How did you initially get up and start exercising? Did you a

glamsquadtia

Hi..Im looking for tips on how people went from being sedentary to up & moving working out? Most of the things I enjoy doing are not physical exertion type activities..How do I get up & get going and do you enjoy working out?

mom2jrn

I started out walking on the treadmill for 15 minutes at 3.0 MPH, then 20 min and built up to 60 min at 3.5 MPH. Then I added in some aerobics from Netflix and mixed it with Pilates. Now I'm on level 1 day 7 of the 30 Day shred. I just started on January 1 trying to lose weight/work out. For the first 3 weeks I worked out everyday, then I took a day off the next two weeks and right now with the 30DS I'm doing it everyday.

I HATE exercising but I HATE the way I look/feel more.

Lorleee

For me it's been all about classes. I take two dance classes - Zumba and Nia. I look forward to it and it doesn't feel like "exercise" or work, just fun! I supplement these with the usual gym stuff and now the 30Day Shred, but the classes give me such variety that I don't get bored with working out. Signing up for classes I'd paid for ensured that I would actually keep the commitment and go to them.

MaximalLife

Find something you either enjoy or could learn to enjoy.

Exercise should be fun; I think exercise became torture when we grew up and stopped playing.
I just don't do certain exercises that are hell.
Indoor cardio like the treadmill - "dreadmil" or stationary bike, elliptical....
I'd rather be tied and beaten in the town square.

No, for me it's either fun, or count me OUT!

I do a lot of weird things for cardio like military march, boxing type training,
dancing, floor rolls, squat thrust intervals and the good ole jumping jack while watching MMA.
And I jog, swim, play tennis, fast walk and bike.

Lost 70lbs and nearly 20% body fat - it works for me.

johnbigfella

you need to find something that is fun and you enjoy then its like its not a workout.

I love weightlifting and boxing now! would train everyday if i could all because i enjoy it

GirlAnachronismE

I did the Couch 2 5K running programme, which builds you up gradually from being sedentary to running for 30 mins. It's pretty gradual but it's really exciting when you move up a week! I also found a sport I love, and I do it 2 or 3x a week, but that's just trial and error!

Dootzy1

Joined a Y years ago..... had the exercise thing down for years, with a few lapses, here and there. But I always have appreciated the relaxation and stress reduction of working out. I enjoy outdoor walks when the weather is nice, and have a treadmill in my basement for when it is less than nice. Exercise, by itself, did not enable me to drop weight, I had to really commit to better feeding patterns.

voguey0704

Excercise with some sort of a reward (in the most abstract sense of the word) is what helped me get into it. For example, I like hiking up hills where the view is something you couldn't experience without the work.

ladylu11

you have to find something you enjoy or you will not stick with it. For me there has to be variety, I do videos, zumba, nightclub cardio, riding my bike outside when weather permits, walking, swimming at the gym, body combat, etc.... I get bored doing the same thing over and over so this is what helps me.

lisapr123

What about finding an activity you love? Tennis, kayaking, volleyball, ice hockey.... I cycle as a hobby so strength training and intervals fit right in with my cycling hobby goals. When I'm working on a goal that doesn't involve the scale, I tend to stick with it much better.

Good Luck to you

Siannah

I started by walking in my lunchbreaks. Initially kinda flippantly, but in no time I became obsessed with it, trying to cram in a further distance in the same time (used an app to track distance, speed and calories burnt).

And because it was in my lunchbreak, I didn't actually have to make time for it, which helped a lot!

GraceOrr

I started walking because I got a dog, then that turnrd into running a bit here and there, then eventually running a lot. Now I workout lifting weights and all kinds of crazy stuff. However, running is my main thing to do.
I am a housekeeper, so most days after i have worked all day, the last thing i wanto to do is go to the gym. So, I run early in the morning and in the evening when i need to go to the gym, i tell myself that the hardest part is getting there and that sitting here is not gonna make me healthy. So, then im off.
I also ride my bike a lot, it was hard at first but as I got stronger, i built up a good bit of tolerence...

WhittRak

I sit at my job all day, so by the time I get to the gym I am more than happy to work-out...and hard! I never used to enjoy working out, until I noticed I felt great afterwards, and the scale lets me know I am doing well.

