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  • Graceious1
    Graceious1 Posts: 716 Member
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    I don't want to, because I hate it with a passion. I try to tell myself "you hate it, it sucks, but it's a necessary evil that must be done. just like school and/or work. life doesn't revolve around sitting on the couch". but that lasts about 2 weeks before i quit again..
    [/quote]

    How about starting with a 15 minute walk, three times a week then increase it by 5 minutes the next week then the week after that? I started off that way because I kept on telling myself that I couldn't do it an hated it but I started to think about the end goal. Now I am able to run for a straight 40 minutes but it did take me a couple of years to get there and I always go out with go out with my head phones and listen to some pumping music or the radio. I have also run/walked with people of varying abilities. Feel free to add me if you would like some support.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    I was in the same boat with being huge and thyroid and other health issues, except I love exercise. I found that even with thyroid medicine there is no magic pill, I had to eat less and move more to lose all the weight. It takes time and a lot of patience but you can do it with the right tools. MFP is awesome but it is only a starting point. You need more resources to navigate our over abundance of food and a society that embraces obesity.

    Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale though: water retention, digestion, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose weight when they eat more because of these fluctuations.

    If you have a lot of body fat reserves you would be surprised at how little you can eat (unless you have emotional eating issues or disorders). The leaner you get the less your body has to draw from and then you have to taper up your calories. There is no such thing as starvation mode for women over 12% body fat or men over 6% body fat. I am a living breathing example of that. I went from obese to now under 12% BF and I've maintained for one year and built muscle the whole time. You don't BUILD muscle in starvation mode, so I proved everyone wrong.

    I found the tools in the Venus Index Workout. It's not just a workout, it's a lifestyle. It was a one time cost for the book and you get tremendous resources in the closed online forum that goes with it.. only women who are in the same boat.

    My story is out there the Venus Index and Bobbies Fitness. I achieved my dream at age 50 and I'm maintaining and living my dream at age 51, in the best shape of my life and the leanest I had ever been. My goal was to get to size 8 but the Venus Index got me to a size 2-3 and the workout is only 1 hour a day 3 days a week, it changes up all the time, not boring, is designed to make any woman look her best, can be done at home or at a gym, and there is an amazing community of friendly women to help you.
  • Coalforchristmas
    Coalforchristmas Posts: 10
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    @Adini: Because i hate ALL of it. i hate running/jogging gives me shin splints/red face/heart rate out of control/legs hurt/can't breathe. Lifting? Every single i do it i'm sore FOR DAYS. every. single. time. how can i go for a walk or jog the next day when i can barely move?? not many recreational sports for 28 year old females...unless i join one of the 1,000 mens softball leagues...

    For running at least, you might be trying to do too much too fast. Have you tried Couch to 5K? It's a great program aimed at absolute beginners in running.


    printed it. haven't started it. as usual. heard it's great though. thanks :)

    Definitely give it a shot. I'm on the end of week 6 right now and its amazing to see how far I've come from week 1. The cool thing is even by the second workout, it got easier to do. As for weight loss, getting a food scale is probably the best thing you could do. It's really hard to accurately report how much you're eating without one. Weigh pretty much everything.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    I promise you can find a form of exercise you like. I used to be like you, I hated everything I tried. Now I love all kinds of things. I tried kickboxing for the first time last night and it kicked my a** but I loved it. I also do a hip hop cardio class. My first month on MFP, I lost 8 pounds just by playing the Dance Dance Revolution video game every day (I love to dance if you can't tell). Try out a class at the gym if you can. If not, try swimming, or biking, or slightly less intense weight lifting, or a fun workout DVD... these are all things that I love now, that I never would've seen myself enjoying.

    It's true that you don't HAVE to exercise to lose weight but it sure does help move things along, at least for me. Plus the high you get from it is amazing. If you can manage to stick to an exercise routine for just a few weeks, it will become habit!

    You've gotten good advice on this thread. Don't give up now. You can do this :)
  • miriamwithcats
    miriamwithcats Posts: 1,120 Member
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    Who said running was the only way to exercise? You can walk, swim - whatever. The point is to just get moving - you can do it! You just have to want to.

    I don't want to, because I hate it with a passion. I try to tell myself "you hate it, it sucks, but it's a necessary evil that must be done. just like school and/or work. life doesn't revolve around sitting on the couch". but that lasts about 2 weeks before i quit again..

    Clean house. Work in the yard. Walk a dog (if you don't have one I am certain there is someone in your neighborhood who would LOVE to have you volunteer to walk theirs. I can't because of my arthritis! or volunteer to dog walk at the local shelter). Take a kid to the park. Go fishing. Mall walk. There are lots of things to get moving that aren't "exercise".
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
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    I don't mean to sound rude but by your replies to people's suggestions it really sounds like you are just making excuses for yourself.

