Exercise. Work out. Gym. Ironically, the majority of the population of the world wish to run away from exercise. At least this is what the statistics signify. Overall, less than five percent of adults exercise for thirty minutes or less every day and regularly miss their workout routine. And of those people who do, eighty percent of them don’t follow the guidelines of exercising and hence find the activity fruitless. A whopping 90 percent of high school students in the United States don’t take part in enough physical activity.
The problem isn’t just that people don’t work out. The issue is that the masses are quick to miss out on their workout routine. Instead, choosing to enjoy a delicious meal or spending time with friends, because that is much more appealing than sweating it out in a gym. We won’t hold it against you. People slip up and skip on their workout routine. But you shouldn’t.
Here’s why.
You Will Lose Your Fitness Gain
It isn’t easy to spend day after day in a gym, working out. The first few days are quite hard on the body. It is safe to say that getting in shape is quite a struggle. The sad thing is that it is easier to lose your fitness gain than it is to build it.
From the moment you start missing your workout session, you are unravelling all your hard work. This doesn’t mean that you will fall out of shape by missing one session. But, the process will start. And we all know that once you miss a workout, it is hard to get back into the routine.
Don’t throw away all the efforts you put into waking up early to exercise, lift weights and swim lap after lap, just for a day of fun. You have worked too hard for the fitness gains. Strive to maintain your shape by working out daily. If you are skipping on your workout sessions due to common heel pain and injuries, you might want to opt for solutions provided by platforms like Defender Ops. Rather than giving up, for tools and equipment that will make exercising fun and comfortable.
You Will Go Back To The Old Unhealthy Way Of Living
Good habits are harder to sustain than bad ones. This is why once you miss out on a few days of workout, you will find it increasingly challenging to begin again. Slowly and steadily, exercising and staying fit will disappear from your life without you even realizing it. You will find yourself making and believing in excuses to keep you away from working out.
Reverting to your unhealthy way of living is the last thing you would want to do. However, once you lose your good habits, getting them back will be much more challenging than before. Rather than putting yourself through the ordeal of watching your body go out of shape and beginning from step one, try not to skip your workout session in the first place.
Your Fitness Goals Will No Longer Matter To You
Working out is not just about exercising. It is a lifestyle choice. It is a long-term goal of achieving optimum fitness. It all begins from the moment you open your eyes every day. By getting up early to go to the gym, you start off the day on the right foot. From then onwards, you are much more likely to follow through with healthy choices.
But, if you start your day by slacking off and saying “no” to exercise, the next thing you know you are saying “no” to healthy foods and “yes” to junk food. Why? Because deep down, you consider an unhealthy start to the day as a signal for a cheat day. Before you know it, a cheat day will become a week and then your entire lifestyle!
Don’t let laziness and temptations cloud your judgement. Keep exercising so that you are not motivated to binge on junk food later on.
It Takes Twice The Effort To Get Back In Shape
It is not just mentally harder to get back into the habit of working out once you begin skipping sessions. Instead, you will find yourself challenged physically, as well.
For instance, let’s say you have worked out rigorously to achieve specific fitness goals like bulking and cutting, once you start losing out on your muscular strength, you will have to put in twice as much effort to get back to the shape that you were at before. Not just effort, it will also take considerably longer than the first time.
If it took you two weeks to build endurance before, now it will take you a month with double the exercise. Unless you are ready to either lose your hard work or put in the required amount of additional effort, it is best to avoid missing out workout sessions unnecessarily.
It Will Affect Your Mental Health Adversely
A lot of people associate exercising with merely their physical fitness. But, there are various other benefits of working out daily. For starters, it has a very positive effect on your mental health.
When a person exercises, a hormone called endorphin is released in the body. Informally, this hormone is also known as the “happy hormone” because it uplifts the mood of the individual. If you make a habit of skipping your workout, your body won’t get enough of endorphins. This may lead to an increase in stress, anxiety and tension.
If you find yourself getting pessimistic and feeling demotivated after you stop exercising, know that it is not just the guilt that is causing it. For the sake of your mental well-being, it is advised that you keep up with your exercising regime, regardless of how dull it may seem.
Never miss out on your workout routine, if possible. To ensure this, try to identify the reason for you wanting to skip the gym. Is it because it is painful? Or is it because you are bored with it? If it is the former, you might want to invest in gadgets and tools that will help you power through your workout session. If it is the latter, consider mixing up your exercises to keep it interesting. Do what you have to do to stay fit. You owe yourself this.
Author Bio
Alycia Gordan is a freelance writer who loves to read and write articles on healthcare technology, fitness and lifestyle.
She is a tech junkie and divides her time between travel and writing.
You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia
