Addictive personality

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shakeray1173
shakeray1173 Posts: 40
in Getting Started
I get addicted to things easily. Facebook, online games, FOOD! I keep saying I would LOVE to get addicted to exercise! Has this happened to anyone?
P.S. I HATE exercise!
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  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    It can happen! :-) just make it part of your daily life, and soon it will be routine. For me, once something becomes routine, then I just do it without thinking too much about it. just stick with it, even when it's hard and get yourself into a routine. :-)
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
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    once you find something you like - absolutely. if i can't run i get extremely irritable and pissy with everyone because I need the time by myself and the endorphins that kick in afterwards.

    Try a variety of things - classes, walking, running, swimming etc until you find your thing!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I've never liked running. I still don't actually 'enjoy' it.
    Yet a few weeks ago (when I had a friend's dog as well as my own to look after) I race daily giving me just over 100km in 10 days. A couple of days ago I did a 32 mile ultra-marathon.
    The fact that I don't enjoy it THAT much may point to an addiction!

    What I do enjoy is the results.
    Oh and that I can eat more food :).
  • shakeray1173
    shakeray1173 Posts: 40
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    I have heard running is terrible on your body
  • Tillyecl1
    Tillyecl1 Posts: 189 Member
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    Snap and yep, it happened to me. 5 years ago I weighed over 200lbs (at 5ft 7) and hadn't run since being forced to at school. Fast forward a little and I am well within the normal weight range for my height and I run\bike\do triathlons just because I can :-). Sometimes I take it too far (I find it very hard to have rest days but I force myself to only train 6 days a week so I can recover) but I LOVE exercising (from hating it) and have even completed an Ironman. My holiday this year will be cycling ~600 miles over the space of the week interspersed with climbing the three highest peaks in the UK. Yes you read correctly, I am choosing to spend my holiday exercising :-)

    You'll get there eventually, just take small steps, find something you do enjoy (hockey, roller derby, climbing, running, swimming, fencing... it makes no difference as long as you find something you love) and try not to go flat out at the beginning because you'll probably put yourself right off it :-)
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
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    Running puts a lot of impact on your knees and ankles, but it's not horrible for your body. If you are running extremely crazy distances that can be determinetal - like 50mile ultras etc.

    Running isn't for everyone. And honestly, extra fat is more terrible than running. While muscle helps your metabolism a great deal, cardio also helps blast calories off. Running, in and of itself, is not "terrible" on your body. I'm sad to hear that...

    If you don't have good knees, ankles, shoes etc it's probably not the thing for you. Strong leg muscles, correct form, and proper shoes can greatly help prevent injuries
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    I'm getting addicted to spinning classes!! I love them!! When I first mentioned to my friends that I was thinking of trying one out, they were all like, "Oh my god I did one once - NEVER AGAIN!", or "you're not going to be able to walk tomorrow!" but I went anyway and absolutely loved it. I'm now going twice a week, and one of those sessions is a double-length endurance class. I guess I like being yelled at to go harder and faster! ;-)
  • shakeray1173
    shakeray1173 Posts: 40
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    I have a few friends that lost weight from running. I think that is why I think about it
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    I don't run, I just don't enjoy it. But I do enjoy other forms of exercise now. For example, I'll spend an hour on a treadmill and it won't bother me anymore. But find what works for you. Do a bunch of things and see what you like. If you have a rec center our gym around, try kettlebell classes! They are fun. But try anything and everything until you get out figured out. I have friends who live zumba. I don't, but they love it!!!!! Many places even hold free classes, search around.
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
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    I am addictive to MFP and running!
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    And honestly, extra fat is more terrible than running.

    Yup, this!!! Never make excuses not to try something new (or listen to your friends...see my last post above!). Everyone is different, and if you don't like it, or it hurts, try something else. But ultimately being fat is way worse for you than any exercise could be!!!

