How can I start exercising?

evemourningstar

Hello, I am new to this. I'm not very healthy right now, and I know it's probably important to start doing some exercise. But, I don't know where to really start and I kind of lack the motivation? Even when I really want to, I just can't get myself to do it. I don't know how to work on this :( I want to do better & be better. I also just don't really know a lot about the topic in general. Any information/advice/etc would be appreciated!!

musibee

Clos eyour eyes and leave out the door. It is just the first step to make.

Sometimes it is good to make an appointment with youself in the calendar and put this one on premium or mark it red.

Best tipp to make an appointment with a friend, but I know from experience that this is often not consistent.

Hope this helps.

Regards. Bee

TracyL963

Start slowly and work your way up. Walking is great exercise; all you need is a comfortable pair of shoes. If you can't get outdoors, try walking indoors. Google Walk at Home on Youtube. You can even find 10 minute walks.

Beginner yoga is excellent too. Yoga with Adrienne is a favorite.

I agree with Bee. Make an appointment with yourself. Mark the calendar or keep track on a spreadsheet (I'm a numbers gal). Keep trying new active things, and after awhile you will find your groove and make exercise a new habit.

cornfritter22

When I started, I got a dog who would need to be walked. He got me moving. He was my motivation, my obligation the one I wouldn't let down.

cornfritter22

AnnPT77

First, I want to be clear about one thing that may not apply to you, but for sure is a common misperception among new folks here: To improve fitness and burn a few extra calories, exercise doesn't need to be gym-based stuff, doesn't need to be some punitively intense thing, doesn't need to be unpleasant. If a person likes gymming, great. Same for intensity. I don't know anyone who likes "unpleasant".

Ideally, find some way of moving more that you personally enjoy, or at least find practical and tolerable. There are so many options: The videos mentioned above, walking, dozens of kinds of dancing, a martial art, yoga, active VR or video games, swimming or other pool activities, playing with kids, gardening, hobbies like carpentry that involve movement, and many other options.

Once you find that thing or combination of things, the sweet spot is a total exercise plan that is manageably challenging. Ideally, it would leave a person feeling energized for the rest of the day(s), not fatigued. (A few minutes of "whew" right after an activity is fine.)

The "enjoy" part is because any exercise we enjoy, we'll tend to do more often, and that's 100% more beneficial than some theoretically better exercise we procrastinate and skip at the slightest excuse. The "manageable" part avoids overdoing (which is counter-productive for weight loss OR fitness improvement. The "challenge" part is what gradually creates fitness improvement.

A total exercise plan considers the types of activity, the frequency, the intensity, and the duration - that should add up to the "enjoyable, manageable, mildly challenging".

Over time, with repetition, the combination that's manageably challenging will get easy. If the person wants to keep making fitness improvement, it's then time to increase one of those things - frequency, intensity, duration, activity type - to keep the manageable challenge.

I can't tell you exactly what to do, but the above is how I'd suggest thinking about it. Don't make it more unpleasant or difficult than it minimally needs to be. Thinking "enjoyable, manageable, mildly challenging" IME reduces the amount of "motivation" required. Just think of ways to introduce more movement into life - whether official exercise, or daily life routine. That'll work.

Best wishes!

LiveOnceBeHappy

Put on sneakers and walk out the front door. Just go for a walk! When you go shopping, park in a spot further away. Sneak in movement when you can.

JessiBelleW

pick an activity that you think you can 2-4 times a week and then start by setting your timer for 2mins, and tell yourself that if you aren’t enjoying it you just have to do 2mins.

ideally habit stack it, so it’s easy to continue to do, so for am walks set your clothes out ready to go, for after work take your shoes and change them before you drive to where you walk. Make it easy for future you to follow through 🙂

yakkystuff

Consider trying a beginner class on tv or utube, at a local community center - for ideas, follow along.

_Joe_Jow_

Start slow; start walking, doing beginner classes, or even join a sport or two. The thing is that beginning to exercise is really slow and you definitely won't like it (I know I didn't), especially because you're physically "weak" (not an insult, just meant you're not really used to anything yet?) but as soon as you get into a good rhythm it'll get better, I promise! Find exercises you like to do (ex. After a while I found out I really like running and weightlifting) and just enjoy the process. Working out will make you feel a lot better, and all you need to do is just… begin. Even if you don't enjoy it, even if it's 6 in the morning and you're preparing to work out and you're thinking "Ugh, I really don't want to do this," it WILL get better! You need to have that "I won't stop even if I'm tired because this is how I will get better and I will thrive from it" sort of mindset (It's what I normally have nowadays) and yeah. Remember that you need discipline and not motivation to keep working out consistently, and it's okay if you get things wrong because if you keep doing this stuff you WILL improve. I wish you the best of luck on your workout journey!!

yakkystuff

@_Joe_Jow_ said "You need to have that "I won't stop even if I'm tired because this is how I will get better and I will thrive from it" sort of mindset" (end quote)

Spot on self-talk - and about the process too...

Sometimes it is difficult to notice the improvement - until a bit later you notice something is a bit different/better, maybe a little bit more energy, spring in the step, ready to walk longer, faster, try a heavier handweight - the results are so totally worth it.

cory17

Above comments are all excellent!

You're making YOU a priority, improving your health, and exercise is part of that, thus make your exercising a priority as well. For me, I hit the gym before work as know after I just want to go home, and parking, crowds are easier. And walk the dog on weekends. Look at your routine (where can this fit in), what do you enjoy? (dancing to the TV, walking the malls or trails, swimming, lifting filled milk gallons, activity is activity!), and plan/prepare ahead. If you have a friend to be accountable with, that helps too!

What have you been doing during the past 2 weeks? And what is the plan for next week?

You can do it!!

elisa123gal

A lot of great advice. Simply shift your perspective to move more. I do the same thing with eating better too

. What tiny easy things can I do to move more and eat better. ..and then I do them..\

Don't buy workout clothes and join a gym and sign up for a bootcamp course. You'll de done before you start. You can take two trips to the kitchen sink. Park farther away from the store. …and walk and get your mail every day instead of once a week. Start with stuff like that and it builds on itself.

Someone mentioned getting a dog. Gosh.. do you know how many times a day I bend over and move because of my little dog? A lot!

easypeasy_lemonsqueezy

Mall walking can be a relaxing and climate controlled way to get started moving more. Window shop while you do a few laps!

simpletreefit

You’ve already done something significant by admitting you want to make a change. That’s the first and often the most challenging step! There’s no need to strive for perfection or to be “all in” right from the start. Just begin from where you are.

Sometimes we wait to feel motivated before doing something, but it actually works the other way around. Start with something small, and motivation tends to show up after you take action.

Play some music you love, step outside if you have the chance, or engage in activities that feel enjoyable rather than “hard.” When movement is fun or relaxing, you’re much likelier to keep at it!

littlegreenparrot1

I once read an interview with an ultra runner, and she said something that really stuck with me when they asked about how she motivates herself for training.

'Its not about whether or not I want to, the decision has already been made'

So now I make the decision. In the same way I clean the bathroom, it's not about what I want -it's just something that needs to happen.

KATHY_GOOD1

I'll walk with you! Let's make a plan to walk on the same day.