The thought of exercise makes me sick

cwolfman13

moledew wrote: »

I see so many users on here that were 300+ pounds before starting their journey and now they're mountain climbing personal trainers! I'm super jealous and want to have that too eventually but I really hate exercising. Is it just because of my weight and how physically and emotionally taxing it is for me right now? Will I too get this phenomenal burst of energy and motivation as the weight comes off? A lot of people say that they need and love exercising now but I just can't see myself being a 5am runner. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here but I'm really curious about what it is that makes a morbidly obese person all of the sudden become a body builder that enjoys workouts...? Is that just part of the mental side of weigh loss and a literal "total transformation"?

1 - baby steps. nobody goes from 0 to balls overnight. when i started back into fitness, I did nothing but walk. I walked for 30 minutes 3x weekly...then I upped that to 5 times weekly...then I walked a couple of those days for 45 minutes...then an hour, etc. Within a couple of months I was walking for an hour most days. Now three years later I can jump on my bike and ride 30 - 50 miles just because it's fun...mind you, it's been almost three years since I started on this little good livin' safari. I've been plugging away for almost three years.

2 - broaden your view of "exercise". too many people think "exercise" means droning away on some piece of cardio equipment or jumping around their living rooms to some DVD. there are tons of fun, "recreational" activities that also happen to be "exercise". The only thing I do in a gym is lift weight, which I enjoy...other than that, I really enjoy riding my bike and going for hikes in the mountains. Often my bike rides are planned "workouts"...but often, it's just family fun activity...like we decide to go to the zoo and instead of loading up the kids in the car, my wife and I load them up in the bike trailers and ride and get in a good 25 miles round trip...plus some walking around at the zoo. again...been plugging away at this for three years.

3 - just moving more in general is going to be very beneficial...it doesn't have to be some deliberate workout. for example, my wife and I both used to spend quite a bit of time in front of the t.v., especially on weekends...now we make sure we get out and do something...we take the kids to the zoo for a few hours or a museum or we do yard work, etc. we have a grocery store that's just a mile each way from the house, so we often walk to go grocery shopping if we just need to pick up a few things...stuff like that...there is a lot of benefit to simply moving more.

4 - This kind of goes with #2, but you have to find things you enjoy doing or you'll never stick with them. I tried forcing the issue with running for example...months of misery trying to force myself to be a runner...I hated it...but while I was running I decided I wanted to train for a triathlon with my mom which is when I discovered my bike. I never did end up doing that tri, but I did discover cycling and I've been in the saddle ever since.

5- it's always a challenge at first, but as you progress in your fitness, things get easier...eventually you get to the point where you just don't feel quite right physically if you miss planned workouts. Like this week for example...I've been a little laid up with a foot injury so I haven't been able to ride for a week...I'm going a little crazy and I just want to be back in the saddle. I would never have thought such a thing just a few years ago.

Machka9

moledew wrote: »

I see so many users on here that were 300+ pounds before starting their journey and now they're mountain climbing personal trainers! I'm super jealous and want to have that too eventually but I really hate exercising. Is it just because of my weight and how physically and emotionally taxing it is for me right now? Will I too get this phenomenal burst of energy and motivation as the weight comes off? A lot of people say that they need and love exercising now but I just can't see myself being a 5am runner. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here but I'm really curious about what it is that makes a morbidly obese person all of the sudden become a body builder that enjoys workouts...? Is that just part of the mental side of weigh loss and a literal "total transformation"?

@moledew
You don't have to be a 5 am runner or a bodybuilder. You know that ... right??

How do you feel about walking to the park in the afternoon with the child you've got in your photo? That would be exercise.


Here's a list of sports courtesy of Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports

Here's another list of sports
http://www.topendsports.com/sport/sport-list.htm


There are a lot more activities than running and bodybuilding.

Maybe you might prefer playing a little one-on-one (basketball) with your partner.
Maybe cycling on the local rail trails is more your speed.
Perhaps you like golf ... walking the course, of course.
Perhaps tennis is more your thing.
Or maybe swimming is for you.

Be adventurous. Try stuff.

azulvioleta6

@moledew
You don't have to be a 5 am runner or a bodybuilder. You know that ... right??

How do you feel about walking to the park in the afternoon with the child you've got in your photo? That would be exercise.

Exactly. There is even a listing here for walking while carrying a baby.

Tried30UserNames

I used to hate to exercise. I think PE class during all my years in school gave me a really negative view of it. Then I learned to love it and crave it, but not till my 30's. Then I got sick and couldn't exercise at all. Now, I can do a little minimal exercise. Some days I really miss it and other days I'm kind of glad I have an excuse not to do much.

When you're fat, it's uncomfortable and embarrassing to exercise. Your feet and knees and hips and other joints hurt. Your skin rubs uncomfortably. You can't find any exercise clothes that fit. It's even hard to find comfortable shoes if your feet or ankles are fat. And you feel really conspicuous.

So don't start by "exercising". Start by moving around more. Get a dog and take it for a couple walks a day and smell the flowers in the park. Have a very active pillow fight with your kids. Put on some fun music and move around to it. When you are feeling a few pounds lighter and a little more comfortable moving around, go for a walk or a bike ride. Then go for a longer or faster one. Try lifting some weights at home if that's your thing, or if you're more social join a gym. Weightlifting makes me insanely hyper and upbeat for some reason. Find a time of day that works for you. Midday is my best time...if I had to workout early or late, it'd never happen.

I don't think there's ever been one day where I wanted to put on my exercise clothes and leave the house, even when I was running long distances. But once I get going, I enjoy myself immensely.

AndiDurall

I'm still at the beginning of my journey. I have been working at weight loss for 5 or 6 weeks now and have lost 23 lbs. I started out at 296 and I'm 273 today. I don't LOVE exercise and I doubt I ever will. I was one of those kids in school that did the bare minimum in P.E. I had excuses. Everything physical that I did enjoy doing, my mom would usually make it not fun by telling me how to do it "to lose the weight". Loved to skate, mom wouldn't let me do it for fun. Loved to swim, mom said I had to swim laps instead of regular...etc. You really just have to find something that isn't terrible for you. I really enjoy doing Zumba at home. I'm in the air conditioning and out of sight of dumb people that think they're better than me because I'm big. It burns calories and it is fun. I won't say I LOVE it, but I don't hate it. There are lots of days that I text my husband and tell him that I just don't want to do it. That the kids are driving me nuts and they always trash something and that there is other stuff I could be doing. But he always reminds me that if I don't do it, I feel guilty. I know it is good for me and I feel good after I do it. I'm sore, sweaty, and out of breath, but it is like a little victory. Start out just moving more. Figure out what feels the best for you. You may never love to exercise and that is perfectly ok! Nobody will make you be a body builder that climbs mountains. Hahaha.