Motivation for walking or exercise?

Pattiwak55
Pattiwak55 Posts: 11
in Introduce Yourself
We all know we should be doing it but what was the one thing that finally got you up and moving and sticking to it?

Replies

  • ozigal
    ozigal Posts: 173 Member
    It was pretty simple. My partner and I would go out dancing and I couldnt keep up. My partner took up running and I couldnt do it. I basically wanted to get back into being able to do things... not feel so exhausted and just be part of my relationship rather than sitting on the sidelines.

    Weirdly enough, my other half decided that since I was doing that, I must be looking elsewhere and dumped me. I guess the positive thing is that since that happened i am now creating the new me. I am determined that I will get back into my life (not with my now ex) and that I will be the best me that I can be.
  • BristleCone43
    BristleCone43 Posts: 8
    Exercise that gets the heart rate up helps to burn fat! Need to sweat some...it does pay off.
  • saraemart
    saraemart Posts: 6
    I wasn't seeing as much lose as I wanted to see so I decided I needed to move more. Another issue for me was how hard it was to walk a block or so especially with someone. I finally just started walking by myself. I set a goal of getting off the bus a stop before my work if it wasn't raining. I now find myself getting off the bus if the rain isn't too bad. Then I decided to catch a different bus home which required me to walk, not only is the bus less crowded but I get in another 10 minutes and I do that even in the rain. My next step was to walk for at least 30 minutes during lunch. Now I find myself walking 60 minutes in addition to the morning and afternoon walk. There are days when I was missing my lunch time walk due to work constraints so I've joined the Y, now if I don't walk during the day I can work out at night. Some days I do both.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    I read an article in prevention that said exercise is beneficial even if you split it up for instance 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night, meaning you don't have to do the whole hour at once. That was enough to get me started walking at work years ago and I still do it
  • saraemart
    saraemart Posts: 6
    Good for you for moving on. Sometimes relationships change because we try to improve ourselves.
  • cidalia73
    cidalia73 Posts: 107 Member
    Got tired of feeling run down and out of shape and not even 40 yet. Realized that if I don't make some changes now, it will continue to negatively impact my health and will be harder to start as I get older and more out of shape. Plus, it's a good mental break to go out and get some alone time and fresh air!
  • avababy05
    avababy05 Posts: 930 Member
    This was three years and 45 pounds ago.

    I had recently been laid off from my job of 14 years and hung out on my deck every day smoking cigarettes and being generally depressed and fat.

    I noticed an older couple who would speed walk past my house every day at the same time no matter what the weather.

    I thought "why am I sitting here mopping? If they can do it so can I" Three months later,I was down 30 pounds!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    i got tired of wearing FAT CLOTHES, i want to show some flesh. and appreciate it.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Maintenance ..... I figured I could diet for the rest of my life OR ... finally get off my butt and add exercise to make up the difference.
  • ohenry78
    ohenry78 Posts: 228
    Well, I started doing exercise for several reasons, all pertaining to my desire to lose weight.

    As for sticking with it, honestly one of the reasons that I enjoy working out is because of the "runner's high" you get with having a high heart rate for an extended period. The right combination of blood-pumping cardio workouts and music gets this going for me, and I feel extremely creative, confident and capable while this is happening.

