Lifestyle
Food & Nutrition
Fitness
When your body doesn’t feel like you want it to, working out may seem like the last thing you want to do. But working out when you don’t feel like it can be as beneficial as working out when you do feel like it, especially if you have some tricks up your sleeve for making the workout seem more enjoyable and motivating. Try these eight tips to start working out even when you don’t want to!
- Working out makes you happy
- Working out relieves stress
- So many people are doing it
- Understanding your body and its limits
- Pick the right workout program
- Interval training is great for beginners
- The best exercises are compound movements
- Rest days matter as much as workout days
- Always stretch after your workout
Working out makes you happy
Not sure you have motivation to work out? Just think about how great you’ll feel once you’re done. According to a study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise, people who exercise regularly report being happier than those who don’t. A group of 120 women kept journals for 10 weeks, tracking their moods, symptoms of depression, and physical activity levels. At the end of each week, they also filled out questionnaires about how happy they were with their lives in general. While exercising didn’t make them feel any more positive than normal on days when they exercised, it did make them feel better than usual on days when they didn’t work out — so much so that it canceled out feelings of stress and dissatisfaction. The researchers concluded that even if you can’t find time to hit up your favorite gym or yoga studio, just getting moving will help improve your overall well-being.
Working out relieves stress
If you’re feeling tired, tense, or stressed out, exercise is a great way to put a halt to it. Scientifically speaking, exercising triggers the body’s natural opiates (endorphins) which lead to that feeling of being high. There are many studies that prove working out relieves stress. Just 45 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can reduce feelings of stress and depression by at least 50%. If you’re having trouble starting an exercise routine or getting back into one after a layoff period, we have more than enough tips for motivating yourself. Working out also releases serotonin in your brain, which makes you feel happier. Working out gives you energy: Feeling fatigued? Need some pep in your step? Go work out! Exercise increases blood flow to all parts of your body and helps deliver oxygen throughout your system. It also boosts your metabolism, so if you want to lose weight or just feel like eating less because you’re constantly full, try hitting up the gym first thing in the morning before breakfast. A good workout will give you plenty of energy for whatever tasks await later on in the day—and don’t forget about how much easier it will be to fall asleep at night!
So many people are doing it
Working out. But for every person who loves it, there’s another one who dreads even thinking about it. Still, no matter your feelings on working out, everyone can agree that doing so can often feel like a great fit — especially when it helps us meet our health and fitness goals. Read on to learn why you should exercise even when you don’t want to. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that older adults who exercised had a 46 percent lower risk of dying during an 11-year period than those who didn’t work out. Plus, if you look at how much happier people are after starting to work out, you might find yourself feeling motivated enough to hit up that gym today! In fact, a recent survey by The Huffington Post showed that 79 percent of Americans said they were happier with their lives after they started exercising regularly. So whether you want to live longer or just be happier now, here are eight reasons why you should work out even when you don’t want to: 1. It makes you happy Studies have shown that physical activity increases happiness levels by releasing endorphins into your body. Endorphins help improve mood and boost self-esteem by triggering positive feelings within your brain.
Understanding your body and its limits
Many people never really understand their bodies or how to work them out. Our bodies are all different and they each respond differently to different types of activities. There are some people who love jogging, while others despise it. If you’re looking for a great fit, try taking up swimming or even cycling.
Pick the right workout program
It’s important to choose a workout that you actually enjoy and that works with your lifestyle. You can always push yourself, but you don’t want to dread something or force it on yourself. If you really aren’t into yoga, for example, find a workout class that works for you—even if it’s just a long walk outside every day.
Interval training is great for beginners
For those just starting to exercise, interval training is an excellent way to get a challenging workout in a shorter period of time. Interval training requires alternating bursts of high-intensity work with periods of low-intensity work or rest, like sprinting for 30 seconds followed by 1 minute of walking. The high-intensity sessions can boost your metabolism for up to 48 hours after exercising.
The best exercises are compound movements
Doing compound movements, or exercises that require multiple joints to work together and with greater force is one of the best ways to lose weight. Squats, deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups are just a few examples of great compound movements. Another benefit: they increase your overall work capacity because they place more stress on your cardiovascular system.
Rest days matter as much as workout days
Working out is important, but so is giving your body time to rest and recover. Many people think that if they don’t do a full workout every day, they are not actually working out—but you are. If you’re constantly pushing yourself to new limits each day, your body never has a chance to replenish its energy stores or repair itself from previous workouts; it gets worn down instead of resting up.
Always stretch after your workout
If you’re stretching after your workout, it’s a good indication that you’re taking your fitness routine seriously. Not only will stretching help improve your flexibility and range of motion, but it also helps reduce soreness after working out by keeping blood flowing to muscles. Stretching is most effective when it’s done immediately following exercise, so don’t make yourself wait too long before getting on with it! Stretch as soon as possible to get more flexible and enjoy a higher level of overall fitness.
