I don't enjoy exercise! Anyone else!

MissMintyMoo

I just really don't like exercise, I think this stems from PE at school, I hated every lesson it was like torture, being thrown out in all weathers in an airtex top and running shorts, whilst the teacher was wrapped up in a tracksuit and coat!

I am not very coordinated and my feet naturally turn in rather than out so would literally would trip over my own feet when I ran, constant grazed knees as a child! I have always had poor upper body strength.

I am 165cm and weigh approx 138 lbs and would like to lose about 10lbs. I am making real efforts to eat a good healthy diet, I have been eating at 1200 (as suggested by MFP) but since reading a lot of posts tonight think I may up this to 1450.

I want to do exercise to improve my health not just for weight loss/maintenance, but just not sure what to do that I won't give up and feel like I am being tortured.

I walked 8km with my daughter today through the woods, but this is not practical to do other than on a dry weekend.

Anyone else like this, what do you do? I really want to make a change, just don't know how!

(Sorry for such a long post, hope it makes sense)

notworthstalking

I can understand where you are coming from. I myself like sports and exercising, but I am not very co-ordinated or strong or fast. My currant program is kind of simple and has a purpose. Maybe that's what you need to figure out. What you want exercise to give you and then how to get there. This is me for example.

I train in Aikido on Saturdays. I do this because it's an activity I can do with my 7 year old, I find it relaxing after a hard week at work , I enjoy the actually training and people in the adults class.

Because I can only train once a week , I get tired easy and it's taking me longer to learn techniques. If I trained more often , I would get fitter. So I have started walking more consistently and attempting to run a little. Hopefully increased cardio endurance will allow me to get more out of Saturdays. Also after been inside all week at work and the stress of dealing with certain people ( I am a factory worker) getting out walking three times a week is great for my soul.

Now I lift a lot at work. Very repetitive, standing in one spot sometimes, trying not to slouch. I have also had injuries at work. When I do regular weight training , I get less aches and pains, less of a muffin top ( posture helps there) , plus I enjoy it. So I do that three times a week.

There are plenty of active things to do that aren't traditional exercise as well. My dad works four hours a day in his garden and it's helping him maintain muscle mass. I do recommend strength training though, as I truly believe if you have been not so active it will lead to a more active lifestyle. It will help build a good base for other activities. Good luck

Phaedra2014

You will have to find activities you enjoy or exercise becomes a chore. There are tons of videos on youtube, from dancing to bodyweight work, to yoga, to weights. There is even the walk away the pounds series you can do at home. Go through them and find whatever appeals to you the most.

edwardkim85

Your feet pointing inwards means that your posture is off.

try standing shoulder width, then jump stright up in the air and land(natural)

If your feet's pointing inwards at this landing position, you've got to work on your posture.

You might not like exercise but you might enjoy yoga. Yoga is quite relaxing and it works on your core/stability muscles.

Try beginner's yoga, looks like that could be your 'fit'.

tturley

Try something "real" like bicycling or running and do it with people. Experiment with new sports, knowing that you'll be bad at them when you start, but give them a chance. I average between 5 & 10 hours per week of "exercise" but I enjoy it because I'm running outside with friends or bicycling with friends. Sometimes alone is fun, too, if I'm trying to challenge myself by breaking a personal record or something.

sarafischbach9

I like to exercise, but only like to do certain things. I don't like to play sports in team and I hated P.E. while I was in school. I also don't mind exercising at home, but I find my home exercises to be lame.

I like to go to the gym and try to let my mind carry away as I work out. I also listen to fast paced, pop music when I work out.

I really enjoy taking walks and hiking, and running and riding my bike, but these are Spring-Summer-Early Fall activities.

Stripeness

My current program is kind of simple and has a purpose. Maybe that's what you need to figure out. What you want exercise to give you and then how to get there.

This, exactly! (and nice examples, btw)

OP, what does "improved health" mean to you? You can do this!

ponycyndi

I always "hated" exercise because i was overweight and out of shape. It was hard, i felt asthmatic and i was uncoordinated and inflexible. So I did as much walking as I could fit in my schedule. Walk in the mall, park as far out as I could at stores, walk to/from school with the kids, walk the park or around the neighborhood when the weather is good.

My friend also got me into yoga with a video. That helped me feel stronger and more flexible without being strenuous. Now that I've lost some weight, working out doesn't feel like a punishment.

MissMintyMoo

Thanks for the replies.

Firstly the feet pointing inwards was not a posture thing, it is down to the ligaments & tendons, I had exercises for feet & ankles to work on correcting it and had to have little tacks etc on the bottom of my shoes as I was not naturally rolling onto the outside edge of my foot but inside instead. I might give yoga a go, you never know could be my thing.

