Any movement is better than no movement. But if you can move vigorously enough to work up a sweat, you’ll likely find yourself wanting to move a lot more.
That’s because when you exercise vigorously enough to sweat, your body also releases endorphins—the feel-good chemicals that elevate your mood, release tension, and give you what people call a “runner’s high.”
If you can get your heart rate and body temperature up enough to sweat, you’ll find that your workout elevates your mood.
Focus on how you feel, not how you look.
We contend with so many unrealistic beauty and body image expectations throughout our lives, and we receive so many messages that working out is about being thin or having a certain shape.
Naturally, we might want to rebel against those messages, because they’re externally imposed, judgmental, and don’t bring us pleasure.
When I reframed exercise as how I feel rather than how I look, everything changed.
I started wanting to work out because my body feels good when I’m doing it. It’s a great way to release stress and tension, and my mood is about ten times better after I do it.
My job is to keep my body healthy and feeling good—and how that makes me look is just a side effect.
How have you incorporated exercise into your life in a way that feels pleasurable—or what challenges are you facing as you learn to do so? Let us know in the comments below!