Is there anyone else that feels like this?

2

Replies

  • FitCattitude
    FitCattitude Posts: 64 Member
    Sounds like your metabolism might be really slow, with being quite sedentary ... I know, because I've been like that, until just starting to really tackle it now, lol. Building some muscle as well as stretches and some regular but not too strenuous cardio should kickstart your metabolism more ... more muscle = faster metabolism. Less calories can often cause the body to hold onto fat. Definitely a treadmill or exercise bike sounds like a good idea, and you can read and play games on your device while exercising. Also, yoga or pilates, something like that, would be a very gentle and non-sweaty activity, plus these things really build your energy and relax you about your body, as well as removing cravings for stodgy food. I've just got a home gym delivered too (yet to build, lol), so that could be another idea at some point. I was also recommended to get some whey protein shake that helps muscles to recover, and adds in lots more protein to your day. I've also got some Omron scales that tell you your metabolic rate, BMI, etc, which could be helpful in working out why despite calorie counting the weight isn't shifting as expected. Your local gym might test you for those things, or your GP, if you didn't want to buy scales. I was also recommended to do HiT, high intensity bursts, just yesterday ... eg fast cycling for 2 minutes, rest one minute; doing this a few times can really burn off fat and lose inches faster. I haven't looked into it enough yet to know exactly how many reps to do etc, but it's worth looking up. :-)
  • YorkshirePanda
    YorkshirePanda Posts: 106 Member
    Days I don't log are days I am not near the net... And one was my 5 year anniversary with my husband and who wants to log cake you're eating off of someone's chest?! Haha, kidding... mostly >.>...

    I tend to do a lot of yoga, mostly because I like it. This thread, just being able to talk to you people and know I am not alone actually prompted me to go out and walk just under 2 miles, so perhaps I just needed someone to talk to?

    All of the sites I log myself into say I should be eating upwards of 2500 calories... and that just seems like a lot... Like... way too much. I'm too scared to up my calories to that... O.O
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,021 Member
    2500 is a lot of calories...
    I looked at your last diary entry. You might want to try lowering your carbs a little bit and see how that works for you. I'm not suggesting to go extreme like me (I do LCHF) but maybe keep it 100-150g/daily and see if that makes a difference. You can still eat a little of the carby faves, but cutting it down may even your blood sugar out and give you more energy.

    If you are eating at a deficit, and you aren't losing weight, you'll need to tweak it. Make sure you get super accurate with your logging. And if you do exercise, don't eat the calories back you have earned. I don't. The calorie expenditures reported for exercise on here are too high.

    And as some have said, if you don't like to exercise, don't. I hate exercising for exercise's sake, but I do like playing sports. So I want to be able to keep up. So I do a video in the AM and then play soccer with the kids outside in the evening.

    You've got to be true to yourself. Best wishes.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Hi, everyone!

    I am 6' tall, 345 lbs, large framed and I rarely, if ever, go over my calorie allowance.

    I am careful to eat my 5-a-day and I am brilliant at denying treats when I know I am at my calorie limit.

    My problem?

    Exercise.

    I hate it. I hate it so much that I have found myself in tears while I am trying to get myself into it.

    I will start to do something, usually circuit training or yoga or speed walking, and within ten minutes I feel so 'thick' and so rundown that I stop. The feeling of exercising to me is akin to depression (which I've experienced in the past) and it feels like I am being crushed by something incredibly heavy. I cannot stand the feel of my skin when it gets hot and sweaty and once I am winded I feel as if I am going to suffocate.

    Every hobby I have is sedentary (Knitting, video games, reading, writing...) and I am extremely passionate about them and because of that I'd much, much rather be doing one of them (usually knitting) than getting sweaty and winded and disgusting.

    I am not sure if it's something that I just need to find my 'niche' so to speak or if there is something wrong with me? I've tried lots of different things that I have access to... I don't have a gym or any at home equipment. I love swimming, but I have no where to swim either.

    Does ANYONE else feel like this? Is there anyone that has overcome it? Please give me advice.

    All I get as help from friends is 'just get over it' or 'just do it' and though I get what they are trying to get at when they say it, it's the least helpful crap they could possibly do. There is no 'just' about it.

