Exercise Is So Boring! Help?!

downtome

Ok, I don't like to exercise, it's not that I can't do it, it's the sheer boredom that gets to me! I can easily do 30 minutes on my Gazelle or Cardio Twister or go for a walk but I'm having a hard time getting myself motivated to even do it in the first place. I have my play list that I use and that seems to help but how do I get to the point of really likeing and WANTING to exercise? I read some of your post about how you look forward to it and love it and some of you do it everday! How do I get to that point, what is it going to take for me to want to really exercise? I know how good it feels after my workout, but I just can't seem to push myself hard enough, nor do I really want to, like I said, it's sheer boredom. While I'm exercising, after I have set my timmer, I am looking at the clock waiting for the minutes to pass by, it's so hard for me, Why? Please help! Thanks so much.
Denise

Lovemydounts

this is my third week working out .i get my i-pod and put on brittney spears cause she had an awsome body it gets me in the mood all the time.set the same time everday .hope i helped

AggieCass09

mix up the type of exercising you are doing until you find something that you LOVE. for me, its running, i literally hurt when i have to take rest days from running because I want to be running so badly (runner's high...its real). Try some circuit training or at home videos or grab a buddy and play some tennis. Just find something that makes you WANT to move.

Good luck

katieandlilly

Do you have a gym membership? I used to think exercise was SO boring until I joined some group exercise classes. Zumba is the most fun, kickboxing gives you the best confidence boost, and spinning is a blast. These are all very very hard at first, but if you go a few times a week after two or three weeks it gets easier. Plus - after going for a while, people start to notice when you aren''t there and they hold you accountable!

lastchance2010

I am the same way. I have been doing these boot camp vids and I wish there was a way to do it with the music only cuz all the talk during hearing it day after day is SUPER ANNOYING TO ME. I yell shut up to the tv daily. However, I started putting my Ipod on while I work out so I can't hear them I can just see them. It;s amazing how fast it goes by with your own music playing. I will prolley continue to do that for now. Good luck to ya!

gatedialer

You have to find what motivates you and use that, whether it is visuals, your goals, etc. I don't work out with music. When I go biking or jogging, I will use music and it is usually heavy metal because it makes me want to kick a**! I use workout videos (Jillian Michaels) and although she isn't there with me, she has good points in not giving up during a workout.

vzepol

Find something you like to do and mix it up. I swim, walk and lift weights. This variety works for me, I hate lifting weights but do it twice a week which does not make it so bad. Also, if you can find someone to walk or ride a bike with once or twice a week it makes getting up the other days a lot easier.

OLP76

You need to find a motivation person...or a goal to look forward to. Try a different routine, somethin' you'll find interestin' to do. Not sure what to tell you...but best wishes

Adsnwfld

Another vote for the ipod, also try several different things, I mostly go between swimming and running but I also do the elliptical, stairmaster, bike and rower. The different props work different parts of your body and makes it a bit more exciting.

SMarie10

Guess What. There is no easy fix, no magic pill - only sweat equity will work. Suggest you recruit someone to go with you to do any kind of exercise and it should make it more bearable. You could also try adding some fun music to your i-pod and shake your booty.

AEROBICVIC

Group Fitness Classes!!! I've been teaching several types of aerobic classes for 14 years and refuse to do any any type of exercise at home by myself. i will walk my driveway in the summer to get a suntan but other than that, my elliptical and wts at home dont get used much. i feel that home is my resting place, it's hard for me to motivate myself to exercise there. I've seen many woman have this concern and most will say the same thing, try a class at a local gym, zumba class at a church or whatever you have in your area. if you find an instructor who loves what they do and make it fun, you'll return! people who take my classes enjoy coming, it's the time of day they have for themselves, it's their "me" time, it's fun, they meet other ppl, they get a great workout and get helpful tips for fitness and nutrition. try a class in your area, you'll love it!

cassidystreasures

Do you have a wii? There is so much you can do with wii, wii sports, wii fit, exerise games ect keeps me going

jschwarz3531

I wish I could help, but I am in the same rut. I used to be one of those people who really LOVED running...but I live in NY, and I cant be outdoors in the winter (especially this winter-snow EVERYWHERE!) and I really hate it inside.

