As we know, exercise is great for us. In fact, it’s something that’s essential for well-being. For instance, exercise helps us feel better with the release of endorphins. And since our bodies are machines, exercise ensures that our cardiovascular system, muscles, and joints work properly. However, there’s a recent report about a paradox, which is exercise stress. In short, people want to exercise and work out, but they’re too stressed to get going.
What’s the Exercise Stress Paradox?
Recently, a published report surveyed approximately 1,700 people. The people in the survey got asked about how passive they were and asked specific questions around physical activity and exercise. Researchers wanted to understand how people were doing post-COVID in comparison to the time before the pandemic. Ultimately, they tried to get a sense of peoples’ activity levels and if it had changed. As we know, we went through lock-downs, restrictions, and remote work.
The results weren’t encouraging. For instance, most people wanted to exercise and move more, but they were too stressed to do it. Further, many sat for more time and exercised for less time than they did before the pandemic. Moreover, exercise stress and the activity of people were affected by mental health and well-being. In other words, if and when people did work out, they did it to try to minimize anxiety instead of looking to keep in shape.
How to Reset Your Mind to Workout
The reality is that the pandemic did change our lives. For example, for many, the mass uncertainty led to a lot of anxiety and worry. People who used to exercise at gyms cut their routines all together. And even as millions now have vaccinations, there’s lingering anxiety about getting back to enclosed spaces for exercise. Still, it’s vital for those who prioritize their wellness to get back to taking care of their health. And that means minimizing stress, improving the body, and exercising, an essential aspect of one’s daily routine.
1. Acknowledge the Stress and Work to Let it Go
The first thing you should do to help yourself overcome exercise stress is to acknowledge it. In other words, once you become aware that you want to do something but have ambivalent feelings, it’s a big first step. It’s vital to work—slowly—on self-defeating behaviors. Of course, you could do this by listening to self-development podcasts and audible books. However, if you have a more serious case of exercise stress, you could also seek outside help. The aim is to take small steps toward acknowledging the stress the pandemic caused and slowly getting back to feeling strong and empowered.
2. Start Small To Address Exercise Stress
One of the best ways to make a habit is to take things in small bites. In other words, studies have shown that if you want to make a short-term habit, you should create a goal of doing exercise for 21 days. And for long-term practice, you should do it daily for about three months. No one’s asking you to join other marathon runners out on the road already, so there’s no stress. Just start by saying, for example, that you plan to run outside daily in the early morning. The more important thing is to be consistent about your workout. As you build the habit, you can reconsider when you want to head back into a gym.
3. Use Post-Covid Resources
Fortunately, the researchers who surveyed people about the exercise stress paradox went one step further. They created a great resource in connection with exercise and mental health. You’ll find a toolkit to help you learn evidence-based solutions to overcome the stress in the resource. You’ll also reaffirm why training is essential, and you need to get back to moving, even if it’s taking it in small chunks. You could download the toolkit here.
4. Celebrate Your Wins
The reality is that people experienced a traumatic event with the pandemic. Also, there was no one—on the planet—who wasn’t somehow affected. So, it stands to reason that as lives and habits got upended, exercise (or the lack of it) also got disrupted. However, as you get back to a healthy routine, celebrate the milestones. Get a support system in your corner. For example, join a running club or get a running buddy. As you celebrate the milestones, you’ll eventually start to feel better.
Ultimately, life will get back to normal. Will it look like it did pre-pandemic? Probably not. But, that doesn’t mean that people won’t get back to a new routine, including exercise, that improves their lives. One of the pluses of the pandemic is that many people reprioritized what’s important to them. Health and wellness, lowered stress and anxiety, became priorities. Remember, you’re in good company with the rest of the world, looking for better, simpler, and healthier ways to live going forward.
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