5 tips to make kicking off a workout easier

Kicking off a workout often feels heavier than the workout itself. In this article, we aim to give practical tips that will make it easier to start training!

Sometimes, getting into exercise feels like climbing Mount Everest: heavy and overwhelming. This feeling is familiar to most of us.

However, beneath the vague fatigue, you might hear a faint whisper suggesting that exercising would be a good idea after all. For moments like these, we've compiled a handy list of ways to make getting into exercise a little easier.

Tip #1. Take a time-out

Getting started with exercise can feel challenging because your mind is filled with responsibilities and tasks that seem more important at that moment. The sense of urgency may be genuine, but it could also be procrastination: the rush might just be an excuse for why you can't start exercising right now.

So, take a time-out: sit down and jot down the tasks and duties swirling in your mind. Then, assess what's genuinely urgent and important, and what can wait a moment. This brings clarity to your thoughts and may show that the present moment is actually a great time to get moving.

Tip #2. Grab some extra energy if needed

Feeling sluggish and finding it hard to start exercising can also be due to a long gap since your last meal. A lengthy break between meals directly affects your energy levels, which can be a crucial factor in deciding whether to start exercising.

According to general guidance, a 3-5 hour interval between meals is suitable. By utilizing this information and, on the other hand, assessing your own condition and feelings of hunger or fullness, you'll get a hint if a snack is a good idea. 

Try having a refreshing snack, like fruit and nuts or yogurt with berries. Most likely, the idea of starting to exercise will feel better after a nourishing snack.

Tip #3. Prepare in advance

Maybe the reason starting to exercise is difficult is because it feels like it requires too much preparation? You need to select workout clothes and put them on, maybe pack your gym bag, and you probably have to search for your missing water bottle somewhere.

But what if your gym bag was already packed and your workout clothes were laid out beforehand, so that at the moment of starting to exercise, no preparations are needed? 

So, try to prepare in advance for your next workout! The fewer preparations and decisions you need to make right before your workout, the easier it is to get started.

Tip #4. Make the workout session as inspiring as possible

Depending on the type of exercise you choose, you can enhance the excitement of your workout using a bit of creativity. 

Pick a new audiobook or podcast to listen to during your workout or play uplifting music while you're getting ready to go. Trying out a new type of exercise, wearing fun and comfortable workout clothes, or sipping on a new flavor of workout drink can also boost the excitement of your workouts.

On the other hand, exercising alone might be why workouts don't seem appealing today. 

Ask a friend or perhaps a new acquaintance to join you for some exercise – or call the person you miss during your workout. Good company as well as exercising together can significantly boost your motivation for working out.

Tip #5. Use the power of imagination

Our final – and perhaps most effective – tip for making exercising easier is to harness the power of imagination. 

Close your eyes and imagine how you'll feel mentally and physically after the workout: you'll likely feel alert, energized, and proud of yourself. You can also visualize yourself moving and enjoying the sensation of movement in your body.

Mental imagery can help you create a positive image of the upcoming workout, and at the same time, you get a taste of the feeling that awaits you after the workout. The imagery might be so appealing that you can't wait for the upcoming workout anymore!

 

Written by:

Jenni Uuras
Well-being writer and a student in the Bachelor's degree programmes in the field of health sciences

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