How to Love Exercise

New Year, New Resolutions and New Ambitions... Sounds familiar, right?! But how do you actually get off the couch, shake off the festive belly and pursue your fitness goals whatever they might be (strong body/healthy lifestyle/ weight loss etc)? For me personally, the key to staying active is enjoying what I do - whether it is running, pilates, yoga, gym or swimming - as long as I love the type of workout I am doing it keeps me motivated to exrecise again and again.

Top - Forever 21 & Leggings - kyodan

So the first most important thing in the pursuit of finding your 'love' towards working out is discovering the type of sport you love. When I was a kid I did not like sports that much - possibly because I was already actively burning down the extra energy in my dance classes and competitions. However I have to admit I have always stayed active as the benefits of doing exercise have always swayed their persuasive charm over me. If becoming fitter is one of your new year resolutions and you are only new to physical activity I would suggest trying different classes or joining a group of the  type of sports style you are interested in. If you do not enjoy it after trying out for a while don't get disheartened, just try something new. The chances are you will learn what type of movements you are naturally better at and this will guide you towards the right choice.

The second important factor that will keep you motivated to 'stick it out' the first few weeks after getting into the fitness mode is the sportswear fashion. In my opinion fashion in general is very important and can shape our perception in various ways. When it comes to sportswear it is important not to neglect the importance of wearing the clothes and runners you like. In fact, I believe that if you buy yourself an awesome T-shirt/sports bra/pair of tights/leggings you will be more likely to get excited for your next workout. The sports brands have done an amazing job in producing beautiful sportswear clothes and runners so embrace it and get inspired to curve out a better version of you!

If you are a more driven and ambitious person then set yourself goals and track your improvements. There are tons of options available in the app stores to chose from and a lot of smartphones have the app already preinstalled so it couldn't get much easier than that. Sign up for runs or various competitions to keep your focus and that way you will have more interest in producing better results and raising your own bar. When I first started running I signed up for the electric run and rainbow run with my friends and they were so much fun! There are also plenty of more serious runs available in the city.

Doing exercise with friends can also serve as a great motivator. Not only do you get the mental support from friends to work off your butt harder but you also get to socialise! However don't obsess over comparing the results all the time against other people as we are all genetically different so doing the same thing will not have exactly the same impact on two different people. Also diet and rest are important factors that would impact your results.

And at last but not least - observe how you feel after the exercise. Do you get a dopamine rush after your run? I certainly do! Is your body getting firmer? And how are your moods after staying more active? These are all the great benefits that come with the fitness. Observe them and enjoy the new you! ;)

Aleks xx