Any Tips for getting on the exercise bandwagon?

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  • AndyStanford
    AndyStanford Posts: 154 Member
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    Might not be an option for you, but I started cycling to work. Although slower at first, after a few weeks I was getting to & from work in about the same time that it takes me to get to the train and then sit on the train the rest of the way.

    Of course, having a shower at work helped, and I was able to follow the train route most of the way, so I had a safety net in the early days when I needed to force myself to keep going.
  • squirrelythegreat
    squirrelythegreat Posts: 158 Member
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    One step at a time. It will be rough at the beginning, but don't give up. Nobody said it would be easy. Persevere.
  • tidesong
    tidesong Posts: 451 Member
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    In the morning, put shoes on.... open front door.
    Go outside. Walk for 30 min. Repeat 5x per week, for starters.....

    This! I was sedentary for basically my whole life until I decided I needed to get my life in order this past March. I did exactly what this person did. Put on shoes, opened (well, my back) door, went outside, and walked. At first, I could barely make it around the block. Then I went farther and farther. Then I joined a gym, got the help of trainers. Kept gradually increasing what I was doing. Kept pushing myself when I could. Trained for a 5k over the summer. Am doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred now (just started Level 3!)

    But really, you just have to start somewhere. Go for a walk in the morning. If that's not possible, do it at lunch. If that's not possible, do it when you get home. But find *some* time to do it! Even 10-minute bursts of exercise are better than doing nothing!

    It can be difficult to get started. And you'll dread it for a while. But when you make it part of your routine, you'll start feeling off if you miss a day! You can do it. Just take the first steps. Literally!
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
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    It's all mindplay. You either want it or you dont. So either do it, or do not.
  • mary659497
    mary659497 Posts: 483 Member
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    Just start walking. You will feel so much better. Once you start feeling stronger then either by an exercise dvd to do at home or buy a gym membership. Best of luck to you.
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
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    Pencil it in like anything you have to do...Next thing you know, It's just a normal part of your week;-) with great rewards:-)
  • SStrauss79
    SStrauss79 Posts: 124 Member
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    My tip would be to get a friend who already works out and is somewhat religious about it. Go with them and use them to keep you accountable. This worked for me....about a few weeks my friend kind of stopped going but I was already in the groove so was able to keep it up on my own. I now go more often than she does. You just have to tell yourself that no matter how tired you are, you just have to get to the gym or your day is not complete. I started this at 332lbs....have a very sedentary desk job...and doing to much was just painful and tiring. You can do this...just make the choice to start.

    And take classes...so much more fun and you can't quit until the class is over so you won't jip yourself on your workout.
  • LisaBeateith2012
    LisaBeateith2012 Posts: 346 Member
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    It really is a matter of just "fake it til you make it". At first you just do it because you're forcing yourself to do it. After a while you realize you love the way you feel when you do it and hate the way you feel when you don't.
    Love this, it is right on the button!
  • Ditchy69
    Ditchy69 Posts: 14 Member
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    Just force yourself...i had a habit of demotivating myself and say ill go tomorow ect...but once you have started you will notice how keen you will get.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    I'm also at the office 12-13 hours a day. I go in early, so I don't get up any earlier to work out for fear of getting fired from falling sleeping at work (ha...) but I work out as soon as I get home. I don't like the gym, so I either go for a run outside or do DVDs. My favorites right now are Jillian Michaels DVDs and P90X. I also do a 1 hour ballet class twice a week that my boss agreed to let me leave "early" for (7pm...thanks boss....).

    Once you get it worked into your schedule it's easy to keep going and your body and mind crave exercise, but until then I know it's very hard to get started. You have to just force yourself. That's what I did with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD. I promised myself that I would do the full 30 days, and I just did it. I loved the changes to my body so much and I was suddenly sleeping a lot better, lost lots of pounds and inches and I just wanted to keep going.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
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    make it a habit.

    habits start with effort - so int he short term you need to make the effort to do consistently. After a while it will become a habit and part of your lifestyle.
  • JennKie1
    JennKie1 Posts: 200 Member
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    You just need to find something that appeals to you. I was dragging myself to the gym and giving a half-hearted effort (because I hated it). I saw an infomercial for an exercise program that looked like fun and other people's results were really motivating. So, I ordered it. I love it. It's really challenging, but I am consistently exercising, losing weight, and toning up. It might be something different for you: swimming, biking, walking, getting a work-out buddy for the gym, hiring a trainer to kick your butt, Zumba, 30DS, volleyball, basketball, anything. All of us can offer suggestions, but ultimately it's up to you. When you're ready and you really want to, you will.
  • Sooze_1975
    Sooze_1975 Posts: 89 Member
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    It really is a matter of just "fake it til you make it". At first you just do it because you're forcing yourself to do it. After a while you realize you love the way you feel when you do it and hate the way you feel when you don't.

    I agree with this statement. A year ago, you couldn't pay me enough to go to a gym. Now, if I miss two days in a row, everything just feels wrong.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    I don't believe anyone when they say they don't have time for it. Get up 10 minutes earlier, park farther away. Take the long way every time you leave your desk. Take stairs whenever possible.

    If your watching tv, surfing the internet, gossiping at the water cooler whatever time your currently wasting could be time spent moving. Moving is all it takes. Do not under estimate the power of walking.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    My first suggestion is to not consider it a bandwagon, but rather consider it your new lifestyle.
  • mandypie92
    mandypie92 Posts: 14 Member
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    bodyrock.tv .. it is the best website ever for workouts.. it's addicting, you'll probably want to get the timer because it makes it way easier.. but the workouts are between 12 and 20 minutes... they're awesome. if you go on the site today they are redoing it so it isn't perfect/how it was but give them a go!
  • moreORless50
    moreORless50 Posts: 261 Member
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    just walk daily thats all i do is walk :happy:
  • smpgetsfit
    smpgetsfit Posts: 38 Member
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    It really is a matter of just "fake it til you make it". At first you just do it because you're forcing yourself to do it. After a while you realize you love the way you feel when you do it and hate the way you feel when you don't.

    ^^this^^
  • musiche
    musiche Posts: 214 Member
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    I don't think there's any magic words that can get you do to something that is "work". "Working out" is work, and that's the only reason there's a pay off. Anything easy in life doesn't reward you well.

    That being said, I have found over the years that the best way to keep myself going after the first couple of weeks (when the newness starts to wear off and the boredom of routine and predictability sets in) is to "mind over matter it". When I started hitting the gym 10 years ago, I had this mantra for myself:

    "JUST DO IT"

    The only thing that stands in our way is ourselves, our thoughts. If you can say to yourself "I'm working out now" and put every other thought from your mind and JUST DO IT, nothing will stop you. Don't think "I'll do twice the workout tomorrow" or "I only have 20 minutes, it's not worth it", just set your mind to it and think of nothing else. If you can't stop thinking your way out of it, try a mantra: "I'm going to the gym. I'm going to the gym. I'm going to the gym." over and over until you get there.

    If you screw up one day, don't focus on it. Forget about it and KEEP GOING. There's no 'starting over'. People with this mentality think that the past is separate from the future which means if the gap gets bigger, it's no big deal because you'll be starting a new leaf soon and it'll be better. Wrong, just KEEP GOING! There is no specific chunk of time that is the magical chunk of time to make changes happen. All you have is now.

    Just do it!

    And stay positive. If you can't, then stop thinking about it, lol.

    :)

    Good luck!
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Do-it-now.jpg

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