subject: Don't Want to Work Out? Here's What to Do [print this page] Don't Want to Work Out? Here's What to Do
Don't Want to Work Out? Here's What to Do
By Sonia Waleyla
I am guessing you might be a bit like me when it comes to working out. Because I have a confession to make - even now, after 17 years of running in the morning, I always would rather stay in bed instead of run.
Not only this, but when I get into my jogging clothes anyway, and go outside, as soon as I start moving my main urge is to stop, walk a bit, then go back home.
Even though I know the amazing benefits of daily exercise, even though I know how good I feel afterward, and how this one action makes all the other areas of my life fall into place (because when you feel good and have more energy everything else flows so much more smoothly) - despite all of this I'd just rather not jog. I'd rather snuggle in a bit longer, take a longer shower, listen to some music, cook a leisurely breakfast...
Have you ever felt this way? It's easy to laugh about, but it's not funny if the part of you that doesn't want to work out wins. If you give in to this tendency all your goals for a sexy body, more energy, and good health can be completely destroyed.
Why do we have this reluctance to work out?
I think this has something to do with physics. Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body remains in a state of rest unless acted upon by an external force. In other words, left to itself, your lazy butt will stay in bed unless something else comes along and whips it into motion.
That something else is your desire. When you are in a state of comfort the rational thing is to stay there. In the past we had to use our bodies to survive. Now that we don't, our bodies see no need to move. Only when the desire to get in shape overrides the desire to lounge in bed will you get in gear. This desire must come from within.
Sometimes we have this desire, but need a little help to make it dominate.
Luckily the solution is simple.
All you need to do is follow two rules:
#1: Just Start. Once you get going, usually you'll keep going. Starting is the hardest part.
#2: Just Don't Stop. If you do get the urge to stop when you are mid-workout, don't. Make this an ironclad rule. You can go as slowly as you want, but you can not stop no matter what until you reach the end of your workout.
It's important to define what you will do ahead of time so that you know when you're done. Don't say "I'm going to go exercise", instead say "I'm going to run from my house to the park and back". That way you won't stop halfway to the park because you suddenly thought of breakfast.
