A lot of people never start an exercise program because they have it in their heads that, no matter what, exercise sucks.
It’s going to hurt. They’re going to be sore. They don’t like going to gyms. They don’t know how to lift weights. They think walking or jogging on the treadmill is mind-numbingly boring.
Well, if that’s what you think, then yes, lifting weights, jogging on the treadmill, going to the gym, and the like probably will suck.
So don’t do any of that.
Find something you like instead.
What about swimming? What about biking? What about hiking, skating, boxing, tennis, racquetball, spinning, doing sprints, playing ultimate frisbee with your kids, rollerblading, squash, volleyball, gymnastics, dancing, soccer, basketball, flag football?
Yeah, I know there are plenty of folks out there, mainly “my-way-is-the-only-way-to-exercise-know-it-all” dbags, who will say that you ‘have to’ lift heavy weights, you ‘have to’ work out for hours, you ‘have to’ feel the burn, you ‘have to’ push yourself til you puke, you ‘have to’ run, run, run, run, and run some more, you ‘have to’ do functional training, you ‘have to’ do cardio, you ‘have to’ work in the fat-burning zone, you ‘have to’ work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you ‘have to’ do circuit training, you ‘have to’ train like a bodybuilder, you ‘have to’ do light weights and lots of reps, you ‘have to’ do heavy weight and low reps, you ‘have to’ do yoga, you ‘have to’ do pilates, you ‘have to’ use kettlebells, you ‘have to’ be ultra flexible, you ‘have to’ blah blah blah blah blah.
Some of those might work for some people (maybe even you), some might not. In fact, none of them work for a lot of people. So those who would say you ‘have to’ do any of them, well, they just ‘have to’ shut up.
If you like doing any of these things, great. Keep it up. But repeat after me: There is no singular way, no ‘have to’ way, to exercise.
Anyone who tells you otherwise is either uninformed or possibly one of the aforementioned dbags.
Let’s face it. The majority of adults in this country, and many others, get very little physical activity in their day, and if people continue to preach that exercise isn’t exercise unless you’re sweating, grunting, groaning, and puking in a gym, the number of non-exercisers will continue to grow.
Sure, I have my preferred way of working out, and a certain way that I work with clients. That doesn’t mean I don’t think other ways are effective. Hell, if you get up and dance vigorously instead of parking your ass on the couch to watch Survivor, then that’s great. If you’ve been sedentary for years, then it could be the start you need to change your lifestyle and your health along with it.
People get caught up in the aesthetic aspects of exercising, and forget about the health aspect (which, btw, I consider the more important aspect). Nope, swimming, hiking, biking, or dancing isn’t going to give you bigger biceps and abs of steel, but they will all have more of a positive aspect on your health, vitality, fitness, and quality of life than sitting around watching Survivor will. That will just make your ass wider.
So, if you don’t like going to the gym, don’t go. I gave you a big list of ideas of other things you can do. Get off your ass and pick one. You might not get bigger biceps, but you’ll still be doing your health some good.
So, what do you think? Agree? Disagree? Think I’m a dbag? Leave your comments below and let me know.
~Dave
ps – You’ll notice golf isn’t on the list. I still don’t think golf is exercise. Sorry.
(7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)About the Author
Dave Soucy is a coach, trainer, motivator, husband, dad, and former fat guy. His goal is to teach as many people as possible how to achieve a life of health, fitness, and wellness through simply eating right and exercising. Click here to learn more about Dave.
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