I hate exercise!!!!!

flitabout

I hate exersice. I mean I really hate it. I hate going to the gym, I hate working out in the house to tapes. I feel like it's torture! It's not a lack of motivation. I just really hate it! It's not that I don't move, I move and I move a lot. Just not typical exercise kinda way. I have 4 kids I take care of. I walk my 2 dogs for roughly an hour a day, I clean, and I garden when weather permits. I set my activity level at sedentary so I get to call it exercise. Because I would rather spend an entire day in my garden, cleaning my house and chasing my 10, 7, 5, and 2yr olds around the yard, than to spend 5 minutes doing traditional types of exercise. I know I can't be the only one! LOL! So what do you do to move but not necessarily workout???

eep223

I bike to and from work, I go for a walk at lunch, and I walk my dogs in the evening. It's all built into my day and I don't even think about it.

I add exercise dvds on top of that, but I consider that bonus and I don't necessarily do them every day. I know that walking and biking are things I can stick to for the rest of my life.

hmg90

I am the same. I really hate it, and I have to force myself - or used to, I don't even have a gym membership anymore. People say "imagine how great you feel after". I don't feel great after. Going to spin class just reminds me how horrible it actually is and when I leave class I think "never again". It's not getting easier or part of a routine, it sucks every time.

I try to sneak it in other ways, like going for power walks to music or so. Also thinking to start walking home from work, it's very far and will help.

Francl27

I hate it too. I make myself do it. I walk more because it's been nice out but who knows how long it's going to last before it gets humid and hot and just too disgusting.

momzeeee

I didn't do any exercise when I was actively losing weight. Weight loss and exercise are two different things. If you don't like it then don't do it! Taking walks the dogs and the kids, gardening/playing around in the yard are healthy activities. You don't 'have' to do anything besides that

jaynie678

Me too.... I hate exercise too but your loosing weight so that's the main thing,

estherlion

I'm in the same boat. I believe you can burn calories doing what you are doing, like going up and down the stairs at home with a load of laundry, doing the dishes, cleaning, etc. instead of sitting on the couch. I like the satifaction of seeing a clean house, a garden tended, etc. Using the stairs instead of elevators, parking far. There's plenty of ways to move without thinking it's "excercise." In fact, every time I've slimmed down, it's been 90% diet. I've had to learn to not take all the advice here because I'm not the buff, weightlifting, athletic type. So I focus more on the diet aspect and I'm losing 1lb consistantly per week.

Rachlovesfitness

Try thinking of it like this...if you said "I hate brushing my teeth" or "I hate putting gas in my car"...would that stop you from doing it? We have to do things we don't like, (I dont always want to exercise either) but we do them because its taking care of ourselves and should be part of a daily routine

TeaBea

I hate it too. I make myself do it. I walk more because it's been nice out but who knows how long it's going to last before it gets humid and hot and just too disgusting.

You need to "excuse proof" it ...... I can force myself .... to a point

Use a treadmill with a little TV screen .....tell yourself "I get to watch ____________ (something your husband or kids hate) while I'm walking"

Do "walking" DVDs ..... Walk at Home or Just Walk ... Leslie Sansone ones are most common... but there are other instructors out there. The beauty of these ... you can use your own music ... when theirs gets stale. Examples ...

http://youtu.be/9fhGXc6W-FI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjduJjO1pLg&feature=related

ninerbuff

Exercise isn't NEEDED to lose weight. You just need a calorie deficit. Exercise is for those who want to change how their body looks and for fitness. If you are ACTIVE now and your N.E.A.T. is good (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) then don't worry about exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

QuilterInVA

If you want to be toned you have to do strength training. If you don't you will lose muscle as well as fat. It's absolutely necessary for maintenance. We all have to do things we don't like to reach our final goal.

smantha32

I hate it too. But I feel like it IS necessary, so I force myself/talk myself into going every time.

