The thought of exercise makes me sick

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  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I don't enjoy running so avoid it as much as I can. :D I tend to gravitate towards "exercise" that is actually fun... you know, the stuff that makes you smile or laugh. Right now, I play a lot of dodgeball as that's a giggle (apart from when you get hit in the nutsack). I also really enjoy playing tennis and will keep playing even after I am unable pick my feet up off the ground to run as I'm out of energy. :D

    Find a physical activity that is fun - what do you fancy doing that gets you off the sofa? Exploring the countryside? Going for a cycle? You could even just play with your daughter for an hour everyday in the local park. Pushing the pushchair around, throwing a ball for her to chase etc. It's no Crossfit but it still counts as a physical activity.
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I'm 45 years old and I have been on the yoyo diet plan for 20 years and then I started having health issues because I'm obese. Yeah my doctor warned me years ago but besides wearing fat clothes I didn't really have any other issues. But then I was diagnosed with diabetes and high colesterol and then I herniated a disc in my back lifting something that wasn't even really heavy.
    At that time I said that's enough and I made a complete lifestyle change. I began doing research on the healthiest foods to eat, a proper exercise plan to be tone when I do lose the weight and I joined MFP to be able to track and hold myself accountable.
    When i first started within 10 min on the treadmill I thought I was going to die. It was not easy. But now it's not so bad. I watch TV while I do it and the time goes by real fast. But the best part is how you start to feel the next day. Yeah you might be a little sore but a few days later it gets easier and easier. When you start seeing results makes it all worth it. I have now added weight training to my routine To build strength and muscle tone.
    Don't be afraid to start off slow. Maybe just a moderate pace like 2mph. Do 15-20min if you can. Get some small dumbells and work your arms. I actually started my workout plan when my back was injured and most of my exercise came while laid up in bed. Just get a routine and as you lose weight you will get more energy and you'll like how it makes you feel. Who knows maybe some day you'll be the mountain climbing trainer. :) Just fake it until you make it. Eventually it gets easier.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    edited May 2015
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    moledew wrote: »
    I'm really curious about what it is that makes a morbidly obese person all of the sudden become a body builder that enjoys workouts...?

    For starters, this is an unreasonable expectation. Most people don't make that sort of transformation - which is fine. And for those who do, it's far from sudden.

    I started at 300+ pounds. There was nothing fun about going to the gym, wearing pajama pants and an old tshirt because I didn't want to invest in workout clothing, knowing I'd probably give up. It wasn't enjoyable to spend an hour on the elliptical. I signed up for a personal training session, and I felt gross and ashamed. I was disgusted by how hard it was to do relatively easy things. I couldn't believe how sore I was afterward.

    But I kept going. I kept slaving on the elliptical and lifting weights, even when I would rather watch paint dry. I once went to the bathroom and cried mid-workout. It was not *fun*.

    I had a goal, though, so kept going. And eventually it was less horrible. When I realized I hated the elliptical but liked the weights, I stopped using the elliptical. I started finding other things I loved. I started setting goals and achieving them, then setting new goals. I started feeling fantastic after a workout. I started to feel off if I missed one. Along with controlling calories, exercise helped me lose 130 pounds. It created a bit of a deficit, but it also made me LIKE my body for once in my life. I couldn't believe what I was accomplishing.

    It was a gradual process, and now exercise is a regular part of my life. I enjoy it most of the time. I love what it's done for me - now I can hike or bike or walk for miles. I love that I can cross-country ski, something that's a fantastic workout, and enjoy the movement instead of hate the exertion. I'm one of those people who you mentioned who can climb mountains.

    My point is that very few people love exercise from day one. It's hard and it's not fun if you're out of shape. But, like many things, stick with it. And most importantly, find something you love. I would hate the gym if all I did there was move on the elliptical for an hour. Give me a barbell or a trail, though, and I'm a happy camper.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
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    I notice you keep using phrases like "all of a sudden," "total transformation," and "burst." No, it doesn't work that way.

    I started at 335 pounds, and at first I exercised so I could eat a little bit more while losing weight. It seemed like sweating some every day was a fair tradeoff to get to have a glass of wine with dinner or a square or two of chocolate, and I'd be able to stay on the diet longer and lose more weight before giving up. I started with lower-intensity, low-impact stuff (in fact, the first couple of weeks I just did stretching). Very very gradually increased the amount of time I was spending, and my intensity.

    At first I hated it. I dreaded it. Every. Single. Workout. I worked out every day because I found that if I took a day off, then coming back to it was even harder. I didn't have a lot of variability in what I was doing, but I stuck with it doggedly. For wine. And chocolate.

    That went on for about 4 months. After that, I had built up enough of an aerobic base that I realized that I felt more capable, and started trying more new things. I gradually started to enjoy challenging myself. Beating my past self at things. Getting better balance and coordination, then more endurance, and more strength, and then getting faster.

