Truth: They woke up like this. Some people really are more inclined to find joy in exercise. But! You can rewire your brain to join that "love it" group, research shows.
When experts measured the electrical connectivity in the brains of people who are recreationally active, they found that those who perceive themselves as being highly tolerant of physical effort had greater levels of "remembered pleasure" afterward, according to the recent study by Florida International University. Meanwhile, those who said they were not as tolerant had a certain amount of "anticipatory dread," or negative feelings, before the work even started.
Meet the experts: Marcelo Bigliassi, PhD , is an assistant professor of neuroscience and psychophysiology at Florida International University. Diogo Teixeira, PhD , is a professor on the physical education and sport faculty at Lusófona University in Lisbon, Portugal.
Let's say you don't mind weight lifting but definitely don't have the can't-wait feels leading up to a workout. You can create artificial motivation and enjoyment by listening to music or a podcast while you sweat, using virtual reality, or even just engaging in positive self-talk, Bigliassi says. Or perhaps lifting with a group or a friend is the missing ingredient for you. "You're creating outside signals that can help you push a little bit harder and a little bit faster." The goal is to foster positive experiences with your sweat sessions. Gradually, the emotion will become second nature without these external cues.
No matter what you're doing, the activity needs to be tough enough that you'll have a feeling of accomplishment that makes you want to repeat it. But it should also be within your capabilities, in order to protect your sense of self-efficacy (that is, your belief in your abilities), says Bigliassi. When people experience an exercise intensity that's not aligned with their preference or tolerance, they exercise less in the future, research shows.
Reference: Found here
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