I have had very active jobs and "just moving around" still wasn't enough for me.

smantha32

Try thinking of it like this...if you said "I hate brushing my teeth" or "I hate putting gas in my car"...would that stop you from doing it? We have to do things we don't like, (I dont always want to exercise either) but we do them because its taking care of ourselves and should be part of a daily routine

right. This.

ninerbuff

If you want to be toned you have to do strength training. If you don't you will lose muscle as well as fat. It's absolutely necessary for maintenance. We all have to do things we don't like to reach our final goal.

No such thing as "toned". Verbage made up by the fitness industry. Even though my job is to encourage exercise, in truth people who are active with strength (climbing, farming, house building, etc.) will be fine with muscle retention and maintenance.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

craigmandu

There is no shame in not liking or doing exercise. I believe you will discover as you lose more and more weight, that you will wish you had incorporated some.

I wish you nothing but success in your journey!

TheApocalypse

I hate exersice. I mean I really hate it.

You're doing it wrong.

cwolfman13

Exercise isn't NEEDED to lose weight. You just need a calorie deficit. Exercise is for those who want to change how their body looks and for fitness. If you are ACTIVE now and your N.E.A.T. is good (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) then don't worry about exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

What he said ^^^^

Also, maybe you just haven't found what you like. Personally, I hate stupid DVDs and I hate cardio equipment...I love going for hikes in the mountains, walking my dogs (walking is a form of traditional exercise), hitting the climbing wall, riding my mountain bike, etc. The only thing I do at the gym is lift weights, which I love.

gonesewing

I was like this until I discovered something I really liked. Now I am obsessed and do a class almost every day. But what you are doing is exercise, just not club exercise.

Marksman21

That's not unexpected. Some of us tend to enjoy the strain and feeling after, but its not everyone's cup of tea. Admitedly, you're not doing anything WRONG with what you're mentioning either. You walk your dogs (take it at a leaisurely pace, 2.5 MPH for an hour is great), kids are great calorie burners (took care of my 2 year old niece for a year, that did wonders... GET BACK HERE , KID!!), and you seem to keep an active lifestyle, even gardening does some work for you.

The best way is to add MORE activity to what you do. After lunch I hit 15 minute walks, either just a calm walk (2.5 MPH), or a brisk one (3.5 Mph), to work out the Desk Job stiffness. Fills in the dead time.

Another thing to consider is to take in your BMR and TDEE. If you're still eating less calories (by 20% at most) than you burn according to your TDEE, you're making progress. Exercise doesn't neccessarily mean working out, it mostly means just being more active.

zaftiggirl

I have grown to like exercise, because I have some pretty clear examples in my life of what happens when you do take care of your body and what happens when you don't. It's nice to look good now, but it's priceless to have better health as you age - and exercise matters just as much or more than diet, in that case.

I suggest trying to re-train your mind to like some form of exercise.

juliemouse83

You aren't alone. I used to be just like you. Hated it all. Zumba - everyone said how much fun it was. I hated it. Elliptical? Boring, but almost tolerable with a TV to watch. Swimming is great, if you can do it year around, but I have a pool at home, so I am spoiled and don't like the one at the Y.

I got lucky, though. I started lifting weights last February and fell in love with it. I am so thankful for that, because I really don't like much else. I do run, simply because I bombed my first 5k and now it's a personal thing for me to do one right next month, but I don't love it, lol. I keep waiting to love it, but it isn't happening for me, yet.

Fortunately I am just vain enough to want to look good nekkid, and tried different things till I found what I liked.

