I need to start exercising

I was in a really good routine for a while, but I lost my rhythm last year and am still struggling to get it back. What weekly goals are you looking to meet and what kind of exercise do you like to do?

You should determine the reasons you want to exercise. Is there a skill you would like to develop or a group of people you'd like to know? Do you want to be strong, flexible, fast, and/or tough? What changes do you want to see in your health? Then, after you've made a list of your goals, pick an activity that fits with them. It will be a lot easier to stick with something that is rewarding for you.

Exercise should be something that makes you feel better. For example, I go running because it is a cheap and relatively easy sport that I can do solo just about anywhere. The aerobic exercise is good for my asthmatic lungs and helps me sleep at night. (My job is pretty stressful right now.) Running also gets me out in the sunshine and helps boost my mood. It burns quite a few calories in a short amount of time, so I can have something sweet to eat in the evening.

I love watching tv as well. I found a solution to my motivation to exercising without meaning to because I started going to a gym and I realized they had tvs built into the treadmills so now I always look forward to going to watch it while I exercise. I also made the decision that I was tired of not doing anything about my flabby arms so that started my strength workouts.

Cardio is anything that keeps your heart rate up. Set aside 30 min out of your day to walk, jog, bike, whatever you like. If it's within budget, you may want to invest in a stationary bike or treadmill to put in your living room so you can work our whole watching your shows?

I want to be a couch potato too and snack all day, and while it feels comfortable at the moment, I know I'm not doing myself any favors by getting fatter and fatter lol. Find your reason/ motivation for getting in better shape. Why do you want it? Write it down, paste it up on your bathroom mirror and remind yourself every day why you need to get your cardio in. After you get into your routine, it will become habit and you will start feeling better!

Find something thats fun and you can enjoy.

Alternatively just commit and get on with it. Exerise has many plusses and can support your weight loss as well as help with muscle development. Either those things are important to you and you are prepared to do whats needed or you are not. If you dont want to exercise then just accpet you dont get any of the benefits either.

It becomes easier once you understand what it is you are trying to do and see how it helps. You waste less time if you have a workout ready and know what you plan to do when in the gym. Id find a buddy slowed me down, but if it helps you get to the gym then get one.

I always use a pedometer to track my walking. I always try to go more longer to set a new rocord lol! It keeps it fun :-)

You have to find something you like doing. After working with a personal trainer for six months, I was left on my own to work out with my gym routine and found I hated it - headed over to a fitness class and never looked back. I love the social aspect in addition to the variety.

Baby steps, "if-then" programming, and incentives. That's what works for me. I know I burn out quickly and start dreading exercise if I go all out, so I told myself "just a 5 minute walk a day". Some days that's all I did, other days I did more, and it grew from there. I also use "if-then" programming to link exercising to a habit: "if" I finish drinking my last cup of coffee "then" I get up right away and walk. This linked exercise to drinking coffee so I don't forget it or procrastinate. As for incentives, I started bribing myself with audiobooks. I love books, so I assigned certain audiobooks to "exercise only" and I can't listen to them unless I'm exercising. This made me want to exercise longer because I didn't want to leave off on an exciting part, and when I'm listening to a particularly interesting book, I can't wait for the next exercise session to come. Some days I have to tell myself off not to have a second session on the same day.

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Baby steps, "if-then" programming, and incentives...I started bribing myself with audiobooks. I love books, so I assigned certain audiobooks to "exercise only" and I can't listen to them unless I'm exercising...

Yes! My sister does this with her Netflix shows. She has a favorite series that she can only watch if she's walking on her treadmill. She gets in an episode (and a nice long walk) every morning now.