7 Ways to Get Fit When You Hate to Workout
7 Ways to Get Fit When You Hate to Workout
I know, I know, some people love to work out, and then there are the ones that HATE to do it, and you're one of them. Ok, give me a chance, and I promise, if you let me guide you through the process, you'll be hooked. Open your mind and forget everything you've heard about working out. I'm not even going to ask you to sweat.
#1-DON'T DO WHAT YOU HATE
Many people think that running on a treadmill or getting up at the crack of dawn for a three-mile jog, is the only way to burn fat and get fit. Some think that a hour-long workout is what it takes to sculpt the body. Did you cringe just thinking about doing any of that? Then don't do it.
If you hate running, don't do it. If you dread going to the gym for an hour, go for twenty minutes. When beginning to workout, avoid the things you despise. It's fine. Your goal right now is to find a way to "like" working out. You don't need to love it......YET!
#2-DON'T CHANGE YOUR DIET
When starting out, I highly recommend leaving your diet alone, even if it is horrible. This is how I started when I began working out. Had I been stripped of my food while trying to learn fitness, I would've failed miserably. Trying to do well at all things is too much for anyone.
Take baby steps with your diet but get your workout regimen down first. Once you begin to work out on a more regular basis, eating healthier will naturally fall into place. You'll want to eat better after accomplishing a workout. So, for now, eat as you are and put your mind on your workouts. Trust me; it will be much easier this way.
#3-DO MINIMAL WORKOUTS
What? Do a minimal amount? I know I sound like a crazy, intoxicated trainer but I've also been the new girl at fitness too. If you decide to workout regularly and it's too much for you to handle, you'll walk away feeling like a failure and hate fitness even more.
Instead of trying to work out several times a week, set your mind at getting two workouts in a week. Let that be your starting point. It may sound too minimal, but remember, I want you to love and succeed at fitness. You need to build a solid foundation on which to build. If you start building on the 2nd floor, guess what, you're going to come crumbling down. Getting your routine down solidly, you'll be able to work up from there.
Start with two workouts a week. Move to three workouts a week in several weeks and keep adding more. Go slow though. You want to be able to sustain your routine.
#4-STICK WITH A ROUTINE
Find a routine that is bearable for you. Like I said, avoid the movements that you hate and hit the ones you love. Write down the exercises you can stand and stick with this routine.
You don't need to jump around to different routines. If you feel like you're getting better, just add a little bit more weight or increase your reps. Your body recognizes this as a new routine and will react accordingly. Learning a new routine nonstop can take away from getting into fitness.
#5-DON'T STRIVE FOR PERFECTION
You don't need to be perfect to get results. Some movements you'll look like a pro, others you'll feel like you're just blubbering around. It's ok, everyone has felt like this. You're just needing to like fitness, not be an athlete.
The more you workout, the better you'll become, so don't be so critical with yourself. No one walks onto a gym floor or picks up a set of dumbbells and feels completely confident. It's normal to feel like a fish out of water. It's a starting point, and that's what you need to remind yourself.
#6-FOCUS ON HOW YOU FEEL, NOT HOW YOU LOOK
I know the reason you want to work out is to get fit. It will come but to begin, you must first focus on how you feel and not obsess about how you look. If you're always looking in the mirror or standing on a scale, tearing yourself apart, you're going to fail.
No one can climb mountains telling themselves; you're not going to make it. Turn around, you suck. There's no way you can do this. Would you yell this to someone trying to do something? No! So why do this to yourself?
Get out of your head and go through the motions. Get your routine down, get your workouts in consistently and take note of how you're feeling. Do you sleep better, have more energy or are you finding yourself in a better mood? How about, are you proud of yourself when you finish a workout?
These things matter most anyway, so stop ignoring the obvious signs of getting fit. Your body will change, but the internal changes happen almost immediately. Let your progress happen in its order. It may not be in the order you wished for, but those little indicators are your bodies way of telling you it's working.
#7-MAKE WORKING OUT A LITTLE MORE PLEASANT
It's those little things that help, so buy some new workout shoes, clothes, headphones or fitness equipment. Whatever gets you excited to hit those workouts.
Download an audiobook, a motivational podcast or a heart-thumping playlist to get you going. Have those ready to go so you can get into the workout feeling energized and inspired to workout.
These are my favorite ways to keep myself excited about my workout regimen. Think of some fun things that you enjoy. You might also try booking a massage on Saturday that you promise to yourself, but only if you get all of your workouts completed. Whatever it takes, do it. It will be well worth it.
Don’t forget to pin this to your Pinterest board and inspire others to get fit, without hating every step! You never know who might just inspire.
Who says you have to love to workout to get fit? Use these 7 tricks to get yourself on track with your weight loss goals without hating every minute of it. Fitness doesn't have to be grueling and hard.
“Consistency is far better than perfection”
I know getting fit can seem like a daunting task and if you already hate it, it's all that more daunting. Rewire the way you think of fitness and instead of telling yourself you hate it, try telling yourself you absolutely can do this. Take one step at a time and have patience. Every step forward is another step towards your goals, even if they are tiny baby steps.
So start today, and you might surprise yourself with how much you enjoy working out. It's your turn to get fit, so let's get going! If you need some fun, simple ways to keep you on track and inspired, please sign up below to be on the inside loop of tricks and tools to fast track you to all of your goals. I'd love to be a guiding light on your path to greatness!
Hugs & Love,
Aimee
Aimee Schwinabart is the founder of The Purely Fit—online workouts, nutrition, and fitness coaching that actually work! She specializes in short (super effective) daily workouts combined with customized nutrition plans to help real people shed excess fat and reveal toned, lean muscles. The Purely Fit approach to looking and feeling great prioritizes small, steady, super efficient workouts and nutrition upgrades to help you stay with it once and for all!