You just have to consider your final goal...do you want to drop weight only, or do you want to drop weight and look...geez, what is the PC word? Healthy? Toned? Muscular? Pick your adjective. I love Michelle Obama's arms and want that look head to toe, so it's probably a good thing I found something I do enjoy that will help me reach my goal.

flitabout

I think some people got the wrong idea here. In my normal daily movement today I mowed my lawn. I have an acre and I did it with a push mower. Before that I spent 2 hours in the garden weeding planting and turning over new ground. I walked each one of my dogs for 30 minutes that's an hour. I spent another few hours cleaning my house doing laundry and cooking. After dinner I am taking the dogs back out and the kids to the park.
What I hate is the gym or doing what is more traditionally concidered exercise. I am a very busy woman and I don't have time to waste not doing something that I think is productive. My idea of a great workout was cleaning stalls. Sadly since I had kids I had to give up the horses. But if I can't immediately see that I have accomplished something I am going to lose interest really fast. When I mow the lawn I get instant gratification of seeing what my work has given me! When I hit the treadmill all I get is funky feeling jell-o legs for 10 minutes after. When I spend all day cleaning my house, my house smells and looks amazing. as far as brushing my teeth at the end of that task I have clean teeth that I can see and feel. At the end of my day I have done enough to make my body sore and tired and I can see what I have accomplished. It makes me want to do it again tomorrow instead of trying to make up excuses why I should let myself rest and heal. The gym really just isn't for everybody. Especially not me!
My question I guess was what is everybody else doing that is active and not traditionally what we think of as exercise.

JDBLY11

I don't think you are doing anything wrong. You are getting so much activity. You don't have to go to the gym to be an active person. Lifestyle activity is good enough if it is maintained throughout your life. You will be healthy as you age if you keep doing what you are doing. Lifestyle activity is more my goal too. I want to be more like you as I lose weight.

MayaSPapaya

I'm the kind of person who doesn't really dread exercise..until I begin my workout. Then it becomes "oh god I hate this...this sucks...i'm tired...etc". Most people don't love it. But once you get it over with for the day, it's over with. Usually I get myself through it by thinking "only 10 more minutes and then I get to be done for the day."

3foldchord

I do NOT NOT like 'planned cardio exercise"- but I love gardening and playing with my kids, and going for walks- so that's pretty much my cardio.

And I lift weights, which is amazing! feels so good to lift, esp since it's more than my husband sometimes...
(part of loving those skinny men.... he doesn't have much upper body strength)

NoraisTreble

I am with you! I actually hate to sweat, which happens when I exercise. I am trying very hard though to get over my disgust for exercising and sweating because I know that I need to do this to lose weight and be healthy.

flitabout

Sweating isn't much of an issue for me. I barely sweat at all. No matter what I do I have to have a spray bottle with water to keep my head form exploding! I think that's one of the reasons I hate working out so very much LOL=] After mowing the lawn today I had to stick my head in a cold shower and it was only 85 today.

NoeHead

the main thing that has helped me actually enjoy working out is going to classes. i do zumba, spin and even strength training class and it's great because i get motivation from the instructor and others in class

i realized that i burned more calories in class(i use a HRM).

coreyreichle

So, why not just up your base activity level, so you have a more accurate baseline in which to figure out a proper calorie deficit?

Crochetluvr

I have to admit that I would prefer my exercise be productive. Our forebearers didn't go to gyms....their lives were full of physical labor. But since we have made our lives as sedentary as we have, there isn't much choice. But I am waiting for the pool to open. That is ONE place to exercise I don't mind at all....and you don't sweat.

Ross4400

I get what you are saying…. You don’t like traditional exercise. The real question is what is your goal? Do you want some other forms of exercise so you can lose weight, stay active, not sit in front of the TV or some other reason? What I have seen happen is people give themselves a pass with more untraditional exercise. What I mean is they (for example) say I walked the dog but in reality they walk extremely slow or make a ton of stops and never get their heart rate up. Does that count? YES! Does it match non-stop movement on a treadmill? No. If your goal is to not sit on the couch then, congratulations you’re doing it. If your goal is to build better exercise/health habits, you have to take a good look at what your “truly” doing a make that call yourself if it is helpful. Also, if you want to lose weight and you are doing the untraditional exercise and eating under your calories and nothing is happening then something is not right.

As far as not sweating… That could be because of clogged pours. One thing you can try is to shower BEFORE you exercise (in whatever way you do it). The show might clear your pours and allow you to sweat a bit easier.

Good Luck!