When it comes to moving our bodies- do what you love can be sound advice.
Walking is my favourite exercise. In fact, I’m writing this blog now from a treadmill. When I walk I notice I think more clearly, and there is a sense of accomplishment that follows me throughout the day. I remember when I started going to the gym, the hardest part for me was not the first day, it was the third day when my body didn’t feel so keen anymore. I then chose to remind myself that I was feeling the power of my body adapting to a new challenge, and imagined what I was going to be able to do with my more capable body in the future.
For long term success, science supports getting my body moving every day after coffee (or some other recurring event), as by pairing these two events my unconscious self learns that one event follows another. This means less convincing myself to do it. So I have to say the hardest part is getting started. I never hear people say they regret the time they spent moving their bodies, so let’s push on. We can do this!
References:
Rhodes, R. E., & Kates, A. (2015). Can the affective response to exercise predict future motives and physical activity behavior? A systematic review of published evidence. Annals of Behavioral medicine, 49(5), 715-731.
Rebar, A. L., Dimmock, J. A., Jackson, B., Rhodes, R. E., Kates, A., Starling, J., & Vandelanotte, C. (2016). A systematic review of the effects of non-conscious regulatory processes in physical activity. Health psychology review, 10(4), 395-407.
