Put the Fun in Fitness
Hiking a mountain for an epic, jaw-dropping view.
Climbing over obstacles in your first Mud Run.
Racing your bro across the lake in a bragging-rights-for-life swim.
What do they have in common?
The people doing these activities define them as fun, not workouts!
Makes sense, right?
If you like an activity, you’ll make time to do it again and again.
Can’t imagine getting psyched about any kind ofexercise?
One “I did it!”
mani-pedi coming right up.
Putting on my gear, I think, ‘Just grab your bag.’
Then, ‘Hop in the car.’
Then, ‘Swim one lap.’
At that point, if I’m not in the mood, I go home.
But you know what?
“To find aworkoutyou love, try everything that comes your way.
You might be surprised by what you enjoy.
Register for a marathon just to one-up your superathletic sister and you may never cross the finish line.
have a go at loseweightto just your guy and the scale could tip the wrong way.
Put Fuel in the Tank
“I think of exercise as my energy.
It helps me wake up early, power through a day, and juggle a job and a life.
It’s a cause-and-effect scenarioto do the things I love, I have to work out.
People who asked themselves each week, “How much will I work out?”
increased their activity by 138 percent.
How can posing a question have that big a reward?
Take it one step further and write your aims.
Put a satisfying check next to each victory.
Meaghan B. Murphy, SELF fitness director (@MeaghanBMurphy)
Always Think, Onward!
Don’t have a pal available to egg you on?
You might find a similar boost in a group class, Feltz says.
I hope I have her energy and mobility in 30 years.
Repeat a pump-up phrase like “Let’s go!”
Confidence-building cues like this help people improve their performance during workouts, reports aPerspectives on Psychological Sciencereview.
What doesn’t work?
Competitive commands like “Win!”
Instead, use positive pep talks to focus on what you want to do.
To get through another rep, tell yourself, “I’m strong!”
Need to sprint a few more seconds?
Say, “Fast, fast, fast!”
Also, picture your biggest fans: your friends and family.
Envisioning yourself through the eyes of others makes you try harder, a study from York University suggests.
Running that segment for him or her makes the discomfort easier to bear and gives me a leg up.
‘“Natasha Hastings, 4x4 relay Olympic gold medalist
Let Love Move You!
“I have these handmade signs hanging on my treadmill: GO, MOM!
and RUN FAST, MOM!
My kids made them to help me prep for a marathon.
Seeing the words inspires me to crank the pace.
“Larysa DiDio, personal trainer and coauthor ofSneaky Fitness
Video:Our Fave Women Share Their Mojo Secrets
