5 Reasons You’re Not Enjoying the Benefits of Working Out
When I first became a trainer, I really thought that if I could just get people to try working out for a couple of weeks they would be hooked just like I was. Needless to say, I was shocked to find that this was not the case. I still remember the first time a client said to me, “I just don’t get that high. I don’t feel amazing at the end of a workout. I don’t notice all these benefits you guys talk about.”…….
Anyways, if you’re reading this and know exactly what this client is talking about, then this post is for you. Having been in the business a bit longer, here are the most likely reasons I’ve found for why you haven’t fallen in love with it….YET 😉 ……
1)Your workouts are too intense
There’s a good possibility you’re starting too hard or pushing yourself too hard if….
- you never feel good or more energized at the end of a workout
- you’re always sore
- you go back and forth between feeling really strong and awesome in a workout to feeling really lame and weak the next workout
You don’t need to run yourself into the ground to benefit from working out. In fact, you likely won’t if you’re doing too much. Most people only need 2-3 hard workouts in a week. THAT’S IT. I’m not saying you can’t workout more than that, but the other workouts should be less intense. Dare I say, easy to moderate. 🙂
2) You’re not getting enough rest
Being able to balance stress with rest is a critical step towards fat loss and overall health. While working out can be a mental stress reliever, it is also a physical stressor that your body still needs to recover from.
Two of the best ways to balance out stress is by getting adequate quality sleep and restorative movement like walking or yoga, etc.
3) You’re not eating enough to fuel your body
You need to be giving your body enough fuel to actually make it through the workout. If you’re too low in calories, proteins, or carbohydrates, this can cause lethargy, weakness, low energy, and an inability to properly recover. All of which will lead to not feeling so good at the end of the workout and not feeling the benefits of exercise.
4) You’re doing something you don’t enjoy
You had to know this one would be in here! 😀
Life is too short (and consistency is too important) to force yourself to do something you hate, especially when there are so many other options.
Yes, there are certain types of exercise that can probably help you achieve certain goals faster. However, ANY movement is great for your body!!
Before the age of technology, nobody “worked out”. Yet people were generally pretty healthy and there was no such thing as an obesity problem (much less an epidemic). How is this possible?? People simply moved more….a lot more. When you are up and moving, it’s also a lot harder to eat at the same time!
Anyways, the point is that if you’re looking to be healthier and feel better and you know you need to move more, forget what you think you should be doing and just do something (anything!!) you enjoy and do it daily. Most importantly…. Just move.
5) Your mindset
Instead of focusing on how hard it’s gonna be or how much you don’t want to be there, write out all the benefits you get from working out. Instead of focusing solely on the changes you want in your body, list of all the other reasons you’re working out.
Read through it before going into a workout. Focus on them when it gets tough. Remind yourself what a gift it is to be able to move and of all the things that it allows you to do.
Just like we have to maintain our homes and cars so that they don’t fall apart on us, our bodies require the same thing. The cool thing is, unlike the house or car, we get to maintain our body through fun things like playing or exploring or dancing or lifting (that’s right, some of us actually find that kinda fun. 😉 ). God made it in such a way that movement actually gives back to us on so many different levels.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be crossfit or biggest loser. It doesn’t even have to look like exercise!! Just be kind to your body. Show it a little bit of respect and gratitude by making it a priority and putting in a little daily effort. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for all that it does for you.
Which one of these most applies to you? What’s one thing you can do this week to change that?