    I am desperate. I WANT to work out, I WANT to be healthy and I am very good at getting up to do it, just not so good at doing any length or intensity.

    Simply put, you aren't in shape, thus after exercising for a few minutes you aren't getting heavy, you're getting tired. Do it again the next day for a minute longer or the same amount of time and start building up your endurance.

    You didn't start out at 345, 10 minutes worth of exercise isn't going to fix it if you keep quitting.

    Accept that this is where you are RIGHT NOW and start getting better. Over time your body will adjust itself and you'll find things getting a bit easier. Then you ramp up the length of exercise and the intensity.

    And for reference, I am 6'3 and about 290lbs. I want to lose about 50lbs but I'm carrying a solid amount of muscle and I do Crossfit (which is extremely intense) 3 days a week minimum and try to walk as much as possible (I park my car a mile from the office, etc) and my daily calorie goal, which I'm usually at or under, is 2900 calories.

    And yoga is great exercise and can be quite intense depending on your routine. If you like that, explore some of the more intense aspects and see how you respond.

    Good luck!
  • laurenisfitforlife
    laurenisfitforlife Posts: 71 Member
    I totally hear you! I have never "loved" to work out because I always thought I had to do hours of cardio to get any results. I recently have forayed into weight lifting and love it. Not sure if that's some you would be into (or have already tried) but I finally feel like I have found something that really works for me. Might be worth a shot???
  • YorkshirePanda
    YorkshirePanda Posts: 106 Member
    BaconSlave (LOVE that, so good), carbs are my one true weakness... I'd sooner stop eating chocolate than stop eating carbs. I will, with this in mind, fight all my natural carb-eating instincts to try to lower them. O.O That's hard... But I am sure it will be better in the long, long, long run.

    BostonWolf, you're damn right. Well, round is a shape, but I get your meaning, bahaha! I feel better now about it all after everyone took interest in my cry for help and I feel prepared to push. I've gone through tougher stuff than this! I feel better prepared to get past my vicious dislike of the weird thick skin thing I feel when I exercise.

    Thank you all for your kind and motivational words... If anyone wants to add me, it'd be an extraordinary help... I'm not usually this needy, I swear!
  • jrodri0105
    jrodri0105 Posts: 91 Member
    Are you measuring your foods with a food scale. This is the only way to accurately count your calories. If you are using cups, spoons, etc. It tends to over estimate on the calories. So you may actually be eating way more than you think.
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
    My wife hates sports. Always has. But she likes hiking and taking interesting walks.

    Maybe an art gallery works for you, or a nature trail. Or heck, even just sightseeing. As long as you keep moving it helps!
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    Thanks, Jen!

    If I had a treadmill I'd totally put that into play! That's a great idea.

    a treadmill or stationary bike and then put it where you can watch TV while on it then walk or ride during your favorite TV show or a movie... it's amazing how far you'll go while distracted by your show! (Trust me many try this and come back about how great it works for them)
  • lisele03
    lisele03 Posts: 133 Member
    I second much of what people here are saying, I know it's true, but I feel very similar to you. (Glad to know I'm not alone!:flowerforyou: ) I too can manage my eating if I try, but it's exercising that is ALWAYS my challenge. My answer: WALKING. I walk fast, I walk slow, I walk to the tune of a Cajun two-step.... whatever, but I try to do it 5-6 days a week for 45 - 60 minutes. That said, I've lost about 34 lbs since March and I know I can lose the other 30 lbs this way. I wish I could learn to LOVE some other types of exercise (I'm impressed you like yoga) but right now the walking is doing the trick for me. Feel free to add me - Good luck and keep at it!
  • TheAndiMe
    TheAndiMe Posts: 11 Member
    I really didn't want to exercise when I started doing this but I'm coming around and I think I even enjoy it a little now :) The thing that helps me is to keep it interesting. I like to get on Youtube and do a different exercise routine almost daily...and the crazier the better! Last week I did two different kinds of Zumba, Richard Simmons "Sweatin' to the Oldies" (Yeeeah!) and Bellydancing. I also have an exercise ball (and yes, they do make them rated for us big girls too!) that I like to use from time to time.

