on a regular basis also boosts the sex drive, so it is the prelude to a romantic evening.) It’s been known for a long time that exercising with someone else makes it more enjoyable. While you might have a gripe fest afterward, you’ll both agree it makes you feel great.
Fake it until you can make it.
Those first few days of working out are killers. You feel totally out of place and hurt after each session. There’s no immediate evidence it did any good either. However, you probably will sleep better at night, if that’s any concession. Until you can see the difference, fake it with a smile. When people are learning a new task, or developing new habits, faking it is one way to get through the hard times until you start to see success. Just smile and keep your appointment with the gym.
Make it a game.
Online gaming sites are very popular because everyone loves a challenge. That’s all exercising is. It’s challenging your body to achieve certain things. Setting goals and keeping records of your success helps you keep score of the game. If you could only do two push-ups when you started, see how long it takes before you can do three. Call it leveling up if you must. Before you know it, you’ll forget about the time and the hard work and just focus on achieving the next level.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a workout buddy. Sign up for a group exercise, such as boot camp. Everyone tends to become friends as they workout together at these types of camps. They’re run by personal trainers.
Make sure you have a program designed especially for your level of fitness and needs. It can be discouraging if you’re working out in a group with everyone trying to achieve the same goal. Either you feel left behind or bored. Sign up for a group where you have individualized goals.
Look for the positive. If you’re overweight, focus on inches or pounds lost, not how many you have to go to reach your goal. Notice small things, like not getting winded after climbing a few stairs.
Feel the change in your mood. Exercise is both a stress buster and mood enhancer. Notice how good you feel after you workout and you’ll be hooked on it for life.