Exercise is important for your health and anyone who has the ability to exercise should make it part of their routine but not everyone does. Most people know the benefits of regular exercise but struggle to be consistent with their exercise routines because they use it as a form of self-punishment rather than self-care. People sometimes think that fitness is something that we all should do but it’s not supposed to be fun. You don’t have to love every part of your exercise routine but fitness is not something that you should dread because people who enjoy moving their bodies are more likely to be consistent than someone who hate exercise. Fitness can be fun and there is no specific exercise routine that I think everyone should be doing because there are benefits to many different exercise programs and you don’t have to do anything extreme. People who say they hate all exercise clearly have not found the right workout for them because it is highly unlikely that you have tried every workout. How can you make fitness fun? In this post, I am sharing a few ways to make fitness fun so you can be consistent with your exercise routine.
Do a fun workout video- People often ask me how I stay consistent with my exercise routine because fitness is not accessible and many disabled people struggle to be consistent with their workout routine. When I started exercising, I hated it because I was forcing myself to do routines that brought me no joy and it wasn’t until I changed my view of exercise that I was able to be consistent with my exercise routine. It can be hard to be consistent with your exercise routine when you are in the mindset that you hate all exercise and I don’t believe people who say that. When you are disabled, it can be even more difficult to be consistent which is why I started using the Internet to make fitness fun because when you enjoy your workout you are more likely to stick to it. There are a lot of fun, free workout videos on the Internet created by certified personal trainers that will help you get results without needing any fancy expensive equipment. I started using YouTube for my strength training and ab routine and have gotten better results than I did when I was exercising solo because it teaches you correct form so you can get the most out of your workout. There are many different types of workout videos online, and if you struggle with being consistent with exercise I highly encourage you to look into this option because not exercising will do nothing for your health.
Make it into a competition with yourself- Some people will do fitness challenges and will compete against other people, and there is nothing wrong with doing that if it keeps you motivated and you enjoy it. Fitness is very individualized because we are all on our own fitness journey and shouldn’t be about being better than our friends. As a disabled person, I don’t typically do fitness challenges because most people in my life are not disabled people, and that would be an unfair challenge, but I do compete against myself to make fitness fun. I set goals for myself and see if I am able to get more steps in when I walk and do more reps when I am lifting than I did the time before. Competing against each other can be fun, but it can also lead to comparison because fitness should not always be about lifting heavier than your friends, and it’s about doing your personal best. Make your workout into a competition you have with yourself because fitness is more enjoyable when you have a goal that you are trying to achieve without the pressure of being better than someone else.
Find a workout buddy- As a disabled person, I like the idea of exercising with a friend, but I don’t have anyone in my life to exercise with since all of my friends and family aren’t disabled and do a completely different routine than me, which is why I love workout videos because it makes me feel like I have a partner. I don’t personally need a workout partner to exercise with me, but some people need a little extra encouragement to stay motivated. Find a workout buddy who has a similar fitness level to yours because working out with a friend can be more fun than exercising alone. I would try and find a workout buddy who has a similar fitness level to yours, because if you exercise with someone who is fitter than you are, sometimes it leads to comparison and takes the fun out of fitness.
Find an exercise routine you enjoy- When it comes to exercise, sometimes people fall into the trap of thinking that they have to do the exercise that burns the most calories. High-impact workouts such as running can help with weight loss because it burns a lot of calories, but if you don’t enjoy then, don’t force yourself to do them. Fitness should not be about doing the exercise that burns the most calories, and if you are picking something you dread doing, it is likely you will give up after a few weeks. Experiment with different types of exercises and find something that makes you want to exercise because there are benefits to every type of workout. As a disabled person with a physical disability, I have limitations and don’t have the privilege of being able to do whatever I want because some things are impossible. I sometimes have to be realistic with my ability and do exercises that are not my favorite, but most people don’t have these limitations and can stop running if they don’t like it. Find an exercise routine that you enjoy because it’s not always about how many calories you burn, and it’s about being consistent
I changed the way I view fitness– When I started exercising and wanted to get in shape, my main goal was to achieve a certain body type, which worked for a while until I achieved my goal, and was motivated to exercise as much I started to become less consistent with my workouts, and it wasn’t until I changed my view on exercise and stopped making it all about body image that everything changed. When I started to view my exercise as something that my body can do rather than a punishment for what I ate, I didn’t dread exercise as much. It is important to be consistent with your exercise to get results, and your mindset plays a major on those days when you really don’t want to exercise. I view my exercise routine as something I get to do rather than something I have to and when you view it as a privilege, it makes it seem more exciting because there are a lot of disabled people who would love to do two minutes of the exercise you claim is the worst thing in the world.
Don’t do extreme workout- The fitness industry often makes people believe that they have to be doing the hardest, most extreme workouts on the Internet to get results. If you enjoy doing extreme workouts, then keep doing but if the thought of CrossFit terrifies you, then don’t do it. You don’t have to force yourself to do extreme workouts, and if you are new to the gym, I wouldn’t do that because if you don’t enjoy exercising, it often leads to burnout and quitting. Extreme workouts are not fun for a vast majority of people, and you don’t have to do them if you don’t want to. . Low-impact workouts does not mean it’s less effective, and it only means that it’s not as hard on your joints.
Exercise can be a struggle for both disabled and non-disabled people to stick to, but fitness can be fun if you find the right routine. You don’t have to force yourself to do horrible, extreme routines, and if you are new to exercise, I highly encourage you not to do that, because that is how you get injured. Exercise should be about improving your fitness, and you should try to not get overly consumed with numbers because it makes people become obsessed and forget about what really matters. You may not love every part of your exercise routine, and sometimes we have to do things that we don’t necessarily enjoy doing because we know it’s good for our health, but fitness can be fun. Some people will never enjoy exercise, and that is okay because I don’t think everyone falls in love with exercise, but that is still not a reason to not do it. You will have so much more energy when you exercise, and everything in life will be a little easier. How do you make fitness fun? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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