It’s very easy for those who exercise regularly to preach to those who don’t. To list the numerous benefits – more energy, better sleep, improved outlook and mental health, reduced disease risk (sorry we couldn’t help ourselves!). Most people are aware of these things and don’t need continual reminders.
If you don’t exercise or haven’t exercised for a while, take some time to reflect on why and what’s stopping you. There are usually several reasons – time, money, haven’t found the ‘thing’ you like doing, fear of the unknown. Maybe you’re worried about being the only newbie who doesn’t know the exercises, or you think you’re not fit enough to keep up with others. Pinpoint the specifics that are holding you back, and look for ways to overcome them to make exercise doable for you.
Maybe you need to try out different types of exercise. Many fitness companies have free trials or pay as you go sessions, so you can try various options at little or no expense.
Schedule a workout with a friend, you’ll get fitness and social time in one hit! A win, win if you’re short on time.
Remind yourself that everyone has been a beginner at some point, so don’t stress it. Try to replace worried thoughts of ‘I won’t know how to do it!’ with ‘Ooh exciting, I haven’t tried this before!’
Often, people don’t exercise because they simply haven’t experienced the full benefits, they haven’t found the value or appreciation for how it can literally change their life! We know that sounds very dramatic, but we wholeheartedly believe it’s true. Feeling the multiple perks is a massive game changer, yes it takes time to unveil the full effects, but once you’re there you’ll start to wonder why it took you so long to get started. Sometimes you’ve just got to take the plunge – book a session in, tell other people about it, take a deep breath and dive in.
Exercise is so much more than losing weight and ‘getting fit’. It’s a way of future-proofing yourself mentally and physically, to age well and enjoy all that life brings. It will give you confidence, resilience and positivity. It may even bring a new community and social circle for you to bond with. We would love you to experience its many rewards. So go on, start your new beginning, take that deep breath in and go for it!