Sometimes it is assumed that fit people LOVE exercise! The truth is, fit people learn to love it because of the endorphins they get, the increased self-esteem, physical results, and the way it makes them feel.
Rarely do I LOVE the feeling I have during a run or while I am exercising, but I LOVE the feeling I have afterward. You should feel discomfort if you are exercising to get results and pushing yourself. To be honest, exercise can be a chore and it's not always something that I look forward to. I do admit there are those moments when I feel like I could run forever or when a video seems easier than it did the week before. But even when I feel like I'm going to DIE, I always look forward to the way it makes me feel afterward!
Maybe one of the reasons you HATE EXERCISE is because it seems boring and mundane. It is important to try different types of exercise: yoga, swimming, bike, videos, elliptical, etc. Variety is good and you will find something you like better than the others. Pair it with an activity you love. Do you love to read? You can read while on a stationary bike or even study notecards for your next text. Or put a book on CD on your ipod while you run. Watch a movie while on the treadmill. Do you love to socialize? Sign up for a class or get your own workout group together! Sometimes it also helps to have a purpose--bike to run errands, walk to visit a neighbor, play volleyball with your kids, mow the lawn, etc.
Let me just put it out there: If you are used to processed, salty, and fattening food (maybe you love fast food or your dinners consist of casseroles and creamy sauces), then healthy food will/may take some getting used to. Foods can and should be enjoyable when possible, but food is also on the earth to fuel our bodies. We have to make sure our bodies get the right fuel even when there are tastier options.
Something to think about: If we never encouraged our kids to eat their vegetables, many would not eat them by choice or grow to like them. If there was a bowl of Cheetos and a bowl of brussel sprouts in front of me and I had to choose only based on what would taste yummiest, I would pick the Cheetos every time.
It is often assumed that fit and thin people dislike fattening foods and treats, or that they never indulge. This is not true and is unrealistic! Ice cream and Cheetos taste just as good to me, but I eat these treats sparingly, they are rarely in the house. To illustrate how much I love these kinds of foods, one year for Valentines Day, instead of the usual trail of rose petals to the romantic bed, my husband made a trail of Cheetos to the bed. This is how much I love Cheetos!
The truth is I eat things every day that are not always the yummiest. I don't base my choices on taste alone, but on what my body needs to be healthy and fit. But...the taste does come if you will expand your palette to include healthier food choices. I now love healthy food, the weirder the better. It's a sacrifice that is worth it!
Here are Barriers, Challenges or Excuses: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, and Part 4!
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