    So, I'm saying that exercise is like a drug? And we all should be on drugs? That's an awful message. Forget I was here :)
  • jeanmrob
    jeanmrob Posts: 240 Member
    I walk every day....and the best thing was buying a pedometer ... it makes me walk further and gives me a target to aim for..... might not be as energetic as some forms of exercise...but it is doable......and it is easy to stick to.......... and I absolutely believe it works!
  • RomanaW
    RomanaW Posts: 108 Member
    I have always exercised for an hour a day but other than that, I was very sedentary. A month ago I got my Fitbit and it is worse than a dog :) I like competing with my Fitbit friends, so abandoned lifts, car and going for long walks in addition to my exercise.
  • NancyStree
    NancyStree Posts: 89 Member
    I haven't gotten totally motivated on exercise yet but I'm trying. I have been walking for almost a week so I hope I keep it up...
  • dakotawitch
    dakotawitch Posts: 190 Member
    I realized how freakin' awesome I felt when I exercised two days in a row. So I tried for three...then for four. I also realized that if I put on my trancey/meditation music when I did the treadmill, the time went faster and I got a spiritual as well as physical high. Now I feel something missing if I miss one of my workout days, though I do take a day off in the week to let my body rest.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    <<<I got my little dog and he loves to walk me, the more walks the better :laugh:
  • latoyagladney
    latoyagladney Posts: 8
    It may sound wierd,but I love music and being able to lose myself in it. I usually don't have the chance to do that at home,so I actually look at walking in the morning as my "me" time. I put on my music player and lose myself in the music while I'm walking. I give myself an hour to walk, and it gives me peace of mind and a chance to get away from my hectic life via walking and music
  • danielhutchins
    danielhutchins Posts: 65 Member
    I find that if I put in my ear buds (or headphones) and walk, do aerobics, lift weights, whatever, it goes by quicker and I don't mind the sweat near as much. The poster who said ya gotta sweat is right: raise the heart rate for a 30 minute block of time and you'll see the fat go down!
  • sbrownallison
    sbrownallison Posts: 314 Member
    I started with walking at work during breaks, instead of eating snacks (hating the weight I was). My goal was to turn this into a habit. This was a big key for me, as I found that if I did not actually schedule the walks I wouldn't do them. So I knew that at 10 AM and 3 PM, I would be outside walking the track, climbing stairs, or whatever else I could do to move. Within a week or two, I began to see progress, i.e. my balance was better. Soon I began looking forward to the walks. As the scale showed my weight going down, I was encouraged and felt even better -- thus more motivated. With more and more weight off, I joined the Y and am now doing consistent and regular exercise. I got a Fitbit in November and found It a clever little motivating device. All the steps you take will motivate you. Exercise is especially important because it appears to be the key to maintaining weight loss (which most people know is more difficult than losing the weight in the first place!). Good luck on your journey
  • sun_ny
    sun_ny Posts: 35
    For me, it's mostly been from buying a Fitbit, highly recommend. I also bought a cross trainer which is great for when I can't make it to the gym (i'm not able to make the gym as often as i'd like), so it definitely helps!
  • barbiesnd
    barbiesnd Posts: 54 Member
    Fitbit, fitbit, fitbit, I'll say it one more time FITBIT!!!!!

    I've always walked but my goodness a fitbit is quite addictive.

    I usually walk about 15,000 steps a day. I walk the boys that I look after to and from school. I walk to the gym and if I'm not doing a class I'll walk 2 miles on the treadmill.

    I remember on the last school vacation I got home on Friday evening very tired (3 boys at home for a week!!) I was about to sit my *kitten* on the couch for the night. I happened to look at my fitbit.....I only had just over 8,000 steps (no school walk). I couldn't do it, I couldn't lose my #1 spot on my leader board......lol!!! So I put my coat back on and walked myself around the block (1 mile) trust me, that wouldn't have happened before I had my fitbit...
  • Pattiwak55
    Pattiwak55 Posts: 11
    I asked this question because I was having a hard time getting motivated even to get out and walk around the block. All these positive answers are really helping. Thanks for sharing.
  • Pattiwak55
    Pattiwak55 Posts: 11
    okay What is a FITBIT!!! ??? :)
  • barbiesnd
    barbiesnd Posts: 54 Member
    okay What is a FITBIT!!! ??? :)

    Basically, It's a computerized pedometer!! It measures your steps, calories, sleep, miles and flights of stairs. It also sync's to MFP, so any calories you earn through walking adds onto your MFP calories!!! Pretty cool and as previously mentioned, quite addictive.
  • Pattiwak55
    Pattiwak55 Posts: 11
    Thanks for the answer. It sounds like it would be very helpful.

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