Do people actually enjoy working out?

kas1317

I really just DO NOT enjoy it. It puts me in a terrible mood. I am not overweight by any means (5'1 115 pounds) but I would like to look better and drop a few pounds. I do feel like i have "excuses" --- I drive 45 min on a stop and go commute everyday, and honestly, when I get home, I just want to shower and cook dinner. I don't sit down until 8 or so to relax, and then it is off to bed to I can wake up at 6am to do it all again. I am married (no kids) working fulltime, housework, commute are enough to make me not want to do anything else! I know this sounds lazy and people have the same life PLUS KIDS, I just don't know how they do it.

any suggestions or motivating words!

NorthCascades

Of course. I get cranky if a few days go by and I don't get a good outdoor cardio workout.

cwolfman13

It's likely that you need to broaden your horizons in regards to what it means to "workout"....

I don't enjoy stereotypical workouts like jumping around the living room to some DVD like a jack *kitten* or droning away on some cardio equipment, or jumping around in some kind of class...I do have a passion for cycling which happens to be my primary "workout"...I love to ride.

I have a 2 hr round trip commute on top of my normal workday as well as 2 young boys at home...my wife and I don't sit down to relax and eat until 8:30. I get up in the morning to ride as I think it's an awesome start to my day (my wife runs in the AM on alternate days)...most of my weekday rides are 30-45 minutes...sometimes if I happen to just get up a little earlier, it might be an hour. Your workout doesn't have to be some ridiculous thing in terms of time or exerting yourself until you puke...it can be quite enjoyable and a good start to a day.

Also, gotta mix some things up...I usually take one day per week to do something not cycle related...I usually go hiking or to the rock climbing gym...occasionally a swim.

auntstephie321

If you want to workout find something you like. I found one I got started I got hooked on it. In the beginning it was rough because my body ached from it but now I go out of my way to get to the gym. It helps that I made some great friends there so look forward to seeing them as well.

VioletRojo

I love working out. In my off season I run ~20 miles over three days per week and lift three days per week. When I'm training for a race I run a lot more and cut the lifting down. I have a full time job with a commute, I cook all of our meals, and have all the regular chores everyone else does, plus my chickens and gardening. And I have a chronic illness. We all have the same 24 hours to work with, we choose how we prioritize our life's activities to fit in those 24 hours. You'll never find the time to exercise if you don't prioritize it.

CSARdiver

I look at it like any other activity. Few people enjoy repetition in the beginning, until they start to see results, then as these become more tangible and beneficial, the line begins to blur between the discipline and the results, so people begin to enjoy the activity.

Gallowmere1984

I love lifting more than a person could love their child; this especially applies to deadlifts.

SonyaCele

i love working out. i love my program, I love my goals, I love my challenges, I love how i feel . You have to find something that you enjoy, not all "workouts" have to be a boring hour at the gym. Find something active that you enjoy, play frisbee, go swimming, ride a bike, go for a walk and build from there. Find something you do in your daily routine and see if you can turn it into something more physical. This may sound funny, but for many years i brush my teeth in a yoga pose, and it feels so good to get that deep stretch first thing in the morning and it didn't take any extra time out of my day.

stanmann571

I enjoy it when I'm doing it. I enjoy the ritual surrounding getting ready... I enjoy the way I feel after.

But honestly. I don't enjoy those minutes or hours leading up to it where my mind and body conspire to make excuses to do something else.

jenilla1

I it! There are some activities that bore me or that I dislike. I do not do those activities. I do the ones that make me feel awesome instead.

neldabg

Yes. Yoga, tai chi, bike rides, long walks are always fun for me. Resistance training is not as fun, but it's only three times a week, and I listen to music and/or motivational talks at the same time.
Keep looking for something and try your best to enjoy the process.

H_Ock12

Priorities...for me, pretty much everything (aside from my job) takes a backseat to working out. Laundry? Housework? Cooking? I'll get there, when I get there...but first, GYM! I also have chronic illness that causes pain and fatigue...but still, GYM!

Tips
- Sundays are for meal prepping....if everything is marinated and prep free, it's much easier to come home and hubby or I just cook/grill it. You can even precook it for microwaving if you want.
- Workout before you get home...stop at the gym, a local park, or just go for a run around the neighborhood after you park the car, but before you open the door to the house.
- Weekends! Find an active activity that you enjoy and spend half a day each weekend doing it....hiking, biking, running, walking, kayaking, etc....

iofred

yes, they do ... and it is addictive as well

Alidecker

I enjoy working out, but I think it started as I liked how I felt after I worked out. Then I started working towards goals besides weight loss and seeing the improvements in how much weight I could lift, how many pushups I could do, etc. That made me love it. I do tend to get bored with doing the same repetitive workouts and I was getting bored with working out by myself 5 days a week. Now I lift by myself 3 days a week and go to 9 Rounds boxing 3 days a week. If I miss more than 2 days in a row, I get a little crabby.

jemhh

I love being active. I spent years being minimally active and ended up tired and inflexible with various aches and pains that made me feel/look older than my years. It took a lot of work to come back from that and gave me a new appreciation for what my body can do.

Increasing your activity level will increase your energy level and as your energy level increases it will be easier to increase your activity level. Inactivity begets inactivity and activity begets activity.

KaleidoscopeEyes8

I LOVE working out, but it took me about a year of regularly doing it to get to this point. Even though I now love working out in general, I hate spinning and don't really like running, so those aren't workouts I usually do. I love Zumba, yoga, and weight-lifting, so those are the workouts I focus on instead. It's very addicting, once you find the right workout(s) for you. Now I feel like something's missing on days when I don't get to work out, so I make it a priority in my life over most other things.

