Exercise Isn't the Problem - The Message Is
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
A Healthier Exercise Mindset That Makes Movement Easier
If you’ve ever said, “I hate working out,” you’re not alone.
In fact, that sentence is so common that many people accept it as a fact — as if it were part of their personality. But what if the problem isn’t exercise at all? What if the real issue is the message you’ve been repeating to yourself for years?
Because here’s the truth:
Most people don’t hate exercise.
They hate the story they’ve been telling themselves about exercise.
And stories — especially repeated ones — are powerful. I was guilty of this mistake for years – read on to see how I fixed it!
How Our Thoughts Train the Brain
Our brains are incredible learning machines. They’re designed to look for patterns and efficiency. The more often we think a thought, the more familiar it becomes — and the more “true” it feels – even if it isn’t.
Here’s the basic cycle at work:
Thoughts → Feelings → Actions
If the thought is:
“I hate exercise.”
The feeling that usually follows is resistance, dread, or frustration. Again, this was my pattern for a very long time.
And the action?
Avoidance… procrastination… or starting and stopping over and over again.
This is especially common for busy people trying to fit exercise into a full schedule. When time feels tight, even the idea of a workout can trigger resistance before you ever start.
Repetition Creates Brain Pathways
Every time you repeat a thought, your brain strengthens a neural pathway connected to it. Think of it like walking through a grassy field. The first time, it takes effort. But if you walk the same path every day, eventually a clear trail forms.
The same thing happens in your brain.
When you repeatedly think:
• I hate exercise
• I don’t have time
• Short workouts don’t count
• I’ll never stick with this
Those thought–feeling–action patterns become well-worn pathways. Over time, your brain defaults to them automatically — which is why trying to start exercising again can feel harder than it should.
This is also why short workouts that work, like exercise snacks or simple workouts at home, can feel surprisingly uncomfortable at first — not because they don’t help, but because they’re unfamiliar to the brain.
The good news?
What’s been learned can be relearned. And the brain is capable of change at any age.
Changing the Message Changes the Experience
About 25 years ago I realized that I was consistently giving myself 2 very negative messages about exercise:
1 – I hate working out!
2 – I hate getting hot and sweaty!
While both were true, I finally realized they weren’t helpful. So after much thought and prayer I changed them to:
1 – I love how I feel after I finish working out.
2 – I love what exercise does to my body.
These were both true and much more positive – so I started telling them to myself on a regular basis. This changed my exercise mindset and made working out much more enjoyable. Because just as repetition strengthens old pathways, new thoughts build new ones.
Changing mental messages doesn’t require pretending to love exercise or forcing motivation. It starts with neutral, realistic reframes that reduce resistance:
• Instead of “I hate working out,” try - “I’m finding ways to move that work for me.”
• Instead of “I don’t have time,” try - “Even short movement counts.”
• Instead of “I never stick with this," try - “I’m building consistency in small steps.”
These kinds of thoughts feel safer to the brain — especially for people learning how to fit exercise into a busy schedule. When the brain feels safer, it’s more cooperative.
Over time, new thoughts lead to different feelings — less dread, less pressure — which naturally lead to different actions. That might look like:
• A short walk
• Stretching at home
• One or two exercise snacks during the day
Small actions, repeated consistently, begin carving new neural pathways.
Why Hypnosis Can Help
This is where hypnosis fits in naturally.
Hypnosis works with the subconscious mind — where deeply ingrained messages live. In a calm, focused state, the brain becomes more receptive to updating old patterns and reinforcing new, supportive ones.
Hypnosis can help:
• Quiet automatic resistance to exercise
• Reduce the emotional charge around movement
• Make short workouts feel easier to start
• Support consistency without relying on willpower
Rather than fighting yourself, you begin working with your brain.
A Final Encouragement
If exercise has felt like a struggle, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy or failing. It may simply mean you’ve been repeating a message that no longer serves you.
Once the message changes, behavior often follows.
You don’t need to love exercise.
You just need to stop telling your brain that it’s the enemy.
If you’re tired of starting and stopping — or if even simple workouts feel harder than they should — hypnosis can help retrain the mental messages that keep you stuck.
At Waco Hypnosis Center, I help clients calm their minds, reduce resistance, and build healthier habits in ways that feel natural and sustainable. You don't have to force motivation, you can just retrain it.
📞 Call 254-722-6716 or visit the website to learn how hypnosis can support stress reduction, better sleep, and lasting lifestyle change.
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