A really important practice with switching to a healthy lifestyle for weight loss instead of dieting is that while you will still exercise, you do it more for your health. Remove the idea of burning fat or calories from workouts off the table, as that often leads to obsession and over-exercising. Instead, you want to find movement that makes you feel good, and you enjoy doing.
What Do You Love to Do?
An easy way to start discovering exercises for health and not changing your body is to think about what you enjoy doing, as far as moving your body — not just fitness classes or going to the gym, but any form of movement.
Do you enjoy stretching during your workouts? If so, yoga or Pilates might be a good start. If you love dancing with your friends, dance aerobics can be a fun exercise. Maybe you look forward to walking your dogs or taking your kids to the park, so walking or hiking is the workout for you.
What Do You Hate to Do?
Now consider the forms of movement you despise. What feels like a chore? What do you dread when it’s on your fitness schedule? What did you use to hate when you had gym class in school?
Be honest with yourself about what you do because you think you have to and what you do because you like doing it.
If you have been going to a cycling class for years but you still dread it, maybe it’s time to switch it up for a different type of workout that you will look forward to.
How Do You Feel After Your Workout?
As you start incorporating more forms of exercise into your healthy lifestyle, you should record how you feel after each workout — become more mindful of your thoughts and feelings following training. If you feel energized and like you did something unique for your body and mind, it’s a great sign. But if you’re lethargic, sore, and feel like you need a nap, it might not be your best option.
How Low Maintenance is it?
A little trick for choosing exercises you will enjoy and stick to is considering how much maintenance is involved in getting started. People don’t often think about it, but when it requires different workout clothes, tons of equipment and accessories, or driving a long way in traffic to get to a class, it might not be as easy to be consistent with.
Finding exercises for health and wellness should be about what makes you feel good, not about punishing yourself. It’s essential to find a balance between things you enjoy and things that are healthy for your body. Listen to your intuition, and it will guide you to the right exercises for you.
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