    I don't love running, but I do it. At first all I did was walk. Even if it was only 15min. I'd stick my headphones in, listen to a podcast and tell myself, it is 15 min out of 1440 in the day.

    Now I do cardio 3-5 hours a week and I don't love it, but I don't hate it, it's just something i do, like breathing, or going to work.

    If you want to lift but are super super sore, start with lighter weights until you have the form down then start upping the weights.

    Everyone loses weight at different speeds, I've been here since Nov and I've lost 20lbs. It wasn't easy. I worked hard.

    If having a red face, or feeling sore is going to keep you from working hard, then I really don't know what to tell you because I look like hell when I'm done with a great workout.

    No one is going to do it for you, you have to be willing to put in the work.

    If you want to do it through diet alone, that's up to you, but exercising has MANY other benefits besides just "losing weight"
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
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    If you suspect thyroid problems then you need to go to a doctor. You also need to make sure you're accurately measuring your food, I was over-estimating my food for the longest time until I bit the bullet and got a good kitchen scale.

    If WALKING makes you hurt all over then you're probably really unfit and should try to walk every day to build up your cardiac fitness. There's no use being skinny if you drop dead of a heart attack running after a bus.

    I hated running. HATED it. I forced myself into doing c25k eight months ago and I am only JUST starting to enjoy running. I don't do it because it's fun, or because it's easy. It's hard, you sweat, you get shin splints, you want to cry, you wheeze and struggle. But when you finish it, you feel like you've achieved something and when the weight starts to come off.... That's when it's worth it.
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
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    Thanks guys...wow...you are all awesome :) i will try your suggestions...but also try to stick with them. thank you!
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
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    Oh...and make sure you stretch really well when your finished exercising. I didn't last night and my legs are a bit sore but if I do I'm fine the next day. If you check out fit2fat2fit.com I do the stretches he did for the first month once he started working out again. I do them each for 30 seconds. Takes a bit of time but makes a big difference in how you feel the next day.

    You're right. The first time i did 30 Day Shred i almost called out of work, lol i was THAT SORE for literally 4 days. horrendous. but after that, the more i stretch the less pain i get. i'm not sure if i even stretch correctly. i only have about 3 stretches that i do...but it DEFINITELY helps big time.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    @Adini: Because i hate ALL of it. i hate running/jogging gives me shin splints/red face/heart rate out of control/legs hurt/can't breathe. Lifting? Every single i do it i'm sore FOR DAYS. every. single. time. how can i go for a walk or jog the next day when i can barely move?? not many recreational sports for 28 year old females...unless i join one of the 1,000 mens softball leagues...

    Classic mistake -- too much, too soon; you have to EASE into exercise. My husband has been exercising for years, but he STILL does this; I'm not sure why. He doesn't weight train for IDK, a month and then he lifts HEAVY and HARD like he was never off...that doesn't work

    You can't LEAP into exercise; it's not a ALL or nothing; start SLOW-LY...I mean REAL slow. Try walking at 2 miles/hour for 15 minutes; you're okay the next day? Walk again at 2 mph for 15 minutes; do this for a week...you doing good with this bump it up to 2.5 mph or bump it to 20 minutes (NOT both) the next week. Contrary to belief you can't just jump in the deep end to learn how to swim...you just wind up drowning.

    With weight training; try once per week with no weights; did I just say NO weights??? YES I DID. NO WEIGHTS. You can use your own resistance to start your muscles learning the moves and YES you actually gain muscle and toning by doing this. I still use this method and other do to. Start off with something easy; you can do 1 set of each exercise 12 reps (NO WEIGHTS)

    Chest -- Wall Push-ups (just like it says; lean against the wall and do push ups against it)

    Example below:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RtM3L00BUU

    Back -- Rows (put your fists in front of you; arms should width apart and pull back like you're trying to make your elbows touch behind you, then push forward again)

    Example below but you do them w/out the bands

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3LNu_GcgDc

    Butt - Butt crunches (my fave; lay on your back knees bent at and feet flat on the floor; lift your butt off the floor while squeezing your cheeks and keep squeezing as you lower -- protect your lower back and keep your tummy sucked in, but BREATH)

    Example (some rambunctious kids...do it slower)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOCutw8Cj8Q

    Shoulders -- over head press (make a T with your arms, bend at your elbows; like your a football goal post, press up and lower; your hands should not drop lower than your shoulders)

    Example (except you do without the bands)

    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6dq5e_overhead-press-exercise-tips_news

    Bicep Curls -- You can do these with both arms together or alternating

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-alternate-bicep-curl

    Tricep Kickbacks -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIZLA5yhiA

    ABS -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjet7LwKjyA

    Remember Form is THE most important (not the number of reps and never the amount of weight...but you will be starting with NO WEIGHT)

    Friend me if you'd like other suggestions after you get going......Good Luck!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
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    If you suspect thyroid problems then you need to go to a doctor. You also need to make sure you're accurately measuring your food, I was over-estimating my food for the longest time until I bit the bullet and got a good kitchen scale.

