Wondering if it’s possible to enjoy your workout when it’s never been the case before? That’s a very good question. After all, it’s hard to keep doing something regularly over the long term when you loathe it.  If the last thing you want to do at the start of your day or after you’ve just had a long and busy day is exercise, you’re not likely to do it often. The good news is that it’s possible to teach yourself to like exercising, so it will be much easier to keep it up.

How to Enjoy Your Workout if You Currently Hate It

Yes, it is absolutely possible to enjoy your workout, even if you can’t stand doing it right now.  The key will be to trick yourself into it, and then build a habit out of it.  This will require some commitment, but it is much easier than you think.

Think about learning to enjoy your workout in the same way you’d think about developing any other skill.  You can’t just pick up a guitar for the first time and play it flawlessly. You need to learn and practice.  The same can be said about teaching yourself to like to exercise. Some of this process is mindset, and some of it has to do with practicing it regularly.  When you bring those factors together, you’ll discover that you really can like being physically active, even if you’d currently rather have a root canal.

Use These Tips to Enjoy Your Workout from Now On

Give these tips a try and be prepared to be surprised at how effective they are at making you enjoy your workout when you were not at all expecting them to work. Just keep an open mind and give them a try.

• Make it all about you – Don’t compare yourself to other people. Yes, a bit of healthy competition can be fun, but – especially at the start – you’re more likely to use results to be hard on yourself. Instead, focus on your own progress and successes and let other people do the same thing. You’ll feel much more confident that way, and that’s a lot of fun!
• Get a buddy – One of the best ways to enjoy your workout is to do it with someone else. Find someone who is reliable and whose fitness level is somewhat near your own. That way, you can go for a brisk walk together, go running or cycling together, or shoot some hoops while enjoying some social time. You’ll not only have more fun while you’re active, but you’ll be more motivated to do it because you won’t want to let the other person down.
• Try different activities – Find that you’re just not into running? Try something else! There are tons of activities you can try. Cycling, swimming, climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, waterskiing, or playing team sports are all great things to try.
• Switch things up – Don’t let yourself get bored with the exact same activity every day. Shake things up by doing lots of different activities. This will make it easier for you to enjoy your workout because it will keep workouts fresh and will expose you to new things to love, too!
• Listen to great music – Stuck on a treadmill because the weather is lousy? Have a playlist of amazing music to pump you up. Something you can’t sit still to even if you’re at a desk. Sink into the music and let it do the work for you!
• Think of exercise as a reward, not a chore – What’s better than being able to get a reward for doing something great? Not a lot! Instead of going for that run because you’re punishing yourself for having that extra slice of pizza, think of your exercise as the good part. It’s the way you start your day off on a positive, active, energizing foot. It’s how you tell yourself you value your body and your health. It’s how you really breathe and challenge yourself. It’s the good stuff. It’s something to look forward to.