CHAPTER 8

Learning to Love Exercise

Exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. It is a constant that happens week in and week out, regardless of what else is going on. The exerciser cannot imagine going a week without working out. That’s because they love what they do. Learning to love exercise is, in fact, a key to a successful weight management and wellness program. It means viewing exercise as an end in itself and a source of pleasure for its own sake rather than a means to an end.

Our body is designed to move. Keep moving.

Those who love exercise for its own sake are able to develop intrinsic motivation to work out, walk, partake in dance classes or do yoga. Rather than focusing on the very real but distant benefits of exercise, fat loss, inner health, strength and muscle tone, they focus on the immediate positive benefits of exercising, the great feeling that comes with a successfully completed session. Those who are able to make this switch are going to succeed because they will go to extraordinary lengths to make sure that they get their session in. This ensures regularity and regularity ensures success. You need to be an intrinsic exerciser.

How to Be an Intrinsic Exerciser

1. Find Personal Meaning: Use exercise to find out who you are in that moment. Expel any negative thoughts from your mind and focus on the positive benefits of what you are doing. Explain to yourself why you are doing what you are doing. Remind yourself of the discipline you are displaying by working out. Visualise yourself having achieved your ultimate goal.
   
   I love to train after long days in the clinic… it helps to give me clarity. Weight training makes me feel strong and powerful, keeps my back in check and my mood right for the next day to come!
2. Achieve Mastery: Set goals that are specific to the next exercise session. These may be related to the weight that you are lifting (today, I’m going to lift an extra 5kg on the shoulder press), the number of repetitions or the distance you travel on the rowing machine. Avoid the trap of comparing yourself to someone else. Get focused on you. When you walk into the gym you need to set your focus like a laser on achieving an awesome workout. It could also be mastering a new yoga pose or learning a new dance step. It may even be walking a little faster or further than the day before. Remember, it’s a personal challenge not a message against anyone else. Always keep your body moving.
3. Develop Inner Synergy: Integrate exercise as a special time of your day. Rather than viewing it as a chore that you’ve got to endure, see it as your personal time - the hour of the day that you are using for you. This is the time when your mind and body are working together to make you better, faster, stronger and more at peace. There’s no one encroaching on your time. This is your daily maintenance - cherish it.
4. Go with the Flow: On the way to the gym (or wherever you choose to exercise) clear your mind of any distractions and start mentally rehearsing your workout. See yourself performing the first exercise, tense the main muscle that is involved, see the weight on the bar. Focus on achieving your mastery goal for that day and then feel the great sense of accomplishment that will follow. Go through each movement, moving with energy, precision and focus. By the time you get to the workout location, you’ve already done it in your mind. All you need now is for your body to follow through. When you’re actually doing the movements, learn to develop your mind-muscle connection. Focus on the working muscle. Feel it. Tense it. Isolate it. You will be in tune with your body and it will feel fantastic. Believe it or not, this becomes your daily meditation. When you focus on one activity at a time, with nothing else but that in mind, it’s a great way to incorporate meditation into your day.
5. Focus on the Non-Physical Benefits: The benefits of exercise start on the inside and radiate outwards. By focusing on the immediate, your intrinsic motivation will be enhanced immediately. Consider 5 non-physical benefits of exercise.
   1. It releases feel good chemicals: When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, commonly referred to as ‘feel good’ chemicals. Endorphins give you a natural high - a sense of euphoria and mood enhancement that just makes you feel good about your life.
   2. It reduces stress: When you exercise, the body releases more of a chemical called norepinephrine. This chemical regulates the brain’s response to stress. That’s why exercise can help you deal with the stresses of your life, both mental and physical.
   3. It improves self-confidence: After just one session you start feeling more confident, more self-assured, more in control of your destiny. Your self esteem will receive a huge boost and you will project far more confidently to others. You’ll even improve your posture.
   4. It alleviates anxiety: An exercise session can do wonders in terms of calming a person down who is in a state of anxiety. It allows time to get the blood flowing, to take some personal time, to find perspective and peace.
   5. It strengthens the connection between mind, body and spirit: Taking great care of our physical body reflects a deep appreciation for the gift that we have been given. It also sharpens our awareness of the interconnectedness of the aspects that make up our whole being - the mind, body and spirit. For many people there is a spiritual dimension that comes with the endorphin rush that comes with exercise, especially if you’re jogging along the beach at sunrise.