how do i make the half an hour go quicker?

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  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
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    There are a number of things you can do like:

    1) mix up your workouts...treadmill, stairmaster, running outside, walking swimming, aerobic classes, Pole dancing (one of the most amazing workouts I've ever done) etc.

    2) watch tv (I like going on the treadmill when my favorite shows are on so I focus on the show and not so much on the workout) or listen to your favorite music.

    3) Break the 30 mins down in increments ie run for 10, walk for 5, run faster for 5 and walk at the highest incline for 5 (I find breaking the time down in increments helps me to not focus on the overall length of my exercise).

    4) Bring a friend (its great to have someone to motivate you and vice versa).

    5) Start off small and challenge yourself to go a little longer everyday and before you know it, you'll be doing an hour easily.



    Great advice!!
  • brixtonbanner
    brixtonbanner Posts: 71 Member
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    Borrow a Bicycle
    Pick a friend that lives about half an hour away
    Cycle there
    Bet you wont stop half way
    Have a water, have a chat, have a gossip
    cycle back home
    two for the price of one plus the bonus of some quality catching up time
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
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    Make it as easy for yourself as possible, to jump-start your motivation.

    What works for me: I exercise at home rather than at a gym. For cardio I use, on alternate days, a mini-bike (usually for an hour) and stepper (usually for a half hour) that both fit into my small home office. Everything is at my fingertips: table fan, music, podcasts, TV (on computer), towel, weights.

    I work at home on flex time and am a caregiver, so working out at home gives me much needed flexibility and no excuses.

    Sometimes the time drags. When that happens, I push myself because I know I can do it. I eat grapes as my post-workout snack, so I remind myself I have to earn them.

    Motivation is key. Find and use what works for you.
  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
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    Music for when I'm running (I have a set of running only playlists that work for me), and watching TV or films while on a stationary cycle.

    Other option is to go for a shorter workout at higher intensity (if you have an insane competitve streak like me, going for a certain time/distance at high intensity never gets boring)
  • CashierCantin
    CashierCantin Posts: 206 Member
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    When there is nothing on the TV that I am interested in , I will just cover up the time/calories on the machine and just get inside my head and do what I do. 30 minutes IS NOT that long and I know I HAVE to do this to be healthy so I suck it up and do it. Believe me, I am the worst when it comes to liking exercising (after 3 months of continuous exercising/cardio, I still don't see what the big freakin deal is as far as energy, feeling younger...I wake up feeling like an 80 yr old woman and my best friend is the advil bottle) but I do it because I know if I don't then I won't lose the weight and I won't fit into the rest of the clothes in my closet.

    My motivator? I am fitting into a pair of pants I haven't worn in years...but was 30 pounds lighter, so I am losing inches like crazy but the scale is creeping down s-l-o-w-l-y!!! I didn't exercise the last time I lost the weight so I am eating more, losing more inches and having a love/hate relationship with my scale.

    As Nike says...Just do it :)
  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
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    Listen to podcasts!
  • elisabeisme
    elisabeisme Posts: 308 Member
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    Zombies Run!
  • NoeHead
    NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
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    cover the thingie with the clock numbers on it. let the machine go for the hour or whatever they are set to stop at. even if you stop sooner it will at least be from sheer exhaustion not boredom.

    put music you LOVE on. Not just any music. don't watch news or anything boring. only a really engrossing program, or television with pretty happy fit people.

    finally, change to a workout you actually like. check out the classes at your gym. get a bike or something.

    yup! i cover that dreaded clock thing and play music that makes me wanna move...i look like an idiot doing it(i have this grin on my face and start snapping my fingers) but it works. classes have worked wonders. I go to the gym 5-6 times a week because I WANT to. pretty soon you'll want to go anyway because it makes you feel good.
  • rose228822
    rose228822 Posts: 186 Member
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    In the morning I only have about a 1/2 hour to workout so I get on the treadmill and put on high incline and high speed and the time flies as well as me lol....I will turn on the news or watch an info commercial that keeps me motivated...I know it's hard but it is definitely worth it! Take care and good luck!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Listen to audiobooks. Check your local library as they're usually free or cheap ($1) to lend. Also ask them if they borrow from other local libraries - if they don't have the book you want, they can get it from one of the other libraries in the system.
    Same with podcasts, listening to some funny radio show will make the time fly!

    Switch up your workouts. When I first started working out, I couldn't stand doing anything more than 10 minutes so I'd do the bike for 10 minutes, then the elliptical for 10 minutes then the treadmill for 10 minutes. Got my 30 minutes in and didn't feel like I wanted to kill myself out of boredom. :)
    Or as someone else said, just do cardio for 10 minutes then use the next 20 for weight training if you enjoy that more.

    Do interval training (I think someone else mentioned this too) and put your clock watching to good use! Warm up for 2 minutes, go at a moderate pace for 2-3 minutes then crank it up (go faster, up the resistance, etc) for 1 minute, then back to moderate for 2-3 minutes, etc. Swtich it up and do 2 minutes of high intensity every 5 minutes, or 3 minutes of high intensity every 3 minutes - you get the picture. Or make it easy on yourself and use the intervals or hills programs on the machines.

    Play mind games with yourself. My gym buddy likes to say "we can do anything for 30 seconds" then that 30 seconds turns into a minute then 5 minutes then 30 minutes. While I believe in finding something you enjoy so that you'll stick with it, I also believe in putting your big girl pants on and sucking it up as others have said.

    Don't let those little voices in your head convince you that it's boring and useless!

    Adopt a more postivie attitude! Make it challenging and exciting!
  • b7bbs
    b7bbs Posts: 158 Member
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    Try JNL Fusion. It is a workout designed by celebrity fitness model Jennifer Nicole Lee. Her workouts are 30 minutes; however, she alternates between 30 seconds of cardio and 30 seconds of weight training. She does about 5-6 circiuts with 2 exercises in each circiut done 3 times. It is a challenge, especially for me being out of shape and with asthma. You may like the combination of cardio and weight training together. I know I like it a lot, and I have lost 2 lbs so far from doing her workouts and eating healthy/watching my calorie budget.

    http://www.jnlfusion.com/
  • lazerbirdgirl
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    I don't know about other places, but there are SO many independent Zumba instructors that teach in various places for just a few dollars a class. It is easy to find if your gym doesn't offer that. I also used to run (not to just avoid cardio machines), which I would like to get back into. I ran at a local track or park. I also love to hike. You don't have to be stuck in a gym to do your cardio exercises...
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
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    I agree with the concensus here... if you try doing circuits so you're always changing what you're doing that might make it go a little faster. I go to PF... and I run for about 20-30min (but I love to run). Other days... I switch off between treadmill, arc trainer, elliptical, etc. That keeps it about 10min per machine which is a little easier.

    Or... why not take up gardening, yoga, dance or something else that you might enjoy more? If you hate it... you'll give it up eventually.