Wellbeing, Rachel Grunwell: Put joy in your workouts

There are thousands of ways to exercise. It just requires bravery to try something new.

If you don't find joy in your workouts then you need to break up with your trainer or gym.

Life is too short to be swearing all the time while you sweat. There should be some element that makes you smile. I'm not saying the entire workout should spark joy. Nah. You are not sitting poolside in Bali drinking cocktails. But there is some element of your workouts that you should dig. If not? Then you need a break-up plan ...

It's great to like the people who you exercise with. In between the sweating, there's hopefully some banter (at least before or post workout) where you connect with an epic community. A joyful part of exercising might be helping others learn new moves, or you learning from others who are more skilled.

Maybe it's the environment you love — it may be a place that lifts you up and helps you feel calm.

If you hate the actual workouts ... then please quit!

There are thousands of ways to exercise. It just requires bravery to try something new. By the way, you generally need to stick at something for a few weeks to give that new thing a genuine chance. Now it feels like I'm writing a dating column! But I'll stick with wellness; the latter I am clueless ...

But seriously. Breaking up with gyms or trainers is tough. It's hard to change familiar things.

In the past I stayed at a gym way too long. The place was soul-less, aimed only at 20-somethings, and because I was locked into a lower fee I felt I should stay ... even though I used the membership barely once weekly.

I have gym regrets over that place! I was reminded about this with one of my wellness clients recently. A big success was getting her out of her soul-less gym and inspired to try another place.

Now when she's in motion — it actually sparks some good emotion!

And if you are in a remote part of this country and can't access new, fancy gyms. ... then don't worry. Covid has taught us that our living-rooms can be makeshift gyms. We can beam in fitness instructors from Canada if we want! So consider if you love your workouts. Otherwise action a break-up plan.

1 There are thousands of ways to move. There will be something you enjoy more.

2 Movement helps you de-stress. But if you hate the place, people or workouts ... then it's likely making you feel worse.

3 Your gym time is hours in a week that you shouldn't feel unhappy. Even walking around the block with mates will spark more joy and stress-release than hammering your body at a gym you hate. And that latter option is free.

Rachel is a wellness coach, speaker and author of Balance: Food, Health + Happiness . Follow her on Instagram

www.instagram.com/rachelgrunwell

www.inspiredhealth.co.nz