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Research has shown that practicing gratitude has mental health benefits. But how do you find time for gratitude exercises when it’s hard enough getting to the gym? When we reached out to FHE Health Wellness Trainer Cole Williams, he offered some ideas for how to make practicing gratitude more manageable, by incorporating it into an existing fitness routine. What follow are highlights from our interview, along with tips for how to incorporate gratitude in an exercise routine.
Working Out as an Expression of Gratitude
What are some ways to express gratitude as part of a fitness routine? Williams said it can start with something as basic as appreciating that you’re able to exercise:
When it comes to exercise, a lot of individuals enjoy it enough to add it to their daily regime, while others view exercise as a burden, an inconvenience, or pure torture. What we don’t realize is that having the ability to work out is something to be thankful for.
A lot of people work out to relieve stress or just to transform their body, but what we often don’t think about is the gift of being able to work out in the first place.
In other words, gratitude can be as simple as being mindful that you’re able to exercise; but beyond that, the very process of working out can be an expression of gratitude:
Expressing gratitude is something we do every time we work out but just don’t realize it: every time we lift a heavier weight, do an extra rep or set, or even simply show up when we were too tired. We are better now than we were before, and this awareness can make us grateful.
Ways to Add Gratitude to an Exercise Routine
Williams mentioned other ways that people may choose to more intentionally incorporate gratitude in an exercise routine:
- A gratitude body scan – This tip originally appeared in a NBC article about practicing gratitude during the hustle and bustle of daily life. The article offered these pre-workout instructions from licensed clinical psychotherapist Laura Federico: “A simple, fast and effective way to connect with yourself and tap into your inner strength is a body scan. Start at your feet and work your way up, paying attention to and acknowledging each part of your body. To turn this into a moment of gratitude, thank each part of your body as you work your way up.”
- Mindful movement – Mindful movement is about paying attention to your breath and the sensations in your body as you stretch, move, or exercise. If you’re swimming laps, you’re tuned in to the sound and rhythm of your breath as you inhale and exhale, the flutter in your legs and feet as you kick, the movement of your arms as they make circles through the water. The more aware you become of the many parts of your body engaged in helping you move across a pool, the greater your capacity for gratitude.
How to Tap into Gratitude During a Grueling Workout
“When trying to push yourself through a tough workout, it can be easy to give up and leave, but the rewarding feeling that comes from pushing oneself is unmatched,” Williams said. “Knowing you stayed disciplined and did what most people would not makes you appreciate yourself; and the more you do it, the easier working out regularly gets.”
In other words, a grueling workout is an opportunity to thank and appreciate yourself for what you are achieving:
Think of it as bettering yourself each time you set foot in the gym … When you start noticing changes in your body, whether it is losing weight or getting stronger, you are more motivated and eager to get back in the gym and keep working hard. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you show it externally.
The Relationship Between Fitness and Gratitude
Fitness and gratitude boost one another, it seems, from talking with Williams. Working out offers more opportunities to exercise your gratitude muscle, and vice versa: Expressing gratitude in a workout can increase your motivation to exercise and your performance.
Williams described the dynamic this way:
If you purchase your first car, you take care of it. You worked hard to save up the money for it, so the car gets consistent oil changes. It’s kept clean, and you’re sure to drive it with caution. The same goes for your body. When you work hard to achieve your goal, you learn to appreciate it more and take care of it; you eat the right foods, work out consistently, and other people notice your hard work, which makes you feel better.
As is the case with most healthy lifestyle choices, the benefits of an exercise regimen take time to manifest. The same is true with gratitude. If you’re someone who is used to seeing situations in a critical or negative light, the transformation into a more thankful person will come gradually. Saying thanks in a fitness routine helps to encourage and support this positive transformation.
