Newsflash:
You don’t have to die and come back to life to have a good workout.
Total exhaustion isn’t necessary if you aren’t training for competition.
Your body being sore for a week after an intense workout isn’t required for your well-being.
A friend who was not an athlete asked me, “You know you don’t have to do exactly what the Peloton instructor says while riding, right?” I looked at her in disbelief as she returned the same perplexed face. My mind was blown… Because what do you mean? For so long, if I didn’t do what the coach or instructor said, I had to do it over. Working out at my own pace (unless hurt) is foreign and seen as a failure. That’s the only way we know how to work out. As athletes, our inherent belief is that results are only shown after extremely hard work. The truth is results show after consistency. Killing ourselves day in and day out with various workouts without competition makes consistency even more difficult than it already is. The fun after sport is finding workouts and ways to push ourselves that work for us.
Here are some things I’ve found to be incredibly enjoyable and easy to remain consistent with.
Shakin ass in dance class. I’m NOT a dancer, and neither is 70% of the class. We are just having a good time to good music. By the end of the class, I’m sweaty, winded, and have burned 500+ calories. Wayyyy better than running sprints FOR ME!
Pilates, I feel wealthy when I go to a Pilates class. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the vibe or that I’m not a sweaty mess when I leave. My muscles feel it, and I still feel cute. And idk about you, but feeling cute is fun for me!
A completely different sport than what you played. Your competitive nature didn’t retire with your sport. You likely still want an outlet to win. I’ve picked up tennis and dabbled in pickleball. I am excited to go work out because I’m having fun and love to win!
Hot girl walks. Walking is underrated, but if done consistently, you will see the weight fall off and/or stay off. I enjoy walking because I can multitask. I’ll call and catch up with loved ones, listen to a podcast, watch a YouTube video, or play solitaire on the treadmill in the gym. I get to do all of the things I want to while also working my body. I’m having fun with it and feeling great afterward. Have kids? Throw those munchkins in the stroller and go. Nothing is holding you back from walking.
The central theme in all of these is fun. What is fun for you? What grabs your attention so much that you forget you’re working out? Let this serve as a reminder that pushing yourself to get what you want and to reach your goals may take work, but it doesn’t have to be dreadful; you don’t have to endure your heart skipping a beat and that pit in your stomach when you think about working out. You can find things that work for you and allocate the “push” to your consistency to show up and have fun for yourself.
Morgan
Comments