Everyone has seen the ads that promise we can lose weight quickly without diet or exercise.  It is so tempting to believe it, especially if we don’t like to exercise or just feel we don’t have the time. The truth is exercise is not always fun and it is sometimes downright difficult.  The problem is if we don’t exercise because we don’t enjoy it we may be avoiding an activity that can save our lives.

The question to ask is not whether exercise is enjoyable or not.  Rather, we need to ask ourselves whether everything in our lives must be enjoyable to be of value?  Think about all of the things we do every day of our lives that we do not enjoy and somehow manage to do ANYWAY.  We brush our teeth, we go to work, we mow the lawn, we clean the gutters, we pay our bills, we empty the dishwasher, we sit through meetings…and on and on.  I’ve heard wellness experts say that we need to find activities that we enjoy so that we will become more active.   True to a point.   The problem is that people sometimes end up jumping from one exercise class or program to another before finally quitting.  There is no plan, no progression, and no clearly defined goal.  Ultimately there are no long term benefits.

Our society has become so focused on gratification that the reward always has to be immediate; long term benefits are ignored.  Doing activities or eating foods we enjoy are not wrong per se.  What is wrong is the assumption that if we don’t enjoy it, we are off the hook and have a really good excuse for not doing it.

Change is not going to feel good all of the time.  Behavior change has to begin with that reality.  The long term benefits must be part of the motivation.  This does not mean “no pain, no gain”.  Quite the opposite is true.  Pain with exercise is not normal.  But neither should exercise only be done if it is entertaining.  The exerciser, the dieter and any person quitting a bad habit must focus on the long term benefits.  What long term benefits do you want from exercise?  Is it to build muscle, lose weight, be healthier, or stronger?  If your initial reaction is “I just don’t like this”, then you have already decided that the long term benefits are not worth the short term sacrifice.

If you are still focused on the immediate, all is not lost.  Not everyone is ready to make huge lifestyle changes.  There are ways to prepare for change and later on, the time will be right.  But if you want the benefit, it may require time, energy and sacrifice.  In a matter of months, healthy habits become enjoyable and a part of who you are.  When you are ready for that kind of change, you can put in an effort that will be rewarding for a life time and the enjoyment you get from the results will be much more gratifying than the poor habits you left behind!