Help!

Fighting4Healthy

I want to exercise but can't seem to get the energy to do it. I hate exercising, but I know in order to lose weight and reach my goal size of a size 4 (or 6) by June 16, 2012, I have to exercise. Any suggestions for someone who hates exercising?

Elizabeth_C34

It has a lot more to do with your attitude than anything else. If you go into it thinking, "ugh, I really don't want to, but I guess I just have to," you won't keep up with it. Instead, shake off your apprehensions, an just try something that looks fun. It can be a jog in a nice neighborhood or a nice scenic park, a swim at your local pool, or just a long walk somewhere nice. Try to find the positive in the experience even if you're sore and tired.

Keep your chin up!

Mikaylarae27

Go to classes at a gym or buy DVDs....when I'm having trouble getting motivation to exercise I do one or the other and let the instructor do the thinking while I do the moving. If you're just starting out, you don't need to exercise intensely, even just walking more will help you achieve your goal.

catwrangler

There has to be at least one kind of exercise you love.

swimming? dancing? biking? rollerskating? rock climbing?

exercise doesn't have to be boring or take place in a gym.

TrishJimenez

Try the 30 day shred by jillian michaels it is only 20 mins thats all you have to tell youself is it is only 20 mins

budgetqueen79

On the days I don't feel like exercising I just do mini workouts b/c it's the all at one time I don't really want to do. If I have to do 5 different workouts through out the day I do.

trelm249

Exercise for the fitness benefits. That is your motivation. You want to have the physical ability to do the activities you want to with your girls. You want to have the strength and stamina to be an active mom doing things with them. You want to have the strength and stamina to do fun and active things with your soon to be husband.

It's not just about good looks, but also functional health. Going backpacking, canoeing on the river, mountain biking, rock climbing, trail rides on horseback, kayaking on the bay, morning hikes up the mountain to watch the sunrise from the peak. Be fit to do those things with your girls and husband.

Build that combination of strength, stamina, and endurance so that health limitations are not the thing limiting you in those activities. That way YOU are the bad@$$ girl scout/4h/whatever mom putting the others to shame.

You want to look back on the time with them with no regrets and say "I did that with my girls." You want them to look back and say, "Wow! Mom did that with us."

countrydarling1

You gotta make it fun! Find somethig you love doin! i love to battle my husband on the wii! its fun, & you can make it as entergetic as you want or as low energy, as long as you are gettng off the couch & moving!

manjingirl

Do you clean your teeth every day? Do you wash your clothes? So put exercise on that list of things you HAVE to do. IF your energy is seriously low, get a checkup from your doctor and make sure there's nothing going on.

And if you've been doing no exercise, just start small. Go out the front door and walk down to the next street, then walk home, Job done for today. You don't need special clothes, just get out and walk some. Then tomorrow walk some more. Sometimes the motivation comes AFTER you start.

Are you still going to making excuses about no energy in the week before your wedding, or will you be excited and surprised at how you became one of the success stories on MFP?

All the best, can't wait to see your before and after photos...

geekymom57

I hate despise loathe exercising for exercising sake. I hated PE in school--climbing a rope? doing hurdles? balance beam? floor routine with those floating ribbons on a stick?--and still fight that negative association.

I get around the hate exercising thing by using a high quality elliptical at home (craigslist bargain) that's set up within sight of our home theatre. I rationalize that watching a half hour of crap TV is less harmful to my brain cells if I am also exercising while I'm watching it. And now that I've gained strength, it is rewarding to be able to use a higher resistance level, stay at it longer, etc.

And the other part of my exercising mind game is having a gym membership that gives me access to a sauna, which is great way to relax even though they don't allow you to put water on the rocks. I use the treadmill when I go which gives me a slightly different workout than the elliptical.

So my recommendation: set an a conservative, realistic goal for yourself at the outset to do something that you don't hate so much that you can't even start it for 30 minutes, 3 times a week. Once you get that established you can increase the frequency and/or duration, or swtich to something different. Trust this exercise naysayer--you WILL find it rewarding to improve your endurance, strength, etc. as the months go by.

99Tinkerbell

So true agree with Trelm 249 do it so you can live your life free or being winded trying to catch up with the kids. Think of all the things you will be able to do when you get fit. You have to find what works for you. It can be anything I have gotten several dvd's from the local library they are free to rent that way you don't have to invest money in something you may not like. If you find one you like to do then you can purchase it. I hear a lot of people on here talking about the 30 day shred so I did order that from amazon it was $5.42 to buy so I'm waiting on it to come. I try to mix things up with a lot of different things so I don't get bored. Good luck.

lee3978

There's a funny thing about exercise...it gives you Energy!