Yeah, yeah. Exercise is good. A little of it every day is better than a lot of it at once. It makes the heart healthier, the mind calmer. Even our weird gut bacteria tend to party harder after a workout. We’ve heard all the reasons. What we’re struggling with is the first step, which often seems like the hardest to take. A fitness journey doesn’t come with push notifications, alas. If the motivational poster (“Must be THIS thin”) and that rack of unused smaller-sized clothes still isn’t cutting it, here’s help from experts.
Find the fun. Dudes grunting at the weight machines. Women sweating on the treadmills. Gyms tend to look like places where a villain might prep before a showdown against Batman. It puts off newbies. So, find a friendly alternative to start with. “Dance gets people to want to work out, without making them feel like they’re exercising,” says Vijaya Aswani, a Bengaluru-based dance instructor. The big trend in the city at the moment: Punjabi music. “It does get us more students,” she admits. Life is overwhelming enough, she says. A fitness routine does not have to be.
