How to begin (exercising)???

I walk over to the mirror, that gets my *kitten* moving every time.

Seriously, find something you LOVE to do. For me it's weight training. I look forward to my training days.

Exercise is important to health, right? Like a doctor's appointment? Would you keep putting off a dr's appt if the problem you were having seemed to be getting worse? I was told one time to think of a workout like a doctor's appt.....schedule it and make sure you show up. It helped me to think of it like that.......

I am, too, the queen of procrastination and one of those people who need some form of an axe above their heads - a deadline, a group... demanding boss or teacher, you name it. I joined a 30 day challenge in the beginning. The group really motivated and encouraged me. After that I slowly got into the habit od exercising. I still don't love it but it's a part of my day now.

find a 5k race 9-12 weeks from now. sign up for it. then go out there and start week 1 day 1 of c25k. you'll have to keep doing it so you can be ready for the race. go slowly... and marvel at your progress!

My first tip is find something you like doing. It may take a while and you might have to try a few things first but there's no point in flogging yourself to death on a stationary bike for 800 hours a day if you really can't stand it. I started off playing netball in a local team, and was inspired to start running by watching a few friends doing half- and full marathons, eventually started running 5km and last year did London Marathon. I wouldn't say I enjoy running at all, and I'm not very good at it either, but I enjoy the challenge and entering races gives me a goal to work towards, meaning I have to actually do some training!

Secondly, if you can afford it, a gym is pretty useful. I know you can do gym routines at home, buying weights and benches etc but I find it easier to go to a gym because I don't want to have to buy heavier weights every 4 weeks or whatever. I am lucky, my gym is open 24 hours and costs £10.99 a month, so I can fit in my gym time whenever I like. I tend to go around 5:30am before uni as it means I have done my exercise for the day and then I don't have to worry about being too tired to do it later on (and therefore find excuses NOT to do it). It's hard getting out of bed when it's cold outside and my bed is all snuggly, and yeah sometimes I do give myself the day off and do it another day instead, but I find it helps if you make an appointment with a friend who you don't want to let down. I also make sure my bag is packed the night before so I just have to jump out of bed, brush my teeth, get dressed and go, no time for faffing and falling back to sleep!

Thirdly, don't stress too much about doing it all. Start small and progress steadily. Don't think you have to be a heavy lifting, cardio crazy iron woman right this minute in order to get fit/lose weight. When I started running, it was more like a slow plod from one lampost to the next, followed by about 2 minutes of walking. I built up slowly from there to a point where I did the whole 26.2miles last year, which seemed like a miracle to me. Don't set yourself up for failure, aim for small successes and work at achieving them. Your own personal targets are really important so even if it's just to do 30 minutes twice this week, write it down, be accountable, tell someone, tell yourself, and stick to it. The sense of pride and achievement at having stuck to your guns, dragged yourself out of bed, walked home instead of driving etc makes it worthwhile (even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes!)

Last (although I am sure I will think of something later on), think about the benefits of you doing whatever you are putting off. I know, cake tastes great, and sleep is lovely, and I really want a glass (bottle) of wine and most importantly, I really can't be bothered tonight.All completely valid. BUT, I also want to fall in love and get married and it's not going to happen until I am happy with me, and I am not going to be happy with me until I sort out how I feel and look. I want to be able to wear nice clothes. I want to be a better, faster, fitter netball player. I want to do London Marathon in a much faster time. I want to have my cake and eat it. I want to live a long and healthy life and not end up with all the weight related issues my Mum has (a list as long as your arm). So, if I want all that, I have to do the work (boring, I know). It all boils down to exercise, none of those things is going to be true for me unless I do it, so I have to do it. It's not always easy but, the things in life you want very rarely are.

So, not really a 'just get on with it' post, they aren't always that helpful. But, have faith in your ability and give it your best shot. Even if you can't think of the benefits, remember Dr Pepper and think, what's the worst that could happen? When you start seeing results you'll be glad you did it!

Baby steps! and ask a friend to join you - hold each other accountable. sometimes just saying it outloud to someone else that I'm going to do it makes me want to stick to the plan. I've found that joining the running/training group really helped me. They make the plans so I don't have to think about what I'm going to do or when - they tell me to be here at a certain time, run here, go there. And, I've met several people to whom I feel accountable - I know that Lysa might not have someone to run with if I don't show up and that motivates me to be where they say, when they say.

So, right now, just go for a 20 minute walk. don't worry about what you'll do tomorrow or the next day - just go take a walk right now!!!!!

I really feel like you have to find something that you just LOVE to do. I was the exact same way. I am probably about twice your size and I had every excuse in the book not to exercise.... and then one day I was just like, ok, enough of this. I went to my local YMCA and signed up. I always knew that I loved the water so I started taking water aerobics classes and just fell in love with them and now I also do some zumba classes too. If I thought I had to do the Elliptical or the treadmill or even just walk every day... there is no way I'd get up and do it every day because I find that stuff SO boring......So just find what you love and stick with it!

I can only share what worked for me:

What worked for me was to start small and work my way up. I walked vigorously for half an hour a day for a week, then made it 40 minutes, etc. But even starting with five minutes and working your way up would be something. I also started looking for opportunities to walk. My supermarket is about 15 minutes walk from me so I walked there each day, with my children, to pick up vegetables for the dinner. I went swimming in a very deep pool (that will get you moving if you can't touch the bottom). I did that just for fun twice a week. That helped with toning a lot. That was something else that I could do with children along.

You need to find what you can do and will do and start small then work your way up. Or start with even just ten minutes and when you're into it you might decide you can keep going for another five.

And, of course, if you haven't exercised for a while it is probably a good idea to check with your doctor first before doing anything new.

JUST DO IT ALREADY!!!

This is what I say to myself every time, lol. It helps get my butt out the door and just get moving. It really doesn't matter what you do. Just do something and do it often.

Have fun & good luck!
:happy:

+1

This thread is yet another way to delay getting started.

Do c25k
Do Stronglifts 5x5

Google "beginner exercise programmes" and pick one.

Just Do It (tm)

Let me ask you this...why do you want to do C25K? Why do you want to do intermittent DVD workouts? Why do you want to ride your bike?

Here's my point...if you don't know why you want to do any of these things (other than burning calories which you know is unnecessary because you did it with diet alone before) then it means you have not identified any specific fitness goals. I find that when people actually set fitness goals independent of calorie burn...that's when their routines really start to come together and start looking intelligent and mapped out, with every exercise pursued being in support of that fitness goal.

Also consider that with MFP you're supposed to eat back exercise calories...so if you're training like an athlete (which you would be with that kind of volume) then you have to eat like one too...if you can't fathom eating back 1000+ calories per day, don't plan on burning them through exercise. There is such a thing as too much. If you're doing C25K then sign up for a 5K and train for that race...anything else you do should support your race goals. I don't see random cardio DVDs accomplishing that.