Getting into Exercise: How to get into and stick at exercise
Getting into exercise is something that everyone says they want to do, but a lot of people find difficult to actually get around to doing. Usually there is always a reason – something else to do, a lack of time, or possibly an injury – that prevents you from exercising.
Exercise is important for a number of reasons we have all heard before, but here is a recap of why I recommend regular exercise to my clients.
Exercise is very important for neurological health, as it forces your nervous system to constantly learn and involves intense stimulation of the proprioceptive areas in our brain (the areas involved with communicating where parts of your body are in space).
Exercise can be highly beneficial to your cardiovascular health as it requires an increase in blood flow around the body.
Exercise also can have a positive effect on mood and reduce stress. Ultimately it gives you ‘alone time’ with yourself, where you are doing something good for yourself.
A good way to get into exercise is to try something you’ve never tried before. There are many gyms around which offer classes in different styles of exercise. These could be things like yoga, pilates, zumba, circuit training, body weight training, spinning and many, many more. Many of these gyms or studios offer free trial classes or great introductory offers (or visit classpass.com which allows you to try classes at different gyms and offers a free trial period). They are also a place where you can meet people who may be interested in similar things and on a similar fitness path to you. Lastly, it is always nice to have a structured workout planned and have someone there to correct your form if you are doing moves incorrectly, trainers always lead these classes and this is hugely beneficial to your experience.
However, if you prefer to exercise alone, prefer being outside or you need a focus point, a great idea is to book yourself into an endurance event in 6 months’ time – something like a swimming, running or cycling event, for example. By booking the event before you start training, it puts that ‘end goal’ in mind and gives you something to work towards. It’s a nice idea to book this with someone else who you can train with, or chat with about training, to keep each other motivated.
If an injury is preventing you from getting back into exercise, it might be time to do something about that injury. The body is great at healing itself, but if you take charge of your health and get booked in for an adjustment with your chiropractor they will help assist the body in this process.
Once you have started an exercise routine, you will start to notice changes in your body. At first, things will probably hurt a bit because the structures in your body are adapting to this new load. This is completely normal and okay!
Once you make a habit of exercising you are unlikely to want to stop, especially if you set yourself an end goal within your training routine. It doesn’t have to be an endurance event - it could be as straightforward as losing a certain amount of weight, running four miles in a certain amount of time, or being able to complete a difficult yoga pose. Make sure your goal is SMART. Ultimately, you will achieve your end goal, set new goals and maintain or build on the progress you’ve made. Good luck!