I hate running

waterskh
waterskh Posts: 36 Member
in Getting Started
That makes me feel like an awful person, but there you have it. I hate running. I have a bad knee, bad hip, and bad back and I am not even 23 yet. I have started up swimming but I am moving to Thailand in July where it is doubtful that I will have access to a pool or gym at all really. Any ideas what might work for me? I do love to hike/walk, but it gets so time consuming!
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Replies

  • ken_m
    ken_m Posts: 128
    Have you considered taking up not running?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You don't have to run. The main thing to lose weight is how many calories you are eating. Exercise has other health benefits. Walking is a great exercise, 30 minutes a day, along with the proper calorie deficit, and you will lose weight. There are walking DVD's you can do in your home, if you don't have a safe place to walk.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    You don't have to run. The main thing to lose weight is how many calories you are eating. Exercise has other health benefits. Walking is a great exercise, 30 minutes a day, along with the proper calorie deficit, and you will lose weight. There are walking DVD's you can do in your home, if you don't have a safe place to walk.

    OP says walking is too time consuming for her.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You don't have to run. The main thing to lose weight is how many calories you are eating. Exercise has other health benefits. Walking is a great exercise, 30 minutes a day, along with the proper calorie deficit, and you will lose weight. There are walking DVD's you can do in your home, if you don't have a safe place to walk.

    OP says walking is too time consuming for her.

    Yes, well, so is running or any exercise. So don't exercise then, just control eating.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    There's no rule that states that you have to a) enjoy running and b) you need to run to be in good shape. There are many other forms of exercise, find one or more that you like and do that.
  • waterskh
    waterskh Posts: 36 Member
    Not so much too time consuming I guess, thats a bad excuse. It is more of a safety thing. I live in a pretty violent area and as the temperatures go up, so do the shootings. Meh, I will figure it out.
  • ken_m
    ken_m Posts: 128
    I hear crossfit is a thing now
  • raholden88
    raholden88 Posts: 34
    I felt the same way. I hate running. I own a treadmill and used to go to the gym on occasion, but I never enjoy the aspect of it. I don't mind walking though at all, really. It's more peaceful.

    I walk to and from my job and take public transportation and do a good amount of walking while at work, so I got myself a Fitbit just to see how much walking I really do any given day. Turns out after proper adjustments to the stride length etc, that I walk a good 3.5 miles a day just with a regular work day. For me, that was 300 calories or so I was burning. So, for that little extra, I added 15 minute walks with the dog to this to start, just to try to get up to about 5 miles of walking a day, or 10000 steps, which is the recommended daily average to 'get fit.' I average usually at least 8500-9000 on lesser days, but typically hit my goal.

    That, along with eating at my deficit, has led to my losing nearly all of my goal of 50lbs in just about under 20 weeks. I can now walk forever without getting tired, out of breath, or even breaking a sweat. I can walk up the hills in my neighborhood with the dog and my knees no longer hurt, I no longer get back and neck pains, and I can run up the hills when the mood strikes me and keep pace with my dog, a Basenji who is built and lives to run, and then barely lose my breath after.

    Walk if you don't like to run, and you don't have to do it all at once. A little here, a little there, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and it adds up.
  • telepneff
    telepneff Posts: 71 Member
    Exercise DVDs would be a good starting point.

    I hate running too. Although I was told I would eventually love it. It was halfway through my second half marathon that I concluded that I had given it long enough and I just don't, and never will, enjoy running.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    If there really is no form of exercise you can do then just manage your weight using calorie control as already mentioned.

    However, I'm sure in such a great country there will be something you can do.

    How about cycling? Not too time consuming, not as hard on joints as running. Will you be at a coastal area? - plenty of opportunities for sea-swimming if so.

    Thailand has lots of kickboxing gyms, maybe have a go and see if you like that?
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 Member
    you will figure it out.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
    Exercise DVDs would be a good starting point

    Yeap .. I can watch them all day
  • Blue801
    Blue801 Posts: 442
    You might like "body by you", it's a body weight exercises book. No equipment and no running required. Worth checking out. I love it.
  • elothen
    elothen Posts: 155 Member
    Exercise DVDs would be a good starting point

    Yeap .. I can watch them all day

    ROFL!
  • Boshnivay
    Boshnivay Posts: 74 Member
    I USED to hate running. I hated the way it made me out of breath, the way I felt my body smashing into the ground with each step. I hated running so much that I did every other exercise you could think of- elliptical, STAIR MASTER, biking, swimming, walking. Then I went away to summer camp to be a counselor for the first time. The ONLY form of exercise I had enough time to do was running. Yup, I was forced to run if I wanted to exercise. And I wanted to exercise. No way was I going to not exercise after coming so far from where I had been. I forced myself to started running in intervals. YES it hurts, but it GETS BETTER. It is going to take a while for your body to get used to the motion of it, but really give it a go when you're in Thailand. How many other people get the chance to go for a run in such a beautiful country? Start small and find a "happy pace" one you can "jog" at and not have to walk. You WILL get there!!!!!
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    get a bike. even roller skating or jumping rope is going to be much easier on your joints
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    That makes me feel like an awful person, but there you have it. I hate running. I have a bad knee, bad hip, and bad back and I am not even 23 yet. I have started up swimming but I am moving to Thailand in July where it is doubtful that I will have access to a pool or gym at all really. Any ideas what might work for me? I do love to hike/walk, but it gets so time consuming!

