I HATE EXERCISE...help!

Missallison7691
Missallison7691 Posts: 73
in Motivation and Support
That being said...

I need to start exercising. I don't. At all. What have you done to enjoy it more? Does anyone have any ideas for a beginners guide to working out??
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Replies

  • BarbaraCarr1981
    BarbaraCarr1981 Posts: 903 Member
    Are there any sports you like? I love badminton so much I don't even consider it exercise. I play once a week!
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Walk. You can start doing it the minute you put your shoes on.

    And, listen to the Smarter Science of Slim podcasts. Jonathan Bailor. He talks about Smarter Exercise and it only takes 15-20 minutes 2 times a week. Fantastic podcast, I highly recommend it and no I am not affiliated with it in any way. You can do his resistance exercises at home.

    But still.. Walk. It's good for you.
  • Bekah_Davis
    Bekah_Davis Posts: 15 Member
    I started by walking,its a great intro to excersize.I now walk or use the elliptical an hour at a time but when i started,I thought 15 minutes was all I could handle!
  • OLeoLionessO
    OLeoLionessO Posts: 152
    I found that riding my bike is really awesome and fun at times. Its was easier than running and so relaxing cause you can go as fast or as slow as you want. I've tried workouts, gyms, workout videos, and running. It all sucks and feels uncomfortable and awkward to me. When I bike, I just pick a scenic destination, like a park or something fun near by and just ride. Sometimes I'll venture off looking for a different, pretty way to go every time. put on some tunes and ride around the neighborhood. It's fun and totally worth it.
  • sPaRkLiNgLYFE
    sPaRkLiNgLYFE Posts: 609
    Zumba is fun if you like to dance. :smile:
  • jakeVScalories
    jakeVScalories Posts: 107 Member
    Become a yes man (woman). Take up any offers to do anything, walking with someone for no reasons. spin class. anything that you wouldnt typically do. and everntually you'll find your nitche. Head up.
  • Brownsbacker4evr
    Brownsbacker4evr Posts: 365 Member
    Yeah, it's always that way when you don't exercise....you freakin LOATHE the idea. But once you actually start doing it frequently, it makes you feel great and you actually start to like it. My advice is to just do it and the endorphins'll come flowin in and you'll be feelin good and enjoying it.
  • jess6741
    jess6741 Posts: 107 Member
    There are so many types of workouts out there. I'm sure you will find one that you will like. Just try out as many as you can.
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
    do you like swimming? I get 95% of my exercise from my pool during the warm season. The rest of the year I go on walks and use a stationary rower, but my pool time is my fun time!
  • Ramberta
    Ramberta Posts: 1,312 Member
    Just start doing it, and don't stop because you're not having fun. It won't be fun at first, it'll be tiring and probably frustrating if you feel yourself get winded or sore easily.

    Pick something low-intensity if you can-- swimming is a great choice, but if you don't have access to a pool walking is your next best bet. If you're feeling more adventurous, try biking or rollerblading, or get a gym membership. That way, if you DON'T exercise you're wasting money, so it's a good accountability factor.

    It takes about a month of regular exercise before you'll start to truly enjoy it, and not only tolerate doing it but want to push your limits, do more in a longer amount of time, lift heavier, run faster. THEN you will be glad that you stuck with it, and then you will be having fun!!
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Ugh, I'm with you. I know I need to start exercising but I keep procrastinating. I'm thinking of things I did in the past (read, 20 years ago) that got me moving without it feeling like a mind-numbing chore - dancing, mini-trampoline, roller-blading, riding a bike, jumping rope, playing sports, martial arts...these days maybe acitvity games on Wii or Xbox Kinect? If it's fun, it's got to be less awful. lol
  • n_rockey
    n_rockey Posts: 52 Member
    The key is finding something that's fun, rather than something that's "exercise". I got into walking around the nature trails at our local park, and just enjoying the outdoors at first. My work also has a WalkingSpree program where you can earn prizes for how many steps you put in, or for walking more steps than your co-workers. I'm a competitive person, so that got me walking around the hallways during my breaks, and any other time I can sneak in a walk. Similarly, I bought a Wii for my husband a couple of years ago, and I bought some of the games like just dance and Zumba. Now I just have to keep trying to beat family members, or my own high score. It's secondary to me that I'm actually moving and getting exercise while I do these things because it's a competition, and it's fun.
  • jackieg218
    jackieg218 Posts: 95 Member
    I hated it too, but I asked myself each day... What do you hate more... The thought of a power walk or being fat! Trust me... The walk won each time. I now enjoy going on my walks. I downloaded some of my favorite fast paced songs and now I see it as ME time... Just me and my music. I love it and when I don't do a walk I feel bad, almost guilty that I am depriving my body of what it now craves. When I first started I only went around the block and vowed I wanted to double it the next time. I now get sad when the sun starts to set because that means I need to start heading back home before its dark lol

    Much luck,

    Jackie
  • Jewelforyou
    Jewelforyou Posts: 74
    Do you like dancing? Maybe taking a dance class, not necessarily a Zumba if you don't like the gym. But an actual dance class like intro to salsa or swing (with a partner) or ballet etc. Stuff like that doesn't sometime doesn't psychologically seem like "exercising".

    Same with swimming classes. An actually class where you work on improving your strokes as opposed to just going on your own to swim lengths.

