How To Exercise (And Like It) Part II

Learning to Love Exercise Part II

The second most common barrier to exercise that I hear from clients is this: “I just don't have time.”

My response is typically to ask my client to pull out their phone and check their screen time, or suggest that they cancel their Netflix subscription because they must not be using it. However, I have never had a client actually pull out their phone. They know what I'm getting at, and you do too. The truth is, I think we all would be quite surprised if we were honest with ourselves about how much time we spend doing things that are not even in our top ten list of priorities.

In order to solve problems in our lives, we must be honest with ourselves about what the problem actually is. In the case of exercise, it is rarely a lack of time that is the issue. Rather, it is a lack of priority that is to blame.

Our brains are hard-wired to take the path of least resistance. When we are tired, stressed, or want to change our emotional state, our brains instinctively instruct us to scroll Instagram, play a video game, or binge mindless television. These actions give us a quick but temporary boost of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators that make us feel better for a time. However, this habit comes at a cost. This easy-to-access pleasure actually makes us feel more tired, more stressed, and in a worse mood in the long run.

Ask yourself: Have you ever felt energized, joyful, and refreshed after “doom scrolling” for an hour? For me, it leaves me feeling lethargic and makes the tasks that I need to get done feel more difficult.

What happens, then, if you start to replace these habits with a quick workout? At first, it may take some willpower to get out the door. However, after a few sessions of exercising the “right way” (see Part I), your brain will begin to “rewire.” Instead of craving these easy but fleeting sources of “feel good chemicals,” you will start to crave a jog around the block. Once your cravings and desires shift, so will your schedule, and you will find yourself with plenty of time to exercise. Like we discussed in Part I of this series, the key to exercising regularly is not about discipline. It is about changing our desires.