If you’re a person on this planet, you probably know that exercise is extremely important in your health. Fitness helps ya look good inside and out, which is awesome! And, you probably have heard by now that exercise is great for mental health, as well. A workout is an amazing way to release endorphins, stimulate energy, and kick stress right in the jaw.
Buuuuutttt but but but..but. BUT. Man, I don’t think we’re doing it right if it doesn’t evoke good ol’ fashioned joy. And that’s what I wanna talk about today. Perhaps it will be more of a rant than anything; but it’s on my heart, so here we go.
If your workout routine doesn’t spark a fire in your soul, then why are you doing it? Strength training is all the rage right now (for good reason of course, because there are so many benefits!), but what if you hate it? If you’re at the gym following along with a strength program, and you find yourself absolutely dreading every second…you know, the physical and mental benefits are gonna be as readily available for you.
We allow social media to dictate far too much in our lives, and it seems like fitness is one of those aspects. Now, I’m not on board the all-strength, all-the-time train either. Mostly because we need cardiovascular training in order to work the heart (it’s a muscular organ, folks. It can’t work unless the muscles do) as well as the lungs. As someone with well managed asthma and a family history of heart disease, cardio is very important to me. But I digress. Instagram influencers are at every turn with their lifting videos. Programs shoved in our faces, full of nothing but deadlifts and chest flies. Butt selfies (belfies?) galore, telling beginners that squats and deadlifts will spot-reduce fat and give you the booty of your dreams. Side note: you cannot spot-reduce fat!!!
But guess what? There are so many options out there, folks. And if you are dreading every workout every day, how likely are you to stick with a routine, long-term? Soon enough, you find yourself feeling somehow more self-conscious and procrastinating to the point where you stop working out altogether.
Friends, you need to find what evokes joy within you. Yes, strength is necessary, but it doesn’t have to make up the entirety of your workouts. Maybe you love dancing. Cardio kickboxing. Hiking. Martial arts. Ice skating. Pilates. Yoga. Running. Swimming. Climbing. Dancing! Heck…walking! You don’t need to push yourself into a hatred of working out, trying to tackle a program you just dropped $150 on and absolutely can’t stand the thought of, all while wishing you were training for a 10k and looking longingly at the trail outside your house.
Find the form of movement that brings a smile to your face, even when it’s tough. Do the workout that actually makes you WANT to work harder and improve. Let your body’s movement create a sense of joy, and see how good you feel afterward.
For me, there are a lot of forms of exercise I genuinely enjoy, and that might make me a weirdo. Strength, hiking, running, yoga…this body and this heart like to mix it up. But I have to say, my ultimate form of movement is probably cardio kickboxing. I love the high energy. Bouncing around. Punching, kicking, and feeling unstoppable. It cranks my heart rate up, engages my core, and makes me so aware of my body’s orientation in space. But best of all, it is just fun for me! It makes me smile and feels like a kind of play, even though I’m working hard. And once my workout is done, I still feel so joyful and invigorated! I feel like a total badass!
So if the biggest thing holding you back from beginning a fitness routine has been utter dread and despair, I encourage you to seek other options. Remember that although strength and cardio are both important, there are so many ways to work that beautiful body and feel the burn. Start with free workouts on YouTube (it truly is a magnificent tool), and get a taste of what you enjoy. From there, maybe find classes or a gym in your area that appeals to you! Or, if you’re anything like me, you may just stick to at-home workouts. Find what challenges you, mentally and physically, but also leaves you feeling refreshed, accomplished, and excited to see how much progress you can make.
Drop the focus on vanity or living like your favorite influencer. Pay attention to what feels playful to you. Find the workouts that leave you smiling at the end (even if you’re sweatin’ buckets). Move your body for joy, my friends.
Love & light.
-Brittni
Brittni Stephens 