The only thing that seems to help me a little is putting on my workout clothes and being lazy for a little while. Then when that one moment strikes that I want to be productive, all I have to do is walk down the stairs to my elliptical or turn on the workout DVD.

Hope it helped!

NoAdditives

I don't think there's ever a day where I really want to go to the gym. But I do, because I know I need to. Once I get there I'm motivated to exercise and I always feel so much better after I'm done, even when I feel like dying.

You just have to make yourself do it, even when you don't want to. Eventually it won't seem like such a chore.

racefox

Ok for someone who doesn't like exercise in it's raw form it's best to incorporate more *effort* into your day to day things. Using stairs instead of lifts, walking/biking to work (then you're doing it by proxy of doing something else), park further away from places and briskly walk to where you're going, do 'speed' house work with some music on so you can have a little dance at the same time! Take up a weekly dance class - anything will do. Exercise doesn't necessarily mean going to a gym or going for a run and slogging it out for an hour - it just means getting off your behind and putting some effort in to keep moving around, all the time burning those calories AND keeping you occupied from snacking. Hope that helps :-)

downtome

I bought the Zumba wii game and have tried it once or twice but still, I can't seem to push myself through a routine. I also ordered running shoes and a sports bra, still waiting for them in the mail, so I can try and start a walk/jog routine. I really want to like exercise and I know it helps with weightloss and changing your body for the better but I'm so bored all the time. It's so hard to get myself motivated even though I know I should be doing it! Whats wrong with me? I did try a gym membership last year and I did fine for about 1 1/2 months but then I quit going.Will I ever stop fighting it? I'm so frustrated with myself!

sarahebarrett

I had the same issue-- I tried changing up my playlist, reading my kindle, & watching tv while on the treadmill or elliptical, but still found myself completely bored and counting down the minutes until I finished. Now I use workout videos-- I have several in rotation, and they keep me motivated-- at least until I can get outside again in the spring.

Maghenta

Well this might sound crazy, but this is what motivates me....
I look thru an old Victoria Secrets bikinis catalog that I always have laying around my bed. than I take a look at myself in the mirror :noway: .I slightly compare my Body to the bodies in the catalog..... :blushing:
that's usually enogh for me to pop in my Leslie sansome walk at home dvd. set the TV volume to MUTE and turn on my radio.:happy: than 30 minutes later am sweating like crazy. Good Luck to you!

singing2him

there are days when i feel the same way! i am more of the "buy a dvd exercise video" kind of girl but at my college we aren't allowed to do exercise dvd's so i have to PUSH myself to go get on the elliptical and do something. i absolutely LOVED doing the exercise dvd's, so maybe if you haven't tried that you do so,try to find what works for you and stick with it!!! but above all just keep your goals in mind!

singing2him

there are days when i feel the same way! i am more of the "buy a dvd exercise video" kind of girl but at my college we aren't allowed to do exercise dvd's so i have to PUSH myself to go get on the elliptical and do something. i absolutely LOVED doing the exercise dvd's, so maybe if you haven't tried that you do so,try to find what works for you and stick with it!!! but above all just keep your goals in mind!

Warmbloodwear

Gym membership did it for me! Helped me not give in to the distractions at home:) And I have met some nice people!

emysirlaki

Walk with a friend...it makes time go by much faster and walking for an hour helps you lose a lot of calories and is good for anyone who isn't totally fit.

