Unless you are part of a distinct minority of people who actually look forward to going to the gym and sweating for several hours a week, getting excited about exercising may be a daunting task. Absent motivation, odds are good that you won’t do it at all, and let’s face it, if the desire to get healthy and lose weight was enough, then motivation wouldn’t be an issue.
Fortunately, there are a few good ways to get fired up about the concept of exercising. Here are the best of the best:
• Gamify It! – Game Theory is useful in a lot more situations than you might first realize. All games operate on a system of action and reward, so one great way to get excited about working out is to make a deal with yourself, promising a reward for getting it done. It doesn’t have to be anything big or fancy; it just has to be something you like and/or look forward to.
• Make It Part Of Your “Do-List” – If lists work for you, and you find yourself making a list of the most important things you have to accomplish on any given day, then try simply adding your daily workout routine to your action list. That way, it’s just another task you’ve got to attend to before you can call the day done.
• And Finally, Flip The Script! – For most people, exercise isn’t fun because it’s divorced from activities you enjoy doing, but what if that wasn’t the case? The simplest solution, then, is to find some activity you enjoy doing that has a physical component (fencing, white water rafting, hiking, etc.), and do that in the place of your regular workout routine. Because it’s something you enjoy doing, you’re not going to balk when it comes time to do it. Instead, it’ll be something you genuinely look forward to!
Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore or a grind, and if you can find ways to make it something you look forward to, you’ll be healthier and happier, and that is an all-around win!