Would you exercise if you didn't have to?

sfbaumgarten

I don't have to exercise, but I do. I enjoy it and the benefits.

seltzermint555

You don't have to go to a Gym to exercise. if you hate it in all likelihood you wont keep at it long term. Maybe search out an exercise that you can do that you may enjoy that doesn't involve a gym.

so much this.

I have never been a member of a gym. I've been about six times in my entire life and hated it, to be honest. So I find other ways to exercise. Mostly miles of walking or hiking. Would I be in better overall condition if I did gym workouts? Probably. If I relied on making it to the gym for all of my exercise, how often would I actually go to the gym? Probably never.

I think it really just depends on you. But it sounds like you hate the gym!

littlelaura

I don't like the gym that much, its good when it snows though as I hate the snow and cold more. If I didn't have to I wouldn't do formal gym type exercises ever. I would walk, or swim or ride a bicycle, I like doing those things and wish I lived someplace I could do those all year round.

knra_grl

If you don't like the gym don't go, but think about your overall well being. Diabetes, as you get older is more to contend with than just blood sugar. Diabetes is also a major contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease among other things. Find activities that will keep you active and happy. Join a sports team, find a class you like to take, anything that will add some physical activity to your day. Sorry but my mother was diabetic, she was not well a lot of the time and we lost her at an early 52 yrs of age. You are young, please look after yourself.

leggup

I don't like going to the gym, but I like exercising. I love walking the dogs especially- they love it, they encourage me to keep going, and I get to explore trails, see wildlife, and meet other people and dogs. Also, I get to look at my neighbors' houses . I also ride my bike in nice weather, which is lovely and freeing. Zumba classes are also a lot of fun. I do drop-in classes in a rec center, so I don't have a gym membership. For days with crappy weather, I do have an elliptical and freeweights, but I play music or watch Netflix on my phone. Last week I was on pinterest the whole time I was on the elliptical. The time FLEW.

Sure, there are some days I just want to be a bump on a log. Then I just look at the dogs and say, "Wanna go for a walk?" and they're all "YES YES ALWAYS PLEASE NOW!" and I get moving.

ninerbuff

Ok. For all you gym lovers, good on you, get down with your bad selves.

I. I am NOT a gym lover. I hate the smell. I hate the chatters, I hate the non chatters. I hate the people who slam the weights down and I hate the tv channels. I hate running shoes and my shirt rides up uncomfortably.

I'm also Type 2 Diabetic (newly diagnosed.)

The thing is, since I started restricting my carbs to more reasonable levels, and started a drug regimen, I am dropping a consistent and pleasing amount of weight. I'm losing about 4 pounds a week which my doctor is quite pleased with as my nutrition plan is being followed.

So, if you didn't have to go? Would you? And can you tell me seriously why? I know for me it's mental and I will most likely eventually have to do it as the carb cutting won't be enough and I'm trying to mentally prepare myself.

You don't have to like the gym or go. You CAN exercise at home. So is it the gym or is it the expectation of exercise?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MapleFlavouredMaiden

You shouldn't be going to the gym solely for "weight loss" any way. It's just not a good goal. You should be focused on strength, power, agility, balance, over all health, etc.

That said, in my opinion, building muscle is even more crucial when you are dropping weight. Especially as fast as you are. You are going to be losing muscle and other lean tissue mass/bone, etc which is not a good thing. When you are at your goal weight you might look "skinny fat" and wish you were firm and lean instead. Muscle is where that look comes from. Weight on the scale is much less significant than you think.

ChelinIL

Why I workout...

I workout because I like to enjoy my life to its fullest, and working out gives me the ability to do so without "paying for it" the next day. And, this past winter was pretty brutal - lots of snow, and I didn't drag out the snow blower even once because I shoveled it all by hand. Why? Because I can. And that makes me feels good--I know that all my effort has paid off.

My boyfriend would say to me, "I don't need to workout today because I shoveled the snow". I'd tell him, "No, you were able to shovel the snow because you work out."

There's more to it than just losing weight, it's maintaining and improving your health. Eating healthy is the biggest part of losing weight. Working out is icing on the cake.

ranks39

Personally, I love going to the gym, especially for lifting. That way, I can ask how certain lifts are done, what the proper form is, etc. I'm quite weak, i.e. I lift at quite a lower weight than most guys, but I'm there lifting and that's what matters to me. There really, IN MY OPINION, is no substitute for the gym, especially for my routine.