    You can do it. Just find something crazy that you enjoy! :) It gets easier
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I totally get it. And I agree it's not needed for weight loss. I went from 187 to 137 in a year once without exercise, with WW. But I try to up my activity now because too much time sitting is bad for my back and because it sucks seeing numbers below 1400 on Fitbit.com for a whole day's burn. (They're not accurate but you get my point.)

    Here's some tips:

    * Realize that even fitness fanatics don't love it every day. They have to push through it, too. They do it for the benefits. And those are really subtle. You have to really search hard for them. It might just be the feeling of accomplishment or having faith that what you did was good for you in the long run and is not something visible today. Consider how lucky you are to be able to move. Think whatever you need to get through it. Thinking, "I hate this, I suck at this" will only make it worse.

    * Get a Fitbit and see how lousy your charts/burns look with no activity. And see how you can just clean house or walk Costco and up your burn.

    * I agree that walking is easiest and I agree that dogs, treadmills, kindles and music can help.

    * When you do tougher cardio, realize you don't need to go balls-out. Find that comfortable middle ground.

    * If you love yoga, do yoga! When I did Bikram yoga 3-4 days a week, I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain (though I wanted less because when you stare at your sweat-soaked, half-nude self in the mirror that many hours a week, you just do.) A huge portion of the world remains fit through yoga alone.

    * Sometimes you have to spend some money you don't want to, if your health is important to you. That might mean a Fitbit or a treadmill or a yoga studio membership or something else or all of it. If it was insulin or cancer drugs, you'd find the money. Find the money for prevention.

    2500 is too much if you want to lose weight, especially if sedentary.

    Good luck!
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    Sometimes I think people equate the word exercise with cardio. I hate cardio. Boy, do I hate it. It's boring to me. I lost my weight by eating at a deficit and occasionally walking the dog then I discovered weight lifting and I fell in love. You don't get the calorie burn that you do with cardio but you do get exercise and you're building those muscles so when you do lose weight your body looks great.

    Since I've been weight lifting I have slowly added in some cardio (elliptical and treadmill mainly) but I can only do about 10 minutes on it before I get bored. So I allow myself 10 minutes and then I hit the weights.

    I was also going to suggest that you get a Wii but I see you have one. I love the Wii boxing and the hula-hoop. LOL. Those are all forms of exercise.

    The point is, don't do something you hate because you won't stick to it. Find something you love and it will change you. There are all different forms of exercise out there.

    edited for grammar
  • meleileen
    meleileen Posts: 46 Member
    You said you suffered from depression in the past and exercise reminds you of such. Did you also suffer from panic attacks, if you are not comfortable in answering then please don't, but know that I suffered with anxiety and depression since my teens. Just some food for thought:

    Exercise causes increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, and increased breathing....panic attacks cause the same physiological responses! It's possible, without knowing your history or you personally, that your body is reminded of the panic attacks that you had in the past. Somehow you need to turn this negative association into a positive one. I wish I could help you ....I am a big goof when I workout with my friends because I want them to enjoy the experience like I do.

    I am a huge fan of music while working out....make an awesome playlist with upbeat music to keep you going. Start slow and reward yourself....week 1 start with a 10 minute workout and increase your workout by 5 minutes each week. Remind yourself that you deserve the benefits of exercise: weight loss and the beneficial health effects! Tell yourself that you rock! It sounds silly but I tell myself this every time I complete a workout (this coming from the girl who had low self-esteem).

    The first workout I ever completed was 30 Day Shred....it's a 25 minute workout and I was so excited that I got through it after a week of trying. I tried running but was winded after less than a minute....now I run 6 miles no problem....that took me some time but I did it! I never thought I would be able to but I stayed positive.

    You can do this!! Don't let anyone discourage you....some people do not understand. Believe in yourself:)
  • Have you tried just doing sport? Volleyball, basketball, baseball, tennis, dancing? :) Maybe try to think of it as playtime instead of exercise?
  • Congrats on taking the hardest step which was starting to calculate your calories and keep up with that! You're doing great just by trying and as you lose weight, you'll want to exercise more. Have you tried maybe getting books on your ipod or iphone and listening to them while you walk?

