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by sn9 1954 days ago
I would argue that the whole idea of thinking about exercise as something you have to enjoy is overrated.

Do you enjoy cleaning your house or doing your taxes? Do your enjoy taking your car in for maintenance?

Sure some people enjoy some or all of those things, but you still have to do them regardless. They're a part of being a responsible adult.

Likewise, regular exercise is a part of being a responsible steward of your own health and well-being. Establishing the habit, regardless of how much you enjoy it, is as important for your long-term well-being as regularly contributing to your retirement account.

Now does that mean you have to choose an exercise modality that you hate? No, of course not. But there are some tried and true modalities that are extremely effective and don't have to be torture. You might find them boring at first, but they're effective and if you could bottle their effects in a pill, you'd be the richest person on the planet.

1 comments

I get where you are coming from. The idea of finding exercise that you enjoy doing is based on the thinking that you're more likely to continue to do something you enjoy.

Unlike cleaning or doing taxes, there are lots of very different ways to exercise. And most humans are conditioned to enjoy some form of exercise. It's likely you can find some activity that will give you a nice dopamine hit to keep you encouraged.

Plus, you never know what you might enjoy until you try it. I never thought I liked sports until college, when I discovered a love for playing tennis, squash, and flag football. I still hate watching any of these sports on TV, but I do love playing them.