If the idea of going to the gym makes you moan and groan, you're not alone.
Let's be honest: It's called working out for a reason. Though incredibly good for you, exercise doesn't always feel so good. At least, not when you're drenched in sweat, huffing and puffing, making those involuntary (ugly) faces, and trying to concentrate on anything other than your poor, tired muscles.
Everyone has limits, of course. But many of the reasons people don't pick up the pace or push through that "good pain" are rarely physical. They are mostly mental. Personal history and past experiences shape how much discomfort someone believes they can tolerate — and that belief often becomes a barrier. Many give up long before the body actually demands it. Worse, some avoid exercise altogether.
But each person's individual tolerance threshold isn't set in stone. Thanks, in part, to the brain's neuroplasticity and ability to adapt when under pressure.
New research suggests even people with a lower subjective exercise tolerance can develop a degree of mental toughness by 'training' important brain networks to better cope with the inherent discomfort of exercise. According to study author Marcelo Bigliassi, this improves our ability to self-regulate — control self-doubt, discouragement and other negative emotions and stay focused on the task at hand despite the discomfort — and ultimately makes it easier to stick to a regular workout routine.
