Change Your Mind, Change Your Body

By Kris Wade

When clients first come to us, they often talk about how much they hate to exercise. “I’ll do it,” they say, “But I don’t have to like it.” Sound familiar?

While I admire their dedication to doing something they don’t enjoy for the sake of their health, there is a better way. If you think you hate exercise, here are some thoughts for you to consider to help you get on the road to finding a fitness pursuit that makes you happy as well as gets you fit.

The power of thought
You may think they are just words, but your thoughts dictate what the body does. For example, when you’re sad, your body secretes tears. And when you’re angry, your face turns red, your heart races, and your breathing gets raspy. The connection between mind and body is real and undisputed. So it stands to reason that doing something physical that you also enjoy is going to have a greater beneficial impact doing something you hate. First of all, you’re not going to want to exercise as much. And when you do exercise, you’re going to want to do as little as possible. And finally, you’re not going to be as receptive to the body-working, head-clearing benefits if you’re saying to yourself, “I hate this,” the whole time. You and your body deserve better than that.

Exercise deserves your respect
People who exercise regularly live longer, with greatly reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke. They suffer less cognitive decline as they age, maintain a healthy weight easily, and have more energy to do the things they love (even if exercise isn’t one of them). Regular walking can even stave off urinary incontinence in older women. There is nothing not to love about exercising!

There is something for everyone
Exercise doesn’t just mean riding a stair climber at the gym. There are hundreds if not thousands of activities you can do to work your muscles, strengthen your heart, and enjoy the endorphin rush that only a good workout can bring. With so many options, it’s impossible to truly hate all forms of exercise. There is something out there that is going to resonate with you, whether it’s gardening, cross-country skiing, or Frisbee golf. Get curious about the many different physical outlets available to you. Maybe you just need a change in routine to get you fired up about being physical.

We’re here to help
A lot of times, people say they hate to exercise because they don’t know much about it except what they learned in high school gym. My team of personal fitness experts and I have been studying exercise for years and years, and we make it our mission to help you fall in love with it and the way it makes you feel. If you don’t like to exercise, please let us help you find ways to love it. We pride ourselves on making our workouts as enjoyable as they are effective.

If you’ve ever thought “I hate this” while you were exercising, please call us or speak with your trainer so we can help boost your enjoyment factor and your overall fitness.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@kriswade.com.