EXERCISE. To some this word brings a shudder. To others it brings excitement. Joy. Passion. Thrill. Pleasure. It is their favorite part of the day. Let me go ahead and say that the latter is not me. Not anywhere close. For me, exercise is the ultimate test of my ability to discipline myself. Though I am highly passionate about health, exercise is a muscle I am still developing... No pun intended! So this post is aimed at people like me who know that they should be exercising but have a real struggle getting there. I will share a few tips that help me in this journey, and maybe one or some of them may help you too! I would also love people to post any comments below if there are any other tips that they use to get active.

Before I get to the tips I want to cover why this topic is even important. Exercise is more than a tool for weight loss and toning. Though it can have this effect, its importance lies beyond this. Firstly, exercise is beneficial for your physical health. It can reduce the risk of health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure & diabetes. It strengthens your body and increases energy levels. Through regular aerobic exercise your body learns to become more efficient with its use of energy. In other words, becomes increasingly fit. The fitter you are, the less fatigued you become from the same amount of work resulting in improved stamina, increased productivity and most importantly, increased health.

As well as its physical benefits. exercise improves your mental wellbeing. When you exercise, your brain releases dopamine (the pleasure neurotransmitter), serotonin (the neurotransmitter that balances mood and increases sexual function) and norepinephrine (The stress response neurotransmitter that results in increased oxygen to the heart and brain causing increased awareness and improved cognition). More and more, people are realizing that exercise is a highly effective treatment for depression and anxiety. It has the ability to boost your mood, decrease stress and improve cognition, motivation and ambition. It also is a great tool for improved sex life... added bonus.

Even if you are one of those people blessed with a high metabolism who stays skinny no matter what food you consume, exercise is still important! See it beyond merely an effective tool for weight loss. See it as a non-negotiable part of every day life that will improve your health, wellbeing, mood, energy and effectiveness at life. So... how to get disciplined?

1) Find something you like

For some people the idea of going to a gym and running on a treadmill is the epitome of boredom and pain (I speak for myself here...). Motivating yourself to exercise will be less challenging if you can identify things you actually like to do, or at a minimum find something that you despise the least. I love going for walks in nature. I love to dance... (I suck at it, but I love it!) I love outdoor bike rides. I love to swim in the ocean. I enjoy pilates.

If you enjoy team sports- find a team. Do you like to dance? FInd a dance class or a Zumba video on YouTube and dance along. There may be times where you choose to do a form of exercise you don't like purely because of the benefits. If, however you aren't there yet don't let that stop you from being active! Stick to what you like and then as your fitness increases you will have more stamina to conquer other, less liked forms of exercise. You may even start to like more as you increase in fitness.

2) Can't afford a gym?

There are plenty of other ways to exercise that don't involve a gym. Go outside for a run. Put on a YouTube video. If you prefer working out with others, make a date with friends and do an exercise video together. Park your car further away from where you need to get to, or get off at an earlier bus/train station and walk. Taking a bathroom break from work? Do some squats before going back you your desk. Spend 10 mins in the morning or evening doing push ups, tricep dips, crunches, planking. There's ways to get exercise in for no $$ (and also for people with little time) so don't let the fact that you don't have a gym membership stop you from being active.

3) Make a decision

This seems obvious... but is actually one of the best tools I use to discipline myself. I make a decision to exercise and tell myself to stick to it. I will have a million things going through my head telling me not to work out, but I fight them. I will get dressed into my exercise gear even when I don't feel like going out. Once dressed, I still have thoughts or feelings telling me not to go, but I don't let them effect my decision. I walk out the door and start jogging or I turn on that pilates video and start following along. It really is a technique of overcoming thoughts and going against feelings. Its a decision to exercise DESPITE how I feel because I know it is important and good. I haven't yet reached the point where I ever feel like working out, so I use this same technique each time I exercise. What helps me win this thought battle is remembering that I NEVER am happy about the times I give in to my feelings and don't exercise however I am ALWAYS glad when I go against my feelings and work out.

4) Don't let your exercise goals sabotage your exercise.

What do I mean by this? Well sometimes I don't exercise at all because the thought of what I am planning to do seems too much. Setting goals can be great, but if it is causing you to stop completely then allow the goal to be decreased. If that hill on your running route makes you not want to run at all, then just walk up the hill. Does the thought of a forty-five minute workout turn you off? Then do ten minutes. Fifty laps of the pool seems too overwhelming? Then don't do fifty! But swim some laps. Now I am not saying to never set goals or push yourself. What I am saying is that if your goals are turning you off exercising at all, then they are counter-productive. Give yourself permission to adjust the goals. Something is always better than nothing. Five minutes is better than zero minutes, and who knows- once you start working out you may end up having the energy to go further than planned. But even if you don't, at least you did something!

Finally, the simple fact that I always feel good after exercising is a motivator in itself. Though I do not like the process, once I am done I feel a sense of satisfaction and joy at what I achieved. The pain in my muscles brings a sense of accomplishment and achievement. My mood is lifted and my energy is boosted. I am ALWAYS glad that I exercised. Always.

Exercise is a non-negotiable aspect to health.