Five ways to workout for people who don’t like to workout
Working out can be daunting. As a fitness instructor, I hear it time and time again - I just don’t look forward to my workouts. You know you want to be agile and active but just the idea of working out can be debilitating. So you don’t.
Maybe you’ve never been a super active person or maybe you’re a former athlete who has some residual trauma around fitness (my fiance hates workout classes because he hates being yelled at to workout since it brings him back to his days on the high school football team). Whatever it may be, there’s a block in your mind around fitness and movement that I’m here to help you work through.
From my own experience, when I realized my fitness routine didn’t need to be so hard, it changed everything for me. My relationship with my body got healthier, my interest in movement got broader, and overall, I was happier.
That’s also why, at KDH Virtual Studio, I offer three different formats and intensities of movement - because not every day you feel like working out.
These five ways of working out are five ways that don’t feel like working out. Sometimes all you need is a mindset shift.
Go for a walk. This is one of my favorite ways to move my body. It gets me out of the house, into the neighborhoods, seeing beautiful flowers, views, and people. I love listening to music, or a podcast, or sometimes I’ll go without any distractions, taking the time to be with my mind. Going for a walk also has major benefits on your overall health. Researchers have found that walking boosts the volume of the hippocampus which is the part of the brain responsible for short-term memory. Going for a walk recharges your creativity while walking in nature has been proven to increase the benefits especially for those of us with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and mental illness (L. Boissoneault, Headspace). Walking is also a great way to explore your city or neighborhood, exploring and adventure can bring a sense of youthfulness and newness into our lives which in turn can bring joy.
Dance around your room. Put on your favorite song and let it out. This is another one of my favorites. There is nothing more freeing than lipsyncing to Justin Bieber and just letting your body move in a way that feels good. It can be slow or fast, flowy or jumpy - find some freedom in your body and dance, because no one is looking. When was the last time you felt the freedom of not worrying about what other people think?
Stretch. Now, this may not seem like a workout or fitness but you are moving your body. It’s not strenuous, it’s restful. If your body is calling for something more lowkey, listen. Stretching can be just as effective. Plus, generally as humans, we don’t stretch enough so setting aside time in your movement schedule or listening to your body for intuitive movement for stretching is great for your overall body health.
Workout for less than 20 minutes. You don’t need a full hour or more to work out. There are recommendations about how much exercise you need a day from the prestigious doctor journals and certification courses, of course, but at the end of the day, you know your body best. And if working out for less time is all your body wants to do, then listen to it. In the KDH OnDemand Library, there are Strength Flow & HIIT classes under 20 minutes that are perfect for an at-home quick workout. The more you listen to your body’s wants and needs, the more you build trust in your intuition, and the more joy you find moving your body.
Do something that YOU like doing - go play basketball at the park, or frisbee, or go rollerblading, or go on a hike, or walk your dog, or go swim, or bounce on your trampoline, or go surfing, or skiing, or snowboarding. Grab some friends and play a game of soccer, or chase your kids around the house or back yard, or go kayaking, or try something new like Strength Flow or Pilates or Barre. This is just a reminder that fitness does not look the same to everyone. And that I believe fitness should be enjoyable. It’s not to say that fitness should be easy but that whatever you do to move your body should light you up in some way.
Try these out if they resonate with you and take the pressure off of what fitness is supposed to look like.
Let me know which ones you try out and how this mindset shift changes how you view your workout routine!