Should Exercise be Fun or Useful?
Last week I talked about how I’m using quick 5 minute workouts to stay active as a new dad.
And because there’s interest in the idea, I started throwing together something that can make it work for you.
I’m looking for people who can give me some early feedback- and I’d love to hear what you think.
BUT, in the process, I came across this question:
Do you prioritize fun or usefulness for exercise?
On the one hand, any exercise should be fun to help consistency.
When you find things fun, you’re more likely to do it regularly and make it part of your lifestyle.
Over and over again, I see people stop exercising because it’s boring— they simply lose interest.
At the same time, exercise needs to useful for what our body needs.
If you’re struggling with back pain, then forget about fun!
You need a quick and useful exercise that can help you feel better. You need something that serves you right here and right now.
What do you think? What’s more important to you? Let me know
Or something else? Reply and let me know
The Times When ‘Fun’ Matters More
It’s definitely not an either/or situation here.
You have to understand what your goals are, and what is more beneficial to you based on that.
There are sometimes it’s better to bring in fun to your workouts. I believe it’s anytime you’re starting a movement habit— struggling to stay consistent, and really need help getting going.
In these cases, the goal isn’t a lean body, or a big muscles.
The goal is to simply to stay consistent.
And you need that dopamine and endorphin hit to keep things exciting and motivating for you.
When would you go for ‘useful’ exercise?
If you have a particular goal, such as losing weight for a wedding, achieving a dream body, or improving your best marathon time, then you need to take the necessary steps to make it happen.
In these cases, “useful” exercise becomes more important than fun.
For example, if your goal is weight loss, you need to focus on exercises that burn calories and increase your metabolism.
This may not always be the most enjoyable type of exercise, but it will help you reach your goal.
Similarly, if you want to improve your marathon time, you need to prioritize exercises that build endurance and improve your running form. These exercises may not be the most fun, but they are necessary to achieve your desired outcome.
The importance of fun versus usefulness in exercise depends on your goals and priorities.
To Know What To Do, Know Your Goal
To know what type of exercise is best for you, it’s important to know your goal.
Are you looking for consistency or specific results?
If you want to establish a movement habit and stay consistent, incorporating fun into your workouts can help.
However, if you have a specific goal like losing weight or improving your marathon time, prioritizing useful exercises becomes more important.
In these cases, focusing on exercises that burn calories, increase metabolism, build endurance, and improve form may be necessary, even if they’re not the most enjoyable.
The Ultimate Hack: Make the Useful Exercises Fun
This one doesn’t come easy, but when it aligns it is OH so sweet!
It’s possible to train yourself to enjoy the things that are useful for your body, though this is a much higher level skill— and takes more mental awareness.
But if you can do this, you can increase your motivation and adherence to your active lifestyle.
I could do a deeper dive on this— there’s no space for it here now. But if you’re interested in learning more about this, just let me know!