Any gymrat will relate to this, at least in the pre-woke phase.
Most of us know that physical fitness is good for our health. It helps us be the best versions of ourselves in both our work and personal lives. For young professionals, it's been called a key factor in success, boosting energy, productivity, cognitive acuity, mood, and even collegiality. But it can also make us feel really bad when we don’t meet our fitness goals. This feeling is called "exercise guilt."
Exercise guilt is that gnawing feeling you get we don’t work out for day or two. People typically feel exercise guilt when they:
Skip a workout
Perceive their exercise wasn't intense enough
Compare themselves to others
Link exercise to body image concerns
This newly coined “exercise guilt,” has cropped up in social media that aptly capture the disappointment we feel when our fitness goals are not met. Exercise guilt is that feeling that we did not work out enough, or feel bad when we skip a day or two.
Believe it or not, exercise guilt can sometimes be a good thing.
It can be a useful motivator, nudging us to be disciplined to stick to our fitness goals. If the guilt prompts us to push ourselves to exercise more consistently, it’s doing its job. Thinking our mindset that the guilt is a signal to make positive changes, while also being self-compassionate, can help us stay on track without being way too hard on ourselves.
However, exercise guilt isn’t always helpful.
If guilt morphs into shame, it shows the set fitness goals are unrealistic. Moreover, if our guilt is fueled by the fitness culture we see online, or when we start comparing ourselves to wheat we see on social media, it can lead to poor mental and physical health.
Re-evaluate the fitness goals set for yourself
Make sure your fitness aligns with your current lifestyle. If you are inspired to work 3 hours a day while working a full 9-5 job and taking care of a household with no help, that could seem like an unrealistic goal right now. Your fitness goal should ensure they work with your schedule and energy levels. Working out is supposed to be less stressful, not add more to your plate.
Its all about the movement
If you walk to the nearest metro every day for work, recognize that’s adding to the number of steps you should take daily. It is working out. Shifting your perspective a bit to give more credit to everyday movements as beneficial can be beneficial for your physical and mental health.
Prioritize daily rest
Rest is equally important in your fitness journey. Before you let the exercise guilt settle in, know that rest heals the body today for stronger muscles tomorrow.
Motivation is not always the key
Don’t feel motivated enough to go the gym? Do a 10 minute simple body weight workout right in your living room. Take accountability for the missed day and replace it with something else. Better yet, find a workout buddy to push you whenever needed.
Don let anyone dictate your exercise
How much movement you need varies from person to person, depending on factors like sleep, height, weight, nutrition, and genetics. Our advice? Don’t let anyone “exercise shame” you. Follow the movement curve that’s right for you.
All you need is a little push
Remember discipline trumps motivation. Missed one day? Maybe focus on discipline first. Keep a short time to your daily schedule just for workout. Prepare the mind to only dedicate the time for fitness. Even if you feel lethargic, wear your workout clothes and get the movements in. keep doing it every day until putting on your gym clothes becomes a habit.
