When I think fitness I think gyms; when I think of gyms I think of overweight ladies in tight Lycra suits doing aerobics. Lets be honest; most of us see exercising and getting fit as a chore. The minority of us actually enjoy getting up at dawn for a morning jog, gym session or a few laps in the local pool. In the past few years society has made a big push towards getting active and keeping fit, including government campaigns like “Find Thirty” and “Swap it, Don’t Stop it.” I love these new campaigns because they are making fitness seem like a way of life and something you can ease into instead of intense workouts and fad diets.
“I lost 20 kilos in 20 weeks with Jenny Craig!” We’ve all heard ads like these on TV. This is one reason people want to exercise and get fit; to lose weight and have a toned body. People join up for the 10 week program of drinking protein shakes, then after losing a fair amount of weight they decide to treat themselves to Maccas to celebrate and it starts all over again. Although a diet can work for some, it’s not ideal as it becomes a chore which isn’t going to keep you happy and healthy.
Exercise is something you should enjoy and be happy doing, not having to force yourself to put on your runners and get going. If you’re not in the right mind set when you exercise it won’t work out, so be happy doing it. Choose something that suits you and your personality; if you don’t like mornings don’t do early exercise. Motivate yourself with fun exercise because it doesn’t always have to be sweat and pain. Like most things in life, you’ll only get out of it what you put in, so do something that you feel comfortable doing and go for it.
Joining a gym for me was a great choice. Although I have to get up extra early, the outcomes are totally worth it. I’m a more energised person and am capable of much more physically. Being fit doesn’t mean you’ll look like a swimwear model; it means having a healthy lifestyle. You don’t have to be a gym junkie or a health freak to be fit. Swap your lazy Sundays for a walk in the park, it’s easy and you’ll feel much better afterwards. There is one reason why everyone should get out and get active. Exercise makes you happy!
