Exercise the hardest part to maintain over time

NewMnky1

So I have done really well with weight loss and changing my whole outlook on food and exercise. I have 100% got the food changes down pat and will have no problem maintaining it.
I think I will struggle with the exercise portion. I am still very good at doing 6 days a week of cardio and two days of those 6 with personal trainer, but if I struggle with anything in the future I see it being the maintenance of exercise and sticking to it. I am totally committed but I am not one of those people who love or feed off exercise. Does anyone else have this issue? If so how did you keep yourself motivated to maintain it long term?

fourpairs

I am amazed at how will you have done. I think the trick is like food finding an exercise that works for you. I hate the gym - it is equal to torture for me , but I love hiking in the woods, walking on the battlefields, and dancing. I could use your motivation. I just started on this journey, and I have a long way to go. I sure could use a friend to help me along the way. :

jacksonpt

What are your goals? Maybe exercise won't be necessary for you...

cwolfman13

A couple of things here...exercise is great, but not necessary to maintain. I think it does help to be generally active and certainly exercise is great for your overall fitness, but it's not a necessary component of losing or maintaining weight; you can do that purely through diet alone.

That said, not necessarily advocating no exercise...like I said, exercise is essential for overall heart health and general fitness. I have a few friends who are "naturally" thin and when I examine their lifestyles I notice some very important things. They don't over eat, they generally make good decisions in RE to their diets (i.e. they don't eat a ton of "junk" food), they maintain good portion control, and they are generally active.

When I say generally active, it's not that they're hitting the gym all of the time...they're just active. They take the dog out regularly for long walks...they hike in the mountains...they ski...they ride their bikes...they swim...they paddle canoes and kayaks on the lake...they golf, etc, etc, etc. Basically, they just get out and do things that they enjoy doing. Not a single one of them has a membership to the gym and I've only occasionally every seen my buddy use his elliptical at home.

Are they super ripped...no. Could they go out and just run a marathon or even 5K...probably not. But they are generally fit and healthy. So, it really just depends on your goals. Personally, I hate cardio machines and you might as well shoot me now...but I love lifting and I love other outdoor activities that provide me with an abundance of exercise.

dmkoenig

Goal setting is a big part of staying motivated. Could be something like training for a 5K race, getting to a new level of fitness,a vacation with some vigorous hiking in the mountains, fitting in a smaller size set of clothes, etc. Something that pushes you out the door to the gym on days that you just don't feel like doing anything.

Another aspect of maintaining an exercise regimen that can be very benefical is establishing some sort of accountability to someone. For example finding a workout partner is a great way to build in accountability to each other, and it can also increase your enjoyment as it becomes more of a social experience. Group classes can also help out, especially if you become a regular attender as you will develop some relationships with others in the class and the instructor.

Third thing is to incorporate variation. Hike in a park, ride a bike on a trail, do some swimming, try out a yoga class. All great things that help keep things interesting.

Good luck!

NewMnky1

I am amazed at how will you have done. I think the trick is like food finding an exercise that works for you. I hate the gym - it is equal to torture for me , but I love hiking in the woods, walking on the battlefields, and dancing. I could use your motivation. I just started on this journey, and I have a long way to go. I sure could use a friend to help me along the way. :

Feel free to add me as a friend

NewMnky1

What are your goals? Maybe exercise won't be necessary for you...

I still want to lose 27 pounds. I for sure need to tone up a lot of areas, which is what I am doing with my PT twice a week. But my ultimate goal is to maintain the weight loss. And reading most posts etc everyone says you need to maintain the exercise to do this.

moustache_flavored_lube

The trick is to not just do mindless cardio at the gym. That sucks!!!

Find something fun that you at least sort of enjoy doing.

Set some goals (complete a race, hike a mountain, bike 50 miles ...) then use that goal to motivate yourself to exercise regularly. I now pay little attention to the calories a workout burns. Instead I focus on how it gets me towards my fitness goals. I have found it very motivating, and have had great results.

NewMnky1

Thanks everyone some really good ideas!

jacksonpt

What are your goals? Maybe exercise won't be necessary for you...

I still want to lose 27 pounds. I for sure need to tone up a lot of areas, which is what I am doing with my PT twice a week. But my ultimate goal is to maintain the weight loss. And reading most posts etc everyone says you need to maintain the exercise to do this.

To maintain the number on the scale, you do not need exercise. To maintain a certain level of fitness or a certain look/body type, you may very well.

NewMnky1

What are your goals? Maybe exercise won't be necessary for you...

I still want to lose 27 pounds. I for sure need to tone up a lot of areas, which is what I am doing with my PT twice a week. But my ultimate goal is to maintain the weight loss. And reading most posts etc everyone says you need to maintain the exercise to do this.

