By Jessica Kane
It
may seem like every year, you are making the same old commitment, and every
year, you are struggling to keep it. With the advent of the New Year, you might
have submitted yourself to a New Year's resolution to establish a workout
routine. But perhaps you are already reporting that you have not been able to
keep your resolution. Perhaps you already quit the gym. There are a number of
factors to this that you should consider. People make commitments for a lot of
reasons and they quit those commitments for a lot of reasons. There are
underlying psychological motivations that keep people from going to the gym,
and often, they are simple.
5 Reasons You Quit Working Out
1 - You felt self conscious.
Sometimes
when an individual goes to the gym for the first time, they will be overwhelmed
by all of the machines. They do not know which one they are supposed to use or
even how to use it. It can be rather embarrassing to sit on a machine and to
use it improperly. You might also be a little self-conscious because all of the
people there are fit and in shape, and you might not be. Of course, the very
reason that you are at the gym is to develop a more fit physique. Also, the
internet is a great resource. When you go home, you could just do a little
research about the equipment.
2 - You had false expectations.
People
sometimes go to the gym hoping that they would have a certain type of workout
equipment. When they do not have it, they are discouraged and use that as an
excuse to quit. Worse still will be when people say that if only they had
access to an indoor pool or some sort of tech. Well, having that tech may be
helpful, but you will still have to exert yourself and it will still be
exhausting. You will still have to come up with excuses even if you had that
tech.
3 - You kept telling yourself that it was
okay to skip just one day.
A
lot of procrastinators are familiar with this sort of behavior. It can set a
dangerous precedent. After all, you could say that every day. You could eat one
high calorie cheeseburger every day, and say "It's just one..." But
before you know it, you are suddenly obese. Similarly, skipping one day over
and over again eventually leads your gym life dying a slow death.
4 - The employees were rude.
While
it is certainly an unpleasant experience when somebody is rude, if you use that
as an excuse to stop going to the gym, then it is just an excuse. How long do
you spend with the gym employees? They usually just scan your card and you walk
passed them. They are probably not too big of a nuisance and if they are, you
could always just tell their boss. Either way, allowing a rude employee to
dictate your physical health is probably not the wisest approach and is
probably just an excuse.
5 - You are not internally motivated.
You
need to ask yourself what is drawing you to the gym. What are you getting out
of it? Is your motivation drawn internally? Are you going to the gym so that
you can feel better and that you can live a longer and more healthy life? If
you are motivated for some other reason, like peer pressure or something
external, you will not be properly motivated.
5 Reasons For You To Start Back
1 - You desire self-control.
You
tell yourself that you are not going to have one of the donuts that your
coworker brought in. But then you do anyway, and you regret it afterwards. Why
did you do that? The temptation was just so powerful that you could not resist
it. People who have willpower are focused on what they truly want rather than
what their immediate desires are.
2 - It alleviates anger.
Perhaps
the reason that you stopped going to the gym was that it was a frustrating
experience. You could not bring yourself to work out every day and it was
burdensome to spend so much time there. But going to the gym will actually
reduce stress. During periods of exertion, endorphins are released in your
brain and you will feel happier. That is not a coincidence. It is a direct
result of exercise. That is why many people who have a workout pattern are
content with their life.
3 - You can make it a social engagement.
There
are not many opportunities in life when you get to spend time with your
friends. Going to the gym can be an excellent social engagement. That will also
prevent any slacking. If a group is going to the gym, it will be rather
difficult to make up some lame excuse about why you cannot go. You could have a
pact that you will encourage each other.
4 - Confidence.
Confidence
is important in your professional life and in your social life. If you are
single, you might not have the confidence to meet people. If you are
unemployed, you need to exhibit confidence in your interviews. Confidence can
be fostered when you take pride in your appearance. If you go to the gym on a
regular basis, you will begin to look better and develop more confidence.
Confidence fuels success.
5 - Sleep better.
Many
people do not do much that is exerting throughout the day. Even if you work on
your feet all day, you are probably not running and lifting. So, when you lay
down, you might not feel as tired as you should. Exercise will provide natural
exhaustion without resorting to pharmaceuticals. It is the most natural way to
become tired enough to get to sleep.
Jessica Kane is a
professional blogger who is trying to be healthier this year. She currently
writes for AEDs Today, where aeds are for sale
including models like Lifepak 1000 and Lifepak
15.
