Motivation Disappears so Fast

Options
MaiLinna
MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have trouble staying motivated to exercise. The eating comes naturally to me - I've always tried to eat the healthiest I could even when I was a kid, so getting back on that track was super easy.

I've averted exercise my whole life, however. I grew up playing dodge ball and riding my bike, but I couldn't play soccer or football or go running around with my friends because of my asthma. I never grew out of it, and despite having a medical problem half of my gym teachers actually failed me anyways because 'you have to run the mile , not walk it."

My money goes towards buying healthier food, and I just don't have any left at the end of the day to purchase $40 gym memberships or physicians or weight sets. I have a fitness game on my Wii U but at the end of the workout my calories burned are super low and even though I can't breathe and have to suck down my inhaler feel like it was all for nothing.

Help?

Replies

  • jamesolmos
    jamesolmos Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    Hi ~

    What cardio type exercises are you able to perform that don't currently interfere with your health issues?
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    Options
    I can do yoga but it doesn't burn anything. I can also do kettlebell HIIT exercises rather well, but I start wheezing and whistling really bad about halfway through.
  • beachylove
    beachylove Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    Walking is decent exercise, I started with walking miles each day to get myself into fitness.My asthma isn't as bad as yours sounds but that seemed to be the one thing I could do without much issue, running still causes mine to act up so I just push myself walking as much as possible without sending myself into an attack.

    Also if you can ride a bike that is good too, I love being outside so finding exercises that allow me to be outdoors keep me moving and motivated especially as the weather here gets nicer.
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    Options
    You don't have to exercise, just keep your calories in check to lose weight. It's probably a good idea to work on improving your cardiovascular fitness, though. W

    hy not walk? Find a pace that you can do comfortably with your limitations and work on improving. As time goes on you may be able to walk faster/further without issues. Walking can be very good exercise and while it's not the fastest calorie burner, it still burns calories and helps improve your fitness levels. Find courses to walk that give you hills and other challenges to help yourself improve. If using a treadmill, vary the incline and the speeds.

    Or, why not get a bike or stationary bike? Do some intervals to make it more intense but easier on you than going full out. Don't think you have to go out running marathons or doing anything crazy to improve your fitness.
  • DavidSTC
    DavidSTC Posts: 173 Member
    Options
    I don't know anything about asthma, but I know a person who couldn't do cardio most of her life due to asthma until she got on the right treatment. She tells everyone with asthma to keep working at finding the right treatment. She always did strength training, which is all some people do even if they don't have asthma. So, she was in pretty good shape when modern medicine started offering better treatment choices for her. Once she got the right treatment, she ended up leading group aerobics classes. There she is with inhaler in hand, sucking on it when necessary, leading everyone through a high-paced workout a few times a week.
  • Shuuma
    Shuuma Posts: 465 Member
    Options
    I have never been an "exerciser" and I'm certainly too graceless to be an athlete, but once I made up my mind to lose weight through better eating habits and exercise, I just did it. I found pictures of clothing I wanted to wear that I couldn't because of my size; made lists of things I wanted to do but couldn't because of my size; and found quotes that meant something to my mind and heart (no size requirement needed!).

    Sometimes, we have a motivation in mind and at some point, it ceases to be the right motivation for the next stage of our journeys. Re-evaluate your current motivation and see if you have reached a goal you may not have even realized was a goal! For me, it was initially about how my clothes felt and that wasn't something I had originally thought about.

    For me, motivation comes from within; support from without.

    Keep searching! You'll find it!
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    Options
    I love you guys<3
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
    Options
    I understand how scary it is to not be able to breathe when you have an asthma attack! Besides a rescue inhaler, what do you use to manage your asthma? There are several different medications available. I was prescribed Flovent (an inhaled steroid) to use, and it makes worlds of difference in treating my asthma (which, admittedly, isn't as bad as yours sounds, but I'm also at the lowest dosage). If it's mostly the asthma issues keeping you from exercise, it's definitely time to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss other treatment options. That's not just for exercise, but for your own health!

    In the mean time, keep doing the Yoga and Wii Fit games. They may not burn a lot of calories, but really, exercise for fitness. As long as you're managing calories through diet (which is what you need to do anyway), you'll still lose weight. Any activity, even "low calorie burners," is still good for you.

Categories