    Find a park that has quite a few places to stop and sit and walk until you find a bench and sit down and then after a few minutes get up and walk to the next bench. Listen to your book while you do that and before you know if you'll be skipping stopping points and just walking. The park we walk our dogs at have quite a few benches a long the way so that would be an option. You may not be reading but you're listening to a book!
  • angela233Z
    angela233Z Posts: 312 Member
    No advice - Just wanted to let you know I feel the same way.
    I hate exercise and have tried everything, Gym, weightlifting, zumba classes, sports, walking, running, treadmill, elliptical, personal trainer etc.
    I hate walking with a friend the least so try to do that as often as I can.

    good luck finding a solution.
  • I agree with the advice to build. If you have the time, the long walks would probably be pretty fun, especially with books on tape/your favorite music.

    I'm not sure how hilly/flat the terrain is in your area, but when I bike, I never even think about it as exercise. The over feeling...I'd call it freedom.

    At the end of the day, it is totally beneficial to get some movement in your day, even casual walking. You won't have crazy weight loss, but you'll have consistency and positivity (yay, endorphins!).

    Good luck!
  • Lemongrab13
    Lemongrab13 Posts: 206 Member
    The key is to move, but that doesn't mean you need to speed away.
    You don't need to fast walk, just walk. Get on a treadmill and walk at a regular pace but on an incline. That burns as much as jogging.
    Personally I love working out, but I understand that it's not for everyone. Imo the sweatier the better.
    For things like damp skin you might just have to get used to it. You won't sweat tons walking, but some can't be helped.
    Just bring music or tv shows or a few great podcasts.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    you may feel that just walking doesn't do anything, but it does. i have diabetes, and after a walk - just a normal walk, not super slow but not speed walking - my blood sugar drops 40 to 50 points. that means walking uses your muscles and burns calories. i started out sedentary and in poor shape, and regular walking has changed my body, my stamina and how i feel in general. i started out at only 15 minutes per day, built to 20 and now go over 30, but at 20 i was seeing positive changes.

    you could always listen to music or an audio book while you walk if you don't care for it. or when you go to the store, before shopping you could walk around the store twice - i actually walk up and down each aisle, and around the store twice, and i don't stop till it was 20 minutes. worked great!
  • katkins73
    katkins73 Posts: 416 Member
    Have you tried those Leslie Sansone dvds that are based on walking? I believe you walk the equivalent of a mile in 10-15 mins in your front room! You could maybe do that twice a day in between your knitting and that would be 2 miles a day! Maybe you will even feel like adding a 3rd mile after a while :wink:
  • stanthom
    stanthom Posts: 13
    I can relate. I have made a compromise with myself. I can play online (read Facebook, MFP, etc) while walking on the treadmill. I tell myself I only have to walk for 15 minutes and if I want to stop after that, fine. I find here are times I will walk longer than that. Sometimes I am done after the 15 minutes. I also listen to fast paced music while walking and reading.
  • Lemongrab13
    Lemongrab13 Posts: 206 Member
    Btw you don't need to lower carbs. At all. Only calories.
  • Kyzmos
    Kyzmos Posts: 3
    Hi there,
    Yep I hate exercise as well. I have a lot of injuries, 19 spinal surgeries, now need 2 hip replacements, constant fibromyalgia, constant pain. Can't sleep.
    So firstly bought my self a fitbit One, after the first day of 200 steps I started playing a game with myself, that was simply beating yesterday's steps, if only by one lol.
    Diet was fine, I was always getting calorie deficit, but medication does make it harder.
    I started just doing laps of house, then house & garden, stupid but I started getting competitive with myself. 6 months on, I've just come back I week ago from 1 month in North Yorkshire where I was walking upto 7-8kms a day without realizing it!!!! Just by visiting the incredible Abbeys, castles, walking the Moors & Dales!!
    So that's what I'm doing, now I'm thinking about getting into cross fit, I've toned up so much & lost so much weight without realising it, I now want to have fun & get strong!

    Contact me if you want to chat.
    I totally understand!!
    Sasha
  • ingasmile2
    ingasmile2 Posts: 43 Member
    I took a look at your exercise diary. And just wanted to let you know that if you are using MFP numbers than they can be way off.

