A Quick and Effective Way to Encourage Yourself to Workout Regularly
Motivation for healthy behaviors can be challenging since we frequently choose the path of least resistance, especially when it comes to exercise. Too many people hold the false belief that exercise must be painful in order to be beneficial, which frequently dissuades them from beginning in the first place.
But, very few people have ever regretted working out or even just taking a quick walk.
Here is a quick method you can use to document the mood and energy changes your next workout has given you. You can, in effect, condition your brain to expect the immediate "reward" of exercise or physical activity if you utilize this technique for a few workouts in a row.
Here is how you do it:
1. Use your smartphone's "Voice Memos" app.
2. Record a brief description of your current physical, mental, and/or emotional state before working out. After exercising, repeat step 2 right away. Recordings from steps 2 and 3 should be played back consecutively. Both the impact of the words you employ and the tone, vigor, or enthusiasm in your voice will be apparent right away.
No matter how minor, note the impact this action has. Too frequently, people exercise because they "should," which reduces the perceived benefits of the healthy practice by taking away a lot of the fun that is typically associated with it. This method alters that.
Why It Works
The motivation changes to a visible change in mood. After doing this a few times and listening to the recordings, you've essentially trained your brain to seek out the satisfaction of feeling better after working out or engaging in any other physical activity. You've established a behavioral cycle that teaches your brain how to improve mood and gain significant benefits from a single exercise attempt.
A single activity that makes you feel better psychologically or emotionally broadens your options and inspires hope. Additionally, it aids in reframing exercise as a chance to improve mood as opposed to a motivational challenge.
It's important to note that this tactic may be used and is equally effective when exercising, whether it's walking or another type of physical activity. In general, incidental physical activity does not feel as intimidating or difficult to many individuals as exercise does, even though it may not be as intense. Nonetheless, it can still offer a chance to use the here-introduced method to reframe any physical activity (including exercise) in a more positive light.
Choose the Intensity You Like.
Don't stress out too much about how hard you workout if you're just starting out or do it now out of reluctance because you despise it. According to one study, respondents felt better about themselves when they chose their own level of intensity rather than following a regimented moderate-effort routine. While some people enjoy low or moderate exercise intensities, others adore high intensity workouts. It is preferable to start exercising or becoming more physically active at an intensity you find most appealing because continued participation will probably increase both your capacity and willingness to exercise at various intensity levels. If you exercise frequently enough to gain confidence and gain the health and fitness you need, you can eventually perform at all intensities.
Choose your own level of intensity rather than the one you "should" use.