    If you have joint/back issues, it likely you'll do best with a low/no impact form of exercise. If you are going to end up not having access to a gym or pool, consider saving up for a home machine. I have an elliptical machine in my home that I use daily. I also have a bad back and it's great no impact cardio exercise for that. I did a lot a of research to find the best one, and I bought a Yowza for about $800. You can certainly find a cheaper one than that, but I bought one that is pretty sturdy and will last for years.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    What interests you? I don't like running even tho I'm actually good at it.( My Martial Arts instructor likes it.) I find it boring as all get-out. What thing have you imagined yourself doing? I know you can get a great workout with Oriental dance. There are cool outfits (modest ones are pretty too!) and it looks like fun! I doubt it puts too much strain on your joints.
  • susanb573
    susanb573 Posts: 111 Member
    I despise every minute of running. EVERY SINGLE MINUTE. But I'm a busy mom with two jobs so running is one of the few workouts that burns a large amount of calories and provides a great workout in a short period of time. So I run but literally hate every single minute of it. Still waiting for that mythical runners high.
  • DAM5412
    DAM5412 Posts: 660 Member
    I am with the running haters, sorry. But it's good to see you are not alone! If you are really trying to lose weight the best way to do it is through diet and exercise. So just keep trying different things until you find what you like and will stick to. Remember...fitness is a lifestyle change and you will make changes and adjustments as you go. Just don't give up!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    Have you considered taking up not running?

    :laugh:

    Dont assume you wont have access in Thailand, check it out, you might get lucky
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    A wise man once said, "The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people do the things they don't like to do."

    I don't like lifting. I don't like running. I don't like getting out of bed in the morning. I don't like eating salads for lunch instead of sandwiches. I certainly didn't like working full-time while going to grad school.

    In the end, the things you don't want to do are the only things that pay off.
  • Sara2652
    Sara2652 Posts: 158 Member
    I'm with you, running is not my thing! I garden, I hike, I'll occasionally dance around the house.

    My neighborhood is also not great for walking but I found a few youtube videos for yoga that I like.
  • jtrack3d
    jtrack3d Posts: 91
    I hate running as well. I dance instead. But really you are just talking about some form of cardio... doesn't have to be running. I used to really like elliptical machines, but variety helps as well.

    But no, hating running is not bad.
  • T_X_L
    T_X_L Posts: 140 Member
    I would suggest picking up the Alwyn and Racheal Cosgrove book: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Supercharged-Muscle-Building-ebook/dp/B008MG42YO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397582134&sr=8-1&keywords=alwyn+cosgrove

    They have a number in the NROL (New Rules of Lifting) series. Don't let the "lifting" part fool you, there's a lot you can do without barbells, though I would recommend a set of resistance bands and a TRX. The best thing is, both the resistance bands and TRX are very compact and not too expensive, and the routines can be done inside. Do an intensive routine, and you'll be totally gassed in 20 minutes, it's time efficient too.

    AND NO RUNNING!!!
  • Revolutionwithin
    Revolutionwithin Posts: 47 Member
    I hear you. I hate walking and running. Doesn't matter what I do I find it the most annoying/boring activity. Even when I was younger and really fit, I hated it. I tried to force myself to get into it - never worked.

    Right now I'm just walking, and I've tried a lot of things to make it better, more interesting, blah blah but I still don't care. I'm doing it anyhow and just tell myself, "Suck it up, Cupcake."

    How do you feel about swimming?

    I would be so happy if I could get a membership to just swim everyday but that isn't going to happen.
  • ChriJMitch
    ChriJMitch Posts: 70 Member
    Why are you in so much pain? Previous injuries?

    I know for a fact that there are lots of things that contribute to joint pain from running. I did cross and track for 4 years, had my fair share of injuries. Main culprits are:

    -Bad form (SO MANY people with bad running form. This is the cause for about 75% of all injuries)
    -Poor shoe choice
    -Overuse
    -Failure to stretch regularly

    If you just hate it because it is boring, I can't help you there. I agree, it can get boring sometimes. I usually bring audio books to listen to, but I actually do some of my best thinking on long runs without headphones. Sometimes its a nice way to decompress.
  • katlaf23
    katlaf23 Posts: 20
    I felt the same way until I started c25k free. Now I actually look forward to my runs. The key is that it's not that difficult to run when the run is split up with walking intervals.
  • FitterBody
    FitterBody Posts: 367 Member
    Have you considered taking up not running?

    :laugh:

    Dont assume you wont have access in Thailand, check it out, you might get lucky

    I can assure you that here in Thailand there are plenty of places to train all over the country. There are "western style" gyms in major cities with air con, all the usual equipment, classes, etc, but outside the cities you have many more makeshift training gyms for Muay Thai or just basic gyms with weights and fans to cool them, or even out in the tiny villages there are spare old tyres and bag type gyms in someones back yard that the locals use to train Muay Thai from very young kids learning to adults training, or just workout to get fit. Swimming pools are on the roofs of many major city malls, and in many hotels with some open to non-resident guests. If you are by the sea in Thailand you obviously also have the sea to swim in. There is also the National Sports Authority that is in Bangkok that has facilities for almost any sport you care to mention, including a huge cycle stadium, two or more running tracks, Muay Thai, gymnastics, clay pigeon shooting, etc., etc, etc. If you don't fancy any of that you can always pick appropriate body-weight exercises so that you can do them in your room or outside it, and that will save any travelling time allowing more time to train.

    Where exactly here in Thailand will you be going? And what will you be doing here?

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