I know classes and team sports are really not for me, I tried the gym for a while, I know presently would really find it hard to fit in (fulltime job, kids etc) and I would not keep it up. I have tried fitness dvds etc before, found it terribly boring, sorry I am really trying not to be negative. I enjoyed the walk today, I don't mind cycling but I know realistically I am only going to have time to do this at the weekend.

When I say improve health, I guess I am what they now call 'skinny fat' in the normal BMI range, but I have poor muscle tone and strength, I downloaded the 7 minute work out app and found it very very difficult, I couldn't do the plank at all and on our way to the woods today we have to work up a very steep hill, I found that really tough too. I guess I have been spending far too much time sitting behind a desk, I want to feel fitter and have more energy.

acogg

Keep trying different things until you find something you like. I have discovered that I enjoy at home strength training. It started oh, so gradual. My profile explains just how itty, bitty and gradual it was.

MarineCodie

This post seems like a lot of excuses to me.

If you really want to get in better shape and live a healthier life it's going to take work. Sometimes that means doing things you don't like.

Okay, so you "can't" run because you're pigeon toed. What about some cardio machines such as the elliptical, stair master or bike? What about trying an indoor spin class?

Your life is busy. A lot of healthy/fit people's lives are busy. If you want to change you're going to have to make time.

I_Will_End_You

I absolutely hate it. Loathe every second. But I've still been doing it several times a week for the past year, because I like the results.

MissMintyMoo

Thanks for your opinion, its not really excuses, what I am trying to do is find something I am going to not find so boring, torturous or tedious that I am not going to give up. Rather than an excuse I am trying to find something I will be able to build into my life that I will do and keep up, I don't want to keep doing things I hate because I don't want to fail at this.

acogg I read you profile, quite inspirational, your doing fantastic, hope I can get on to the same track. Thanks

MarineCodie

What about changing your attitude? It seems like you've doomed all exercise from the beginning. You need to restart and open up your mind. Once you start seeing results you'll be whistling a different tune.

vienna_h

First off, you need the right shoes (and clothing, I find just having the right gear makes me more motivated!). It sounds like you have underpronation perhaps? You won't run right unless you get the right shoes:
http://www.runnersworld.com/shoe-finder/shoe-advisor

Secondly, try different things! You might like group classes, or working out at the gym, or working out at home. Try some online videos on youtube. Blogilates and fitnessblender are good channels, look them up! Many yoga or pilates studios, and even some gyms, will let you try out a class or a week for free, or pay just for one class/day at the gym to see how you like it. Maybe you prefer hiking, skiing? canoeing, kayaking, skating, walking, tennis, jogging, jazzercise, zumba..... who knows, just try it until you find something you like.

There's lots of us who hated sports, running, dancing, the outdoors, etc. when we were younger, and now love it. I could not run to save my life in high school. I'd always sneak out of gym class to avoid participating in any sport. Then one day, I went down to the treadmill in my condo's 'workout room' late at night because I couldn't sleep, and just started to jog.... i've suddenly been addicted ever since. I can't believe I actually crave jogging now, who would have thought?

Stripeness

Okay, so the only activity you're mentioning enjoying* is walking - do that! There are plenty of MFPrs who've lost a ton of weight doing just walking. (Not that I'm dissing jogging, just pointing out it's not mandatory). You'll see improvement in your speed and how you feel at the top of hills.

*That might have sounded a little pointy, and I didn't mean it that way. What I didn't hear/see was any aspiration to "do" something (be it athletic like a triathlon or just fun like contra or ballroom dancing or even vigorous gardening). You're just not happy with how you feel in everyday stuff. Which can be fixed pretty easily by doing more of that stuff (like walking).

But then you also mention being "skinny/fat", suggesting you'd really like to change your body composition, which is what changes your appearance. If you want to do that, you may just have to do things that you don't "enjoy" - for the sake of achieving what you really DO want. Could be yoga, could be weightlifting, could be something else.

Hopefully you do some more experimenting with various workouts and find something that works for you. It's a bit like a job - you don't always WANT to get out of bed to go to work, but you want the rewards, and if you're smart, you choose your career so that most days you enjoy it or at least don't hate it.

Anonycatgirl

Do you like to dance? It's not the most efficient calorie burner, but it gets you moving and works your muscles, which it sounds more like what you need--and you can do it in your living room, any time you have a spare few minutes.

WalkingAlong

If boredom is your main issue, do something different every day. Yoga, cycling, walking, strength video, kettlebells, rowing, play Wii, dance, trampoline, swimming, whatever.

I don't enjoy exercise. I tell myself that I'm on my butt or back practically all the other hours of the day, I can suffer through an hour of something for my health's sake. I don't like flossing my teeth or cleaning my house either. Sometimes it beats the alternative so you just do it.