What do you do to make exercise fun?

malavika413

I've pretty much given up on exercise at this point--I've learned I really, really don't like it. Like, all forms of exercise.

But I'm curious, what do y'all do to make exercise fun or interesting? Types of exercise, music, strategies, you name it.

Mhgretsch

I'm not sure these things make it "fun", but they definitely make it more enjoyable...music, having time to myself, and the feeling I get afterward when look back over a month or so and see how I've improved...run faster, lift more, etc.

TheKingsChampion

Play pretend. I walk and listen to music and depending on the type of music I'm either swaying my hips like a model or pretending to be a ninja. It looks crazy but I think people are used to it by now. :laugh:

<--- Or I'm pretending to be the Dragon King's Knight. In short, roleplaying makes it fun for me.

desidieter

I've sort of learned to love it, but when I first started, I used to absolutely hate cardio, so I would often just put on some music I like and dance. I still do that when I don't feel like doing anything else, and it's a great way to work up a sweat without really thinking about distance or how fast I'm going or any those factors.

ChildrenCryinNCoffee

Typical cliche Mom here, but I exercise with my kids.

I run with my oldest (who's 10) on the weekends and I catch up on her life and her tween-age drama (heehee).

I play sports with my son (who's 7). He's REALLY in Softball/Baseball right now.

I play Just Dance with my littlest ones (who are 4 & 2) they're my funny dancing queens (er, princesses?)

I go on power-walks/jogging with my hubby on most weekday morning after we drop the kids off at school.

I strength train to the awesomest music ever!

I do Zumba a few times a month with some good friends.

I swim every once-in-while at my mom's house, and we play games like who can swim across the pool the fastest while holding a beer that cannot touch the water, lol!

And, uh, nekked yoga with the hubs... :blushing:

sarieth05

Personally, I hated doing stuff until I bought the Zombies, Run! app for my phone. Now I get to listen to a story in between my music, and it makes me feel like I'm in a game or something. Really lets my imagination run wild! I also workout for "lazy credit" that I can use towards stuff like watching football games or something.

wissabear

I joined a running club! Everything is better with friends.

malavika413

I joined a running club! Everything is better with friends.

I envy y'all that can do the social thing with exercise. Too much embarrassment over here, haha.

TheKingsChampion

Personally, I hated doing stuff until I bought the Zombies, Run! app for my phone. Now I get to listen to a story in between my music, and it makes me feel like I'm in a game or something. Really lets my imagination run wild!

This is what I do too, only I make up my own fantasy in my head the type of music inspires the type of story oddly. Makes me feel like a character in my own world.

Rinny73

Easy! I don't 'exercise,' I play. I dance around the house, hoola hoop, ride my bike, try to climb stuff, fall off stuff. I roller skate with my husband. Hang on to my husband's arm for dear life because I can't roller skate. There's a studio near my place that offers aerial silk classes. I'm thinking of signing up for that. I do yoga too, but I consider that more meditative than horsing around. I also consider regular exercise as playing too. I like lifting weights because I like the thought of myself overcoming limits and getting stronger.

However, there are some forms of exercise I absolutely REFUSE to do. Running is an activity that makes zero sense to me. My husband loves to go out for a job now and then. I've joined him a couple of times and thought it the most pointless activity (no offense to anyone who loves jogging). I also refuse to get on cardio machines like steppers and elliptical trainers because I get bored really easily.

lyrics09

Music jamming. Watch some sports on tv on the walls in front of me occasionally same time. Mostly let the music motivate me.

malavika413

Easy! I don't 'exercise,' I play. I dance around the house, hoola hoop, ride my bike, try to climb stuff, fall off stuff. I roller skate with my husband. Hang on to my husband's arm for dear life because I can't roller skate. There's a studio near my place that offers aerial silk classes. I'm thinking of signing up for that. I do yoga too, but I consider that more meditative than horsing around. I also consider regular exercise as playing too. I like lifting weights because I like the thought of myself overcoming limits and getting stronger.

