We all know the benefits of exercise, but for those of us who aren't athletically inclined, it can be challenging to stick to a regular workout routine and even more so to enjoy it.
The physical discomfort of aches, soreness and fatigue, plus the sense of inadequacy from struggling to do the basics is enough to make exercise and sports a miserable experience.
Keep reading to check out 5 practical tips to stay motivated and learn to love exercising!
#1 Pump yourself up with an enjoyable warm-up session
Photo from Presslogic
The thought of strenuous exercising is the first roadblock that can stop you from cancelling your workout plans entirely. Instead of thinking about the actual workout, focus on the warm-up stage and keep it fun. An easy warm-up doesn't sound as intimidating and makes the workout on the whole feel less tedious.
Incorporate your favourite upbeat music while you warm up to get yourself in a good mood. Now's also a good time to prevent any post-workout soreness. Try the STARBALM®️ Warm Spray ($12.90) which is designed to support the warming up of your muscles and to reduce risk of injuries.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
After spraying it on the legs, it slowly heats up and makes the muscles feel less cramped and sore while you're working out. I like the subtle, comforting menthol scent and how it warms up the muscles for any activity from runs to rock climbing.
Also, you may have noticed that most spray cans either only work while upright or spits and sputters messily when spraying at different angles. But thankfully, you don't have to get into awkward positions to apply the STARBALM®️ spray evenly and neatly. The cans have a Bag on Valve system which makes the spray pattern consistent through 360 degrees. That means the spray can be tilted at any direction to apply quickly over large areas evenly while keeping your hands product-free.
#2 Change up the scenery
Photo from Presslogic
When you're in the same boring environment, there's nothing much to preoccupy your mind besides your own laboured breaths and muscle pain.
One great way to distract yourself from the discomforts of exercise is to have a new and scenic location to admire. Pick a new spot to jog, cycle or go for a hike each time. There are plenty of picturesque jogging and cycling trails in Singapore to switch up your environment.
#3 Jio a friend for a workout and something fun after
Photo from Presslogic
You know what they say, birds of the same feather flock together. To become someone who loves exercising, flock together with people who already do. Exercise and sports can be fun social activities where you become positively influenced by how much your friends love being active.
You can also schedule an activity you do enjoy right after a workout session. For example, you can arrange jogging at 5pm and dinner at your favourite cafe at 7pm. That way, you'll associated exercise with something you love (like food), and it won't seem that miserable after all.
#4 Focus on your effort and improvement, not weight loss
Photo from Presslogic
For many women, weight loss is one of the main reasons to work out. The thing is, it'll take a while for the results to show, and focusing on the weighing scale will only made exercise stressful and demoralising.
What will make working out a more uplifting experience is to focus on your improvements instead! Give yourself a compliment and feel proud of every little improvement you make like the extra five minutes of exercise you can endure or when you can climb up multiple flights of stairs without feeling breathless.
#5 Beat post-workout soreness
Photo from Presslogic
One of the most dreaded things about exercise is knowing there's a price to pay adding to all that time and effort spent: post-workout soreness and aches. This physically draining feeling can be enough to prompt one to skip workout sessions altogether.
What will make exercise more enjoyable is making sure you don't get this fitness "hangover" by avoiding over-exerting yourself and making sure you get proper workout aftercare. If you're exercising outdoors, bring along something like the STARBALM®️ Cold Spray ($12.90) to relax overworked muscles, reduce swelling and even treat bruises and a sprained ankle.
I tested it out by spraying on the cold spray on just my right leg after a one-hour session of trampolining - and it works! While my left leg ached when walking, I only had a slight discomfort on my right leg. After spritzing it on, there was a relaxing cooling sensation followed by a slight heating sensation that slowly alternated repeatedly.
Photo from STARBALM SG ®️
If you prefer a heating effect to relax your muscles and ease sores, go for the Massage Oil ($9.90) which isn't actually oily at all, or the Aqua Gel Heat Patches ($4.80). Both heat up and boost blood circulation to create a relaxing effect, helping you recover faster from your workout.
Photo from STARBALM
STARBALM® also has a 70% alcohol Hand Sanitiser ($2.90) that has aloe vera to keep the skin moisturised and smooth. If you don't like that drying feeling after using hand sanitiser, you'll like this one!
Photo from STARBALM SG ®️
Once you've reached the exercising-loving stage and move on to more strenuous sports like rock climbing and running marathons, STARBALM® products will come in handy to prevent injuries and recover quickly. Their products can be applied before, during, and/or after any form of exercise.
One of the brands by Dutch pharmaceutical company Novum Pharma, STARBALM® products are formulated by sports doctors and therapists. Unlike many other topical analgesic products, STARBALM® products use 100% herbal ingredients and do not contain camphor, a poisonous neurotoxic agent, which makes them safe, healthy and effective to use.
From 25 March to 22 April, you can get a free water bottle with min purchase of $35 on STARBALM® products (limited to first 100 customers).
You can shop their range of products here → watsons.com/starbalm.
This post is brought to you by STARBALM®.
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Text by: GirlStyle SG
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