Yet so few of us exercise enough to be healthy.”

Who wants to feel like this?

Why is that?

Ask yourself:

When I hear the word “Exercise” what do I really think of?

Does it remind you of pain, guilt, not feeling good enough, being judged, struggling, and generally feeling terrible physically and emotionally?

Does it feel like a lot of work?

If exercise brings up any of those images, why would you do it? No one wants to feel that way.

Why is “Exercise” crammed into a tiny mental “box”?

It comes down to “Conditioning”

Everyone has experiences, and those experiences shape the way we see the world and train our behavior.

What has been your experience of exercise? Exercise doesn’t always feel good physically, especially if you haven’t been active in a while.

When you do something and it makes you feel nauseous or sore, that punishes you and makes you less likely to do it through a process called operant conditioning.

Combine that with past experiences that were painful emotionally, and you end up subconsciously programmed to avoid physical activity.

If you don’t enjoy exercising, you’re NOT going to do it.

So what can you do about it?

You need to make exercising enjoyable. Recently, I shared a way of adding a healthy reward to the end of your activity with hydrotherapy. Find something you can do that will make you want to be active.

What do you enjoy most in life? Use what already motivates you to move in the direction you want to go– Even the pain of knowing what will happen if you don’t take action.

Change the way you Think about Fitness.

If you had an unpleasant experience with exercise, don’t do whatever you were doing when you had it.

If you felt teased while running, don’t start with running. Find a new way of being active, like Pilates, hiking, going for walks with two or four legged friends, or a creative sport like ultimate frisbee.

Once you are feeling more fit and comfortable then conquer the old fears, for now you can bypass them.

You did your best back then, and now you’re going to do better, drop the guilt and move on.

The more you are physically active in an enjoyable way, the more you will see fitness as Fun.

Did you run around as a kid? Did you enjoy playing? When you were playing did you say, “This is a great way to prevent degenerative disease!”? No!

Take a child like view of being active, just do it for fun! No one wants to work for fitness, but everyone want to have fun.

As a kid, you probably had a lot more fun when you were playing with other kids. The same is true today, what ever you do will be easier, more fun and more effective if you do it with others.

If your fitness routine gets boring, do something else!

And if your issue is “I don’t have the time to be active.” The comic says it all. What do you make important?

Are you caught in, “I have to change everything, which is too hard, so I wont do anything”?

You don’t need to change everything overnight, just make consistent, incremental daily step towards optimal health.

“The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!”

Studies have found that walking briskly for just 10 minutes 3 times a day is as effective as going for one 30 minute walk. Go for a 10 minute jog in the morning, then walk to and from lunch, and you’ve just got your exercise for the day!

Start small, and document your successes along the way. If you’re already following a program that works for you, journal about your progress, so that in those moments when you’re not sure if you should keep doing it you have something to motivate you to keep doing what works.

Have you seen “exercising” as a burden or obligation, or something you “should” do?

What would it take to see exercising as something joyful that you want to do at every opportunity?

Think about a time when you were being physically active that made you feel inspired, joyful, and completely alive…

Do more of that!

If you stop labeling exercise, it’s easy to get enough!

Lately it’s been getting colder, making the idea of stepping outside my door in the morning to exercise less and less exciting. Several years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and even though I’m happy to say it’s cured, the memory of how cold I used to get in the fall is a hard one to let go of.

So, to motivate myself and reinforce the behavior of getting outside every morning, I’ve been rewarding myself with at home hydrotherapy. A hydrotherapy and massage teacher with 28 years of experience shared this method with me, and it’s so easy and so simple that it’s easy to underestimate – until you’ve tried it, and then there’s no going back.

First thing in the morning I do 20 jumping jacks or mountain climbers to warm up my muscles, and then run or cycle for 15 to 45 minutes, depending on how much time I have that day. It’s important for the metabolism and sympathetic nervous system that I don’t eat or drink anything except plain water. If you’re currently diabetic, be aware of your blood sugar levels because they may drop as you exercise.

Afterward, I get my long awaited reward that has pulled me forward like a carrot dangling in front of a horse. I run a bath with a temperature between 104°F and 108°F. This may seem hot but below 104°F and we don’t get the same health benefits. The bath should be 3 inches deep to start. If you have numbness in your feet (neuropathy) it’s very important that you start with lower temperatures (try 100) and that you use a thermometer. If not you run the risk of burning yourself.

Magnesium is important for diabetics

Aromatherapists recommend adding eucalyptus for people with a history of diabetes, and lavender for even deeper relaxation. You can also add 1 cup of Epsom salt, which reduces inflammation, speeds up healing, is a source of magnesium, and has several other benefits. Most diabetics have a magnesium deficiency, so using the Epsom salt can prevent some complications, and help the body regulate insulin levels. It may drop blood sugar levels, so if your levels are low after the exercise it’s a good idea to eat before taking the bath. If you have thin or sensitive skin, start with half a cup of Epsom salt and see if it irritates your skin.

I start by sitting up in the bath, and I massage my legs while I adjust to the temperature. Personally, my shoulders and back are more tight than my legs, so after about 5 minutes of sitting up I slide in, lie on my back, and meditate for 10-15 minutes. I find that the best ideas I have all day come to me in those 10-15 minutes. Then I get out, have breakfast, and start my day!

The benefit of all this is:

Energy, relaxation, vibrant health, and a sense of well being that lasts all day.

For those of us who aren’t used to exercising, it’s a great reward that will take the edge off of the initial soreness. Most people know that there is a staggering list of benefits associated with getting daily exercise, and anything that makes it easier is an important tool, especially for people with diabetic symptoms. By rewarding yourself for exercising, you will become more likely to do it! For more information on something called operant conditioning, listen to this podcast. You can use it to reprogram yourself to exercise more, and even enjoy exercising!

The hydrotherapy opens up the blood vessels and allows everything to flow more freely, which can eliminate pins and needles and cold extremities.

It speeds up the elimination of toxins and lactic acid, speeds up the healing of tissue, calms the mind, and relaxes the muscles. For people without existing heart conditions it strengthens the circulatory system and can reduce blood pressure.

Between the exercise and the bath it’s under an hour out of my day, and when I start my day off this way I know that I’ll feel energized and enthusiastic all day, no matter what life throws at me.

Disclaimer: If you have any serious health conditions, check with a health professional before trying this. If you do try it, start conservatively.