Pamela_in_Progress

I don't "have to" exercise, I "get to" exercise. The way I look at it is, I have my mobility and not everyone does. Why should I waste the opportunity to use my body to it's full potential by just sitting around doing nothing? Naturally, I didn't always feel this way. It's been a process of discovery. I don't go to the gym but over the course of a year I've tried some different classes and exercise videos and such to figure out what kinds of things I enjoy doing. Tai Chi, Zumba, aqua cycling, resistance training, kickboxing, to name a few. I've really just learned to incorporate more movement into my daily life and I've discovered that I absolutely love it!! Will I ever stop? I hope I never have to because it makes me feel totally awesome!! Try not to look at it as drudgery. Have an open mind and try some different things. You may just surprise yourself! Good luck!! :flowerforyou:

rml_16

Ok. For all you gym lovers, good on you, get down with your bad selves.

I. I am NOT a gym lover. I hate the smell. I hate the chatters, I hate the non chatters. I hate the people who slam the weights down and I hate the tv channels. I hate running shoes and my shirt rides up uncomfortably.

I'm also Type 2 Diabetic (newly diagnosed.)

The thing is, since I started restricting my carbs to more reasonable levels, and started a drug regimen, I am dropping a consistent and pleasing amount of weight. I'm losing about 4 pounds a week which my doctor is quite pleased with as my nutrition plan is being followed.

So, if you didn't have to go? Would you? And can you tell me seriously why? I know for me it's mental and I will most likely eventually have to do it as the carb cutting won't be enough and I'm trying to mentally prepare myself.

I really don't know. I enjoy it to a point, but I could use that time for other things, too.

I HATE going into the gym, though. You might find you enjoy exercise more if you at least do your cardio elsewhere. Swim, walk, run, bike, rollerblade -- whatever -- outside instead.

be_patient

probably not at the moment honestly. hoping that will change in the future.

iPlatano

Of course I would.

I like getting the benefits of workout out.

IPAkiller

If I could have all the benefits of the gym, chiseled body, tons of energy and the "feel good" feeling and not have to work out, I'd never set foot in a gym. I have a lot of other stuff I could fill that time slot with. I don't think I'm alone either based on the wild popularity of pills, fad diets, ASOTV equipment and supplements that claim "Amazing Results with No Effort".

vim_n_vigor

I hate going to the gym, but luckily, there are many other ways to get exercise. Hiking, canoeing, walking, running, swimming, body weight exercises, my home gym, jumping rope, playing basketball, volleyball, etc, and may more, are all ways you can get exercise that don't in any way have to involve me stepping into a gym.

cwolfman13

My point is that the job is getting done right now without it. I'm trying to build myself up to going.

Your issue here is that you are looking at exercise solely as a means for weight loss...weight loss can easily be accomplished with no exercise whatsoever...weight control, whether it is to gain, maintain, or lose is largely about your diet, not your exercise.

Exercise is for fitness and is good for your overall health and well being. I've been maintaining for a year now and I exercise more than I ever did while I was losing...exercise isn't for weight control, though it can aid in that.

Also, you don't have to go to a gym to exercise...you don't have to drone away on cardio equipment...you don't have to jump around your living room like a *kitten* to some DVD. The only reason I go to a gym is because I enjoy weight training...that aside, I primarily ride my bike and walk the dog for my "exercise". I also do some hiking when time allows and enjoy a good round of golf here and there...swimming is nice in the summer.

walkinthedogs

I workout because I like it, always have and I've always been active, also because I like it. Not everything I do is in the gym, but some of it is because that's the only place I can go to lift weights or swim or cycle with a group etc. You should pick things you love to do, that make you feel fantastic when you're done. So Yes I exercise because I want to, not because I have to.

kikityme

Thanks for your replies. I just need to get in my head that exercise is just movement. I've got it in there that it's annoying and filled with jumping leotards. Which is funny, cause I grew up on every sports team imaginable, and that was never "exercise" it was just fun and competitive.

TheStephil

I don't have to exercise but I choose to. I love lifting heavy. It makes me feel good about myself. It took me almost a year of trying different exercise methods to find something that I enjoyed. I did workout DvDs at home, treadmills, biking, yoga, running outside, bodyweight exercises, HIIT, weight machines, etc. until I found something that I really liked and would stick with. For me that was heavy lifting but that isn't for everyone.

Try different types of exercise until you find something that you like.

cuinboston2014

Sometimes I hate that I have to schedule my workouts in. Sometimes I hate that I feel I don't have enough time that I will run over lunch if I lifted in the morning so I can get everything in. Sometimes I hate that even after I lift in the morning, and run at lunch, i feel like I should do more so I do pilates or walk at night. Sometimes I hate that my friends don't work out so they automatically have more free time than I do and I already have a busier schedule.

HOWEVER, if I don't work out I am crabby, irritable, and very VERY unpleasant to be around. I love the feeling it gives me while I'm done. I love the way it makes my body feel overall. I love the confidence it gives me. I love being able to push myself to the next level.

I also love that when I work out that time is dedicated solely to me. Not anybody else. It is, without a doubt, my sanity.

I will never stop working out unless I'm physcially unable