To maintain the number on the scale, you do not need exercise. To maintain a certain level of fitness or a certain look/body type, you may very well.

Makes sense, thanks

notthatthis

A personal trainer two times a week. What exactly do they have you doing? If it is just cardio, cardio, cardio then they need sacking.

NewMnky1

A personal trainer two times a week. What exactly do they have you doing? If it is just cardio, cardio, cardio then they need sacking.

No, I do all the cardio on my own at home on elliptical or by walking. When I go to see the trainer I do my cardio before we start my session then he does many many different things, all over lifting and core training, he changes it up every time I go so it is a really good session each time.

TR0berts

A personal trainer two times a week. What exactly do they have you doing? If it is just cardio, cardio, cardio then they need sacking.

No, I do all the cardio on my own at home on elliptical or by walking. When I go to see the trainer I do my cardio before we start my session then he does many many different things, all over lifting and core training, he changes it up every time I go so it is a really good session each time.

You might want to try doing your cardio after your training session. You'll likely find that you have more energy and can put more into your gym training, which may very well make it feel more satisfying.

NewMnky1

A personal trainer two times a week. What exactly do they have you doing? If it is just cardio, cardio, cardio then they need sacking.

No, I do all the cardio on my own at home on elliptical or by walking. When I go to see the trainer I do my cardio before we start my session then he does many many different things, all over lifting and core training, he changes it up every time I go so it is a really good session each time.

You might want to try doing your cardio after your training session. You'll likely find that you have more energy and can put more into your gym training, which may very well make it feel more satisfying.

Good advice, thanks

SillyFitMe

A couple of things here...exercise is great, but not necessary to maintain. I think it does help to be generally active and certainly exercise is great for your overall fitness, but it's not a necessary component of losing or maintaining weight; you can do that purely through diet alone.

That said, not necessarily advocating no exercise...like I said, exercise is essential for overall heart health and general fitness. I have a few friends who are "naturally" thin and when I examine their lifestyles I notice some very important things. They don't over eat, they generally make good decisions in RE to their diets (i.e. they don't eat a ton of "junk" food), they maintain good portion control, and they are generally active.

When I say generally active, it's not that they're hitting the gym all of the time...they're just active. They take the dog out regularly for long walks...they hike in the mountains...they ski...they ride their bikes...they swim...they paddle canoes and kayaks on the lake...they golf, etc, etc, etc. Basically, they just get out and do things that they enjoy doing. Not a single one of them has a membership to the gym and I've only occasionally every seen my buddy use his elliptical at home.

Are they super ripped...no. Could they go out and just run a marathon or even 5K...probably not. But they are generally fit and healthy. So, it really just depends on your goals. Personally, I hate cardio machines and you might as well shoot me now...but I love lifting and I love other outdoor activities that provide me with an abundance of exercise.

^^^^This is key! So true!

concordancia

The key is to find something you enjoy! Dancing and sports are excellent ways to stay fit.

eganita

For me, personal training and sports leagues. With PT, I am paying a pretty penny so I definitely don't want to just blow it off. I play in a dek hockey league, so that's a constant activity throughout the year.

I think it's key to find something that you enjoy. Another thing that helps me is signing up for races - I motivate myself to do the sometimes boring training runs to prepare for the fun end goal (The race!)

NewMnky1

Thanks everyone. I am always a little scared to post something because there are a lot of harsh commentors (not even sure if that is a real word LOL) on MFP. Thanks for all the positive encouraging comments!

moustache_flavored_lube

What are your goals? Maybe exercise won't be necessary for you...

I still want to lose 27 pounds. I for sure need to tone up a lot of areas, which is what I am doing with my PT twice a week. But my ultimate goal is to maintain the weight loss. And reading most posts etc everyone says you need to maintain the exercise to do this.

To maintain the number on the scale, you do not need exercise. To maintain a certain level of fitness or a certain look/body type, you may very well.

Also if you want to feel better, have more energy, ward off problems like arthritis, osteoporosis, and not die early you should probably exercise

PaveGurl

Exercise isn't necessary to maintain weight loss any more than it's truly necessary to exercise to lose weight. Does it help? Sure. Is being more active overall important to your overall health? Very much so. Does that mean "exercising"? Not necessarily.

Find stuff you love to do - dance, hula hoop, play hopscotch, swing on the monkey bars at your local park, curl your milk gallons, go roller skating with friends (it's WAY fun to be the "grown ups" - try it!), check out a yoga/ zumba/ weightlifting/ spin class, start your day with a pushup, tour a neighbourhood on foot, take a class in paddleboarding (if you've got a body of water nearby), join a gym with a pool and take a water aerobics class (they are pretty awesome)...

There are a lot of ways you can incorporate the other health benefits of being active without having to "work out." Personally, I skip through parking lots and dance through the grocery store.