Fitness for the gal that is horrible at working out

ashmicpear
ashmicpear Posts: 11 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I need some tips on how to establish a work out routine that I can maintain. Here's the deal. I'm not an active person. I never have been. I hated gym in school. I didn't enjoy sports. I get bored at the gym. I'm uncoordinated and can't remember how to do aerobic routines. Help!
«1

Replies

  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    What about walking.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I suggest keep trying things until you find something you enjoy. I have to admit, I didn't enjoy exercise in my younger years. I finally found something that I loved (an outdoor bootcamp), but then my hours changed and I couldn't make it work. Other things that I have since tried that I enjoy: kickboxing, swimming, and weightlifting. I don't enjoy running, but want to, so currently trying a zombie run app.

    Try different things! Find sonething you enjoy, because enjoying it makes it feel fun, rather than just a workout.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Walk.

    Seriously, just start by walking. Three times a week is a good start. If you are totally out of shape, start with 15-20 minutes the first week. The second week add another 5 minutes or a fourth walk. Then up you time a bit each week until you get to 30-60 minutes (personal preference.)

    Once you are up and moving more you may feel a bit better about looking at other exercise options. While I do think what you do needs to match your preferences, I always suggest some kind of resistance training--bodyweight exercises, lifting weights, etc. When I first started out, I did this program:

    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    If you try it, scale it back (start with 1-2 circuits and reduced number of repetitions per exercise.)

    This. A thousand times this. I lost over 100lbs my first year doing nothing much more than, yup.. walking. Granted, I walked fast and far, but it was still just walking.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Spliner1969 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Walk.

    Seriously, just start by walking. Three times a week is a good start. If you are totally out of shape, start with 15-20 minutes the first week. The second week add another 5 minutes or a fourth walk. Then up you time a bit each week until you get to 30-60 minutes (personal preference.)

    Once you are up and moving more you may feel a bit better about looking at other exercise options. While I do think what you do needs to match your preferences, I always suggest some kind of resistance training--bodyweight exercises, lifting weights, etc. When I first started out, I did this program:

    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    If you try it, scale it back (start with 1-2 circuits and reduced number of repetitions per exercise.)

    This. A thousand times this. I lost over 100lbs my first year doing nothing much more than, yup.. walking. Granted, I walked fast and far, but it was still just walking.

    Even now walking is my preferred form of cardio activity. It's easy and peaceful and you can do it in small spurts without any kind of warm up if you're busy. I think it is a great way for beginners to ease into fitness. Especially when you are really out of shape and have a big weight loss goal. You're already probably spending way more time than usual thinking about your diet. Walking can be done without having to study up on it at all.
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Walk.

    Seriously, just start by walking. Three times a week is a good start. If you are totally out of shape, start with 15-20 minutes the first week. The second week add another 5 minutes or a fourth walk. Then up you time a bit each week until you get to 30-60 minutes (personal preference.)

    Once you are up and moving more you may feel a bit better about looking at other exercise options. While I do think what you do needs to match your preferences, I always suggest some kind of resistance training--bodyweight exercises, lifting weights, etc. When I first started out, I did this program:

    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    If you try it, scale it back (start with 1-2 circuits and reduced number of repetitions per exercise.)

    Yup. This worked for me. I even set up a hand-me-down treadmill in front of the kid's basement tv so I could walk while watching Netflix shows. It combined something I wanted to do with something I didn't and forced me to stop using weather or kids as an excuse. I gradually walked longer, then started playing around speed and incline and interval settings on the treadmill. Before I knew it - I was running! The girl who couldn't run a mile in gym class now runs outside 20-30 miles a week (and lifts weights, too!) And I still watch Netflix on the treadmill. It's just a habit now. It feels weird to watch TV on the couch.
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
    edited January 2017
    jemhh wrote: »
    Third month - added bodyweight exercise on 3 in between days and switched to the C25k walk/run plan
    .
    .
    .
    By the 7th month I was lifting weights 3 times/week and running 3 times/week


    The C25K was good? I was just looking at that to get back into running. Used to do it years and years ago, but I'd love to get back into trail running. (I just cannot do pavement.)
  • SeagalDeeDee
    SeagalDeeDee Posts: 153 Member
    If you have access to an indoor pool---> swim!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Stella3838 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Third month - added bodyweight exercise on 3 in between days and switched to the C25k walk/run plan
    .
    .
    .
    By the 7th month I was lifting weights 3 times/week and running 3 times/week


    The C25K was good? I was just looking at that to get back into running. Used to do it years and years ago, but I'd love to get back into trail running. (I just cannot do pavement.)

