Why is it soooo hard?!

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kbarberee
kbarberee Posts: 11
in Fitness and Exercise
Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?! Or finding one that you actually like and sticking with it? I have been doing Zumba a couple of times and I absolutely love it but its just finding the will power to do the routine at least 4 times a week! Does anyone have any advice or have things that help them push towards their routines? Words of encouragement?

Thanks in advance ya'll

Kayla :)
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Replies

  • b3st
    b3st Posts: 1,350 Member
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    Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?! Or finding one that you actually like and sticking with it? I have been doing Zumba a couple of times and I absolutely love it but its just finding the will power to do the routine at least 4 times a week! Does anyone have any advice or have things that help them push towards their routines? Words of encouragement?

    Thanks in advance ya'll

    Kayla :)

    It does get easier the more you go, it becomes habit.

    Try and find someone to go with to help you, or make friends with someone there.

    You can do it think of how you want to look like and why your doing it.
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
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    Make a goal, and chip away at it. Find a reward for your self once you accomplish said goal.

    Or just take satisfaction that you were able to commit to it.
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?! Or finding one that you actually like and sticking with it? I have been doing Zumba a couple of times and I absolutely love it but its just finding the will power to do the routine at least 4 times a week! Does anyone have any advice or have things that help them push towards their routines? Words of encouragement?

    Thanks in advance ya'll

    Kayla :)

    It does get easier the more you go, it becomes habit.

    Try and find someone to go with to help you, or make friends with someone there.

    You can do it think of how you want to look like and why your doing it.

    Your absolutely right! I know I just gotta push myself and I do have fun while I am doing it! I don't actually go to classes any where, I have the DVD myself at home. Which you think would make it easier.. but it really doesn't. Lol I just gotta find someone who wouldn't mind coming over and doing it with me.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Key elements are :

    1. Finding an exercise you actually enjoy doing

    2. Doing it until it becomes a habit

    The first few weeks will be the hardest because your body is adjusting to a new regime and you're not yet mentally settled in a routine. Once you've got a schedule that works with your lifestyle then working out will become as normal as brushing your teeth and you'll feel something's missing if you haven't done it.
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    Make a goal, and chip away at it. Find a reward for your self once you accomplish said goal.

    Or just take satisfaction that you were able to commit to it.

    Never thought about it like that! Reward myself? Sounds like you might have gave me a great idea. Thanks! :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Because you still think of fitness as something "extra"...above and beyond your normal day to day. You have to change your thinking...fitness has to become a part of your life, not something extra to be done on top of everything else...fitness has to be just as routine as getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth and going to work...it has to become a part of you and a lot of that is mental and changing the way we view fitness mentally.
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    Key elements are :

    1. Finding an exercise you actually enjoy doing

    2. Doing it until it becomes a habit

    The first few weeks will be the hardest because your body is adjusting to a new regime and you're not yet mentally settled in a routine. Once you've got a schedule that works with your lifestyle then working out will become as normal as brushing your teeth and you'll feel something's missing if you haven't done it.


    That is what my momma tells me. She exercises all the time and she says if she doesn't do it for one time, then she feels horrible the next day! Just the challenge of getting it to become a habit. >.<
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    Because you still think of fitness as something "extra"...above and beyond your normal day to day. You have to change your thinking...fitness has to become a part of your life, not something extra to be done on top of everything else...fitness has to be just as routine as getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth and going to work...it has to become a part of you and a lot of that is mental and changing the way we view fitness mentally.


    YOUR ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    Because you still think of fitness as something "extra"...above and beyond your normal day to day. You have to change your thinking...fitness has to become a part of your life, not something extra to be done on top of everything else...fitness has to be just as routine as getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth and going to work...it has to become a part of you and a lot of that is mental and changing the way we view fitness mentally.

    Wonderful post.
  • b3st
    b3st Posts: 1,350 Member
    Options
    Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?! Or finding one that you actually like and sticking with it? I have been doing Zumba a couple of times and I absolutely love it but its just finding the will power to do the routine at least 4 times a week! Does anyone have any advice or have things that help them push towards their routines? Words of encouragement?

    Thanks in advance ya'll

    Kayla :)

    It does get easier the more you go, it becomes habit.

    Try and find someone to go with to help you, or make friends with someone there.

    You can do it think of how you want to look like and why your doing it.

    Your absolutely right! I know I just gotta push myself and I do have fun while I am doing it! I don't actually go to classes any where, I have the DVD myself at home. Which you think would make it easier.. but it really doesn't. Lol I just gotta find someone who wouldn't mind coming over and doing it with me.