However, there are some forms of exercise I absolutely REFUSE to do. Running is an activity that makes zero sense to me. My husband loves to go out for a job now and then. I've joined him a couple of times and thought it the most pointless activity (no offense to anyone who loves jogging). I also refuse to get on cardio machines like steppers and elliptical trainers because I get bored really easily.

Not a fan of playing, but that does sound fun. I'm glad you've made exercise work for you.

Mr_Knight

It's an obligation to get some things I really do love. A price to be paid, a job to be done.

Whether it's "fun" or not is pretty much irrelevant.

AmigaMaria001

I listen to books on my Ipod which takes my mind off the workout. Exercise is just not fun for me - with the exception of walking early in the morning in the country! I could do that forever when the weather is nice.

nickysbt

I kept trying things until I found ones I hate less. I don't think I'm ever going to *enjoy* calisthenics or running, but I like them a hell of a lot better than Zumba or weight lifting or anything that requires going to a gym. I do enjoy seeing how I've gotten stronger or faster and I use that to force myself to get started even when I really don't want to.

On days when I'm feeling particularly lazy I tell myself that I only need to do five minutes. One quick jog around the block or a set of pull ups and then I can quit. 90% of the time I end up deciding I'm already up so I may as well keep going. It's not really fun by my definition, but it gets me moving instead of sitting in bed with my laptop.

Rinny73

It's an obligation to get some things I really do love. A price to be paid, a job to be done.

Whether it's "fun" or not is pretty much irrelevant.

This is exactly what my husband says. lol.

Lyadeia

I just love what I do. I don't exercise that I don't like, but I love endurance running and I love to lift weights.

No tips anyone could give me would make me enjoy trudging along on a treadmill, for example.

You just have to try different things until you find something you like.

Runcakes

I find exercise in itself fun, but music definitely makes it better! Also switching up my routines constantly (new running routes, different circuit exercises) helps to keep things interesting as well.

phyllb

Two things. I power walk in front of my pvr prerecord end tv. The other thing is actually like walking or hiking in mountains so I try to do that
I hate gyms treadmills etc
Love boxing but limited acess

MsHarryWinston

I dance my butt off... Or up! Lol! With Hip Hop Abs and Brazil Butt Lift. I've been a dancer my whole life so dance work outs are where it's at for me. And I actually LIKE lifting weights, it makes me feel like a bada**. Like I'm just prepping for the day the government calls me in to be a super spy, or the zombie apocalypse happens or something, you know? Lol.

hearthwood

malavika413 wrote: »

I've pretty much given up on exercise at this point--I've learned I really, really don't like it. Like, all forms of exercise.

But I'm curious, what do y'all do to make exercise fun or interesting? Types of exercise, music, strategies, you name it.

It's Jazzercise for me. I have been going for decades because it's FUN. All women, so you make local new friends, get to socialize, and work out together.

Jazzercise is the only
one hour total body workout around. 40 minutes dance aerobics, last 20 minutes, weights, bands, balls, and floor exercises to work all the problem areas.

I stayed in great shape for all these years or since my 30's because of Jazzercise.

dbmata

malavika413 wrote: »

I've pretty much given up on exercise at this point--I've learned I really, really don't like it. Like, all forms of exercise.

But I'm curious, what do y'all do to make exercise fun or interesting? Types of exercise, music, strategies, you name it.

If you need ways to convince yourself that being active for health is fun, then well... you have some issues to work on.

MelodyandBarbells

I do Les Mills fitness classes: BodyPump, BodyAttack, BodyFlow, BodyStep, BodyCombat, (CXWORX - if I'm more or less lost and looking for extreme pain, ) etc. I also read ThickMcRunFast's write up about running and have been putting in a couple miles here and there

rkerbrat

I never liked to exercise either but I wanted to be healthier so I found someone to exercise with - it makes it a lot more fun - we alternate activities too which helps - rowing, biking, HIIT on the elliptical, walking, dancing. I also got a fitbit which motivates me to meet my daily goal - whether it's steps walked, active minutes or flights of stairs climbed. It's a drag at first but then you start to feel better & look better and eventually it gets to be kind of fun.