Squeeks70

I started out just walking with my Ipod....2 miles in about 25 minutes. Then added in jogging. I was doing this outside during the summer/fall. Slowed down in winter (didn't want to go out in the cold!). Now I am inside on a treadmill and for motivation two friends and I signed up for a mini marathon (13.1 miles) in May. So now I am running/brisk walk at 3/1 (3 minutes run/ 1 minute walk) and following a 12 week schedule. Some strength training thrown in during the week. My advice, JUST DO IT as the Nike ad says. You'll start liking how it makes you feel afterwards and I am addicted my MyFitnessPal. I log my exercise along with my food intake. The hardest part is just getting started. What also helped me was I would go to fitness sights on the internet and I subscribed to Women's Health magazine and a couple others. Just remember, you are doing this for YOU.

rumsuck8

Someone on MFP recomended the Leslie Sansone Walk at Home videos....I got the CD for $8.00 at Best Buy and it did the trick for me. I have lupus and joint related issues so it was a real great and non threatening workout for me.

deb62pink

Easiest way is to do whatever you choose, slowly. I started bike riding in April last year, only rode 1klm a day for the first week, then 2 klms for the next week and so on, now Ican ride 25-30klms in a day and really enjoy it, but I just took my time. If I had overdone it in the first day or week, I probably would have thought to myself "na this is too hard" and given up. Walking is a very good way to start, you'd be amazed at the things you see when you get around your own neighbourhood and how sweet the fresh air smells....Good Luck

JNettie73

Find something you either enjoy or could learn to enjoy.

Exercise should be fun; I think exercise became torture when we grew up and stopped playing.

^^^ This. I started with going for a walk at a park or a hike on a trail. I did 30 min at least 3x a week to start. From there I built upon it. My routine now consists of aerobics and strength training 6x a week on alternating days and I love it! There is a lot of things that you can do that are fun. Just keep experimenting until you find something you enjoy. Best of luck to you.

cheynshelby

Ijoined a gym and hooked up with some buddys to get up and go with. You have so much more energy in the morning after you work out. Dont over do it in the beginning. Good luck. Feel free to add me if you need motivation.

trijoe

"My Story" by TriJoe. For what it's worth.

I had ben trying for years to find a workout regimen and/or diet regimen that worked, always with no luck. Finally, with a push from my wife, and a really hard ugly look in the mirror, I bottomed out.

First thing I did was get a copy of Walking for Dummies (Really. I still have it.). Second thing I did was find a used treadmill on crags list. Why buy new when everybody's getting rid of their old ones? Third thing I did was figure out a time and way to workout while watching 3 young children. I'm a stay at home dad, and our kids were 3, 1, and 1 at the time. Fourth thing I did was make baby step changes to my horrific eating habits (vs/ going on a diet. Yikes does that fail every time). And the last thing I did was put all of this into action.

I started out around 250 and in a year had made it down to 170. Our lives have changed drastically since then, and my weight has fluctuated as this process has evolved. I got back up to 200. A friend turned me on to MFP, and I'm now back down to 185 and dropping. So there are bumps on my road, but I know for a fact I'm in this for life, so I'm okay with occasional bumps.

OH! And as far as treadmill walking? That evolved into treadmill running. Which evolved into marathoning. Which evolved into triathlon. I'm now a hardcore (though slow and terrible!) triathlete who's always looking for the next race, next workout, next adventure. I swim/bike/run/weight train between 8 and 12 hours a week, love every minute of it, and can't imagine what my life would be like without my daily fix oops I mean workout. It centers my mind, body, and spirit. Plus it gives my daughters something they can look at me doing, that's actually positive. It's all good.

I hope this helps.

TriJoe.

runnercheryl

I started off with Kinect exercise games - Your Shape and Biggest Loser.

Then, I committed myself to walk 23 miles for charity, which meant lots of long hikes for training followed by the final walk including mountains, waterfall-climbing etc.

Then I moved house to be within walking distance of the office, which means I can commute doing about five miles a day on foot. I cycle some evenings and use Kinect on others, to try and keep variety in.

I don't think I'll ever enjoy exercise - I'm just not that person - but I can keep motivated at least.

zbmb30

I used to be fairly active and then got a great job that is a desk job. I got tired of looking in the mirror and not seeing the curves I used to have, plus I hated seeing the scale at the highest I have ever seen it. So I went to the nutritionist at work and she went over my diet. Then I called up a trainer at the gym at my work. She came up with different exercises so I wouldn't get bored and sometimes she would workout with me as well. She also teaches bootcamp classes on the days we didn't train, and I absolutely love those classes. They keep you moving and by the time you are done you are drenching in sweat. The moves are all different and keep it interesting. I also love running. I've been pretty good about staying on a routine with the treadmill while it is cold outside. It's my "me" time and I can get my thinking in during that time and push myself with new goals.