    I also have a friend that just started taking kickboxing classes. Not a gym cardio kickboxing class, but actual. Kickboxing. She loves it and its a great workout.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Read New Rules of Lifting for Women. Lift 30 minutes 3x a week to start. Start to see seriously nice results. Be encouraged and do more, work harder, get stronger.
  • drosen32
    drosen32 Posts: 23 Member
    How about exercise with a friend? Find what you like and see if someone else around likes to do the same thing. How about not thinking of it as exercise, but part of what you do, like instead of driving to the store, walk there for your shopping. My wife and I walk to go out to dinner a lot. It's about 1.5 miles to where we go, so it's not a lot of calories burned, but you get the idea. Take a neighbor's dog for a long walk and consider it community service. I'm sure there's more, but I'm tapped out right now. Stick with MFP, it's a great idea and it's simple, to boot!
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    It takes about a month of regular exercise before you'll start to truly enjoy it, and not only tolerate doing it but want to push your limits, do more in a longer amount of time, lift heavier, run faster. THEN you will be glad that you stuck with it, and then you will be having fun!!


    Lies! I hate... or more accuratly loath exercise, 2 months straight and I still hate it.

    You just have to do it, pick one thing and go and don't stop. It is not the end of the world, I look at it as part of my job. I may hate getting out of bed in the morning but I still do it, so I hate getting of the couch but eh I still do it. You will get a routine after a month, you may not enoy it but its part of everyday life.


    Edited to correct typos from my tablet.
  • Cal28
    Cal28 Posts: 514 Member
    Classes! The social aspect, inability to slack off and the rest of the group being motivated will really get you into it.
    Give them all a go and find what you enjoy most x
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    It takes about a month of regular exercise before you'll start to truly enjoy it, and not only tolerate doing it but want to push your limits, do more in a longer amount of time, lift heavier, run faster. THEN you will be glad that you stuck with it, and then you will be having fun!!
    Lies! I hate... or more accuratly loath exercise, 2 months straight and I still hate it.

    You just have to do it, pick one thing and go and don't stop. It is not the end of the world, I look at it as part of my job. I may hate getting out of bed in the morning but I still do it, so I hate getting of the couch but eh I still do it. You will get a routine after a month, you may not enoy it but its part of everyday life.


    Edited to correct typos from my tablet.
    QFFT!
    That second F is a naughty word, but MFP frowns on that...

    Honestly, some people might learn to love it. Others will never. Don't ever, ever tell me I'll someday learn to love it. But I do it anyway.
  • alychil820
    alychil820 Posts: 219 Member
    Definitely classes! Just being in a more social atmosphere made me like it more. There's also the benefit of getting to know people, so if you don't show up, they're like 'where have you been???'
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    You have to think about your goals and explore activities you like to do. Sooner or later, hopefully the two can converge into a lifestyle that you are happy with.
  • Jennwith2ns
    Jennwith2ns Posts: 296 Member
    Find exercise you can do while listening to music. Walking is boring as hell but with your favorite Pandora station, it goes a lot faster.
  • Bettyeditor
    Bettyeditor Posts: 327 Member
    That being said...

    I need to start exercising. I don't. At all. What have you done to enjoy it more? Does anyone have any ideas for a beginners guide to working out??

    I recommend getting a Fitbit or similar device. Just like tracking your food in MFP helps you to naturally make better choices, so tracking your activity levels with Fitbit will help you naturally be more active. I am like you: I didn't exercise at all. But since I started wearing a Fitbit I take the stairs more often to try to earn the stairs badge, and when I was close to my steps badge one night I was walking circles around my house. LOL
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
    Then I would suggest heavy lifting because you can get a quality workout in 30 minutes. Another perk is you should see some results with a month.
  • SRoy47
    SRoy47 Posts: 1
    not a big fitness freak...Do you have a wii system....If you get the wii fit program the have all kinds of games(exercises),,,,,have about 3 stepping exercises... Running .....you follow your guide ....there is bicycling,...etc...the exercises work different parts....I actually can say I like it....I bought it to actually try working on my balance....you can pick out a trainer...after each exercise tell you how much you burned....
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Everyone is giving the right idea - doing something you find fun helps. I'm not a huge exercise fan either, I've lost most of my weight on diet alone, but I'm what people like to call 'skinny fat'. I discovered Insanity a few months ago and like it a lot, so it's what helps me get motivated to get moving. Walking is a good choice, or hiking. Get a playlist going and just get out and walk briskly. I find this helps me unload thoughts of the day, or just daydream in general - a really good de-stressor!
  • terri_journey
    terri_journey Posts: 287 Member
    That being said...

    I need to start exercising. I don't. At all. What have you done to enjoy it more? Does anyone have any ideas for a beginners guide to working out??
    If you like to dance, give Zumba a try. Anybody can do it!! I have done it since November and I also use the Wii and do the Zumba on it. IT IS SO MUCH FUN!! YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOUR EXERCISING, YOUR HAVING FUN AND LOSING WEIGHT!!
  • LindseyAlyssa
    LindseyAlyssa Posts: 156
    I disliked everything about exercise when I started. I tried doing weight loss DVDs and just felt plain silly. Then I moved on to straight forward body weight circuits and didn't hate it *so* much, but still wasn't on board. But sticking with it is what did it for me! Act like you love doing it, you get results, and then you actually DO enjoy doing it. I might not be springing out of bed in the morning for my next workout, but I enjoy the results enough that I want to keep going. It all becomes motivation of staying where you are or moving forward to a healthier life.
  • bethanykf
    bethanykf Posts: 68
    I started swimming lessons with my toddler on Monday and realized that I love being in the water & I've really missed it... so I'm starting a swim cardio class tomorrow. Try lots of different things - you'll find something that is fun for you. :)
  • JessicaRobin67
    JessicaRobin67 Posts: 275 Member
    I think Leslie Sanson is a good motivator...walk at home.
    I like to use hand weights for strength training... fun to me.
    Bike riding

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