I started working out to lose weight, but now I work out for health reasons and to constantly be improving myself. It has become a very integral part of my mental health routine and is a fantastic stress reliever. Finding a reason to workout beyond losing weight helps make it a lifetime thing that will last long past losing those last few pounds. Finding a workout you love also helps with this, as it becomes something you look forward to most of the time, instead of something you "have" to do. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely still days I don't feel like working out, but I make myself do it, because I know I will feel better after. I once read something on Pinterest that said, "You will never regret a workout, but you will regret skipping one", and that quote has stuck with me when I find myself lacking motivation. It's very true.

You'll have to experiment to find a workout that you enjoy, but there are a ton of options out there. Most fitness centers offer a free class to try them out, so experiment with those. Look for Groupons to classes too. Bring a friend with you, if you prefer company/need the motivation. Even just going on a walk with a friend is technically exercise, but getting distracted by the conversation and the company makes it barely feel like a workout. Don't let preconceived notions stop you from trying a workout; you might be surprised that you end up loving something you thought for sure you'd hate (like weight-lifting, for me).

VintageFeline

I really enjoy. I had a 10 year hiatus after being very active all the way up to my mid 20s. When I restarted I was mad I ever stopped. I lift, bodyweight cardio, hike (this is new and I LOVE it). I'm having some hip issues and my biggest concern with finding out what's going on treatment potentially impacting my fitness goals/laying me up for a while.

Some people do it just because they know it's good for them. A lot of us do it because it brings us genuine pleasure. That's not to say I am always raring to go and don't have peaks and troughs of frequency and commitment but I always keep a level of activity.

quiksylver296

I love my gym time. Heavy lifting

Just a thought - what if you packed your gym clothes to work, found a gym close to work, worked out right after work and then went home. You'd miss the main after-work commuters and probably save time.

alondrakayy

I love working out. The only times I've ever hated going to the gym is when I add in cardio sessions. I hate hate hate hate cardio. Now, I won't do it.

Find what you love to do. There are plenty of at home, quick workouts online you can find. My husband used to enjoy the gym but got bored after so many years. So he joined some Jujutsu class and is hooked!

AliNouveau

I like working out most days. Find something you like doing that is physical activity. Maybe find a group you can workout with and motivate each other.

kimny72

"Working out" is not one thing, there are hundreds of ways to exercise. If you don't enjoy the specific work out you are doing, try something else.

Yes, people actually enjoy working out. It's often the best part of my day - seeing a newly bloomed field of flowers on a hike, lifting a weight I thought would be too heavy, finishing a fun dance cardio class and feeling the endorphin rush

laurenebargar

I honestly dont love "working out" in terms of being in a gym. I do however love taking a nightly walk with my husband (typically 3-5 miles) and our dog, and I do love hiking with them on the weekends. Something that motivates me to go is that since im so sedentary during the day, if I havent walked around or gone to the gym my legs hurt at night, Im pretty sure its in my head because this never used to happen but I feel better once ive done something. honestly I only go to the gym if its raining out now, I know once I progress more Ill need to start going, but right now im happy with walking and hiking.

theresa961

I have always been a walker. I try to walk at least 30 minutes a day. I hated gyms but then I found Orangetheory Fitness and now I am addicted!! Best 60 minutes of class ever! I hated gyms because I hated the smelly sweat in the air and sweaty equipment. At Orangetheory you carry disinfectant wipes with you so the equipment is always clean and the air is blasting so no smell! Fun fun classes

HvymetalMG

I love working out. I feel so good after a workout even if it's a quick one. It does enhance my mood. Plus it's an excuse for some alone time from my hectic work and family. I look forward to each day. Of course some days I'll feel a little less enthusiastic about it. But I always walk away happy.

JasonRainboze

I've felt this for sure. I just wanted the results bad enough that I made myself do it anyway. Once I actually started proving to myself it was possible..... it all became worth it. Doesn't mean I don't struggle. But I just decided that it was worth it.

cogirljb

I really enjoy it, especially since I started lifting!!!

cqbkaju

It is one of my most favorite activities.
Between Combatives and weight training, I work out 6 days a week sometimes.

But I train for a reason and I have goals for myself.

If you do it consistently enough you will usually come to miss the endorphin rush if you skip a workout.

vnb_208

I did not when I started in august . I now love it I look forward to getting out of work and going to the gym I usually do 30 mins cardio & roughly 45 min lifting 5 days a week. If I cant make it to the gym I'm in my basement with youtube bodyproject videos going.

Penthesilea514

CSARdiver wrote: »

I look at it like any other activity. Few people enjoy repetition in the beginning, until they start to see results, then as these become more tangible and beneficial, the line begins to blur between the discipline and the results, so people begin to enjoy the activity.

This is how I feel like I have come to enjoy working out and pushing myself even harder. Sticking with a routine and seeing results- it is an awesome feeling.

animatorswearbras

I go to a bootcamp HIIT circuit class twice a week next door to my work, convenience plays a big part as does actually enjoying it, the camaraderie from my fellow "sufferers" and being accountable to my husband who goes with me, before my wedding I used to go to Zumba classes. I hate the gym, I get bored, I don't know if I'm doing it right and it feels like a massive slog. The main thing is to find something you actually enjoy or have fun doing that you can fit in to your busy day, even if its just getting some steps in by having a nice walk during your breaks at work and aiming for 10k steps a day. x

gothchiq

It depends. Some of them I enjoy and some I survive with distraction from youtube etc. I like to hula hoop with music. I like dancing. I do not just love the elliptical or weights, but I need to do a variety of stuff to keep my body working all right so I suck it up and play distractions through my ear buds. Yoga is somewhere in the middle.