Develop greater awareness of how you feel about exercise

Identify any “right versus wrong” feelings you have about exercise.
Take a moment to contemplate your exercise routine. Do you feel that there is a “right” way to exercise and that it doesn't count as exercise if you don’t do it that way? For example, does walking count as an exercise to you, or do you feel you have to run or lift weights to benefit from exercise? Write down your feelings.

Identify how every workout activity makes you feel.
Divide a sheet of paper into three columns—Activity Type, Positive and Negative. Under Activity Type, list all the different physical activities you’ve ever engaged in. These could include yoga, dancing, jumping rope, walking your dog, soccer, gym class, exercising at home, etc. Then place a checkmark beside each activity to identify whether you experienced a positive or negative feeling about it. If possible, write down any specific memory that comes to mind. This will help you see any patterns in how some activities make you feel.

Identify whether the location affects your feelings about an exercise.
Look at the list of activities you wrote down in the previous step. Do you notice any pattern regarding where you did the activity? For example, did you experience positive feelings when engaging in outdoor activities like walking versus indoor activities like running on a treadmill? Or was it the other way around?

Identify whether you enjoy exercising with others or alone.
Based on your feelings toward each activity, do you see a pattern based on who you’re exercising with? Do you tend to feel positive working out alone versus with others or vice versa? Take note of this.

Listen to your body’s messages.
The next time you find yourself resisting a workout, stop for a minute and close your eyes. Then ask yourself, “What type of movement would feel good to do right now?” If your body tells you to do nothing, then listen to it. If you feel like doing yoga, then do it. Do activities that make your body feel good instead of forcing it to do regular exercises that everyone else is doing.

Identify the exercise intensity that best boosts your mood.
Do you feel better when engaging in high-intensity movements such as running and weight lifting? Or do you prefer low-intensity workouts such as walking? Does your preferred intensity depend on the time of day? Answer these questions to determine the type of physical activity that’s sustainable for you in the long term.

Identify all the limiting beliefs and expectations you have around exercise.
On a piece of paper, write down everything you believe about exercise, such as how you should do it, how you expect it to change your body, etc. You may have beliefs such as “I have to work out for at least 30 minutes” or “Exercise doesn’t count unless I push myself to exhaustion.” As you read through each belief/expectation, ask yourself, “Does this belief/expectation lead me to stay motivated to exercise? Does it help me get pleasure from being active?” If the answer is No, then get rid of it. Write down all these unhelpful beliefs, rip up the paper and toss it away!