For those of us who hate exercising, finding a comfortable way of working out can be almost impossible. I know I associate working out with the dreaded gym--full of intimidating hyper-masculine men and flawless-looking women in perfect makeup. There is the constant fear of being judged by all the extremely fit people there for not being as in shape as them, or not understanding how to work the large, complicated machinery. This was my mentality for years and I avoided the gym like the plague.
It wasn’t until I found people to work out with and go to the gym with me that I finally went. I was so worried about what everyone else thought of me that I had a terrible time, but, because I wanted to be healthier, I went again and again and again. Eventually, I realized nobody goes to the gym to look at other people and judge them. Everyone is there to do their own thing and not everybody is extremely in shape. I was pleasantly surprised to see people who seemed to be just beginning to start working out. The fact I went with friends helped immensely as well, some of them were able to tell me what certain machines and weights were and just their company in general was comforting. I realized going with friends, especially ones that push you a little out of your comfort zone, really stopped the anxious gym thoughts from entering my brain.
Sometimes the gym can become boring, or there are terribly in shape judgmental people there. There are other alternatives to just the gym. Playing any team sport can be both fun and physically demanding. Tennis, basketball, racquetball, Frisbee, soccer, etc. are all things you can do with your friends. Going on a hike together is another great way to get exercise while just hanging out with some friends. It doesn’t always have to be trying to lift the most at the gym.
Trying out new things is another way to work out different parts of your body. If you run regularly trying out something like swimming could be challenging but great for balancing your body. Switch between cardio and weights often to keep the different muscles in your body in shape.
Finding the overall motivation to start working out is definitely one of the worst aspects of exercising. “I don’t have any time”; “It’s too inconvenient” and “I’m too tired” are all excuses we use to keep ourselves from working out. Excising actually energizes you, which is why so many people prefer to work out in the morning, because it gives them energy for the rest of the day. As for the inconvenience and time management, yes, there are days where we are just too busy either from work or school to find the time to do something physical. It’s for the days when you are just lazy and watch Netflix for five hours straight--just using one of those hours to go to the gym or go on a run would be so much more effective. Even doing yoga or a quick and easy home workout routine can be effective.
The connotation of the word “exercise” has been so negative for too many people. It should be a thing of the past that the only people who work out are beautiful, muscular and young. No matter what age or weight, there is bound to be something out there you would have an interest in. Round up some friends, find a fun activity, and get active sooner rather than later. Nobody ever regrets having worked out, so why not make it a part of your weekly routine? Odds are you’ll feel better inside and out.