    Edited to add that: I tried running because my boyfriend runs and several friends run too. I worked up from couch to 5K to 10K to a half marathon. I still run from time to time and have entered a 10K in June - but I don't actually like running!!!! When I first started spinning I kind of felt guilty that I wasn't running, but then I realised it doesn't matter what you do - as long as you are moving and getting that heart rate up on a regular basis, you are winning!!
  • FatNFightingIt
    FatNFightingIt Posts: 22 Member
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    I agree that if you love doing it then it can be addicting. A few months ago I found a trainer online (Keaira LaShae) that works for me. She keeps me motivated and challenges me. I also love to dance so that helps too. I can do my workouts in the comfort of my own house. I actually started watching her on Daily Burn - a group of programs I highly recommend. There's a little bit of everything including one for true beginners now. Hopefully you will find something you love too.
  • HaibaneReki
    HaibaneReki Posts: 373 Member
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    when I first started to do something about myself my goal was to "one day reach a level when I would go out in the evening, have a nice run and live happily ever after". I'm there now. And the fact that I still remember the feeling from back then adds to the enjoyment from the physical activity's brain chemistry a great deal.


    So, start slow, 5km walk for example. Set a goal that You'll like running and get there step by step. I started with roller-skating. Took me a year before I summoned enough will to leave the skates at home and go running, took another half year before I got comfortable. Feels great!!
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    If you can't get to a gym, or rec center, there is still plenty you can do at home.
    Walmart sells kettlebells for about 12$, and there's tons of free workouts on YouTube that are easy to follow! You can even just start by walking, and see how it goes :-)
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    I just want to second some of the above comments. You just need to find something you enjoy. I love horseback riding and it's good exercise. I also love running as an adult although I hated it when I was younger. You could try water walking or some different types of exercise.

    As far as running being bad for you. I have bad knees and a bad back (1 lower back surgery and neck surgery) and I had no problem running until a little kid tripped me during my first 5K and I re-injured my knee. So now I just run with my robo brace on. Good shoes are a must. There are some really good running apps out there to help you learn to run, like Zombies, Run! and C25K.

    But you don't know until you try.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    In the past I've avoided running and would cycle - which I must get back in to, too - but I can run with the dog, which is useful as it gets too things done at once.

    With good form, the right shoes and so on; running should be ok.
    But cycling removes a lot of the possible issues. You also get places quicker.

    I cycle for most short journeys and some longer ones - for half of a trip to the next big town I matched the cars, then on the way back I was actually quicker than the cars (this was a Sunday). The other bit which involved a bigger road I was slower, but overall if you include the hassle finding a parking space and so on, I would expect the push bike wasn't much slower at all and of course I got a load of exercise.
    Anything around the town I live in quicker on the push bike pretty much - as you can leave it locked up straight outside the shop, can use the back alleys and so on, go to the front at traffic lights.

    As far as cardio I like; if my wrists allowed, I love off road motorcycle and mountain bike riding, especially 3/4 hour cross country style/enduro events.
  • nancy10272004
    nancy10272004 Posts: 277 Member
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    I get addicted to things easily. Facebook, online games, FOOD! I keep saying I would LOVE to get addicted to exercise! Has this happened to anyone?
    P.S. I HATE exercise!

    I don't think trading one addiction for another is ever a good thing. In my experience, you need to get to the root cause of what's causing your addiction before you jump to another one.

    If you get addicted to exercise, it will become your life and you'll be stuck in the same unhealthy patterns that you are when you're deep in an addiction.
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    If you can't get to a gym, or rec center, there is still plenty you can do at home.
    Walmart sells kettlebells for about 12$, and there's tons of free workouts on YouTube that are easy to follow! You can even just start by walking, and see how it goes :-)

    Walking is a great start for anyone, and if your fitness level is very low the it's the logical start point, All winter I've been walking 45minutes to 120 minutes a day, now that winter is ending I'll start cycling as the weather gets better (Sorry no way I'm riding to work in -23C weather) but I'll keep walking (May 4th I will be walking a half marathon)
    Lot's of days i didn't want to walk this winter (It's been a nasty one here) But I want to lose weight and get in shape so I push myself to do it.
    the longer you persist the easier it gets and things like C25K are a great next step that will help you get running (My next project is this)

    Weights and strength training have other benefits but don't give you the cardio benefit.

    I'm a very addictive personality (and have had much worse habits to kick then the ones you list) So far I'm not addicted to exercise, but I can see how it would happen
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Oh and I'll add; consider joining a club or similar.
    I prefer it if there's a social aspect as well there as being more reason to keep up/make an effort and so on.
    Even running with a slower group in the local running club, I still tend to make more of an effort to get to the top of the hill quickly than I would on my own.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I have heard running is terrible on your body

    so is being 50lb over weight....

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