Beginning an exercise program is not without challenges, but as your fitness improves and you find activities you like, it becomes a natural part of your lifestyle. If you struggle to enjoy being active, make it easier with these tips.

Exercise with a friend.

Exercise partners keep you accountable and make activity more enjoyable. A good workout partner offers encouragement and may even provide some friendly competition to keep you motivated. When you look forward to spending time with another person during your workout, you will have no problem staying committed and sticking to your program.

Do something new.

Train your mind as often as you train your body. Trying different activities means that you are always learning to do something new. Focusing on increasing your knowledge takes your mind off the fact that you are also getting exercise. Take a new dance class, try a watersport, or take pickleball lessons. In time, you may not view these commitments as exercise but as a fun and social part of daily life, which makes staying active much easier.

Take a rest day.

If you are having trouble dragging yourself to the gym or waking up early to run, these may be signs you are burned out. Not only do rest days refresh you mentally, but they are also necessary for your body to repair itself and grow stronger. Evaluate your schedule and ensure you have at least one day a week set aside to rest. Consider adding a second rest day for a while. A few days of exercise a week is better than getting burned out and not exercising at all. Incorporating rest days keeps you from feeling like exercise is a chore that never ends. After some rest, you will soon want to move your body again.

Try circuit training.

Long sessions on the stationary bike or elliptical machine can feel endless. Ditch the boredom by mixing up your workout. Design your own circuit training routine and get both cardio and strength training done in one challenging session. Simply alternate between cardio and strength, performing each for 60 seconds to 3 minutes. For example, hop on the bike and pedal quickly for 90 seconds. Then, do leg presses for 90 seconds, followed by another cardio segment. If you don’t have machines, there are plenty of moves to incorporate, such as jumping jacks and lunges. You will be so busy changing up your activities that your workout will fly by.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.