I hate exercising but I know I NEED to

msfaithful

X360 Kinect
Dance Central
Hip Hop Dance Experience
Michael Jackson Experience
Zumba
Any of the outdoor games


Or just go for a walk...a workout doesn't have to feel like work to get you results. You just gotta move! :flowerforyou:

eganita

Do something fun! It's doesn't have to be a "work out".

I agree with this... there's a recreational sports league for adults in my area. I've played a bunch of sports through that, from kickball to dodgeball to softball to hockey. Perhaps you could see if there's something similar where you live.

As far as running goes, a lot of people like the Couch to 5k program, though I have no personal experience with it myself. I don't always enjoy going for runs (sometimes I actually HATE IT!!), but I keep myself going by thinking about the "high" I'll feel after the run and/or thinking about my next race! Maybe you could sign up for a 5k as motivation. Once I ran my first couple of 5ks, I was kind of hooked... what an adrenalin rush! It's also fun using apps such as "Map My Run", not only to see your own progress but also to see runs that your friends completed.

Or, maybe you'll find that cardio just isn't really your thing. Maybe you would enjoy doing some lifting... I like "Day 1" especially in this link: http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/circuit-style-trainer-women

Another option is to maybe try and workout with a personal trainer, though that can be expensive and it's not for everyone. I go to one once a week at my gym, and I've really learned a lot from him. He also REALLY pushes me... while the workout sometimes isn't fun AT ALL, I feel amazing afterwards. I think noticing my progress (faster run times, more muscle tone, etc) is also pushing me to keep going.

Good luck!! I hope you find something you enjoy.

andreajaeger89

I love sweating to the oldies! Hahah Come on who doesn't love Richard Simmons! He's fun and sassy and doesn't yell at you or tell you to stop being lazy and work harder like all the other at home tapes!

paday

A runner is anyone who laces up their tennis shoes and runs. You don't have to do any special walk-to-5K plans or anything. Throw on some ear-buds and walk for awhile. When you get the urge, run. Run for 5 minutes or run for 30 seconds. Walk some more. I dislike exercising myself but I absolutely LOVE running (or rather my variation of running which is when, where, and how I want to run). I started a few years ago and have gotten to the point that when I'm frustrated at work, I want...no, I NEED to run to de-stress myself and clear my head.

The thing about running is that you are your only competition. There is no one to judge you and you can go as fast or as slow or as far as YOU want to. I've never seen anyone young/old/big/little/lean/muscly that looked awkward running and the more you run the more confident you get at it. You can do it virtually anywhere and you can always change scenery/terrain when you get sick of looking at the same thing over and over. I switch up running in my neighborhood with running at the city track (or on the treadmill if it's rainy) so I never feel like I'm doing the exact same thing all the time.

3shirts

Yeah weights are much more enjoyable for me, I think because it has a more instant effect. I can feel how hard I've worked immediately after each set. Fortunately I get my cardio needs through cycling to work and playing badminton so I can use the gym just for weights.

howekaren

I am doing Power 90 (NOT P90X)

Every day I wake dreading my workout.
Every day I hate my workout while I'm doing it.
Every day I am so damn proud of myself for having worked out.

Slowly the dread and the hate are melting away, just like the fat. The feelings of a job well done are increasing. It is getting so that when I miss a day, I just don't feel right.

If you need more fun in your exercise -- nothing wrong with that! -- maybe you should start outdoor sport such as tennis, kayaking, cycling etc.

THIS, definitely this! It took me a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGG time to find an exercise I liked. I started with walking 30min 3 times/week. Then I got Wii Active for my birthday and it's a great beginner workout that I could do at home. Then I started playing volleyball recreationally, which I love, twice a week. Finally, as part of a local Biggest Loser competition, we were expected to attend mandatory training sessions twice a week with a local trainer. I despised it and him. He was "making" me do things I thought were patently impossible. If looks could have killed, he'd have been a dead man. But, after 3 months of training/suffering I was hooked. I was challenging myself, working harder than I ever had, and seeing results. Now I do cross-fit with that same awesome trainer. There are a fantastic group of people who attend his gym and they are so motivating: both the in shape ones and the the out of shape ones. I've been with him for almost 2 years now, and I've finally gotten to the point where I feel guilty if I miss, even while I hate every second I'm there. I'm in the best shape of my life, but I still have a ways to go and I finally have something I can commit to. I've also committed to trying a C25K again and am considering a 5K race in June, even though I am definitely NOT a runner (but I want to be). Just keep looking, you'll find your "thing".

Andrea681

Find something fun to do. It doesn't necessarily have to be a "WORKOUT". Dance, swim, skip (skipping with big hops is a form of pylometrics which is awesome),hiking (my favorite), jump rope.. anything can be exercise.

Also, don't be intimidated by the gym. 9 times out of 10 the people there aren't paying any attention to you. I know when I go to the gym I am in my own little world and don't pay attention to anyone around me. I lift with the "boys" and no one says anything, I just do my thing and go home.

Sign up for a 5k. That's how I got started running. I signed up for a few 5k's and ran/walked them, then I ran them, then I signed up for a 12k and ran that, then I signed up for a Sprint Triathlon and swam, biked and ran that. I can honestly say now that I am a proud runner, but I wasn't always.

Also, make sure you get good shoes before you start running. Shoes and socks are important.

Ask your hubby for help. Maybe he'd like to go for a run with you?

Good Luck and feel free to add me.

deksgrl

I used to hate it. I might do fun things sometimes that were active, but if it was called exercise for the purpose of exercise, I wanted no part of it and had a very hard time staying motivated.

But eventually I realized that I was not going to see any change unless I did. And nobody could do it for me. It was all up to me, and if I wanted it, I would have to DO it. Basically I started wanting to change more than I hated doing it.

I did Zumba for awhile until the class moved and didn't fit my schedule any more. I did Jillian Michaels and Leslie Sansone DVD's. I got a Wii and did Wii sports and Zumba. Then I bought a weight set and started a heavy lifting program. You have to find what you like enough to make yourself do. Then after awhile you will look forward to it and not hate it as much any more.

eganita

One more thing... a few people mentioned getting good shoes, and I highly recommend that as well. I developed some foot issues due to using old/worn shoes. I got fitted for shoes at a running store (based on my stride, pronation, etc) and haven't had any problems since.

metacognition

If you exercise daily for a long time, your body bounces back quickly and exercise itself - even the tough stuff - becomes as easy as brushing your teeth. Make it a habit and don't take a day off unless you absolutely need it. Inertia applies to exercise as well. If I take a couple of days off, the following workout is not only more tiring than usual, but I stall and dread it more. If I've exercised the day before, it requires almost no effort to do it the following day. Start back with anything you can do. I recommend interval cardio; it will get your aerobic capacity up faster than steady state cardio.

eganita

Make it a habit and don't take a day off unless you absolutely need it.

Everyone is different, but I do not recommend the above. If you're doing something less taxing on the body such as walking, this may be ok. With the intense cardio and lifting that I do, I need rest days.

laurenz2501

The only thing that has worked for me is that I am learning Tae Kwon Do. I know it seems a little OTT but I started as a beginner and I still am very inexperienced but the reason I keep at it, is because there are people now expecting me there when I tell them I will be. Also, my physical ability is still very limited but you pick up the little things very quickly and get the instant gratification of learning something fast or getting closer to doing the BIG move that looks really cool. It might not be a martial art, maybe it's dance or a sport like volley ball. But it makes you part of a team and then it's not just you that you're letting down it's the people expecting you to be there and you feel the gratification of mentally learning something as well as physically working out
X

Very well said! I like that idea. Thank you