    At some point, exercise stopped seeming like something other people do but I wasn't made for. I kept trying new things. Sometimes I hated the new things. Sometimes I liked them and added them to my routine. Sometimes I went back and tried things I had hated before, to see if I hated them less: often I did hate them less. Sometimes I started loving them. Probably about 15 months into having started exercising, I tried running (for the second time in that period). Weirdly, I loved it this time. A LOT. Still do.

    The thing is, it takes time and determination. Progress is gradual. If you stick with it, at some point you'll have a "holy crap who have I become" moment but it won't be soon, and it won't be when you're thinking about it. You need to be patient and accept that transformation will not be instantaneous. Start gently and be forgiving of yourself at first: you're not an athlete YET. You've got room to grow.

    And you have to find your own why. If you are exercising because you are "supposed to," you're not going to stick with it. But if you choose to exercise to work towards an achievable goal (achievable =/= "becoming a mountain climbing personal trainer"; at least, not at this point. Keep your goals much smaller at first) that you actually really want and believe can be achieved through exercise, it's easier to stay focused through the crap times. And you may surprise yourself. People do change.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
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    Exercise is not something that once done - is regretted.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
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    i think its different for everyone. I've accepted for now that I'm just not big into exercising. so i don't force it and try to make the little things count. like actively playing with my kids, parking far, walking when i can or taking the long route. I've lost 50lbs and not much has changed in my feelings about exercising. i haven't ruled it out forever but i accept that ill just have to make the small things count. and its ok.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
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    A good friend of mine had a heart attack..and when the doctor then says for heart health you have to exercise then we do...I am not waiting for that.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I think the trick is finding some type of activity that you enjoy, or at least don't hate. You don't have to get up at 5 a.m. or run or lift or take a class or go to a gym. Take a walk or a hike, play a sport, swim, bike, dance, garden, toss a frisbee or play catch with the kids.

    Climbing a mountain or running a marathon is great if you enjoy it, but neither is necessary for weight loss, fitness or health. Mental health is important too. Enjoy your life.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I love a challenge. Its my personality. So I only do things I enjoy and I set goals and work toward them, rinse and repeat. So yeah, I'm an exercise junkie. It makes me feel good. And it doesn't hurt that it allows me to eat more. So try a lot of things and find the things that you enjoy. Exercise shouldn't feel like a chore. Some days it will be hard, so there has to be something else driving it.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    My reason is simple--I have to. I wake up with pain all over, since I have OA. Since I'm stiff and sore I get up before everyone else and do stretching for 45 min at least 3 times a week. Once I'm limbered up, I feel better and can function. Then I go to the pool 3-4 times a week. I've done this for 20 yrs now. The truth is, I feel like crap if I don't exercise. I am also a creature of habit, so I don't leave something once I've started. I may change things around, add new things, but I'm always moving. Doing this makes a difference in everything else I do all day--cleaning, shopping, walking,gardening, etc. These things are all easier since I'm in great shape for my age. No one realizes that I have OA. Exercise is good for your quality of life and can become addictive. B)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    moledew wrote: »
    I see so many users on here that were 300+ pounds before starting their journey and now they're mountain climbing personal trainers! I'm super jealous and want to have that too eventually but I really hate exercising. Is it just because of my weight and how physically and emotionally taxing it is for me right now? Will I too get this phenomenal burst of energy and motivation as the weight comes off? A lot of people say that they need and love exercising now but I just can't see myself being a 5am runner. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here but I'm really curious about what it is that makes a morbidly obese person all of the sudden become a body builder that enjoys workouts...? Is that just part of the mental side of weigh loss and a literal "total transformation"?

    1 - baby steps. nobody goes from 0 to balls overnight. when i started back into fitness, I did nothing but walk. I walked for 30 minutes 3x weekly...then I upped that to 5 times weekly...then I walked a couple of those days for 45 minutes...then an hour, etc. Within a couple of months I was walking for an hour most days. Now three years later I can jump on my bike and ride 30 - 50 miles just because it's fun...mind you, it's been almost three years since I started on this little good livin' safari. I've been plugging away for almost three years.

    2 - broaden your view of "exercise". too many people think "exercise" means droning away on some piece of cardio equipment or jumping around their living rooms to some DVD. there are tons of fun, "recreational" activities that also happen to be "exercise". The only thing I do in a gym is lift weight, which I enjoy...other than that, I really enjoy riding my bike and going for hikes in the mountains. Often my bike rides are planned "workouts"...but often, it's just family fun activity...like we decide to go to the zoo and instead of loading up the kids in the car, my wife and I load them up in the bike trailers and ride and get in a good 25 miles round trip...plus some walking around at the zoo. again...been plugging away at this for three years.

    3 - just moving more in general is going to be very beneficial...it doesn't have to be some deliberate workout. for example, my wife and I both used to spend quite a bit of time in front of the t.v., especially on weekends...now we make sure we get out and do something...we take the kids to the zoo for a few hours or a museum or we do yard work, etc. we have a grocery store that's just a mile each way from the house, so we often walk to go grocery shopping if we just need to pick up a few things...stuff like that...there is a lot of benefit to simply moving more.