    Yes, very good. Very good!
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
    C25K it is then!!
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,107 Member
    I agree with the others who say start with walking. I started out walking and eventually I tried some yoga dvd's. I just do them at home because there are no classes in my town. I can't believe how much I love yoga. Now I do it every weekday morning. I have never been athletic and I hate the gym. I used to do aerobics, and I kind of liked it, but I never loved it. After I had been walking for about a year I downloaded the C25K app and now I run (really just jog) 3 days a week in addition to walking and aerobics. I think the best advice is to start out slow and find something you enjoy. Exercise does not have to be a chore or a punishment.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Train for something.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    rileyes wrote: »
    Train for something.

    Copy and print, post on the fridge:

    This is not your problem anymore. You embrace the fear. You love it when it feels heavy. You hate variety. You think people who make up *kitten* excuses to justify their desire to do something easier are just scared, and you are not one of them. You are a lifter, and you lift heavy things. When you walk into the gym, you look around at all the bros doing arm work and five different chest exercises, and you smile because you know they don't know what you know. Or, maybe they do, but they don't have the balls to stay the course, put more weight on the bar and squat something they're afraid they can't squat. But you do that. You do that three days a week. You face your fear over and over and over. And sometimes you fail. Sometimes you can't get another rep. But you show up for your next session, and you try again. You stick to your plan. You learn how to fail. You learn how to try again. You learn that it won't kill you. And because you learned that, when life kicks you in the nuts, when your dog dies or your girlfriend dumps you or boss fires you, you can handle it. You can face it and feel it and know that you will get past it. And that, my friend, is more important that how much weight is on the bar. It's supposed to feel heavy. You're supposed to be scared. If you're not, you're not living. --Paul Horn, SSC
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    Walk and consider working with a personal trainer for awhile. Doing so completely changed my outlook on exercise and fitness.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
    Some great advice above...
    1. get diet under control
    2. walk
    3. increase pace and distance
    4. throw in 'jogging' while you go for a walk. It doesn't have to be fast, but even a little quicker than your walking pace. Do it for 30 sec, and resume walking. Do this a few times, you will be surprised at how quick your body will adapt. Eventually you may find yourself jogging the same distance. Lots of good 'walk/jog' apps and programs can be found online that take a total newcomer from the couch to jogging. You will not be the only one who has never done it.

    Goof luck to you.
  • skinnykitty149cat
    skinnykitty149cat Posts: 2 Member
    I'm right with you. I H A T E "exercise". However, I do walk - even around 1 block is a good start. Add as you can. I also put on music I like or watch TV and just stand up and move - walk in place, swing side to side, do the twist - whatever to move. It doesn't feel like "exercise" and I don't care about what moves I am making or if I'm in time with the music. I watch exercise videos but don't concentrate on doing the same moves they are -- I just try to keep moving by marching or moving my arms for bending side to side OR anything that is movement. You'll do more as you feel like it. BUT WALKING IS A GREAT START. In bad weather I walk around a big hardware or big box store that is close by. Good luck.
  • skinnykitty149cat
    skinnykitty149cat Posts: 2 Member
    Also good is WATER AEROBICS. Except for wearing a swimsuit - I like that. You feel very light in the water and you don't get sweaty and impact is less. I went to YMCA for this until my local one stopped classes. I did actually enjoy it.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    I agree with walking. It's how I got started as well. Also, don't be afraid to try new things, such as yoga, weight training, or even aerial arts (trapeze, silks, lyra, pole dance, etc). Finding something that you enjoy doing will make it not seem like a workout, but it will be a hobby that you enjoy doing. Once I found something I loved to do, I kept with it, even when I stopped counting calories and gained my weight back, I still kept doing pole b/c I love it.

Categories