{"id":417841,"date":"2024-04-04T18:26:47","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T17:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T18:26:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T17:26:47","slug":"how-to-start-enjoying-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Start Enjoying Exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether you’re on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, inForm shares time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks to keep you turning up every single time. After all, when motivation fades, discipline sticks around.<\/p>\n

There are two types of people: those who struggle to stay motivated during exercise and liars. Whichever camp you fit in, it\u2019s no secret that staying committed to your health, wellness or fitness routine is about more than just swiping into your local gym several times a week or slogging through a Parkrun: it\u2019s a careful balancing act of the right training, the appropriate nutrition, smart supplementation, ample recovery and, critically, a healthy mental approach to the task itself.<\/p>\n

Each is easier said than done, of course. But to nail all angles simultaneously? A daunting task indeed\u2014especially for the 77% of adults who say that they don’t look forward to exercise at all and view it as a chore. Oftentimes, it can be something more serious, \u201cSome people might find exercise to be too time-consuming, [or] to be uncomfortable or challenging,\u201d explains Eloise Skinner, a TEDx speaker and author on purpose and wellbeing. \u201cSome people might have had negative experiences with exercise in the past, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully, there\u2019s plenty of opportunity to redress the balance, eliminate any friction and transform the endless cycle of dreaded tasks into weeks, months, and years of opportunity, delayed gratification and self-confidence.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shifting Gears<\/h1>\n

You can scroll through as many motivational TikToks, double-tap as many viral Instagram posts, and go to as many free trial classes as you like, but if your head\u2019s not in the game, then your body isn\u2019t either.<\/p>\n

This is the case for swathes of the population, as the World Health Organisation<\/a> has found that over 25% of adults aren\u2019t getting close to enough exercise, which the NHS currently stipulates as 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the fix? \u201cWe can identify what works by observing our own behaviour over time,\u201d explains Skinner. \u201cIf we notice that one particular strategy or routine is getting us results, we can lean into it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smooth is Slow, Slow is Fast<\/h1>\n

Michael Sawyer, Operations Director at Ultimate Kilimanjaro, knows a thing or two about easing people into fitness. That\u2019s because he\u2019s directly responsible for getting thousands of budding mountain climbers to ascend almost 6000 gruelling metres up to Africa\u2019s highest summit every single year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to enjoy exercise, you should incorporate it into your hobbies, even the ones that require sit-down focus,\u201d he explains. \u201cIf you enjoy nature, have a pet, or have children, you can turn what would be a boring forced activity into a fun and interactive one, [including] hiking, running, and walking.\u201d After all, summiting a mountain starts with a single step.<\/p>\n

The process of enjoying it needs to be natural,\u201d agrees Sarah Spence, Personal Trainer and Studio Manager at F45 Brixton. \u201cRemind yourself that it\u2019s normal not to enjoy exercise fully and that so many people don\u2019t. \u201cEventually,\u201d Spence continues, \u201cyou will find a way of moving your body that you love, so be patient, be kind to yourself, and try to enjoy the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mind Games<\/h1>\n

If you\u2019re like most people new to exercise, you probably have a specific goal in mind, or you feel that it\u2019s just something that you have to do. In a recent survey conducted by ASICS, 77% of adults said exercise is a chore and only exercise for physical gain. Not ideal.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving a weight loss or aesthetic goal is, in my opinion, the reason most people dislike exercise,\u201d says Spence. \u201cThere are so many reasons to love exercise: it\u2019s good for your mental health, it helps you sleep better, it clears your mind, it\u2019s good for bone density [and] it improves confidence.\u201d Shift your focus, and the weights might shift too.<\/p>\n

Exercise Snacking<\/h1>\n

For those without the time\u2014or the inclination\u2014to commit to long slogs in the park or hours on the gym floor, \u2018exercise snacking\u2019 is an exercise methodology that\u2019s continually piqued people\u2019s interest over the years.<\/p>\n

Despite the term being coined in 2014, it hit an all-time high during the various COVID-induced lockdowns of 2020, during which we all had to become creative with our exercise. The simple approach is thus: short, sharp hits of exercise repeated throughout the day that, typically, last no longer than two minutes each time.<\/p>\n