    4 - This kind of goes with #2, but you have to find things you enjoy doing or you'll never stick with them. I tried forcing the issue with running for example...months of misery trying to force myself to be a runner...I hated it...but while I was running I decided I wanted to train for a triathlon with my mom which is when I discovered my bike. I never did end up doing that tri, but I did discover cycling and I've been in the saddle ever since.

    5- it's always a challenge at first, but as you progress in your fitness, things get easier...eventually you get to the point where you just don't feel quite right physically if you miss planned workouts. Like this week for example...I've been a little laid up with a foot injury so I haven't been able to ride for a week...I'm going a little crazy and I just want to be back in the saddle. I would never have thought such a thing just a few years ago.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,898 Member
    edited May 2015
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    moledew wrote: »
    I see so many users on here that were 300+ pounds before starting their journey and now they're mountain climbing personal trainers! I'm super jealous and want to have that too eventually but I really hate exercising. Is it just because of my weight and how physically and emotionally taxing it is for me right now? Will I too get this phenomenal burst of energy and motivation as the weight comes off? A lot of people say that they need and love exercising now but I just can't see myself being a 5am runner. I know I'm getting ahead of myself here but I'm really curious about what it is that makes a morbidly obese person all of the sudden become a body builder that enjoys workouts...? Is that just part of the mental side of weigh loss and a literal "total transformation"?

    @moledew
    You don't have to be a 5 am runner or a bodybuilder. You know that ... right??

    How do you feel about walking to the park in the afternoon with the child you've got in your photo? That would be exercise.


    Here's a list of sports courtesy of Wikipedia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports

    Here's another list of sports
    http://www.topendsports.com/sport/sport-list.htm


    There are a lot more activities than running and bodybuilding.

    Maybe you might prefer playing a little one-on-one (basketball) with your partner.
    Maybe cycling on the local rail trails is more your speed.
    Perhaps you like golf ... walking the course, of course.
    Perhaps tennis is more your thing.
    Or maybe swimming is for you.

    Be adventurous. Try stuff.

  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
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    @moledew
    You don't have to be a 5 am runner or a bodybuilder. You know that ... right??

    How do you feel about walking to the park in the afternoon with the child you've got in your photo? That would be exercise.

    Exactly. There is even a listing here for walking while carrying a baby.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
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    I used to hate to exercise. I think PE class during all my years in school gave me a really negative view of it. Then I learned to love it and crave it, but not till my 30's. Then I got sick and couldn't exercise at all. Now, I can do a little minimal exercise. Some days I really miss it and other days I'm kind of glad I have an excuse not to do much.

    When you're fat, it's uncomfortable and embarrassing to exercise. Your feet and knees and hips and other joints hurt. Your skin rubs uncomfortably. You can't find any exercise clothes that fit. It's even hard to find comfortable shoes if your feet or ankles are fat. And you feel really conspicuous.

    So don't start by "exercising". Start by moving around more. Get a dog and take it for a couple walks a day and smell the flowers in the park. Have a very active pillow fight with your kids. Put on some fun music and move around to it. When you are feeling a few pounds lighter and a little more comfortable moving around, go for a walk or a bike ride. Then go for a longer or faster one. Try lifting some weights at home if that's your thing, or if you're more social join a gym. Weightlifting makes me insanely hyper and upbeat for some reason. Find a time of day that works for you. Midday is my best time...if I had to workout early or late, it'd never happen.

    I don't think there's ever been one day where I wanted to put on my exercise clothes and leave the house, even when I was running long distances. But once I get going, I enjoy myself immensely.
  • AndiDurall
    AndiDurall Posts: 17 Member
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    I'm still at the beginning of my journey. I have been working at weight loss for 5 or 6 weeks now and have lost 23 lbs. I started out at 296 and I'm 273 today. I don't LOVE exercise and I doubt I ever will. I was one of those kids in school that did the bare minimum in P.E. I had excuses. Everything physical that I did enjoy doing, my mom would usually make it not fun by telling me how to do it "to lose the weight". Loved to skate, mom wouldn't let me do it for fun. Loved to swim, mom said I had to swim laps instead of regular...etc. You really just have to find something that isn't terrible for you. I really enjoy doing Zumba at home. I'm in the air conditioning and out of sight of dumb people that think they're better than me because I'm big. It burns calories and it is fun. I won't say I LOVE it, but I don't hate it. There are lots of days that I text my husband and tell him that I just don't want to do it. That the kids are driving me nuts and they always trash something and that there is other stuff I could be doing. But he always reminds me that if I don't do it, I feel guilty. I know it is good for me and I feel good after I do it. I'm sore, sweaty, and out of breath, but it is like a little victory. Start out just moving more. Figure out what feels the best for you. You may never love to exercise and that is perfectly ok! Nobody will make you be a body builder that climbs mountains. Hahaha.

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