Raheem Rukayat Tolase

WAYS TO ENJOY YOUR EXERCISE “To enjoy the glow of good health, you must exercise.” Gene Tunney Exercising regularly, no doubt helps strengthen the heart and improve blood circulation. The blood circulation, in turn, transports oxygen and other essential nutrients to the body. The results include lower blood pressure, absence of heart attack, etc. So, you can see exercise doesn't work with magic to provide its benefits. It takes a due process to give you the necessary result. This then emphasises the fact that for your exercise to give you the desired result, you must be intentional about it. If we are being frank, working out is not easy, talk more of regular work out. It is not only tedious but also requires strong discipline and endurance sprinkled with a little bit of perseverance. Discipline to push you to kickstart and endurance and perseverance to make you patient, especially if you are working to achieve some specific goals like reducing your weight, getting a fuller ass and gaining more muscle. It then suffices to say exercise is a full time job, only that you can decide the duration of the job. The question then is, if exercise is everything said above, how can it be enjoyable when you don’t feel like doing it (apart from those who are married to exercise 😁😁)? Below are five things that might make your workout appear as coffee and cake. Change your mindset​: yes, change your mindset about exercise. Most often than not, our actions are propelled and influenced by our thoughts. In other words, what you conceive in your mind has a reflection on your action afterwards. If you already castigate workout as a dreadful and difficult activity, it's definitely going to be in a shambles. Neale Donald Walsch says “Pain results from a judgement you have made about a thing. Remove the judgement and the pain disappears.” Understanding your thoughts is the key ingredient to fulfilment and creating the lifestyle you want for yourself. Tell yourself you'll enjoy the session. Affirm it and restate your reasons for deciding to do it in the first place. Only then will you have an enjoyable and stress-free exercise. Have a clear vision of what you want​: That’s right! Don’t just jump on the workout just because others are doing it. Having a goal will pivot your motivation and give you a better result faster. Are you trying to lose weight or achieve a flat tummy? Could you be trying to achieve an hourglass shape or add more muscle? Whichever goal(s) you have set, knowing the specific workout to do in order to achieve it will make your life very easy. For instance, if you are trying to achieve an hourglass shape, it's only normal for you to focus on sit-ups, squats, horse kicks, side lunges. Of course, I am not ruling out starting the session with at least a 20-minute jog. In fact, road work activities like running, walking and jogging (I call them appetizers) help prepare your body for What's to come next. Arnold Schwarzeneggar, in a message to the class of 2020, said while others frowned throughout their workout session he was happy. “I smiled because I was looking forward to every 500-pound squat, every 700-pound deadlift, every crunch… everything because every rep brought me closer to my vision. Every lift that I lifted brought me one step closer to the vision of becoming Mr Universe, the greatest bodybuilder of all time.” Therefore, I implore you to have a clear vision of why you are working out. This will help you know what can work and what cannot. Besides, it helps you achieve a better result quickly and stay focused on your long term goals. Chip in Dancing​: Dancing is part of aerobics exercises. Using dancing as a form of exercise has been proved to be effective over time. It involves choreographed steps which include turning, lifting legs, twisting waist, etc. It engages the whole body, burns lots of calories and improves the condition of your heart. Other benefits of dance aerobics are: ● It increases fitness. ● It reduces stress and improves mood. ● It can also reduce the risk of heart diseases. ● It helps in reducing weight ● It tones the body and muscle. ● It improves general physical and mental wellness. The interesting thing about dancing as a workout is that while it seems like you are consuming lots of energy, you hardly notice this because you will be long gone into the world of enjoyment. In fact, you'll forget you are working out. Create time​: How else can you achieve any of the tips mentioned above if you don't create time? If you are really bent on achieving your workout goal, you need to set aside some time for it. Some people are fond of squeezing in their work out sessions in between their other everyday activities. The consequence of this is frustration and burn out. As little as 20 minutes will do as long as you are focused and determined. Get a partner​: A study by Brand Irwin, a Michigan State University Researcher, revealed that having a partner during a workout session increases workout time and performance. In the same vein, "A study by the Society of Behavioural Medicine showed that working with a partner, especially in a team format, improved performance, doubling the workout time of those who exercised alone.” In essence, if you are having trouble creating time for exercise, dancing and picking the right exercise, getting a partner whom you feel can outperform you may be the best option. In summary, exercise isn't like your meals that look exciting most of the time (At least not for everyone). Taking baby steps in exploiting the above has proved to be successful. Remember, you will be the same in five years to come as you are now if you don't work towards what you want.