Let’s be real: for most of us, the idea of exercising sounds exhausting, boring, or downright painful. I get it — I used to hate moving my body. But here’s the secret: it’s not about routine. It’s about discipline made fun.
1. Take perfection out of the equation
I used to think I had to:
- Walk outside for two hours while meditating or listening to some life-changing podcast.
- Go to the gym, where my anxiety levels are higher than literally anywhere else.
Spoiler: that didn’t stick. Instead, I started creating real habits that were:
- Easy to do
- Hard to say no to
- Fun
For example, I had a walking pad under my desk. My goal? Walk an hour a day. The reality? I dragged it out once a month. Yeah… not great.
2. Make it easy, accessible, and rewarding
Now, my walking pad lives in the middle of the room. I set timers on my calendar four times a day for 15 minutes. Sometimes I skip one — okay, almost always skip one — but here’s the magic: once I start walking, it’s easy to keep going. Some days, that 15-minute walk turns into 30.
And here’s a hack: I pick a guilty-please show and only let myself watch it while on the walking pad. Right now, that’s Bridgerton. That’s right — walking + Bridgerton= suddenly my routine feels fun, not torture. And because I crave the show, I crave the activity that goes with it.
3. How I turned a hated routine into something I love
Here’s the breakdown:
- Accessibility: Walking pad in the middle of the room = no excuses.
- Manageable chunks: Four 15-minute walks instead of one boring hour.
- Reminders: Timers force you to choose not to walk, which honestly feels worse than just doing it.
- Reward: Bridgerton can only on the pad = instant motivation.
4. Start small, then level up
Before this, I did Pilates for three years. Seriously, if you hate moving your body, Pilates is magic:
- Relaxing
- Low impact
- Perfect for getting your body used to movement again
Once I started loving moving my body, I wanted more challenge. Enter: Lagree. Harder on the body, yes, but also fun, energizing, and something I look forward to.
The takeaway
You don’t have to love moving your body right away. You don’t have to do boring workouts or “perfect” routines. You just have to:
- Make it easy and accessible
- Break it into bite-sized chunks
- Add reminders that make you accountable
- Give yourself a reward you actually care about
For me, that was a walking pad in the middle of the room and some Bridgerton time. For you? Figure out your version of fun — your body and your brain will follow.
