5 Strategies to Love Exercise (+ Do it Regularly)

We all need a little motivation to exercise sometimes, and these 5 strategies to love exercise (+ do it regularly) might be just what you need to get you moving.

I get asked from time to time what my fitness routine looks like, and the truth is that I've never really had one. For most of my life I never really liked exercising or things like working out at a gym. Athleticism has never come naturally to me. I was the girl in high school who ran awkwardly around the gymnasium trying to fumble with a volleyball and much preferred to just sit out during anything sports-related.

And adult me? I've usually found it hard to get myself motivated to get out there and move my body. But over the past couple years I discovered there were certain things that made made exercising easy and enjoyable. I'm now so much more active than I ever used to be thanks to these 5 strategies.

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Find An Activity You Love

It wasn't until I started taking ballet classes each week that I truly began to love and appreciate movement. This is different for everybody, from rock climbing to swimming, but whatever activity you choose, make sure it's one you love doing!

I've always loved dancing (even if it's Saturday night's out with friends) so ballet is enjoyable on a whole different level than just strictly exercise. I look forward to it each week, and that my friends, is the key to loving exercise and doing it without even thinkin' about it.

Exercise With Someone

I sometimes workout with my friend who's also a personal trainer and it does two things: it makes it so much more fun, and it also holds me accountable.

Working out at a gym has never really been my thing, but once I tried weight training for the first time a couple years ago, I discovered it was something I actually liked! But exercising with someone is the main point here. Whether it's a friend you can go for a walk with every Sunday or a weekly class you join to be amongst others, exercising with someone or with a group is a great way to make it so much more enjoyable.

Start Slow

If you're new to exercising regularly, do not feel like you have to be able to run at high speed for 30 minutes straight, lift 50lb weights right off the bat, force yourself to sweat profusely, or push yourself to hard in general. If anything, this will make you feel defeated, discouraged, and like exercising is way too hard (and super unenjoyable).

Taking things at your own pace. You know your body best, so move in a way that feels good for you. Remember that it's perfectly fine if all you're able to do some days is walk around the block for 5 minutes, and to not compare yourself to others. It's so easy to see others who are naturally athletic and who make exercise look like a breeze, but trust me, everybody's at a different level and all you need to focus on is that the more consistent you are with exercise (even if it's just a little bit each day), the more it'll become easier for you.

Make it a Habit

It certainly takes time to create new habits or add new things to our routine, but developing habits is one of the best ways to make things easier for us. The more we do something, the more of a habit it becomes, which means the more of a tendency we'll have to do it. Plus, when it comes to physical activity, we start to get used to how good we feel when we do it.

This doesn't mean that you have to have a perfect 7 day a week workout schedule, but it does mean you have to do something. Whether it's that walk every Sunday with a friend or a weekly class or activity that you join, start somewhere.

Many people also find that scheduling in their workouts or other activities makes it easier to stick to it. If it helps you, decide which day(s) works best for you, add it to your calendar, set a reminder, and you're on your way.

You're Made to Move

Remember that our muscles are designed to move. Our bodies love moving in the primal way their made for: running, jumping, lifting, pulling, pushing and that exercise is about far more than just burning calories or losing weight.

Exercising, using our muscles, and getting our heart rate up is about far more than just how we look. It's a fantastic way to reduce stress, improve sleep, feel those endorphins, boost our mood, and of course, maintain a healthy weight, too.

It's helpful to shift our perspective from thinking we need to work out strictly to burn calories, to realizing that our bodies are made to move and thrive off of it.

I hope these tips are helpful for you! They've been game-changers for getting me off my butt and out the door—regularly.

What's one thing that helps you to exercise?