To lose weight, increase muscle mass, “be fit” and “be healthy.” We have all mentioned these goals once or twice before. Don’t get me wrong, these are fantastic goals to have, but they may not be the best to think about on a daily basis OR be the primary reason WHY we exercise.
As human beings of today’s world we are accustomed to instant gratification. If something takes longer than expected we most likely will discard it or move on to a more efficient path. Think of an app on your phone. Chances are if it takes more than 10 seconds to load you’re fed up and shift your focus on to something else. This is also relatable to our health and fitness goals. How long is going to take for me to “be healthy,” “be fit,” or lose weight? Well, what if we rebranded why we exercised…?
People typically stop exercising because their expectations aren’t met…so let’s change our expectations and work WITH the concept of immediate gratification! Exercise is associated with improved cognition and makes you feel better pretty much instantaneously. Exercise produces the hormones serotonin and dopamine, which are known as your “feel good” hormones. This is what should be running through our heads each time we exercise. These effects will instantly improve how we feel throughout our day.
Keep these types of goals in mind when it comes to exercise:
- Improved productivity at work
- Improved stress management
- Being a better parent or spouse
- Improved time management
This type of thinking will help keep exercise more habitual and satisfactory, thus ultimately more sustainable. Thinking about the above tips will ultimately help you get to a “healthier” and “fit” lifestyle simply because you’re more likely to sustain your exercise! I challenge you to gravitate toward this mindset and reap the immediate benefits of exercise.
