My hatred of exercise

I can relate. So much of what we think of as "exercise" is just SO boring to me. Doing a cardio machine is pretty much torture to me...and if it doesn't have a TV on it? Just put me out of my misery! And standing around lifting weights, or going through a circuit? Blah. Boring.

So...what makes it fun? For me, if there's a social aspect it's sooooo much better. If I am going to exercise classes at regularly-scheduled times with people that I actually like, and we can talk before/after and even in between sets if it's that type of class, I actually enjoy going. It's basically like a social hour where you just happen to get a workout in.

Also, if I'm both challenged AND good at something, I start to like it. The first few weeks/months of starting a running program are terrible, but once you get into it you might love it. You'll see your speed and distance increase, and feel motivated. I'm talking about running outside, with scenery and fresh air. If you like hiking, I would expect you'd start to like running once you got "good at it".

In terms of the videos, you said you like dance...what about learning some dance routines at home?! I'm sure there must be a ton of dance-related YouTube exercise videos. Maybe you could even invite a friend over to learn them with you.

And what about sports? It can be very cheap to join a local sports league. Heck, a few years ago I played on a dodgeball league! It wasn't exactly a full workout, but you did sweat for an hour each time, and it was anything but boring! I'm currently planning on taking some tennis lessons this summer....if I can get good enough to not need the lessons every time, my gym has tennis courts that you can sign up for a "round robin" of players with.

Why is your hatred of exercise holding you back? Weight loss doesn't require exercise.

Weight loss doesn't require exercise, just a caloric deficit.

However you sound like you already do exercise, just not the traditional sense of "get on the treadmill/lift some weights."

I wouldn't worry too much. Why not go for a lot of walks/hikes? Seems good enough to me.

i feel you. i hate it so much. i found some routines i can DO but i dont like OMG OMG LOVE them. and when i go workout with my girls or my boyfriend they always ask after "wow didnt u love that, wasnt that a GREAT workout"

and im like

"no."

but... its like brushing your teeth...if you want healthy...you just HAVE to.

i think its about figuring out the exercise that makes you the least miserable hahaha

I wish I could climb inside your head and give you a different outlook on life...

Exercise will help you lose weight - and there is nothing boring about losing weight. I'm wearing clothing that I had custom tailored before having kids. Do you know how fun and exciting it is to fit into them again?! I'm seeing muscle definition again, I'm not hating the reflection in the mirror, I'm feeling stronger, healthier and more capable than I have in years. Exercise is a part of all that. Exercise is helping me achieve new things. It's not a thing to be dreaded or hated or discounted before you even start. Think of it as a means to a very happy and exciting ending. Think about it as taking time to do something for YOU. I'm sure like the rest of us you have tons of demands on your time. Be selfish and exercise!!

Even with a great outlook, doing the elliptical (for example) is still BORING to me. So, so, so very boring. Yes, it's helping burn calories, and lose weight, and even build muscle definition. But it's BORING. Luckily with exercise, there are a lot of less-boring options for those of use who find "typical" gym cardio/weights to be excruciatingly dull. Simply saying "but it's good for you" and trying to change my outlook doesn't make the exercise less boring. Less-boring exercise makes it less boring! Group activities, outdoor adventures, dancing, sports, etc. Those are less boring and still burn calories and can develop muscle.

Exercise loves you.

Work much, much harder, do it for less time.

I too want to be fit again, like I was in my 20's. But after spending the last 3 years in a recliner, from an injury am finding it hard to exercise. I do however enjoy bike riding. (but it's cold out) So I bought a recumbent bike, which I can not go very far on, but I do it.

I am TOTALLY with you. I HATE excersizing. There is nothing less fun to me than moving around for no reason. I have discovered that Zumba is tolerable, but only alone in my living room. If I have to do it in a room full of people, forget it.

My solution was finding a purpose for my excersize, or tricking myself into it. My ex had a dog and I offered to take over walking him every day, which was enjoyable for us both, so if you have the time and inclination, this is a great solution (even volunteering at a shelter would be great - they always need dog-walkers!). I walk to the store for a few groceries when I can. I plan to get a bike in the summer so I can bike to do errands around town at a farther distance (I live in a snowmageddon region, so this is not practical until about July when the snow melts. lol). Today I made my boyfriend drive me to work (we work together, but he gets off an hour after I do so we usually take two vehicles). Now unless I want to stick around and wait for him (which I SO do not), I will have to walk the 2 miles back to his house to retreive my car.

Exercise is hard. There's no getting around that. There's an initial inertia hurdle everyone has to get past before you get to the point where it's even possible to enjoy it, like a speed bump. If it was immediately enjoyable, everyone would do it all the time and everyone would be fit- but the reality is that most people don't have the commitment to get past the speed bump. It's up to you whether it's worth it or not- you can lose weight without exercise. You can probably be relatively healthy with the activity you like to do. But if you want to really get fit, you have to just work at it UNTIL you like it.

After a little over 1.5 years I'm still not sure I "like" it. Can't argue with the results though.