10 Proven Ways to Conquer Your Exercise Struggles

Are you struggling to exercise? You aren’t alone. Many people have difficulty getting to the gym or motivating once they are there. However, there are many things you can do to maximize your chances of getting a good workout. Here are ten proven ways to conquer your exercise struggles, from expert tips to research-based hacks.

Set Realistic Goals

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Sara Haley, American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified trainer and instructor, recommends starting by setting realistic goals. “The smaller, the better, or underestimate so you set yourself up for success,” she says. “For instance, if you want to lose 10 pounds, set your goal for 7 to 8 pounds. That way, when you lose 5, you don’t feel so bad.”

Force Yourself to Exercise

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Make yourself exercise, no matter what. “Stop waiting to feel motivated,” Haley encourages. “Sometimes you just have to make yourself.”

Do Something You Enjoy

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If you hate running, then find another workout that sparks joy, says Haley. “Do something you actually enjoy,” she encourages. “The more you like the movement, the more likely you are to do it more often.”

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Be Accountable

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Having an accountability buddy helps ensure you do what you say you are going to do. “Accountability is everything. If you share your goals with someone you love, you are more likely to carry them out,” explains Haley.

Give Yourself Grace

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Haley also recommends giving yourself a little grace. “You are going to have your ups and downs. We all do. Forgive yourself and keep moving forward,” she says.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

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One of the most discouraging things you can do is compare yourself to others, says Risa Sheppard, Master Pilates trainer and creator of The Sheppard Method. “We all come with our own insecurities and expectations. Everyone is built differently and has a different background in fitness, and although they appear to have it all, believe me, they do not. So do as best as you cannot to compare or attempt to try an exercise just because the person next to you looks great doing it. Know that you are doing this for yourself and no one else,” she continues. No one is perfect, and neither are you. Just do the best you can and leave at that.”

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Trick Yourself

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Soraya (@project.s.lifestyle), a weight loss coach and TikTok influencer with a massive following on social media, revealed one of her workout hacks in a viral video. When she doesn’t feel like working out, she sets a goal for just 10 minutes of exercise. However, once she gets to the gym and hits the 10-minute mark, she tells herself “I’ll do one more thing and then I’ll leave,” she says. “45 minutes later I finish my whole workout.”

Make a Playlist

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If you have trouble staying motivated at the gym, put together a heart-pumping playlist of your favorite tunes. Studies show that faster-paced music tends to help improve athletic performance when a person engages in low-to-moderate level exercise, either by increasing distance traveled, pace, or repetitions completed.

Treat Yourself

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Another way to get motivated to hit the gym? Incentivize yourself. Do you love a good steam room or sauna session? Join a gym where you can unwind after your workout. Or, set a weekly goal, and if you achieve it, treat yourself to your favorite dessert or drink. Studies show that incentives can work when it comes to getting yourself to exercise.

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Watch a Show or Talk to a Friend

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While the idea of spending 30 minutes on the treadmill might seem boring, make it more fun by adding an activity to the mix. Whether that is catching up on your favorite Netflix series or chatting with a friend on the phone or right next to you, if you are enjoying yourself, the time will pass by more quickly.

💪🔥Body Booster: Try a workout that you actually enjoy. The more you like it, the more likely you are to do it more often.

Just because you are taking Ozempic and losing weight fast doesn’t mean you have an excuse to skip the gym – especially because adding a little exercise can help maximize your results. “Ozempic and other weight loss medications effectively result in decreased appetite and slowing down digestion. As a natural result of this, weight loss will occur,” explains David Chesworth, Program Director and Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) at Hilton Head Health. He explains that weight is lost by putting your body into a caloric deficit, which is where the “eat less – move more” saying comes from. “And while you might burn 300 to 500 calories during an intense workout, it is super easy to find yourself consuming a 300 to 500 calorie, unhealthy snack. As the old saying goes, ‘You can’t outrun a poor diet.’” he adds. One of the great things about Ozempic is that it helps you feel satisfied while eating less. Read on to learn more and discover a 10-minute workout to help maximize the results of Ozempic.

1. ”Exercise Is Still a Key Ingredient”

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While Ozempic and other weight loss medications can directly impact weight loss, “exercise is still a key ingredient to maximally achieving your health and weight management goals,” says Chesworth. “Exercise acts as a nice supplement, or ‘boost,’ to any diet and weight loss strategy. Exercise leads to a healthier heart, stronger bones, muscles, and joints, and improved levels of energy and mood.”

“Any activity that you enjoy and can see yourself doing long term” is a good option, says Chesworth, as “consistency is more powerful than intensity.” He suggests finding activities that you enjoy, “or at least, don’t totally hate and do those activities.”

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2. Implement a Balance of Exercises

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However, he does recommend a little structure and guidance when it comes to creating a workout to go along with Ozempic. “Be sure to implement a balance of cardio, strength, and flexibility training,” he says. He recommends three to five days a week of moderate to vigorous heart rate-related exercise or five to seven days a week of light to moderate heart rate-related exercise.

3. Challenge Your Muscles

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For strength training, he suggests doing two to four days a week of challenging all the major muscle groups – legs, back, chest, arms, core, and shoulders. “You could break this up into upper body days and lower body days,” he says. Or, you can do two to four full body training days. As for flexibility, aim to get three to seven days per week of stretching the full body. Stretching could also be implemented for five to 10 minutes at the end of your strength and cardio workouts. “If you are just getting started and coming from doing nothing, don’t overwhelm yourself by doing too much,” Chesworth says. “Start simple and start realistic. There is no shame in starting with one to three days a week of any type of exercise and using the above guidelines as a compass to move towards as your habits get better and stronger.”

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Hire a Trainer

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If you have no idea where to begin, hiring a personal trainer is always a great option to find activities personalized to you, he adds. “Here at Hilton Head Health, we help people every week in that same situation who don’t know where to begin with their fitness and nutrition lifestyle goals. There are also virtual resources that exist out there, such as our H3 at Home coaching program with follow-along workout videos with modifiable exercises and virtual health coaches to keep you accountable to your goals.”

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5. 20-Minute Workout

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Cheworth offers a sample workout – that will only take you 10 to 20 minutes – to help maximize the results of Ozempic.

• Walk 100 yards
• 20 squats
• Walk 100 yards
• 20 side steps
• Walk 100 yards
• 20 calf raises
• Walk 100 yards
• 0:30 hamstring stretch
• 0:30 calf stretch
• 0:30 chest stretch
• 0:30 back stretch

💪🔥Body Booster: Taking Ozempic or another weight loss drug will help you lose weight. But doing a combination of weight training, cardio, and stretching, for less than 20 minutes per day, can help you maximize your weight loss results.