Easy exercise

BlackEyedPanda
BlackEyedPanda Posts: 86 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I confess: I HATE exercise. I wish I liked it but I really, really don't. I also have a very demanding but not at all physical job. Sometimes I spend up to 14h per day at work, and 10h on a typical day, without breaks, I even eat at my desk while working. So finding the time to exercise is really difficult too - when I get home I just want to go straight to bed and in the morning I spend my time having a cuppa and preparing my lunch and dinner and I really don't fancy waking up two hours earlier to go to the gym. Also, I used to run but I have had to have foot surgery and I cannot start running again because of this.

I also have an exercise ball but I never use it, it's in a corner in my bedroom reminding me each night about the lack of exercise I get.

I know I need to start exercising any way and I am hoping to try out a lot of different things. The only exercise I do now is that I walk to and from work - this takes me 30 minutes one way. I also always take the stairs and as my office is in the 6th floor and situated on top of a hill, it maybe counts as light exercise ;)

So any tips on quick and motivating ways to add exercise to a busy lifestyle easily? What exercise do you really enjoy? Is there some exercise I could do quickly (in 10mins) at the office if I took a small break?

Thanks all and sorry about the moaning, I just really hate exercise and really want to learn to like it!!

Replies

  • chandlerjhull
    chandlerjhull Posts: 2 Member
    Walking is a great way to incorporate some exercise. If you have a ten minute break, walk around the office and up and down the stairs a few times. Another idea you could try would be to keep some hand weights at your desk and, while you're on the phone or talking to a coworker, using them to do a few bicep curls or tricep dips. You mentioned you have an exercise ball--you could take that to work and use it instead of a desk chair. Sitting on an exercise ball forces you to engage to core and balance, burning more calories than simply sitting.
  • BlackEyedPanda
    BlackEyedPanda Posts: 86 Member
    The thing is, I feel like I need something more than just walking. I would take the exercise ball to work but as my office has a glass wall and clients can see in it, the company I work for is very conservative regarding how the office should be laid out - so no gym balls. I use my gym ball at my home office sometimes as a chair during the weekends, but lately I have found myself working from the couch. Should probably get back to the gym ball routine.

    I will purchase some hand weights, that's a brilliant idea! :)

    Any more suggestions always welcome :)
  • ldbuster0
    ldbuster0 Posts: 207
    I really don't like exercising either, but I do it. I am not the one to be suggesting exercises, but since you ask, here goes.
    There are some 10 minute exercises on youtube. Try some of them. Try dancing and or lift some weights. You may even try some good cleaning or yard work for 10 to 15 minutes. Hopefully this helps. By the way, you might want to find time to stop working so hard and enjoy your lunch.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    For cardio: walking or biking

    For strength you can try a quick and simple plan like SS/SL (just add pull ups and dips to prevent T Rex mode).
  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
    The walk to and from work sounds good. Sometimes I add a walk at lunch, too. There are lots of exercise videos for free on YouTube. I also like to do exercise during commercials while watching TV. It'll add up!
  • BlackEyedPanda
    BlackEyedPanda Posts: 86 Member
    I don't have a TV, "unfortunately" the internet doesn't give you ad breaks :D

    I am not always this busy with work but right now for the next couple of months it is going to be crazy. In the summer I will have time for lunch breaks and walks :)
    For cardio: walking or biking

    For strength you can try a quick and simple plan like SS/SL (just add pull ups and dips to prevent T Rex mode).
    Stupid question; what is SS/SL?
  • BlackEyedPanda
    BlackEyedPanda Posts: 86 Member
    I really don't like exercising either, but I do it. I am not the one to be suggesting exercises, but since you ask, here goes.
    There are some 10 minute exercises on youtube. Try some of them. Try dancing and or lift some weights. You may even try some good cleaning or yard work for 10 to 15 minutes. Hopefully this helps. By the way, you might want to find time to stop working so hard and enjoy your lunch.
    Sounds good, thanks :)
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
    set alarm and every hour get u and do a brisk 3 min walk, you have to get out of breath
  • joshturner34
    joshturner34 Posts: 1
    Walking, Cycling, Swimming and jogging are the best and easy exercises to lose wight and maintain the body shape.
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
    Sorry to sound harsh but you just need to get out and do it, force yourself. Any exercise worth doing isn't easy and you won't enjoy it at first. If you force yourself to do it for a bit eventually you will learn to enjoy it, but you have to get out there in the first place for that to happen.
  • Froggyh
    Froggyh Posts: 81 Member
    Walking, Cycling, Swimming and jogging are the best and easy exercises to lose wight and maintain the body shape.

    Jogging's easy? o_O Tell that to my lungs :P

    The bit of advice that's stuck with me the most is to incorporate bodyweight exercises into your everyday life. Things like doing squats while brushing your teeth, inverted rows on the kitchen table while you wait for the kettle to boil, etc. It's not going to give you a cardio workout, but it adds up in terms of strength training. Actually, come to think of it, in the time it takes the kettle to boil and a cup of tea to steep for 3 minutes, you could definitely get a tabata workout in, as that only takes 4 minutes (it's 20 seconds full-intensity of an activity of your choice, then 10 seconds rest).
  • BlackEyedPanda
    BlackEyedPanda Posts: 86 Member
    I started today by doing 100 squats and will continue doing that every morning this month.

    Thanks for the advice, I had never heard of tabata exercise before, it sounds good. I will definitely give it a try :)
    Sorry to sound harsh but you just need to get out and do it, force yourself. Any exercise worth doing isn't easy and you won't enjoy it at first. If you force yourself to do it for a bit eventually you will learn to enjoy it, but you have to get out there in the first place for that to happen.
    I suppose nothing good comes easy. I just need to get into the habit of doing it.
  • IzzyBooNZ1
    IzzyBooNZ1 Posts: 1,289 Member
    fitnessblender.com has HEAPS of awesome workouts and exercies, it is free & they also have a channel on youtube. they have quite a lot of short ones that are 12 mins or less but don't let that fool you, you will sweat !

Categories