Why will exercise forever be the thorn in my side??

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Biggest_Loser
Biggest_Loser Posts: 18
in Fitness and Exercise
I have the eating down to a science. I find little difficulty staying on track when it comes to my food.

However, exercise is a whole nother beast!! I hate it. I will NEVER be one of those people who enjoys it.

I've tried to find something I enjoy with no success. Working 10 hour days (plus an hour commute both ways) leaves me with little time and enegy which is my problem. But I know I'm only punishing myself by making excuses.

Just had to *****. Kinda my realization lately that things would move along so much faster for me if I could just get in more exercise...but it sucks. LOL.

Replies

  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Try exercising in the morning - that may give you more energy. What all have you tried? Most people have to start out small... walk more when you're out grocery shopping (such as... pass an aisle you know you need to go down, then hit it up later - just to get in extra steps), or take a 30 minute walk a couple times a week... increase that by a day or two, then try a work out dvd for beginners, or take a low-impact class at your gym, try the elliptical (it's easy on the joints), etc.
  • FocusPlease
    FocusPlease Posts: 59 Member
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    Believe me, i COULD relate; and attitude is everything. If you read my blog entry, you can get an idea of my "epiphany". : )

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/FocusPlease

    good Luck! I know how hard it is! Fiend me if you need to be "nudged."
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    When I first started trying to exercise more, I signed up for classes. I've taken dance, aerobics, and swim classes, but the point really is that if I pay money for a class, I'm much more likely to go! It also helps to go with someone or make friends in the class, because then they can either go with you, or they'll ask why you missed the last class etc. Little motivation/guilt as a bonus :wink:
  • dtraylor
    dtraylor Posts: 32
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    During that 10 hour work day do you get breaks? Lunch? We walk at each morning and afternoon 10 minute break. They can be very pleasant or strenuous depending on what you are shooting for. We actually started a program at work 3 years ago, called Start! Walking at work, that has led us, the company, on a wellness revival of sorts.
    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3060698

    We have mapped out routes all over the company that employees can walk to get a half mile in during these breaks and lunch. With this, it's easy to get 30 minutes of cardio in each work day with no additional time needed.

    We now have yoga and zumba classes, basketball courts, horseshoe lanes, and a built in sand-lot volleyball court set up. Tomorrow we are having a dodgeball game on the front lawn during lunch. :o) Our insurance provider seems to like how active we have become as a company and rewards us with better rates.

    Also, if it's possible, try to find someone to walk, ride, or exercise with. It really helps to have others around.

    Good luck!
  • vhuber
    vhuber Posts: 8,779 Member
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    Most overweight people HATE to exercise and with that said it is the reason (and also to high of calories) that made them overweight in the first place! It hurts their backs, their knees, its work and it makes them sweat! But if you REALLY want to lose weight faster then you need to add fitness into your day, If your days are that darn long then my suggestion is during your lunch break you need to find a walking area or stairs and take advantage of them. If you move at a puffing pace for a HALF an hour you just did yourself a whole lot of good and then you still have time to enjoy that home brought lunch that banders can eat without worry!! I hate to see obese people, not because I think they are gross or anything but I feel their pain and sadness and if I could take it away from them I would!! Also most overweight people hate to be seen exercising, I would rather see you huffin and puffin your @ss off than eating something high in calories!!! Just set a timer and march or move it to music!! You gotta wanna to get it !
    I TRULY wish you success!!!
  • lildebbie
    lildebbie Posts: 2,068 Member
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    I never thought i would be that person to love to exercise..but here i am...I look forward going to the gym everyday..

    But i agree just find something to get you moving, be it a walk at lunch, or on your days off, a dvd or something...every little bit helps.
  • Biggest_Loser
    Biggest_Loser Posts: 18
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    Thanks everyone.

    I definitely could workout during my lunch at work. My problem - I'm a sweater. So how do I finish the second half of the day feeling like a smell like a gym locker?? Every morning I set my alarm but that snooze button gets the better of me. :) So right now I'm working out at about 9pm each night. I get home from work at about 8pm and once the kids are in bed I head down to exercise. Sucks but I'm doing it.

    I will say that my aches and pains are so much less with half my excess weight gone. Things like Tae Bo and speed walking feel so much better. I definitely don't have those excuses to blame any more. Time management and plain ol "not likin' it" are to blame. :)

    But I 100% hear you and believe me it's not something I don't already know. I guess I needed a kick in the *kitten* though. :)
  • Bon180
    Bon180 Posts: 26
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    you will have more energy all day if you can fit in 30 mins of exercise. Even a walk at lunch when your eating.
  • mommyskis
    mommyskis Posts: 277 Member
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    I have to exercise in the early morning or I will have all sorts of excuses why I can't do it or something will come up with the kids and I run out of time or I'm just too wiped out at the end of the day. I set out all my workout clothes in the bathroom so I can be moving in about 5-10 minutes after getting out of bed. If you can just do this a week or two it might become a habit. Also if I just get out of bed and go, I'm not really alert enough to think about skipping, it's a habit like getting up and eating breakfast! Good luck and whatever you choose to do, once you just start and keep going it WILL get easier.

    And three years ago when I started my journey here I also hated exercising and only did it to earn more calories to eat! Now I do actually enjoy it because I worked hard to find stuff I like to do. I rarely skip because it's such an ingrained habit now.
  • iguanaliz
    iguanaliz Posts: 95 Member
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    I can SO relate to your hatred of exercise. I, too, will never be one of those people who can't live without it (although I am married to one!). But now that it's been a regular part of my life for the past seven months, I have reached a point where if I miss a week I feel very sluggish and icky -- to the point where I can't stand that feeling more than I can't stand working out. And it's back to the gym for me!

    I can't work out in the morning because I just can't get the engine revved up in the a.m. I also can't work out too late into the evening because it makes me very hyper and it takes me a good 3-4 hours to completely wind down. And yes, I too sweat to the point where if I had a regular office job there is no way I could work out over lunch. I'm lucky in that I work for myself from home so I have started working out from 4-6 p.m., then making up those two hours in the office from 6-8 p.m. By then, I'm chilled enough to fix dinner and relax a bit so I'm not bouncing off the walls when I should be sleeping. I have insomnia as it is; I sure don't need any help in the "not sleeping" department!

    Like a few others have mentioned, shaking it up a bit also helps. I get so bored with long stretches of cardio, so I will do a straight 60 minutes for a couple of week, then split it into three 20 minute cardio sessions with half of my weight training in between another few weeks, or do a 30 minute-30 minute split. It keeps me from wanting to run screaming into the parking lot out of sheer boredom! I have also started power walking on my non-gym days and hope to get to where I can jog again. That was something I really did enjoy because I can do it outside.

    Hang in there; 42 pounds lost is fantastic! You're obviously doing something right!
  • TheSpicyMermaid
    TheSpicyMermaid Posts: 279 Member
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    I wish I had some motivational things to say, but I don't. It sucks. I tried exercising in the mornings and I didn't have more energy at all!
    Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, I agree with everyone else, find something, ANYTHING you love to do and maybe it'll get easier.

    *sigh*
  • fast72
    fast72 Posts: 7
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    PixieGoddess, I agree if you hand over the cash for a class you are less likely to skip out on your exercise! I think doing it in the morning, even if it is at 5am is worth it, otherwise you keep putting it off. Good luck, I know you can find a small increment of time to do this!!

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