Guide to *Actually* Working out with ADHD
Hi all!
I recently came across this article and it blew my mind. Here’s the long and short, to quote the article itself:
“ A new meta-analysis shows that physical exercise is the most effective natural treatment for controlling ADHD symptoms such as inhibition, attention, and working memory.”
Whoa.
This article blew my mind because I’m in it. I very recently was diagnosed with ADHD - and part of the reason it took so long is that I’ve been managing my symptoms with exercise this whole time! And then, well . . . 2020, am I right? So, as I’ve been helping my clients with ADHD and myself navigate this territory of: “I want to work out and I know it makes me feel better, but I can’t - make - myself - do it,” I’ve noticed two things:
1. It’s a really common problem for many folks, not just folks with ADHD or other executive function differences. But for us it is very, very, real and especially acute. (In fact, the article above states that children with ADHD are far less likely to engage in physical exercise than their peers, even though there is clear improvement in symptoms when they do. Sound familiar?)
And
2. I have actually built an arsenal of strategies around this over the years, and have been paying a lot more explicit attention to them now that I know other people struggle in the same ways. SO, without further ado:
10 strategies for actually working out when you have ADHD
Externalize. The best way to do this is to sign up for a class or hire a personal trainer. To be honest, I show up to work out WAY more often when I’m the teacher than when it’s just me doin’ it for me. Not everyone is going to coach and that isn’t the point here, but having that externalized social accountability is huge. You know exactly when you’ll be working out, for how long, and that someone will notice if you didn’t show up. If you can’t make that happen, here’s what I do: Interval workouts. My go-to way to do this is to look up “tabata songs” on spotify, decide on four moves, and follow the nice yelling person’s instructions. Now it’s not *me* motivating me, it’s the yell-y tabata voice. There are also apps in the world that will do this for you. I don’t have a personal rec because I’m loyal to my yelling-tabata-voice, but here’s a listicle. **Side note- tabatas are very intense, so if you’re new to working out I recommend starting with more low-key exercises at a moderate pace!
Make it a challenge. I’ve noticed I’ll do just about anything if I put the word “challenge” in front of it. You don’t have to find a challenge out in the world, but you could. A simple chart with a title will do: the “ONE MONTH TO PUSHUP CHALLENGE” or the “WALKING LIKE A BOSS CHALLENGE”. Make a literal chart. Bonus points if it’s colorful. Write the rules of your challenge ON the chart. Give yourself stickers. Like a child. ADHD brains are wired to need more externalized reward to make a habit sticky. Don’t feel silly for having a different brain. You deserve stickers, dammit.
Put on your favorite music. The caveat here is that it needs to be well-paced for a workout. If you put on sleep music, you will sleep. But I promise you, the same workout to music you actually LIKE is not the same workout at all. Bonus if you put in some dance moves - almost all dance moves double as cardio. Boom! At a loss for a playlist? Here’s mine.
Get a pretty yoga mat. Or shoes you really like. Or a cute poster for your workout area. Now, I’m a big proponent of not needing to buy anything in particular to work out. However, if you set up a workout station that you LIKE TO BE IN you are way more likely to initiate the habit. And if you have ADHD, you know initiation is almost the whole battle. My version? I invested in a sustainable yoga mat that doubles as a piece of art. I’m happy to leave it out all day. Which means it’s out all day - reminding me of the existence of working out. For a less expensive, less high-touch option, get yourself a workout candle. Initiate workout time by putting on a smell you really like. Seriously! Now your brain thinks of it as self-care. Which, of course, it actually is.
Assign a time. Admittedly, I am trash at this. But if you, unlike me, have a predictable daily schedule, use that to your advantage. A simple morning or after-dinner walk is a great start. Now you are moving your body! That’s already enough. Give yourself the sticker. But if you feel energized and want to toss in a stretch session or a mini workout after? Boom. Habit stacking. Here’s the thing: no amount of movement counts or doesn’t count to your habit-brain. It is doing the thing at all that builds the habit. Let yourself off the hook for doing a “real” workout RIGHT. NOW. I mean it. As your friendly neighborhood personal trainer, I give you permission. Every movement you do is good and nourishing as long as it doesn’t hurt you. You get a sticker for a 5 minute walk or grumpily stretching. Ok?
