We all know we should be exercising regularly. The human body was made to move. From the tiniest atoms in our DNA to the blood in our veins and the electrical impulses in our brain, we are constantly in movement. Yet so many of us find it challenging to get up and get moving. Here are some of the reasons we use to hide from regular exercise, and how to remedy them:
1. You hate working out in the gym
Every gym has people who grunt when they lift free weights and drop them loudly onto the floor, people who don’t wipe up their sweat after using a machine, or someone yelling into their cellphone. It’s one of the costs of working out in a group space!
What to do?
Change your setting! Go into the great outdoors and create a routine where you’re running or hiking, swimming or surfing, playing soccer or tennis, all done outdoors. You can also set up a home gym, with anything from a couple kettle bells to a full free weight set-up.
2. You hate sweating
Sweating or perspiring is a good thing. It means that your body is able to keep itself balanced, at the optimal temperature for bodily functions. Sweating is also one way in which your body gets toxins out of your body.
What to do?
Firstly, you don’t want to stop sweating. If you do, your insides will over heat and your body will start to break down in the same way a car breaks down when it overheats. What you want to do is move the sweat away from your skin as quickly as possible. Try wearing clothing made from fabrics that cause sweat to evaporate quickly, like COOLMAX® and dri-fit. Use antiperspirants instead of simple deodorants for your underarms and on other areas that produce a lot of sweat.
3. It takes up too much time
We live in a world where time is a resource that we have to budget. With demands like work, family, friends, etc. it can seem impossible to create the time for exercise. So, for most people, it can end up last on the list. You may think that if you can’t fit in a good 30-60 minutes of activity in one go, you just shouldn’t bother. This is a lie.
What to do?
Research has shown that, at bare minimum, you should aim for 150 minutes of activity per week. How long each exercise session take is not as important as the total amount of movement per week. So, if you are active for 10 minutes on day 1 and then active for 60 minutes of day 2 and 35 minutes of days 3 and 4, you are getting the same amount of benefit from exercise as the person who does three 60 minute sessions per week. Take whatever time you can to get moving!
Dr Yesheen Singh for HelloDoctor.com