I get it, not everyone likes exercise. Not everyone has a good experience with exercise.

What if I told you that, I used to HATE exercise. I dreaded all of my workouts, I hated how I felt during and I always felt like I was never good enough.

So how did I end up becoming a personal trainer and group fitness instructor?

I realized that the way I was INTRODUCED to exercise was not healthy. I was in situations that involved bullying, body comparisons, no safety guidelines and this idea that you are meant to “suffer.” I think my instructors meant well (they wanted to help me be tough) but what they did not realize is that this only caused me to have more anxiety and develop an unhealthy relationship with exercise.

Flash forward several years later. I move to Canada and have no friends or social life. My dad was trying to get me into hobbies and offered to take me to the YMCA. He said he would show me how machines work and then I can go from there. This was the first time I was working out based on how I feel. I was doing machines that I felt safe doing. I was not competing against anyone. I was simply going to the gym to have something to do and I begin to enjoy the process. The stress of judgment was gone. The stress of someone telling me DO MORE was gone. I was able to listen to my body and do the best I can. What happened next? I started inviting my friends to the gym to show them how to move safely. I LOVED helping others workout and take the second guessing out and be there to encourage them versus barking down orders. This was in 2009 and here we are in 2023 and this has become my full on passion, to help others find joy in movement.

Let’s get to those steps!

1. Know your limitations: If something hurts or does not feel good, do not do it. We do not need to push through joint pain, back pain or strain. Knowing what you CAN’T do will help you avoid doing workouts that can irritate or cause injuries. I have had many clients say they hate working out because they always get hurt. The thing is, there are so many options out there for workouts! If something does not work or bothers your body, then try something else.
2. Remember you have options: Sometimes we put exercise in a “box.” We fill it with labels that it has to be a step class or boxing class or lifting barbells in the gym. All of those are options and there are even more out there! Not a fan of lifting weights at planet fitness? Try a virtual personal training session! Not a fan of working out alone? Check out fitness groups that offer classes and community events! Remember, if something doesn’t work for you – there is definitely something else out there.
3. Name what you hate: Naming what it is you hate can help you identify when it started, what was or is the issue and then you can take steps to work through it. Sometimes it is because we had a bad experience, injury or feeling of insecurity that caused our bad relationship with exercise. Those experiences 100% should be validated. We just do not want to let those experiences shape our whole perception of exercise. Naming it and giving it space can help off-load some of those more anxious thoughts toward exercise and open you up to new better experiences.

Remember, we all experience life differently. We are all human and have different preferences and lives. If something does not work, that’s okay! Find something else that does. The important thing is to keep moving your body because exercise is essential for injury prevention, your longevity and disease prevention.

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