Another year of feeling like a failure for not keeping up with your New Year's fitness resolutions? You wouldn’t be the only one. The way we’ve been trained to think about fitness and start a new routine just doesn’t work.
We always try to do too much too soon and force ourselves to do exercises we dread. Naturally, that’s not a recipe for long-term success.
But what if you could flip the script? What if exercise could become something you actually look forward to and enjoy? In this article, we’re going to share how to do just that.
Read on to learn six ways (with plenty of specific examples) to make movement so fun and relaxing that you’ll want to do it even after a hard day.
Everything you do starts in your mind. How you define something defines your behavior around it. So if you tell yourself that working out is “something I have to do” (even though I don’t really enjoy it), chances are, it’s not working out very well for you.
In order to do anything, we have to either enjoy it or have a compelling enough “why” to force ourselves to do it. Otherwise, why would we ever have pulled all-nighters studying for exams?
Except when it comes to movement, it’s different. It’s something we hope to commit to long-term, not just for one night (or that one month of January). But if movement feels like a should rather than a want, we’re depriving ourselves of the opportunity to make it enjoyable. As soon as we give ourselves a “should”, we take a bit of the fun away from it. It’s no longer an “I get to do this” or “I want to do this” — it’s now a chore (and how many of us enjoy chores?).
So if you want to find a way to move your body and enjoy it long-term, reframe what movement really means — along with why you even want to do it at all.
For example, maybe movement can be your way to:
Why do restrictive diets fail? Because they’re too restrictive — i.e, no fun and impractical. So if exercise feels more like punishment, you probably won’t stick with it. The way around that is to start experimenting with movement that feels good. You have to love what you do to want to do it, right?
Luckily, the internet (and outdoors) are full of interesting ways to move your body. For example:
Most times, we set fitness goals that fill us with dread. Like, “Lose 20 lbs in 1 month”. I don’t know about you, but that fills me with nothing but pressure. Not to mention the immediate fear of losing out on countless delicious meals and spending all my free time sweating in a stuffy gym.
So, does your goal actually excite you? Or does it make you feel tired just thinking about it? Start by giving yourself a little challenge and make it a SMART goal.
Here’s how to make your goals more fun (so that you’ll actually follow through):
Remember when you were a little kid and you went out to play with your friends? Every day was a new adventure. Who knew where your imaginations would take you? Even if you played in the same park, one day it became a ship full of gold that you had to defend from pirates, and another day, it was where you became a cop and had to chase after robbers.
Bringing that novelty into your workouts is what can make things fun again. Who wants to play the exact same game every day and never try anything new? Some ways to add more spice to your workout life could be by giving yourself a monthly challenge, like:
There’s no denying that most of the time, hanging out with friends you love cheers you up. We are social beings, and our bodies' physiology actually changes when we’re around people we like. Our stress hormones decrease, our nervous systems relax since we feel safer, and we tend to smile more (which also releases serotonin and dopamine).
So if you’re not the biggest fan of working out, maybe what will help is some positive association. Take someone you enjoy spending time with and combine them with movement. Over time, your brain can associate movement with something enjoyable, naturally decreasing the current negative association.
Ways to move more with friends and family? Invite them to…
And if none of your friends are game, it’s time to get out there and expand your social circle. In-person classes might be your best bet (dancing, fitboxing, etc.). There are also social groups, like hiking, nature photography, ecstatic dance, yoga in the park, etc. Options are endless, it just takes a quick bit of research to see what’s available in your area (and ChatGPT can help you with that, too).
“Once in a blue moon” rewards (like “I’ll go to a Punta Cana beach resort after I lose 30 lbs”) don’t always work long-term. Sure, an upcoming trip or wedding might light a fire under you to move, but as soon as the moment passes, you’re back to your old habits. Or worse, you might have deprived yourself of food or worked out so much you overdid it, and now you’re eating everything in sight with zero desire to hit the gym.
Rewards don’t have to be big end goals. While they can be motivating, they’re not always enough to keep us going day by day — especially when we’re tired and overwhelmed. Instead, try focusing on the intrinsic reward, like feeling proud of yourself. How to do that? Maybe take a few minutes after every workout and combine it with something else you enjoy. For example:
If you’re forcing yourself to do something you hate, it won’t last. That’s why trainwell’s trainers actually get to know you. They learn your goals, likes, dislikes (and hates), and create a plan that you can truly enjoy. Hate the gym? No worries. You’ll get a plan you can do from home or wherever else you might like to move your body. They also keep you on your toes, switching things up so you never get bored.
Plus, their company will add a bit of socializing (and accountability) to your routine, which research shows helps you naturally enjoy working out more. They might even give you that gentle push you secretly want to try new things and move out of your comfort zone (on your terms, of course).
Try the free 14-day trial and get a taste for what it’s like to have a workout buddy by your side, no strings attached.
Written by Jennifer Olejarz.
