Need Motivation to exercise!

greycee67
greycee67 Posts: 12 Member
in Motivation and Support
I work 12 hour shifts and I am on my feet for 11 hours of that shift. I have worn a pedometer and logged up to 12 miles a day on most days. When I come home... I am tired.. my feet and hips hurt well into the next day.. I know a lot of it is from carrying around the extra weight... Good thing is I work every other day so I can recover... but I still don't want to get up and do anything physical on my off days... Any positive suggestions?

Replies

  • Courtney011691
    Courtney011691 Posts: 55
    I'd say start small. Even if you don't think what you're doing is going to help. It's still a start. For instance, google "30 day _____ challenge". There's planks, arms, squats, abs, etc. These are all super short workouts, the arms just took me 30 seconds. I'm not saying you're going to see huge improvements but it gets you going at the very least. I always found that starting small made me want to do more. When you're ready to do more I'd say do a short walk or some strength training at home. Half the time I'm sitting on the couch watching tv doing arm curls or on the floor doing crunches. Just try to find ways to make your everyday activities a small workout. Dance in the kitchen while you're cooking, run up the stairs instead of walking, or do 10 jumping jacks every time you get up.

    Also, have you looked into getting new/better shoes? I know 11 hours is a lot but maybe different shoes could help alleviate a little bit of the pain?
  • Going4Great
    Going4Great Posts: 3
    How to do you feel about yoga?

    I have the opposite issue. I have a desk job and can sit for 10-12 hours a day. I have to be very aware to get up and move around so as not to cause strain to my lower back and shoulders/neck.

    Either way, yoga helps me "open up" tightness and I feel 110% better!
  • greycee67
    greycee67 Posts: 12 Member
    I am one of those typical stereotypes.. I have a gym membership I never use, I have every zumba dvd there is.. My recent purchase was kettle bells.. I have 2 different set... All bob harpers and kettleworx... I have a Wii with all kinds of fitness games.. from the dance ones to jillion's ultimate fitness... I would walk but that is all I do all day long... I tried running and thought I was going to DIE! Do not want to EVER do that again...lol... I got a treadmill and all I ended up doing was using it to hang clothes off of ,,,even though I am pushing 200lbs you can bounce a quarter off my legs and butt...lol.. my biggest problem is the belly and upper body.. I have that upside down pear shape... I eat very healthy and I am an honest logger...If I have a bad day I still log everything I eat.. You can check out my Diary if you want... I just cant seem to get motivated... I did try yoga for a brief period... still could not get into the routine... I know I'm lazy when it comes to exercise... I just want some motivation...
  • Courtney011691
    Courtney011691 Posts: 55
    I think everyone's motivation is different. For me, I had a bunch of summer clothes last summer that I love. Unfortantley, I gained about 30 pounds over the course of a year. At the beginning of the summer nothing fits. I've been working at it for just over a month on here and slowly but surely I'm getting there. Just today I realized the dress I bought for New Year's Eve but couldn't wear actually fits so I can wear it at the end of the month in Vegas. To keep my motivation up I hung that dress on the door of my closet so I look at it everyday.

    Another thing for me, I think back to all the days I skipped workouts or didn't eat well. If I had only done some sort of workout I'd be farther ahead today. Remember, one year from now you'll wish you'll had started today!

    Really, you have to figure out what you want most. Is there a dress in your closet or a pair of your favorite jeans you've been wanting to get into? Do you want to be thinner for a vacation? Whatever it is put it on display. Pull that dress out of the closet and hang it on the bathroom door. Print off pictures of where you want to vacation and put them on the fridge. If you find a great motivational quote make copies of it and put it on the tv, at work, etc. Make reminders to yourself everywhere.
  • kyliyen
    kyliyen Posts: 3 Member
    Start with short workouts. A FB friend posted a dumb "Lose 10 Lbs in 2 weeks with this workout!!!!" poster. I looked at it and figured even though I knew that was laughable, it looked like a quick, easy work out. I have been doing in for the last 2 weeks, daily, during my lunch breaks and it only takes 15 mins! The best motavation to do is if I am thinking about blowing it off I tell myself, 'It's only 15 mins, you got the time!"
    Easy simple work out (adjust for you accordingly)

    100 crunches
    90 jumping jacks
    80 lunges
    70 squats
    60 sec run in place
    50 sec plank
    40 jumping jacks
    30 squats
    20 high knees
    10 push up

    It does get your HR up and I am dripping with sweat when I am done.
  • lgrix
    lgrix Posts: 160 Member
    If your gym has a pool, use it. Takes all the stress off your legs, great arm shoulder work out and you will feel better when you get done.

Categories