If Exercise Is Tough For You to Get Into, This Might Help…

Not everyone is athletic, and not everyone enjoys exercise at first. I, myself, hated exercise for most of my life.  There are just so many things that I would rather do than go for a destination-less run on a treadmill or do squats, lift weights, and do crunches incorrectly and end up hurting  myself. I had always associated a great amount of fear with exercise. Limiting and self-defeating thoughts would always manage to take over:

“I’ll never have defined abs, so there’s no point in trying…..Running is too hard, and hurts my knees and ankles…..Sweating is the worst….I don’t have time to workout…I look and feel stupid next to these fit/toned people at the gym, and there’s no way I will ever get on that level…wah wah wah!”

Step 1: Stop comparing yourself! Everyone is different! So, breathe, and release that expectation. It doesn’t serve us to use self-defeating language and to come from a place of “can’t.” The truth is, more often than not, the only thing standing in your way of your peace and your goals, is you.

Step 2: Start somewhere. You do not need to go from a primarily sedentary lifestyle to one where you go hard at the gym every day. Start slow and build from there. Set small sustainable goals, and increase intensity weekly or  even bi-weekly. You do not need to do a whole lot at first. Just 20 -30 minutes/day of cardio (walking counts). Get your heart rate up. Do some jumping jacks. Find what works for you. You may have heard me mention Yoga with Adrienne videos on Youtube. This is a super beginner-friendly way to get your body moving and heart pumping. Click here for a 20-minute yoga workout to get you started. 

Step 3: Be consistent. Just like with food, consistency is key when you start to move your body and make it part of your lifestyle. Commit to 150 minutes/week to start. That’s 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week.

Step 4: Accountability partners really help. Whether you have one of our practitioners here at The Spring keeping you accountable, or you find a supportive friend or family member to help keep you on track, knowing you have to answer to someone in some way might make you more inclined to follow through.

Step 5: Be gentle with yourself. Working out can feel super overwhelming at first, but what I found helpful was changing my belief system about the whole thing. What you believe becomes what is. If you believe you are incapable of doing something, you will ultimately push it out of your reach. This applies to everything in life. Your body is a tool, as is your mind. The first step in altering a pattern, is changing the belief system in your mind about that pattern. In your heart, you know you can do it. Let your body and mind help you reflect what deep down you inherently know to be true.

Our bodies are designed to be challenged physically and to move. They actually thrive under the right amount of pressure. Push yourself, but be careful not to overdo it. When starting out, less is more, with consistency being the key piece. The attitude you carry toward yourself is what will make or break this process for you. We can help guide you through this, but just know that you already have everything you need in order to be successful and get results. You might just need a bit of a push to get there.

You are designed to receive all that you desire. I know you know that, but reminders are helpful. So, get started tomorrow morning. Set your clothes out tonight; select music that will get you pumped; and jump out of bed into your new morning workout routine. Commit to just 28 days, and then revisit your commitment once you reach that goal. Acknowledge all victories along the way, no matter how small they may feel at the time. This will build your momentum. You are going to feel so good.

I’m proud of you for reading this far, and I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you moving forward, so please reach out and let us know!

Written by: Laura Bautista, Certified Holistic Health Coach



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