How to make exercise more fun?

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AraLupus
AraLupus Posts: 17
in Fitness and Exercise
Exercise? Fun? Why are these words in a sentence together?!

But seriously, my wife and I own a treadmill and we've tried different things. Listening to music, watching TV, trying to chat whilst doing it, but it's just so mind-numbing at times. My biggest problem is my brain has to be working, if it's not then I get bored.

So, what do you all do to make working out more engaging/interesting/fun?

Replies

  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
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    I took up climbing recently and love it. Good overall body work out, very social, bags of fun. I hate exercise. Hate it. I've never enjoyed running, cycling, zumba, team sports, the gym etc, but climbing I love.

    Work through a few exercise activities you've never tried before and you might find one you can really enjoy and get into. :happy:

    EDIT: You have to use your brain when climbing or you'll end up falling off the wall.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
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    Get off the threadmill. Its boring as watching paint dry

    Go outside and run
  • Scoochie1
    Scoochie1 Posts: 121 Member
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    Compete! :smile:
    If its an activity, I want to be the best
    If its the gym, I want to burn more calories.
    If my other half isn't with me, I'll check out what the person next to be is running at (speed + incline) and go one better.
    Sad perhaps, but that is what floats my boat
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Do a sport. Or try a different form of training eg P90X.

    Or challenge yourselves eg do HIIT and match each other's latter runs. I do that at the gym when training with my usual gym buddy especially when doing sets to failure. "Here's 25. See if you can do 26."
  • castadiva
    castadiva Posts: 2,016 Member
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    I find it much less difficult to enjoy walking/running if I'm outside. Treadmills and stationary bikes etc drive me barmy with boredom. Otherwise, look for other forms of exercise to enjoy. A dance class can burn a lot of calories and might be a fun thing to do together with your wife. Team sports, individual sports - try a few things out and figure out what you enjoy, or at least hate least!
  • FJMilner
    FJMilner Posts: 407
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    Get off the threadmill. Its boring as watching paint dry

    Go outside and run

    ^^This
  • cruciia
    cruciia Posts: 94 Member
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    The only thing that I found to help me was watching tv, there's not much else you can really do.
  • EPortJake
    EPortJake Posts: 54 Member
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    Get off the threadmill. Its boring as watching paint dry

    Go outside and run

    +1
  • AraLupus
    AraLupus Posts: 17
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    Going out is a good idea, but how do you guys figure out your calorie burn? I've read a lot of people saying that MFP isn't accurate, and this area is quite hill-ey. I'm not as fit as I once was, so it'd be a slow job. How would I figure that out?
  • DaniKenmir
    DaniKenmir Posts: 387 Member
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    I watch a glibert and sullivan musical, it's very interesting and I try to run in step to the songs
  • trishtrish84
    trishtrish84 Posts: 237 Member
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    Going out is a good idea, but how do you guys figure out your calorie burn? I've read a lot of people saying that MFP isn't accurate, and this area is quite hill-ey. I'm not as fit as I once was, so it'd be a slow job. How would I figure that out?

    I think I speak for most people on MFP when responding to this question.... buy a HRM to track yourself. This way you get a pretty accurate reading.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    Zombies! Run



    Trust me..... not boring after installing that app on your phone.
  • kimothy38
    kimothy38 Posts: 840 Member
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    I live in a hilly area too so I run the flat parts and bust my *kitten* walking up the hills to the next flat part. Nothing beats getting out in the fresh air.
  • Jo5ie
    Jo5ie Posts: 33 Member
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    MFP isn't accurate as everyone is different and you could run the same distance and speed as someone else and burn a different amount of calories. You might burn more calories as you will be new to it and it'll take more effort. I think MFP is just a guide and gives you a good indication of how many calories you burned but it's not exact.
  • LottieLou13
    LottieLou13 Posts: 574 Member
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    Get off the threadmill. Its boring as watching paint dry

    Go outside and run

    ^ This!
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Get off the threadmill. Its boring as watching paint dry
    ^^Amen.
    Punch and kick things. Dance. Ride a bike down a scenic country road.
  • munchkinhugs
    munchkinhugs Posts: 278 Member
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    I figure you don't want to throw the treadmill out (they aren't exactly cheap)?

    Why don't you guys alternate between treadmill/other exercise?
    5 minutes on / 5 minutes off.
    During your off time (the missus' on time) set up some kind of circuit for yourself. It doesn't have to have equipment. Could be as simple as pushups, burpees, jumping jacks, sit ups blah blah blaaaaah! The possibilities are endless.

    Challenge each other's times or distances (or both).


    And mix it up. Do half of your workouts on the treadmill and the other half somewhere else (if you want something free, take up walking/jogging outdoors on the off-treadmill days).

    Good luck!


    PS. With regards to your calorie burn outside - you have a smartphone? I use mapmyrun to track my outdoors exercise (and sometimes cross check it with walkjogrun.net). It's not perfect - but not terrible either.
  • lizzie1030
    lizzie1030 Posts: 60
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    Yoga and kickboxing are 2 of my favorite exercise activities. They both engage your mind because you have to concentrate on your moves and what your body is doing every second. Also, you said that you live in a hilly area. Are there any hiking trails near you. Fall is the best time to get out and do some hiking. We live in a hilly wooded area and I go out every Sunday morning and hike for a few hours and if you have someone to hike with it can be a lot of fun.
  • AraLupus
    AraLupus Posts: 17
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    I've heard quite a few people mention HRMs, including my wife; she wants one for Christmas. I guess I could do what munchkinhugs suggests and look at the distance, etc, and use it here as a guide.
    Zombie! Run

    ^^ This made me really chuckle. Will have to have a look :P
    Why don't you guys alternate between treadmill/other exercise?
    5 minutes on / 5 minutes off.
    During your off time (the missus' on time) set up some kind of circuit for yourself. It doesn't have to have equipment. Could be as simple as pushups, burpees, jumping jacks, sit ups blah blah blaaaaah! The possibilities are endless.

    Challenge each other's times or distances (or both).

    My wife has suggested this a few times, but I've never really bought into it. I'm not as motivated as she is (mostly because I can be a tad lazy >.<) and sometimes just can't be bothered when she is in the mood to. I guess Imma just have to kick myself up the butt and get going doing this. If two of y'all have suggested it then I should give it a go lol
  • munchkinhugs
    munchkinhugs Posts: 278 Member
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    I've heard quite a few people mention HRMs, including my wife; she wants one for Christmas. I guess I could do what munchkinhugs suggests and look at the distance, etc, and use it here as a guide.

    The good things about the website/program is that I think they capture the terrain too. We all know that uphills = better burn.
    Why don't you guys alternate between treadmill/other exercise?
    5 minutes on / 5 minutes off.
    During your off time (the missus' on time) set up some kind of circuit for yourself. It doesn't have to have equipment. Could be as simple as pushups, burpees, jumping jacks, sit ups blah blah blaaaaah! The possibilities are endless.

    Challenge each other's times or distances (or both).

    My wife has suggested this a few times, but I've never really bought into it. I'm not as motivated as she is (mostly because I can be a tad lazy >.<) and sometimes just can't be bothered when she is in the mood to. I guess Imma just have to kick myself up the butt and get going doing this. If two of y'all have suggested it then I should give it a go lol


    I can totally sympathise. Until I started to be able to do these things. Now I like to push myself that little bit harder than last time/week and improve where I can. ;)

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