12 Ways To Make Your Workouts More Enjoyable
Are you the kind of person who just can’t relate to people who claim they love exercise?
Maybe you’re trying to get into the habit, and finding it super difficult?
Whatever is going on with your exercise routine, the tips here will help make your workouts more bearable enjoyable and maybe even FUN!
Let’s take a look at 12 things you should be doing, and in no time, you’ll find it a breeze:
1. Take Rests In Between Your Exercises
It’s absolutely fine and recommended to take rest in between your exercises.
As you progress, you’ll likely need to take fewer rest periods. Your body needs to recover in between sets, your muscles need to build up their oxygen supply. However, don’t judge yourself for needing this rest in the beginning. If you’re going to give your all to each individual movement, taking that rest could be key. And remember to breathe deeply!
2. Make Sure You Rest Between Workouts
Don’t forget to rest between your workouts, either. Rest is often just as important as working out if you want results. Exhausting your body will not do you any good as your muscles actually repair when you sleep. Try doing two days on, one day off, or even alternate the days you work out and see how you feel. Some people like to workout three days in a row and have a rest day. It all depends on your current routine and how your body adjusts. Just take that rest and look after yourself. Self care is crucial, whatever your goals may be.
3. Drink Plenty Of Water
Hydration is a must, even for gentle exercise.
A slight drop in hydration can result in low energy, lost strength, and other issues. By staying hydrated before, during, and after any workout you do, you’ll have a much better time.
4. Stay Cool
If you find yourself getting hot and bothered easily, invest in cooling towels and stay cool as you work out.
Being hot and sweaty as you work out can be uncomfortable, but revolutionary accessories like this can help you to get through your work out with ease.
5. Do It With With A Friend
Use the buddy system
Some people prefer to work out alone, but working out with a friend, can be a huge motivator and make things more fun. It can switch things up if you only do it every so often, too. Why not see if a good friend wants to join you on your quest for health and fitness? If you’re in quarantine- you can always meet up on zoom or start a youtube workout together and talk on facetime as you do it
6. Stay Nourished
Fuel yourself properly
If you work out without being properly nutrition, you will likely find yourself low on energy. Some people get on fine on an empty stomach, but it entirely depends on the person and how active they are. If you’re finding yourself low on energy, have something to eat beforehand. Even banana on toast could give you some much needed energy. Make sure you eat a balanced meal afterwards, too. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re ‘undoing your hard work’. You need to replenish your energy!
7. Don’t Run Before You Can Walk
Are you trying to take things to extremes?
Don’t run before you can walk! Focus on the basics and just do your best. Pushing yourself too much in the beginning could be bad for you, especially if it’s not a sustainable routine. Make sure you progress gradually, and remember that progress is not linear, either. You will likely still have the odd ‘off’ day. Don’t put yourself down for it!
8. Make Sure You Like What You’re Doing
If you don’t like what you’re doing, you won’t stick to it.
You need to enjoy your routine and the style of the workouts you’re doing. If you don’t like it, find a way to make it more enjoyable. If you’ve never been in a routine before, you might think you just don’t like exercise. However, many people who believe this initially soon fall in love with working out when they enjoy the happy hormones and other benefits of it.
9. Keep Your Goal In Mind
Goals are a great way to stick to what you set out to achieve.
What is your ‘why’? It should be strong enough to keep you pushing forward when you think of it! Do you want to live longer? Enjoy a healthier body? Find it easier to go about your day? Make sure your goal resonates with you on a deep level. Somebody else’s goal won’t work for you.
10. Track Your Progress
Effective tracking can help you to see clearly where you have improved.
Make notes so you can look back and give yourself a pat on the back. If you don’t make a note of these things or track in some other way, you may end up thinking you’ve hardly made any progress at all. Smartwatches are a great way to track as they have built in features to teack workouts, heart rate, weight and so much more.
11. Celebrate Even Small Wins
Make a big deal out of even the smallest wins.
Treat yourself! Buy yourself a small gift, or relax with a luxurious bath and a good film. Find a way to reward yourself that helps you to stay motivated and on the path to your goals. We are often our own worst critics, and can be very hard on ourselves. Imagine you were a friend. How would you congratulate and treat yourself them? Be gentle and kind to yourself!
12. Get It Done Early
Morning workouts may be the key to success
If you struggle with excuses and feeling low on energy by the time you’ve finished work and other daily chores, getting your workouts done early could be the way to go. Yes, means getting up even earlier and forcing yourself to move, but once it’s out the way, you’ll be so glad you got it done! You should notice many other benefits too, such as elevated mood and energy throughout the day, better focus, and even better sleep. If you workout too close to bedtime, you could find that it stops you from falling asleep or leaves you waking up throughout the night.