Exercise - How do you do it??

jo_nz

Once I accepted that the best exercise is the one you actually do, I stopped trying to make myself to go to the gym and do various other things.
I hate the gym. I am not a good swimmer. Running is not my thing. etc etc.

I like walking. Plain and simple. I like hills and beaches and being out in nature. I also like wandering around suburbia and looking at what grows in other people's gardens.

To make extra sure I keep going regularly, I also got a dog (that's one of a million reasons we got a dog, but she sure makes me go for walks when I don't think I would otherwise).

I also took a couple of short training sessions on photography so I have another purpose for going for some of my walks too.

It also helped that my kids have gotten a little older - we can now go for fairly substantial weekend hikes which we all enjoy. Trying to fit a few more good ones in before ankle surgery in a few weeks - will have to take a short break from walking then!

All small things, but it has added up to me being overall much more active.

And I have also started doing Tai Chi - not a high intensity or particularly calorie burning exercise, but good for me in lots of other ways.

Courtscan2

I used to do a lot of workouts during my lunchtime, either a walk or a swim or even would duck home to do a quick video. Now I force myself to get up early to do it. The beauty of doing it early in the morning is that my brain usually hasn't switched on yet, and doesn't supply me with all the excuses to not do it that come later in the day. Maybe get yourself a few weights, they aren't too expensive until you start getting in to the heavy ones, and get some home workouts going.

bbell1985

I have a goal and a program. It hurts me more NOT to go to the gym. Plus a lot of caffeine.

aokoye

How did/do I get the motivation to exercise? I "found" a type of exercise that I like, or various types really. I put found in quotes because I already knew that I liked cycling and swimming. I don't swim very much right now because I simply don't have the physical energy (wanting to fall asleep in classes the entire day after I swim in the morning isn't acceptable). I ride my bike three days a week inside on my trainer because my goal is to not have a hard time on the century ride that I'm doing in June (really it's the climbing I worry about) and because I want to be strong when I'm able to ride outside again (surgery plus injury means I'm inside through basically the end of March - I've only been able to ride outside once since mid November).

Essentially the only reason I do strength training is to be a better cyclist and for physical therapy. I don't enjoy it a whole lot but I like getting stronger and it's part of my physical therapy exercises (both at PT and at home/the gym). That and I want to run by the end of the summer if I want to and there's only one way I'll be cleared for that.

In short, my advice is to find something that you like and do that. It doesn't have to be doing anything in the gym, running, biking, swimming, etc. I have a friend who runs but also got into rowing as an adult and loves it.

plain_lemon

I had a gym membership for years. Gyms are good, but the last year or so I just lost motivation there. Then I found activities I liked. Riding my bike, for example.
Also, just squeezing in a 15 minute workout in my bedroom makes me feel like I did something— and often leads to me wanting to push a little more... the motivation kinda builds as you go.

You might like the Nike training app. It’s called NTC and there are so many great guided workouts! And it’s free. They did a good job.
I think just about everyone can find a Workout or two in their library that would be fun and fit them. Highly recommend it.

estherdragonbat

I started with 25 minutes of walking each day. Once a week, I was already taking a long (2+ hour) walk to do the grocery shopping; getting on a bus with a hand-cart in rush hour is difficult, so it had to be on foot. Once I committed to weight-loss, though, I stopped 'rewarding' myself for that long walk with ice cream or a bakery treat for the walk home. Meanwhile, the other six days, I was pretty sedentary. So, I decided that, no matter what, I was going to get up and move around. On days when the weather didn't permit, I had/have a Gazelle Edge glider in the basement. I used that instead.

Over time, I increased the length of my workouts. Now, I shoot for 2 hours of walking (not necessarily all in one shot) each day. If I hit at least 90 minutes, it's good enough. Otherwise, I do 70 minutes on the glider.

Three days a week, I do a strength training workout with dumbbells and other equipment.

For me, it's been as simple as finding activities I like doing and—this is the hard part—fitting them into my routine, no. matter. what.

I've never been athletic. I've got some motor coordination issues. Not enough to be considered a disability, but enough to make me a lousy addition to any sports team. Maybe the stuff I do doesn't get my heart-rate up that high, but it still burns calories. And it's still helping the weight come off. Plus I feel great.

Machka9

faythe621 wrote: »

I have a gym membership I haven't used in I don't know how long. Every month I pay and every month I don't go. I'm so out of shape I'm almost afraid to start going because I'm embarrassed by how easily I get out of breath now. I work a desk job from 8:30-5, and I'm not a morning person by nature so getting up early to go to the gym probably won't happen. By the time I get home in the evening I'm so tired I don't want to do anything else except eat dinner and watch TV.

How do you motivate yourself to exercise? I want to get back into an active lifestyle but I don't know where or how to start.

Walk.

Walk as part of your commute.
Walk at lunch.
Walk after work.
Walk while watching TV.

LivingtheLeanDream

How I do it? I made a promise to myself when I wasn't long an MFP member that I would set my alarm early and do the 30 day shred for starters. The exercising habit stuck - I committed to that back in 2013 and since then I still get up early to workout.

evileen99

As some others have said, start small. There are lots of 10 minute workouts on YouTube--you can squeeze in 10 minutes, and 10 minutes is better than no minutes. Exercise gives you energy, so the more you do, the more you'll be able to do/want to do as time goes on.

jgnatca

The truth is exercise can revitalize you in the evening and help dissipate the stress from work. Truth.

Still, if you have trouble taking yourself to the gym ask yourself if the old routines are doing anything for you any more.

Besides helping you maintain your weight what else does it give you? Stamina for one, which you are already missing.

I motivate myself for signing up for a run. Then I have to train to get myself ready for it.