How to Stay Active for Life: 7 Tips for Adults Who Dislike Exercise

How to like exercising?

Let’s address the issue of overcoming aversion to exercise to maintain an active lifestyle despite disliking exercise. If you’re seeking solutions to stay healthy and fit and wanting to transform negative feelings towards exercise this post is for you. It offers effective, tips and practical solutions for maintaining an active adult lifestyle and overcoming dislike for exercise.

At Axé Boom Boom

We say a lot about being active and find that younger children are so eager to be active. They naturally want to move, jump, run, skip, roll etc. Sadly, often the older they get the situation changes, they start to grow and often feel uncomfortable, shy or judge when exercising. If a child doesn’t find a sport, they like to do then these thoughts may development into a dislike towards movement in general. Those who find a sport they enjoy doing as children and young people are more likely to exercises when they’re adults. Research by Dohle & Wansink (2013) states:

“Encouraging systematic or frequent physical activity at a young age – whether through school sports or club opportunities – might be the best investment in long-term activeness.”

On contrast often those who don’t do sports when they are in high school foster the idea that exercising isn’t for them and that idea goes with them for the rest of the life. Because of that many people need to literally force themselves to go to the gym or a fitness class only if their health is in danger or if they want to lose a size before a special celebration or holiday. Therefore, we recommend to promote physical activity for children and young people encouraging them to be active for life.

Great, but what if I already am an adult and don’t like exercises?

Firstly, if you read this it’s likely that you thought about exercising and realising that you don’t like it but want or need to exercise. Well, you’re here for a treat as I’d like to present a few suggestions that may support you.

Important fact first

Increasing physical activity is a significant health intervention that can reduce risks of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.

Who don’t want to live longer and in health?

Are you ready for the tips? Here they’re:

Establish a goal, how do you want to feel and look in 4, 8 and 12 weeks? Place your goal somewhere that you can see it every day. Let it motivates you.
Exercise with a friend or a group of friends! Knowing that there is another person that keep you accounted and you keep them accounted to be active together increases your chances of sticking with the exercises
Exercise 2-3 times a week or daily and keep exercising as a non-negotiable in your calendar. It’s your time to keep healthy so schedule it and set reminders to start the workout. You can get an app or a gadget that will remind you of the training to. The more regular you’re with exercises the easier it will be to establish a habit of exercises. Once you have the habit keep it going!
Keep track of your exercising so you can see that you’re making progress. Simply measure your body before the exercises and then weekly to see the progress.
Listen to a good audiobook or a podcast while exercising. This will engage your thoughts so you don’t think about the exercising.
Get to your work by bike, run there or walk. In this way you’ll change your commute to work into a workout. This one is also great for the environment, which I like a lot!
Choose physical activity that feels more like hobby that a chore you have to do. If you like something you do it’s easier to keep going with it!

I wonder which one you will implement starting from today? Leave a comment down below and share your thoughts.

Lastly, I believe that in most cases:

You will feel different in about 4 weeks of regular training 2-3 times a week. This time is the most challenging as you’re establishing the habit of being active. This time may be difficult but keep going you can do it!

You will see the difference in about 8 weeks of regular training 2-3 times a week. You will notice that your clothes are looser, you’re slimmer and feel stronger. That’s a great place to be, don’t stop now!

Other will see the difference in you in about 12 weeks of regular training 2-3 times a week. It’s nice to hear a good word from our friends and family that we look better. Don’t let this get into your head though and make you lazy!