So, you recently decided to make your health a priority. Not only have you been running regularly for the past few weeks, but you’ve lost a few pounds in the process. Not bad! One problem, though…you hate running. In fact, you are reminded just how much you don’t enjoy running every time your foot makes contact with the ground.

Well…before frustration sets in, let’s analyze things.  What is it you don’t like about running? A lot of folk claim it’s hard on the joints. If that is the case, perhaps try an elliptical machine if you have access to one. For the greater part they replicate the motions involved in running without the impact-related stress on the knees and ankles.

I ran outdoors for a couple of years in college. While I loved the way I felt after I ran, I found the act, itself, to be boring. Mind-numbingly boring. SOUL. CRUSHINGLY. BORING.

It wasn’t until I signed up for my first Tough Mudder—a good twenty years later—that I begrudgingly came to the conclusion that I needed to integrate running into my workout regiment. Due to circumstance, however, I did so on a treadmill…and was pleasantly surprised.   Seemingly, the combination of consistent foot strikes onto a surface with the slightest of give, the ability to “set and forget” a pace, and the lack of having to be visually “on guard” enabled me to bust out of the immediacy of it all and zone out.

That’s right…I’m one of those weirdos who actually prefers running on a treadmill. I am at ease with this.

Ultimately what I’m getting at here is that the more positive things you are able to associate with exercising, the easier it will be to successfully integrate exercise into your life in the long-term. Possible drivers include:

Social Interaction

Play a team sport in high school? Enjoy a good sweat as long as it isn’t achieved purely in the name of exercising? Don’t reinvent the wheel…join a rec league. Grab a buddy, dust off your racket and head to the tennis courts. Check out Craigslist, where there’s usually something fun and free.

Like the camaraderie of team sports, but looking for something a little more intense? Enroll in a boot camp.   There’s a slew of cross training classes out there that offer a good workout while fostering team spirit.

Goal Setting

One of those deadline-driven procrastinators? No harm in that. Embrace it and set a deadline. If you’re just beginning to exercise, don’t go overboard.  Sign up for a 5k six months out.   Want a little added pressure? Get a few friends to sign up with you.

Technology

There’s all kinds of devices out there for the data-driven individual. If you just want a glorified pedometer, there’s good odds that you’ve got one on your smart phone or iPod. If you’re looking for something a little more advanced, there are a variety of watches capable of monitoring and recording your heart rate.

I’m a fan of such devices for a couple of reasons. Firstly, if I know that I’m tracking my activity over the course of the day, I start getting competitive with myself. (“I walked five miles yesterday…let’s see if I can walk six today.”) Before I know it, I find myself walking to places I’d normal drive or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Most of these devices also offer an online component, allowing you to enter additional information, such as food intake.   Honestly enter your diet and activity over the course of a week and you’ll quickly have an understanding of what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

These are just a few things I thought of off the top of my head and is by no means a definitive list. Everyone is different. Figure out what works for you…even if it’s just having the ability to read a book or watch television while on a stationary bike.

You’ve already made the psychological commitment, now you just need your bag of tricks. Happy hunting.