I usually have a stationary bike and I watch tv while I bicycle. It makes time go by much faster.

wolfchild59

I work out on machines only (not one for jogging outdoors like my friends and hubby) so I load up my Netflix instant queue with tons of favorite movies to have on my phone while I work out. Not new movies I've never seen before that I'd have to concentrate on, but movies that I've seen and love. I've loved catching up on so many favorite movies over the past few months. I also watched a few seasons of my favorite TV shows like Firefly and Castle as well. Sometimes, if I finish a workout for the night and I only have a short bit of the movie left, I'm actually chomping at the bit to get back the next night to finish it up. heh

And I love 80's movies while I work out because so many of them have such great music that it's these perfect little bursts of extra energy. Like last night I was struggling through a run/jog on the treadmill and had Karate Kid on. It got to the tournament scene and that song You're the Best Around came on and totally powered me through where I was at.

Just be careful not to get too focused on the movie itself (i.e. looking down at the little screen the whole time) because you don't really want to be doing cardio with your head cocked down, that's the other reason for picking movies you know. So you can till look ahead most of the time and know what's going on without having to watch it the entire time.

LokiFae

I signed up for a gym and have to stay for at least a year, because it's in the contract. There's a huge fee to cancel the contract, and we have the money taken out of our checking account every month. That helps me get motivated to get there.

Now, once I'm there, that's a different story. I've tried to find a way to make exercise fun and rewarding for myself, and finally I found my perfect formula for running yesterday. I'm doing the Couch to 5K program, and I've signed up to run a 5K with my mom in April. That's motivation for me, because I have an end goal. I used to HATE running, but since I knew I was working towards something, I pushed myself to do it. And now I LOVE running. I got my very first runner's high yesterday and holy crap! How have I been missing out on this for so long?

I also downloaded some podcasts for the C25K program, and that helps immensely. If I don't have to time my own intervals, I'm not clock watching, and that's what makes the most difference for me. I even cover the timer on the treadmill with a towel, so I can't see how much time I have left or how long I've been on. It helps SO much.

It sounds like you really want to find something that you like, so I think you probably will. The first step is trying it, and eventually you'll find something that you can't wait to do.

happy_vegan

I used to hate it too..getting motivated to GET to the gym was always the hard part...
now it's all i want to do, and the change happened over like 2 weeks time.

1) i found that i used to be a half-hour exerciser and i wasn't motivated. now that i go for longer stretches i'm more motivated based on the mental benefits "highs" from all those endorphins. around 45 minutes to 1 hour they start really coming. around 1hr30minutes it's hard to want to leave the gym because you've hit your stride and the endorphins are really strong.
30 minutes just isn't enough. this high keeps me going back first and foremost. it's an amazing, positive feeling.

2) I don't have a tv so the gym is the only place i get to watch guilty pleasures like every show on bravo or hgtv or something. or the daily show. i usually look at the tvguide schedule and see when something i want to watch is on - then i'm not bored and the exercise happened like magic.

3) If you spend extended amounts of time at the gym you can still eat the foods you really like, and meet the 1200 calorie goal without feeling like you're starving. this means the occasional sweet can be ok!

centralvalgal

I am with you I don't dislike excercise but I do get bored doing repetive motion. I like bike riding with my family @ the park, I love hiking, white water rafting, dirt bike riding but none of these activities are an option on a daily basis. I I have to watch television when I am working out. Netflix is my new friend I ride my stationary or use my treadmill while watching old television series right now I am working my way thru Bones. It's kind of like I have to distract my mind or I have too much time to think about everything else I would rather be doing.

soze

Try doing the exercise that fits with your favorite activity. If you like dancing do dancing exercises. For instance I enjoy golf so I do exercises for balance and swing motion. If you like canoeing use the rowing machine. Be creative.

KatieM7

Find something that you enjoy doing and do it! If you find something to be boring then you are not going to want to do it. I have a stationary bike and it is dead boring BUT I have videos that I love to do. I like to dance but I am not that great at it so Turbo Jam works good for me. When it is warm outside I like to go for a bike ride because the scenery is always changing. You got to figure out what you enjoy doing and do it!