What to do when fitness feels like a chore…

For most of my adult life, I have been a full-time fitness professional.

But I have a confession to make.

Fitness can feel like a chore.

That’s right, even the “professionals” don’t always feel motivated. And neither do my clients.

It’s normal. No one feels motivated all the time.

Fitness is a type of flossing. You don’t always love it, but you know it’s important.

So what do you do when everything feels like another item on your “to do” list?

First, give yourself permission to feel that way.

You don’t have to be someone who “falls in love” with fitness to care. Even if you never look forward, a .a little consistent effort always pays off..

Second, when possible, it is is it it’s worth trying to bring more joy to the process.

At its best, fitness is not the end goal. It’s the amplifier for everything you love.

If fitness feels like a chore to you right now, here are a few ways to mix things up:

1. Theme it.

Name your workouts after your favorite hobbies or interests. (If you like Star Wars, you’re not working, do it .Jedi training..)

You can try a .work out. specifically built around something you like or even that .levels after boss battles..

And this is not just for training!

There are tons of themed cookbooks out there too to inspire and add some fun to your meals.

My son (11) brought home a Minecraft Cookbook from school last week, and decided he wanted to make “Minecraft Steak”. It was literally a steak with salt and pepper, but he was so enthusiastic and invested in getting the meal right.

You can also add a flavor to your way .track your progress..

Bottom line: Whatever you like, whether it’s Gandalf, gardening, or golf – see if you can bring some of that into the mix.

2. Stick back to life outside of fitness.

For most of us, fitness is not about being the “best in fitness”. (Even if competing in 5k runs or powerlifting events is what you love, that’s cool too!)

It’s about having the energy and health to look at the things that light you up. For example, one of my clients, Julie, really hated strength training. I knew it was important for muscle retention and bone health and everything else. But it wasn’t until we were able to link specific movements in his training back to his passion, archery, that the “work” part of working became easier to do.

I still remember how she would light up after she came back from an archery session and said something like, “the bow was so easy to shoot!” (Archery people, don’t come at me if I butchered that one. 😅 )

Bottom line: Making the connection between your fitness goals and all the other interesting things you love to do is a trick.

3. Add games + challenges.

Movement doesn’t always have to be serious.

Try adding more games and mini-challenges to your session to spice things up!

Finish your warm-up with the .Stick Drop Challenge..

In between the exercises, add some low-intensity movements like juggling, or walking on a balance beam, etc. to give your brain a challenge even while your body recovers.

Roll a D20 to determine what your conditioning will be like at the end of your session.

At Camp Nerd Fitness, my ninja class was full of little games and challenges like these, and people left smiling and sweating. I remember one camper in particular, Emily, coming up to me and giving me a big hug afterward because this approach made fitness feel fun and accessible in a whole new way.

Bottom line: wherever possible, touch the playful side of the movement.

4. Keep it simple.

Sometimes, despite all that, fitness still feels like a grind.

It’s good.

In those seasons, it is not too complicated. Focus on the basics: a .few key moves.eating some protein, moving a little every day.

Action matters more than perfection.

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Some of these ideas click, some don’t, and that’s the point. There is no one size fits all prescription here for everyone.

My hope for you is that you can find ways to make fitness feel additive to your life, without taking away.

So let me ask:

What should I wear? more joy in your fitness now?

Click reply and let me know – I’d love to hear.

– Matt