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Why is it that when we’re told we have to do something, it becomes the last thing on Earth that we feel motivated to do? Exercise can very much fall into this category. We might tell ourselves that we should be doing more exercise - and the word should quickly turns into a roadblock.
First of all, let’s make something very clear. We can drop the concept of should from exercise altogether. To use the word should would suggest that exercising is the right thing to do, that exercising is the good thing to do, that there is moral value in doing exercise compared to not doing exercise. This is not true. Yes, there can be many benefits of exercise, but you are worthy and valuable as a person whether exercise is something you partake in or not.
Challenging the idea that exercise is something we should be doing and adopting a more helpful view about movement sounds great, but it can be tricky when the world feeds us lots of images and preconceptions of what exercise is supposed to look like and what it is supposed to do for us. One key tip is to spend some time exploring and identifying your own personal motivation and reasons for wanting to move more. Tailoring exercise to suit you, your likes and dislikes and your own personal needs, is likely something you've never given much thought too. We tend to get too stuck on beliefs about 'what exercise should look like' instead of being curious and asking 'what could exercise look like for me?'
Here are a few reflection questions that you could ask yourself if you are wanting to explore your mindset around exercise and how more movement could fit into your life.
How do I want to feel after an exercise session?
Are there any specific health benefits I hope to achieve through exercising?
How would exercise fit into my current day or my week?
What things in my life need to not be disrupted by adding more movement into my week?
What ways of moving have I enjoyed in the past?
Has there been anything in particular that has turned me off exercising in the past?
What activities do I look at and think, “Oh, that looks like fun but I could never?”
If this topic has struck a chord with you, booking in for an exercise physiology consultation at The Conscious Health Clinic could be a great next step. Together we can explore questions such as those above, take into account any medical history, and develop a movement and activity plan to suit your personal needs and goals. Get in contact and start building a new relationship with movement today.