I am going to say this again: INTERVAL TRAINING. Pick somewhere between 5-10 exercises, depending how feisty you feel. Start with doing them 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. Get a timer app that makes noise or has a graphic you can keep an eye on (some of them will even prompt you with the exercise if you load it into the app! I just use a white board and my phone timer because for me loading stuff into an app = it’s couch time now. You do you). The beauty of this is YOU KNOW WHEN THIS WILL END. Especially if you don’t actually *like* working out, you can tell yourself “this is ten minutes of my life” - and you can believe yourself because it’s right there, on the timer. As you get stronger, you can move to 45 seconds on 15 seconds off - now you’re doing a more intense workout but you’re STILL only taking ten minutes to do it. WHOOOAAAAA.
Try making your workout harder- for your brain. One of my main issues with traditional fitness workouts is that they’re not stimulating enough to my brain. If it’s right for your fitness level, try adding in multidirectional moves or movement puzzles. Make your brain happy by giving it something to do besides yell “WHEN IS THIS OVERRRRRR” at you. If you can’t think of puzzle-moves, one way I balance routine with brain stimulation is by keeping my workout mostly the same, but changing 1-2 moves in it. So if I have a 7 move circuit, 5 will stay the same (ahhh consistency, routine, check) and 2 will be new (novelty! Challenge! check.).
When all else fails, shove it in the corners of your life. This is the opposite of “assign a time,” but I for one actually use this strategy more often. If I’m working on a project and I need a break, I put that break to work by doing a ten minute workout. Your “workout” could be a classic interval circuit, a walk, ten jumping jacks, or a physical chore like sweeping the floor. Have a list of go-to options on a sticky note at your desk so you don’t have to think about it when you’re tired. These options need to take 10 minutes or less and be easy to get up and do without changing outfits or gathering too much equipment. The point is you’re now using your workout to give yourself a break and re-set from whatever sitting-down project you’re up to. And now your brain is thinking of movement as a re-set. And you might notice it actually *does* make you feel better and more focused, not just because you read the article above, but because you FEEL it. And the next time you need that re-set - because it’s time to go to sleep but you’re wired for example - your brain will float exercise as an option, because you’ve put it on your brain’s list of options. You’ve hacked the system. MWAHAHAHAHAH.
Avoid workouts that make you feel like trash. There are lots of movement strategies out there, lots of apps, and lots of coaches. If you feel bad about yourself consistently after working out, or your body hurts? Go looking elsewhere. Take walks instead. Get *really involved* with playing catch with your dog. Seriously - nothing is going to kill the habit faster than doing it in a way that makes you feel bad about yourself. If you have a trainer, talk to them about it. Let them know what kinds of moves, or what kinds of language, do and don’t work for you. If they’re not willing to hear you out, find a different trainer. Or learn to ride horses. Or repaint your shed. Working out will never be without discomfort, because it is a growth process. But you don’t have to do things that feel like they’re stealing your spirit.
Get clear on why you want to do it. We started this list with an article- maybe something in there is your why, maybe not. Even before I knew my diagnosis, I was really clear that the actual reason I loved working out and movement so much was that it grounded my anxiety and very obviously I didn’t sleep when I wasn’t working out regularly. Now I know there’s a reason for that living in my brain chemicals, but I didn’t really need to know the full why to be able to observe the positive effect it had in my life. So, get clear on YOUR why - what would actually be better for you with a movement habit? Does that matter to you enough to put up with the annoyance of starting a habit? Really? Ok, write that in lipstick on your bathroom mirror. “I want to have happy knees” or, “I’m a sweeter spouse if I’ve burned off some energy” or -like me- “not working out = so much insomnia.” You’ve just taken a vague, non-immediate goal and made it immediate and specific. Put it in your own face a bit. Nicely, please! No shamey passive aggressive sticky notes, only joy!
Go forth with your beautiful brain! Run free! Work it out!
P.S. If you like the concept of dance moves as a sneaky workout - I’ve got a few dance party workouts over on my insta. A good day and many fancy wiggles to you, my friend!