I will admit that the hardest part is getting up and going. Once you get dressed into workout clothes and start the workout, or get to the gym or wherever you workout, you will already feel better and will realize you made a great choice.

therealangd

I started with the Wii Fit.

Bitute

Hi! I started my excercises when i became raw food eater. It started from pilates, than running and now in winter time, when it's -20 or more i use my elliptical bike and going to pilates. I never was the person who loves sports, but something just happened and i can't stop loving the feeling when i exercise, it's like a drug. Good luck!

tmacmoto

Started 15 minutes on the Elliptical machine and slowly bumped my way up to 45 minutes. It began during my lunch break at the office, so now my lunch is my workout.
And during that time also got the Wii Fit to have fun and made a party out of it.
Now, I do 45 minutes of cardio during lunch, 30 minutes of cardio when I get home and every other night do Dance Central on the XBox Kinect.
It was slow, but very managable

RaRa819

Slowly. A brisk walk or parking far away.

Quickster34

If you make working out part of your day it wont seem like anything out of the ordinary, make it just like work or brushing your teeth, you have to do it! and it should feel wierd if you dont then you wont even have to thing about it as something out of the ordinary and it will become routine

hosegirl

I got up and just started walking durign my lunch break. 15 minutes for teh first week thane 20 and increased to at least 30 minutes. I joine MFP and I walk, zumba, ride a recumbant bike. I use the bike durign the winter mostly. The key is you will need to be the one to say " I am not going to sit here anymore." Even it is for 5 mintues the first time. gradually increase it.

Vermilla

I bought some The Slim workout vids and would do the quick 15 minute ones once a day, then twice, then more. I eventually bought a stationary bike because I'd get restless and want to move around even though before I started, I only got up for the bare necessities. It just continued, and now I'm at the gym every day!

maryrr88

I was in college when I first started exercising. I can even pinpoint when - January 2008 (so spring semester). My good friend had lost 30lbs over the fall 2007 semester (albeit unhealthily), and my mom was on WW & was reaching her goal weight of 155 lbs down from 226. I am kind of competitive & seeing other people getting healthy & losing weight usually makes me want to get in on the action.

I decided to radically cut my snacking & be very vigilant about my eating habits (which had been horrible, my freshman year 06/07 I had gained 8 lbs and I was up to about 180 lbs at 5'8), as well as start exercising. I mean, I had access to a gym that was included in my tuition, so I might as well use it. I had a long talk with my mom and she suggested that I work out 5x/week. And... I started working out 5x/week. I was fanatical about it. I think I did about 40 minutes a day. I started at about 175 & got down to 147ish (I think 145 was my lowest weight ever, since I lost weight after a 3 week trip to China in January 09). Losing the weight just seemed so easy, mostly because I was exercising so much, and I was walking a lot since I lived on campus and had to walk everywhere. My fanatical exercise kind of petered out in November 2008 because I was in my dad's wedding in December of that year & I had taken my dress to be altered. I had lost 10 lbs from August when I bought it to November when I took it for alterations & I didn't want to lose any more weight.

Since then, I've been off and on with my exercising and lax with my eating. I got a sedentary desk job in January of 2010 and even though I've switched jobs since then, it's still a desk job. Now that I'm getting married in November, a little over 9 months from now, I want to trim up for the wedding. I'm up to about 155 lbs right now, which is still healthy for my height, but I'm not content with how I am now.

So... that's my story! TLDR version is that my mom & friend's weight loss motivated me to get off my butt and start exercising!

jwhite32

While studying, I do my Wii Fit Free Step for about 2 hours. It helps me stay focused on studying and keeps me moving. :happy:

_Ren

I started getting to work 15minutes to 30minutes before my shift. I speed walk up and down the long hallways or outside for 15-20 minutes listening to music on my headphones. Then I go into the ladies room and do some stretches.

After that, I started adding speed walking during my lunch break after waiting a few minutes after eating.

Then, when I would get bored or not have anything to do at work (desk job), instead of surfing the internet or facebook, I go for a 5-10 minute walk.

I can usually get in 60 minutes of speed walking a day at work. My goal is a minimum of 30 minutes. I have noticed that my butt is getting firmer and I feel more energetic and can think better while doing my job.

Also, I have been counting calories on MFP.

Since I started using MFP, I have gone from a size 18 to 16 (and that was before I started all that speed walking). Now, come on size 14!!!