The power of picking an exercise that you love
Years ago, I used to run all the time. A few days a week, I’d lace up my shoes and pound the pavement around Sydney, trying to distract myself from my run by taking in the sights around me. I ran with a training group, I ran with music, I even did half-marathons.
And while I loved the sense of accomplishment that came with running, there was one thing that I just couldn’t get past. I really didn’t like running that much.
What’s behind your motivation to move?
You might ask why I did it then? To be truthful, I don’t really know. I think I was taken in by other people running, or getting swept up in events like the City2Surf.
Even being able to say to people that I had run 21km helped. But I could never escape that feeling that I would rather be doing something else. Which meant that in the long run, sustaining motivation to trot around the streets when it felt like a bit of a chore was impossible.
I’m quite sure many of us have felt this way. Especially since we are often bombarded with suggestions for exercise that are on-trend or promise to be the ‘best’ at something like giving you Michelle Obama’s arms. The problem with this is that if you’re dragging yourself out the door like I was, it can negatively impact your goals.
As a heart surgeon, I recommend exercise all the time - to my patients, on my social media and to my family and friends. When it comes to talking about a specific kind of exercise though, I turn the tables back on them and ask them, ‘what is it that you really want to do?’.
Find joy in movement and move your body because it’s fun to do so, everything will feel so much easier.
How much exercise you ‘need’ to do and why you should enjoy it
The World Health Organisation recommends that for health, adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. Preferably, they also recommend some resistance training two days a week.
However, their overarching recommendation is simply to get people moving, in any way that they can.
Here’s why that’s great advice - choosing something you actually enjoy, that you want to do is likely to lead to more motivation to be active.
The reason is that it taps into your sense of autonomy, the feeling of making a choice that is truly your own.
How much exercise do I really need?
Is 30 minutes per day of exercise most days really enough? Yes, it is – although many of us seem to struggle to get that much.
Research into this area has shown that people who choose an activity they themselves want to do are more likely to stick to their physical activity goals, exercise for longer and feel less exhausted when exercising.
The reason that this is important is that it taps into our basic psychological needs and feeling like you’re in charge of your choices is one of those needs.
We also know that aside from being more likely to turn up to the gym, the yoga studio or for a run, choosing an activity that you love has other benefits. For example, if you participate in an exercise that you enjoy, you tend to eat well after the exercise by choosing healthier food options.
How to choose an exercise to fall in love with
- Broaden your list - gym classes, yoga and running seem to feature strongly when we think of exercising but perhaps you’d like something different? Any movement is good movement so think about things like team sports, walking, gardening, even a dance class. Check out This Girl Can for a great list of things and one might catch your eye.
- Get out and explore - if you’re not sure what you want to do, try some different things until you find something you enjoy. A lot of gyms and sports clubs offer free trials.
- Crank the music - upbeat music that you enjoy can really add to the enjoyment of exercise so download or create a playlist that lifts your mood to move along to.
- Explore outside - exercise has been shown to be more enjoyable and motivating when we’re outside so think about trying to get your heart rate up outside especially if the weather is on your side.
- Avoid trends - Social media is awash with things that you should do and many of these are trends not unlike fashion. Don’t feel like you have to do that popular exercise, instead focus on whether it sounds like something you would actually enjoy.
- Find joy in movement - above all, if it feels like an enormous chore to do, perhaps consider finding some movement that you absolutely love to do and can’t live without. Move your body because it’s fun to do so and everything will feel so much easier.
Dr Nikki Stamp is an Australian trained cardiothoracic surgeon and PhD candidate. She has a strong desire to change the way we think about health and is a passionate supporter of the Heart Foundation and women's heart disease advocacy. Nikki is a previous member of the healthylife Advisory Board.
Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board January 2022