    A few things that stuck out were

    cleaning for 45 minutes burning around 300 calories
    yoga for 10 minutes burning 65 calories

    those were 2 that really stuck out. Those numbers are probably way to high. Unless your heart rate was pumping hard you weren't really burning that many calories.

    I use a heart rate monitor for cardio work outs and then I input them into MFP, MFP overestimates calories burned by at least 1/3. So my Jazzercise with HRM will tell me I burned 290 calories in an hour but MFP will say around 400 calories. I do a kickboxing class for an hour (mostly cardio) my HRM will say 360 calories burned but MFP will say around 600 or more calories burned.

    When I was using MFP calories burned I wouldn't lose any weight because it was giving me too many calories to eat back.

    Also, looking at your diary you use some things that say *generic or homemade unless these are your own entries they can be very wrong.

    Inga
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    Just don't exercise. It's ideal to exercise while losing weight but it isn't necessary. Sure, it'll be healthier than sitting around, but if it's that difficult to stick to then just focus on a eating fewer calories than your body needs for now. Maybe once you lose some weight, you'll find more energy for exercise but there's no reason you need to make ALL the lifestyle changes all at once.
  • In 2006 I lost 80 lbs in about 7 months no exercise I was seeing a nutrionist and she put me on a diabetic diet which consisted of 3 proteins 3 fruits 4 veges and 2 starches daily and min of 64 ounces of water I have the food list which actually has a wide variety of foods. Real food u buy at the grocery store.. also to help with hunger I drank diet health and sports wise protein hot chocolates they are 80 calories with 15 grams protein and very low sugar . If you are in interested in more info i will be glad to share I can send the food list or if i can figure out how to post pics I can do it here...p.s. the nutrionist said 80% of weight loss is what you eat
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    A couple other thoughts-

    * Walking just 20 minutes briskly outdoors helps mood. Ask yourself if you really can't walk 10 minutes away from home then back.

    * Put it in the category of other adult responsibilities like brushing teeth, cleaning house, paying bills, etc. It's not fun but the consequences of not doing it are worse.

    * Don't think about the future. Just strive to do one thing today. If 10 minutes in you still can't face it, give yourself the ok to stop. You generally won't because getting started is the tough part.

    * After you do exercise, make a mental note of if you're glad you did or wished you hadn't. You'll notice you're going to virtually always be glad you did. Remember that next time you don't want to start.
  • aethre
    aethre Posts: 150 Member
    Another thing is to pick a routine or an exercise that, even if you initially hate it or whatever, it's something you can actually mark your progress at.

    For example, I started doing this routine here: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/body-weight-exercises

    First time I did it, I couldn't even make full reps of half of the exercises listed. Doesn't matter, I noted down how many I did. Two days later, I tried it again and did just one more rep of each exercise I hadn't completed fully. Adding on one, two, or however many you can each day really feels great because you can *see* the progress. This is another thing that advocates of weight lifting point out is a great motivating factor.

    Honestly, the first few times I ran through that routine, I felt sick, sweaty, my nose ran, I even cried at one point. Pathetic, right? But every time I managed to get one more, I got to put a smiley face beside it (and occasionally a sad face when there was a backwards step, not gonna lie, but there were smiley faces elsewhere so it evened out). Well, it's been three weeks and I can do the whole lot (apart from the pushups aren't proper pushups but you do what you can). Not only that, it's *way* easier than it was, and it makes me feel great.

    Other this is, when you do get into, make sure you're taking body measurements as well as weighing yourself because the scales LIE. ;D
  • Wenchiness
    Wenchiness Posts: 126 Member
    I did hate exercise, everything hurt except swimming. After aqua therapy I joined a gym with a pool and swam and did water aerobics until I was down over 100 lbs in a year. And then......had some surgery, got MRSA and had to stay out of the water. The dreaded exercise bug had done bit me, and so I had to find something else to do during recovery. I am not gonna say I loved it, everything that is not swimming is pretty much torture to me. But I found I just plain feel better with exercise. You say you too love to swim but "can't". If there is no pool in your town drive to the next one. Even if this is a trip you can manage only twice a week ultimately you're talking about your health and general well being, so knock off the "I can't" and find a way you can.