    If WALKING makes you hurt all over then you're probably really unfit and should try to walk every day to build up your cardiac fitness. There's no use being skinny if you drop dead of a heart attack running after a bus.

    I hated running. HATED it. I forced myself into doing c25k eight months ago and I am only JUST starting to enjoy running. I don't do it because it's fun, or because it's easy. It's hard, you sweat, you get shin splints, you want to cry, you wheeze and struggle. But when you finish it, you feel like you've achieved something and when the weight starts to come off.... That's when it's worth it.

    Talk about overestimating!! I can't imagine how many calories i was eating before MFP. it's not any wonder i've gained weight. i kind of starting limiting things at first, but once i joined this site i was completely struck at the calories that are in things.
    It's hard, you sweat, you get shin splints, you want to cry, you wheeze and struggle. But when you finish it, you feel like you've achieved something and when the weight starts to come off.... That's when it's worth it.

    SOOOO true. I completely agree with this. when i was running before (ALMOST C25K ready) this is exactly how i felt...so yeah...bottom line...i have to keep trying as much as it sucks...
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
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    @Adini: Because i hate ALL of it. i hate running/jogging gives me shin splints/red face/heart rate out of control/legs hurt/can't breathe. Lifting? Every single i do it i'm sore FOR DAYS. every. single. time. how can i go for a walk or jog the next day when i can barely move?? not many recreational sports for 28 year old females...unless i join one of the 1,000 mens softball leagues...

    Classic mistake -- too much, too soon; you have to EASE into exercise. My husband has been exercising for years, but he STILL does this; I'm not sure why. He doesn't weight train for IDK, a month and then he lifts HEAVY and HARD like he was never off...that doesn't work

    You can't LEAP into exercise; it's not a ALL or nothing; start SLOW-LY...I mean REAL slow. Try walking at 2 miles/hour for 15 minutes; you're okay the next day? Walk again at 2 mph for 15 minutes; do this for a week...you doing good with this bump it up to 2.5 mph or bump it to 20 minutes (NOT both) the next week. Contrary to belief you can't just jump in the deep end to learn how to swim...you just wind up drowning.

    With weight training; try once per week with no weights; did I just say NO weights??? YES I DID. NO WEIGHTS. You can use your own resistance to start your muscles learning the moves and YES you actually gain muscle and toning by doing this. I still use this method and other do to. Start off with something easy; you can do 1 set of each exercise 12 reps (NO WEIGHTS)

    Chest -- Wall Push-ups (just like it says; lean against the wall and do push ups against it)

    Example below:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RtM3L00BUU

    Back -- Rows (put your fists in front of you; arms should width apart and pull back like you're trying to make your elbows touch behind you, then push forward again)

    Example below but you do them w/out the bands

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3LNu_GcgDc

    Butt - Butt crunches (my fave; lay on your back knees bent at and feet flat on the floor; lift your butt off the floor while squeezing your cheeks and keep squeezing as you lower -- protect your lower back and keep your tummy sucked in, but BREATH)

    Example (some rambunctious kids...do it slower)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOCutw8Cj8Q

    Shoulders -- over head press (make a T with your arms, bend at your elbows; like your a football goal post, press up and lower; your hands should not drop lower than your shoulders)

    Example (except you do without the bands)

    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6dq5e_overhead-press-exercise-tips_news

    Bicep Curls -- You can do these with both arms together or alternating

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-alternate-bicep-curl

    Tricep Kickbacks -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UIZLA5yhiA

    ABS -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bjet7LwKjyA

    Remember Form is THE most important (not the number of reps and never the amount of weight...but you will be starting with NO WEIGHT)

    Friend me if you'd like other suggestions after you get going......Good Luck!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!!!


    i think i should friend you anyway just based on principle since you just wrote that whole thing out for me. <3<3
  • jayraycee
    jayraycee Posts: 33
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    We cannot help those who are not willing to do the work, to get what they want.
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
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    ^ yeah...i KNOW i need to exercise, and i KNOW that when i do, i feel absolutely amazing...but if i stop for two days, i get back in a rut again. and sometimes if i lose weight i'll say "okay i can afford a bag of chips now" I NEED TO STOP DOING THAT. thanks for your reply :)

    About them chips and all other eatable rewards. ; )

    My motto is YOU ARE NOT A DOG, DO DON'T REWARD YOURSELF WITH FOOD!

