Turn it up!

I won’t lie; some parts of fitness aren’t that inherently fun.  Almost no one loves doing lunges.  On my personal list of hated exercises, I also include plyojacks, hamstring curls, and YTA.  I get it.   Sometimes you have to do exercises you don’t like.  How do you make that fun?

Loud music.  I like lots of different kinds of music, so my workout mix can go from Elvis to Eminem to The Clash.  Pop music, disco, heavy metal, a smattering of country, alternative, punk, rap, whatever.  I even have carousel music.  The point is, if I am singing along, I won’t care too much what the rest of my body is doing.  If I’m working too hard to sing, I can still hum or pant to the beat.

Friends.  Having someone to talk with while getting through the worst stuff helps.  You can’t quit with someone Right There.  Your buddy will encourage you or at least distract you from the worst of it.

Rewards.  I believe in rewards.  Finish the workout and take a hot shower.  Indulge in a banana.  Steal fifteen minutes to read or nap or stare into space.

Some people find that watching TV or reading help them get their cardio done.  If it works for you, do it.  For me, I get caught up in the plot of shows and don’t put in enough effort when I watch TV.  If I’m doing my cardio hard enough to be a real workout, I’m moving too much for my eyes to track properly on a book or magazine.  But do what works!

Creativity isn’t all about painting or writing or music:  use yours to have a good time working out, even in the less fun bits.