The results are just as tasty: by way of an example, a 2019 study observed the aerobic fitness levels and lower-body strength of healthy college students before and after a six-week program. By focusing only on rapid stair climbs, performed three times a day, the study concluded that there was an increase in both cardiorespiratory fitness and an increase in cycling peak power output.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, a 2022 review noted it as \u201ca feasible, well-tolerated, and time-efficient approach\u201d to exercise. Delicious.<\/p>\n

Finding Your Maintenance<\/h1>\n

But what of the fitness veterans and the rise-and-grinders still showing up in body, yet vacant in mind? \u201cSo many people think they hate exercise itself,\u201d suggests Spence of those experiencing this dreaded mental plateau, \u201cwhen they probably hate it because they\u2019re exhausted from the exercise routine they\u2019re trying to maintain\u201d.<\/p>\n

Simply put, and to use an old lifting adage, it\u2019s all you. \u201cThe only way you will find the exercise you enjoy is pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and trying new things,\u201d says Spence, suggesting to slowly increase training volume once you find your spark. Once that\u2019s achieved, \u201cyou\u2019ll never regret it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether you’re on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20941,"featured_media":417843,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,73],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-417841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-body","category-life"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Start Enjoying Exercise - Form - US<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether you're on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Start Enjoying Exercise\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Whether you're on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Form - US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-04-04T17:26:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ed Cooper\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ed Cooper\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ed Cooper\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/a57954dcead12ec72016a0960ef1ae48\"},\"headline\":\"How To Start Enjoying Exercise\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-04T17:26:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\"},\"wordCount\":943,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Body\",\"Life\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\",\"name\":\"How To Start Enjoying Exercise - Form - US\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-04T17:26:47+00:00\",\"description\":\"Whether you're on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How To Start Enjoying Exercise\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/\",\"name\":\"Form - US\",\"description\":\"Plant Based Nutrition for Body and Mind\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Form\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/form_logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/form_logo.png\",\"width\":158,\"height\":52,\"caption\":\"Form\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/a57954dcead12ec72016a0960ef1ae48\",\"name\":\"Ed Cooper\",\"description\":\"Ed is the Deputy Digital Editor at Men's Health and has published work in GQ, Wired, The Times, Runner's World, Esquire, Digital Spy, Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveller and NetDoctor. Having covered fitness, wellness, mental health, tech, entertainment and style for eight years, With a particular discomfort for fitness fads, Ed is as comfortable grinding out reps during a strongman session as he is on a vegan yoga retreat or grilling the experts for the information you need.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/author\/edcooper\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How To Start Enjoying Exercise - Form - US","description":"Whether you're on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How To Start Enjoying Exercise","og_description":"Whether you're on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time.","og_url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/","og_site_name":"Form - US","article_published_time":"2024-04-04T17:26:47+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Ed Cooper","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ed Cooper","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/"},"author":{"name":"Ed Cooper","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/a57954dcead12ec72016a0960ef1ae48"},"headline":"How To Start Enjoying Exercise","datePublished":"2024-04-04T17:26:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/"},"wordCount":943,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg","articleSection":["Body","Life"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/","url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/","name":"How To Start Enjoying Exercise - Form - US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg","datePublished":"2024-04-04T17:26:47+00:00","description":"Whether you're on a year-long plan or a 12-week blast, these time-tested tips and expert-approved hacks will keep you turning up every single time.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/04\/inForm-how-to-start-enjoying-exercising-header-image.jpg","width":1200,"height":800},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/how-to-start-enjoying-exercise\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How To Start Enjoying Exercise"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/","name":"Form - US","description":"Plant Based Nutrition for Body and Mind","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#organization","name":"Form","url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/form_logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/11\/form_logo.png","width":158,"height":52,"caption":"Form"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/a57954dcead12ec72016a0960ef1ae48","name":"Ed Cooper","description":"Ed is the Deputy Digital Editor at Men's Health and has published work in GQ, Wired, The Times, Runner's World, Esquire, Digital Spy, Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveller and NetDoctor. Having covered fitness, wellness, mental health, tech, entertainment and style for eight years, With a particular discomfort for fitness fads, Ed is as comfortable grinding out reps during a strongman session as he is on a vegan yoga retreat or grilling the experts for the information you need.","url":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/inform\/author\/edcooper\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20941"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=417841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/417841\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/417843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=417841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=417841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/formnutrition.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=417841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}