OBSTACLES TO STARTING TO EXERCISE, PART 1: COMPARISON

Most of us know that exercise is something we should be doing in some form. So what's the reason not everyone eagerly does it? We can't exactly blame it on a lack of information or help being available. The internet, magazines, and TV all offer plenty of information about exercise, impressions, and role models. I actually believe this is part of the problem - a contributing reason why not even the first workout ever happens.

In images, we see the "toned, fit bodies" and "muscular lions" that are meant to inspire us - "I want a body like that too" - but instead they often trigger the opposite reaction: anxiety, self-criticism, or a feeling of simply not being good enough. This creates comparison, and the moment we start comparing ourselves to others, we're already on the wrong track. Of course, if an ideal image sparks motivation and inspiration, then it's doing its job in a positive way. But I believe that, more often than not, it works the other way around. Once we start comparing ourselves to others, the point of comparison becomes exactly that: the dream image, the one furthest from where we actually are. And in that moment, we lose sight of the people exercising and pursuing wellbeing at a normal, everyday level - the very people who could actually motivate us.

It's important to learn to compare yourself here and now with where you'd like to be in, say, six months or a year. Setting goals matters, but I believe that if just getting started with exercise feels challenging, it's best to set goals with a short time frame and at a level that's low enough.

If the goal is to lose 15 kg, that can easily create pressure and self-doubt about whether you'll actually manage it. This, in turn, tends to make the exercising fade out fairly quickly. In a situation like that, a suitable goal might instead be to go for two 30-minute walks a week for a month. The following month, three walks a week, one of them 45 minutes. In a short time, real progress has already happened - simply through the increase in the number of walks. Two months of walking is already enough to create a craving for fresh air.

Alongside this, it's good to learn to be present in what you're doing - to notice the nature around you during your walks, the feeling afterward, and to register, "look, I've actually been on two walks this week." This way, we compare ourselves with ourselves, and the inspiration comes from within, from what we ourselves are doing.