    And if you really want to lose weight you will push through sore muscles, being red in the face, soaking in sweat, huffing and puffing and heart rate out of control! If you think it's thyroid - go get it checked to eliminate that excuse.

    But that's if you really want to lose weight.

    So until you decide that that's what you really want to do no one can convince you otherwise. Our small cheers such as "keep it up" and "don't give up" and "you can do it" mean absolutely nothing until those are actual little voices in your own head.
  • mrsRhughes
    mrsRhughes Posts: 122
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    I know a lot of people have said it, and we've ALL heard it before, but weight loss and "the way we look" is (approximately) 80% diet, 20% exercise. Of COURSE exercise helps weight come off quicker and lifting helps to tone, tighten, etc. ... but the majority of it is DONE IN THE KITCHEN. And contrary to what some people say, calories AREN'T created equally. If you stay 'under' your calories but aren't eating well, it DOES matter. Make sure you are looking at everything you eat and drink. Try to get most of your calories from lean proteins, fruits, veggies. Eat foods that keep you full (anything with PROTEIN) - greek yogurt, nuts, chicken, beans, etc.). There is SO much that has to do with nutrition that I think will help you out!! Message me if you want to chat :) I don't claim to "know it all", and I definitely think that there are different things that work for different people, and what works for one of us might not work for everyone. Personally, I'm a "normal" woman with two kids (ages 7 and 2) living an active, healthy life. I'm not training for a fitness competition or trying to have a "perfect" body ... I eat dessert EVERY night and drink red wine! But I'm committed to eating healthy, teaching my kids what is right, and exercising daily!
  • tigertchr23
    tigertchr23 Posts: 418 Member
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    Have you tried just doing something you do love? Dancing? Swimming? Jump rope? Playing Wii? Walking to the store instead of driving? Hiking in the woods?

    Exercise doesn't have to be running or working out at the gym. You can do it everywhere. I enjoy dancing so many days I do "Just Dance" game on Wii or "Dance Central" on XBOX. I also started going to Zumba classes at the gym. If you don't feel coordinated enough to dance in front of other people, you can get dancing/cardio DVDs to do them at home. Or just turn on some music and dance around the house by yourself. No one has to know or watch! Make it fun!

    Do you have pets or kids? Take them on walks to the park or play fetch/kick a ball, etc. Exercise is everywhere and doesn't have to be torture. The important part is that once you start, you can't stop or you will be sore. As sore as you ever get at the beginning, you have to work through it. If you workout really hard one day and then lay in bed the next you will have a horrible time. I know . . . I have done it and it sucks! As hard as it is, you have to get up and get moving. Even if you just walk or stretch it is better than letting your muscles not work through the soreness.

    Best wishes :flowerforyou:
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
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    We cannot help those who are not willing to do the work, to get what they want.

    Ha! You pretty much said the same but in fewer words! LOL!
  • paprika20
    paprika20 Posts: 1
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    I'm not a big exercise lover either, but I tried Zumba and really love it! Also, I enjoy doing Jillian Michaels video at home, they're pretty intense but she has different levels + they don't take to much time (25-30 min). Good Luck ;)
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Who said running was the only way to exercise? You can walk, swim - whatever. The point is to just get moving - you can do it! You just have to want to.

    I don't want to, because I hate it with a passion. I try to tell myself "you hate it, it sucks, but it's a necessary evil that must be done. just like school and/or work. life doesn't revolve around sitting on the couch". but that lasts about 2 weeks before i quit again..
    Keep telling yourself you HATE something and sure enough you will. There's no movement you like or enjoy? Hiking, building bird houses, walking, yoga, water volleyball, seeing national monuments, gardening, tumbling, water skiing, foozeball, walking around the mall while you check out shoes...
    I had a few of those "classically terrible" gym teachers who make you think exercise or movement is something you only do when forced, but I've learned they were wrong. There are many active things I enjoy. Exercise is not all about calisthenics, and you don't need to follow the "no pain, no gain" route.
    All that said, you can lose weight without exercising. You can eat calories faster than you can exercise them off. And conversely, you can control weight more by what you eat than by exercise (except for the extremes).
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
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    We cannot help those who are not willing to do the work, to get what they want.

    Ha! You pretty much said the same but in fewer words! LOL!

    Then don't bother ;)

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