    If you do it at home make sure you do it with no distractions, put some music on you like and do it to that.
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    That's another good point too! Maybe having the music going that I enjoy will make my willpower to want to do it more! :)
  • bniebel10
    bniebel10 Posts: 4 Member
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    Personally I LOVE to go walking. The first few weeks were tough to get in the mood to go walking, convincing myself to get up at 5:30 every morning when sleeping in sounded much better. After a while I started to look forward to walking in the morning before work and then after work, its a great way to clear your mind, listen to some music. Now if I don't go walking my mind doesn't feel relaxed and my body feels worse then if I would have just gone for the walk. I now have added in a few other work outs a few times a week like jump roping, the elliptical, strength training just to mix it up a bit. The main part is to believe that all your hard work will pay off and remind yourself of where you want to be and not where you are at :)
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    Starting a routine can be difficult. If I've had a long layoff from exercise (a month or more) it takes me about 2 - 3 weeks to get over the hump with a regular routine. I don't want to get up early. I don't feel energized. I push through it anyway. Once I get past that initial phase 2-3 weeks) exercise becomes a habit, something that I look forward to doing. I hate stating over again.
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    Personally I LOVE to go walking. The first few weeks were tough to get in the mood to go walking, convincing myself to get up at 5:30 every morning when sleeping in sounded much better. After a while I started to look forward to walking in the morning before work and then after work, its a great way to clear your mind, listen to some music. Now if I don't go walking my mind doesn't feel relaxed and my body feels worse then if I would have just gone for the walk. I now have added in a few other work outs a few times a week like jump roping, the elliptical, strength training just to mix it up a bit. The main part is to believe that all your hard work will pay off and remind yourself of where you want to be and not where you are at :)


    Thank you so much! I didn't even think about starting off with something as small as walking and working my way into the zumba until it gets easier for me, which in turn might make me want to do it more! Thanks for sharing!!!! :)
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
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    Starting a routine can be difficult. If I've had a long layoff from exercise (a month or more) it takes me about 2 - 3 weeks to get over the hump with a regular routine. I don't want to get up early. I don't feel energized. I push through it anyway. Once I get past that initial phase 2-3 weeks) exercise becomes a habit, something that I look forward to doing. I hate stating over again.

    I DEFINITELY CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO GET EASIER FOR ME! :D
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?! Or finding one that you actually like and sticking with it? I have been doing Zumba a couple of times and I absolutely love it but its just finding the will power to do the routine at least 4 times a week! Does anyone have any advice or have things that help them push towards their routines? Words of encouragement?

    Thanks in advance ya'll

    Kayla :)

    Well, maybe you like it, but do you like it so much that you can do it 4 times a week? Don't get me wrong, I eat the same things everyday and do the same workouts every week, but I do in fact love it that much. You don't have to.

    You might try incorporating something with scalability, like weight lifting or distance running in place of some of your classes. That way you have something that you can progress with as well, might add some variation and keep you interested in different days.

    But then again I love physical activity anyways, I have never exercised just to loose weight or look better. I do it because the activity makes me happy.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    news flash.

    It never gets easier.

    There are always days when you dread going to work out- you're tired. You're hungry you're over worked.

    Sometimes it's the BEST day for the gym/workout- you get to work it all out.
    Sometimes it's the WORST day for the gym/workout- you just want to go home and sleep.

    All of us deal with it- but those of us who make it our life- it means there are no exceptions. it isn't "fitting it in" it's not "making time for it".

    This is me. this is my life.
    Every Monday- I go to the gym from 5 -11.
    Every Tuesday- I got to the gym from 5- 11.
    Every Wednesday is BF day.
    Every Thursday I go to the gym between 5-7
    Every Friday I got to the gym from 7-10.
    Every Saturday I go to the gym between 830 and 1.
    Sunday I work at the studio then I go to the gym from 1-5.

    This is what I do.

    Some days it there are other events- I'm at the BF's house for a holiday. I'm doing something else. But that is my life. It is my schedule- its' what I do.

    if there is a day ti doesn't happen- so be it- party for work- day at BF's I'm on vacation whatever- but otherwise- there are no excuses for why it doesn't happen.

    It just happens. It doesn't GET easier- you start enjoying the work- yes- but making time? the work itself? it doesn't GET easier. You just have to learn to love it- or you stop doing it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?!

    Because most of us no longer live in a world where it's necessary to sustain existence.

    When meaningful physical exertion was a prerequisite to having food, nobody thought it was "so hard".
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    Because you still think of fitness as something "extra"...above and beyond your normal day to day. You have to change your thinking...fitness has to become a part of your life, not something extra to be done on top of everything else...fitness has to be just as routine as getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth and going to work...it has to become a part of you and a lot of that is mental and changing the way we view fitness mentally.

    Wonderful post.
    Great way of looking at it..... that helps me.
  • kbarberee
    kbarberee Posts: 11
    Options
    Why does starting an exercise routine seem so hard?! Or finding one that you actually like and sticking with it? I have been doing Zumba a couple of times and I absolutely love it but its just finding the will power to do the routine at least 4 times a week! Does anyone have any advice or have things that help them push towards their routines? Words of encouragement?

    Thanks in advance ya'll

    Kayla :)

    Well, maybe you like it, but do you like it so much that you can do it 4 times a week? Don't get me wrong, I eat the same things everyday and do the same workouts every week, but I do in fact love it that much. You don't have to.

    You might try incorporating something with scalability, like weight lifting or distance running in place of some of your classes. That way you have something that you can progress with as well, might add some variation and keep you interested in different days.

    But then again I love physical activity anyways, I have never exercised just to loose weight or look better. I do it because the activity makes me happy.


    Never thought about it like that. Thanks for the advice! :)

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