Good luck!

hearthwood

dbmata wrote: »

malavika413 wrote: »

I've pretty much given up on exercise at this point--I've learned I really, really don't like it. Like, all forms of exercise.

But I'm curious, what do y'all do to make exercise fun or interesting? Types of exercise, music, strategies, you name it.

If you need ways to convince yourself that being active for health is fun, then well... you have some issues to work on.

You have to like what you're doing in order to stick with it. Someone going to a gym that gets bored with machines, isn't going to last long. Racquetball is FUN. To some playing basketball is FUN. Others love to swim, and many love to run. If they didn't like it there would be no point in sponsoring marathons, no one would show up--ha ha.

That's why it is so important that people try several different things to find something they have FUN aka enjoy doing. None of us came out if the same mold we are all different.

SWWIS

While I do (luckily) enjoy running and going to the gym, I have the most fun playing competitive team sports. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I'm done with college and likely won't have that activity at my disposal.

chadya07

i have a wide range of favorites, i actually did learn to like it. but not everything. and i dont do the ones i dont like. i run treadmill or outdoors, do various cardio at the gym, where i do 10-20 minutes each on many machines until i reach an hour, so i dont get bored. play tennis against a wall, weight lift at home or at the gym, swim when the season is right, walk above and beyond my 10,000 step daily goal, ride a bike, im learning some belly dancing, do yoga... basically, i have a bunch of things i like enough, and only do what i feel like doing that day. i dont plan in advance just follow my instincts.

i have an awesome playlist for running that brings me into another world.

finally, i push myself harder every day to keep it challenging and not repetitive. and i push myself to the point where when i am done i feel so amazingly alive that i forget all the rest of it.

DaFibble

• Uplifting or high energy music while doing aerobic exercise - very good.
• Listen to audio books while doing something methodical and boring.
• Mood music while doing yoga and stretching.
• Used to live in rural areas. Went for walks for hours with music, audio books or other stuff to entertain the mind.
• Dancing to music when feel the mood - always good idea!

On a more detailed note, I think you need to find a "hook" for your exercise. Almost everyone I try to encourage to get more exercise, who needs it but doesn't engage, has negative feelings about it. Exercise should make you feel good. Start with that. Find anything that makes you feel good and expand from there.

Working out on the stationary bike, going for a long walk or going for a run used to be the best I'd feel all day. Seriously. Not at the start but after completing a half hour to an hour. Trying to get back to that right now. If you can find a way to make it fun exercise doesn't feel like a chore. It shouldn't be! That's crucial, especially if losing weight, because it doesn't feel like a willpower drain if its fun. Its a break from the grind and difficulties of other aspects of life.

My favorite set up when I was more into cardio was to have my most energizing euphoric house music tracks from way back always available when I worked out. I also liked psychedelic visuals via computer, privacy - because I'd get into some weird head-spaces while working out and loads of water, preferably with electrolytes because I'd sweat like crazy if in a good state of mind.

I also find its helpful to have a natural dopamine boost, like having someone you find attractive or you want to impress in your mind while you work out or some kind of adversary to overcome. Dopamine = motivation.

LazyCatPame

I pick +10 random songs to take a long daily walk, and turn left if the seconds are uneven or right if they're even (yeah... I know, pretty stupid), so I never repeat the route. I get sick of routines or having maps or that stuff, so I always get a different way. Sometimes, if I'm not tired or sore (from an excessively long walk) I jog a block and walk the next one.

suppakana

MeanderingMammal

malavika413 wrote: »

But I'm curious, what do y'all do to make exercise fun or interesting?.

Go for a run or cycle, preferably in the woods.

Outside. Anything that involves a machine in a gym or prancing around in front of a DVD just strikes me as absolute purgatory.