5 Tips To Work Out For Those Who Hate Working Out

They all say the same thing, you should exercise regularly! Besides losing weight, staying active improves your overall physical, mental and emotional health, including your mood, energy level, sex life, quality of sleep and more.

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That's all very well, but what if we simply hate exercising and dread even the thought of it? If your dislike of exercise is getting in the way of you having these life benefits, we have five tips for you to get yourself to work out more.

Keep reading to check them out!

#1 Set tiny goals

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If you feel like you're forcing yourself to exercise, you'll be miserable and find it difficult to set or stick to a regular workout routine.

Get rid of that sense of obligation by starting with baby steps. Set tiny goals that are too easy and quick to skip out on. It can even be as simple as doing one sit-up, one push-up, or climbing one flight of stairs. ?

The easier and faster it takes to do, the more likely you are to feel like it's no big deal and get it done without dreading it. Once you've conquered that one sit-up a day, slowly increase it to two a day, three a day etc. Start working out for 30 seconds per day, then gradually start increasing to one minute, three minutes, five minutes and so on.

This seems ridiculous, but for those who are extremely exercise-phobic, it might be the only way to will get you moving.

#2 Exercise at home right before your usual shower time

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Right now with COVID-19, exercising at home is the best option. But besides that, some common reasons why people hate exercising is the fear that the more physically fit people are judging them, feeling embarrassed exercising in public or that they are wasting time travelling to the gym and taking a shower to go out after.

You can overcome these issues by simply working out from home. There's no one looking at you, no pressure to perform to a certain standard and no time wasted. Work out right before your usual shower time to save even more time. We have a whole list of fitness routines that you can do at home and even on your bed! ?‍♀️

#3 Don't pressure or push yourself

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Many fitness guides usually instruct you to do 20 to 30 reps of one workout. This can be too challenging if you rarely (or never) exercise. Attempting to go all out can make you feel discouraged if you can't match those exercise guides and you might be tempted to give up altogether.

Don't pressure yourself to follow these guides 100%. Instead, ignore the recommended number of reps to do, go slow and set your own standards to follow, see #1. Remember that some exercise is better than no exercise! ?

#4 Light entertainment

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We get it, exercising can be boring sometimes. Once you increase your exercise time past 15 minutes, that's when it may start feeling like a drag. Having some light entertainment while you work out will keep your mind occupied!

We recommend videos that don't require deep concentration or a visual like an audio book, documentary, infographic video or podcast. You can also rewatch your favourite drama series like Crash Landing On You. Your oppa's face could be the motivational push you need! ? Avoid watching new content or anything too thrilling that might distract you from your workout.

#5 Get a motivated fitness buddy

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Have you noticed that a friend who is passionate about something will somehow influence you to take interest in it as well? This will happen with exercise too! A friend who loves working out may influence you to think about exercise more positively.

Having a workout buddy is peer pressure in a good way! He or she will push you to exercise and make it fun at the same time when you have someone to chat with. You can even join a class together as you won't be able to skip classes because of the guilt of flaking out on your friend. ?‍♀️

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We're finishing this off with some additional tips! Avoid junk food and processed food that will make you feel lethargic and make exercising more difficult. Also, work out for health, not beauty! If your motivation for exercising is to lose weight and achieve a certain look, it will be difficult for you to enjoy exercise in the long run. It can also be demoralising when you don't see the results immediately which might tempt you to give up altogether. Even if you want to lose weight, focus on the long term health benefits instead.❤️ You'll definitely feel stronger and healthier which will motivate you to keep going and amping up your workout routine!

Share this article with your friends who hate working out too! 

Text by: GirlStyle SG