Rebelling against exercise

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KBmoments
KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been working out as long as I can remember...and not really for fun - just because I felt I had to, to maintain or lose weight... I honestly hated it, but did it anyway. Now that I truly understand CICO, I have been dialing back intense workouts and focus on eating at a deficit. I actually never want to workout now - almost like I am rebelling against it b/c I've hated it for all these years. Now, my workouts are walking during lunch or maybe 15-20 minutes on the elliptical. It's all that I care to do now, but still am losing weight..and happier! Anyone else like this? Or finding that lower intensity workouts- like just walking with some toning routines- are still giving you good results? Hopefully I'm on the right path...
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  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Hey, it's working! That's the most important opinion.

    Me, my revelation is the best exercise is doing whatever I love. You will only find me on the treadmill if it is a run day and it's -30C or hailing outside. And I'll NEVER attend a SPIN class. I've found activities that I love to do, so it's sustainable and un-hated.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    If you are happy and getting results then win win, but people would have told you that before. Exercise is also for health. Maybe you should have stopped letting it be torture by finding soemthing you enjoy. Anyway you seem to gave found a happy place now.
  • NerdyNix
    NerdyNix Posts: 111 Member
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    As long as you are doing some exercise you will be fine. You are still losing weight so don't worry about it!
  • stevesample76
    stevesample76 Posts: 248 Member
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    Rule number one in fitness is finding things you enjoy to do. If it feels like a punishment or a chore you wont want to stick with it.
  • insearchofcheese
    insearchofcheese Posts: 45 Member
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    This. Last time I lost a significant amount of weight, I overestimated how much exercise would help me lose weight. I was working out 2 hours or more 6 days per week. It was practically a second job and I didn't really enjoy it. This time, I'm much more relaxed and not killing myself in the gym AND I insist on only doing activities I enjoy. Makes life so much happier!
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    KBmoments wrote: »
    I've been working out as long as I can remember...and not really for fun - just because I felt I had to, to maintain or lose weight... I honestly hated it, but did it anyway. Now that I truly understand CICO, I have been dialing back intense workouts and focus on eating at a deficit. I actually never want to workout now - almost like I am rebelling against it b/c I've hated it for all these years. Now, my workouts are walking during lunch or maybe 15-20 minutes on the elliptical. It's all that I care to do now, but still am losing weight..and happier! Anyone else like this? Or finding that lower intensity workouts- like just walking with some toning routines- are still giving you good results? Hopefully I'm on the right path...

    I lost the weight with NO exercise at all, just ate at a calorie deficit. I became interested in exercise as I started transitioning into maintenance but it progressed naturally and I've never forced it. I also go through periods where I don't feel like doing any, so I don't. I've been successfully maintaining for two years now, still focusing on CICO :)
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Yes, you can do that. The key to losing weight is to eat at a deficit.

    I'm sorry to hear you don't enjoy the activities you chose.

    The key to a healthy and probably longer life is exercise and becoming physically active. Research shows, that virtually any chronic condition is improved by developing a habit of movement. Usually the answer is in finding things to do that you like.

    For example, I'm not a big fan of working out in the gym by myself, so I do mostly fitness classes because I like the social atmosphere. On the other hand, I do like riding my bike alone, so I use it for transportation (which also saves me money) and if I go on a group ride, I usually spend part of the time riding by myself - fast. :D
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    I have the same sort of attitude towards exercise (It's a pain, I don't really need it) but that actually sort of keeps me going. Before, when I thought the only way to lose was to bust my hump in the gym, it just made me not want to bother. Now that I can take it or leave it by focusing more on my intake, I don't feel like I'm a slave to it anymore, so it doesn't seem like such a chore.
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
    I have the same sort of attitude towards exercise (It's a pain, I don't really need it) but that actually sort of keeps me going. Before, when I thought the only way to lose was to bust my hump in the gym, it just made me not want to bother. Now that I can take it or leave it by focusing more on my intake, I don't feel like I'm a slave to it anymore, so it doesn't seem like such a chore.

    Very true!!
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    I took a bit of a break from it recently. Had a bunch of bad things happen, then I got a dog and he took up a lot of my time. It was nice not to work out for a few weeks, and I think I felt so relieved because I was just over doing it before. Now I take the dog on a walk or two every day, and am starting to lift weights again. I think I'm just going to lift twice a week through the summer, and that will help me to enjoy it again. Every other day became too much.
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    Sarasmaintaining wrote: »
    KBmoments wrote: »
    I've been working out as long as I can remember...and not really for fun - just because I felt I had to, to maintain or lose weight... I honestly hated it, but did it anyway. Now that I truly understand CICO, I have been dialing back intense workouts and focus on eating at a deficit. I actually never want to workout now - almost like I am rebelling against it b/c I've hated it for all these years. Now, my workouts are walking during lunch or maybe 15-20 minutes on the elliptical. It's all that I care to do now, but still am losing weight..and happier! Anyone else like this? Or finding that lower intensity workouts- like just walking with some toning routines- are still giving you good results? Hopefully I'm on the right path...

    I lost the weight with NO exercise at all, just ate at a calorie deficit. I became interested in exercise as I started transitioning into maintenance but it progressed naturally and I've never forced it. I also go through periods where I don't feel like doing any, so I don't. I've been successfully maintaining for two years now, still focusing on CICO :)

    That is really good to hear :)
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    Hey, it's working! That's the most important opinion.

    Me, my revelation is the best exercise is doing whatever I love. You will only find me on the treadmill if it is a run day and it's -30C or hailing outside. And I'll NEVER attend a SPIN class. I've found activities that I love to do, so it's sustainable and un-hated.

    Yes, finding activities that are enjoyable I think are key, too... It's just hard when every other article you see is "burn belly fat by HIIT" or "Only lift heavy for results" or whatever workout is trendy at the moment. It gets me confused and makes me question whether walking or whatever activity I choose is enough! So annoying...
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    stevesample76 wrote: »
    Rule number one in fitness is finding things you enjoy to do. If it feels like a punishment or a chore you wont want to stick with it.

    I so agree with this.

    I do find that exercising makes it easier for me to stick with any fitness plan--I just tend to eat better when I'm exercising and care more--but that only works if I generally enjoy the exercise and it doesn't feel like a huge burden but instead something that makes my life better.

    I realized this over the winter when I was struggling to run on the treadmill because I'd planned to do a half marathon in mid March to force myself to run over the winter. I wasn't having fun (I love running, hate the treadmill) and was missing out on the exercise I was really enjoying and interested in doing. I ended up just giving myself permission to do the fun stuff I wanted to do and kind of half-a**** the half marathon, which I wasn't really adequately trained for, although it turned out to be fun anyway.

    That said, I'd wait til you are feeling less burnt out and then maybe think whether there are some fun activities you'd like to add to those you are doing now.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    stevesample76 wrote: »
    Rule number one in fitness is finding things you enjoy to do. If it feels like a punishment or a chore you wont want to stick with it.

    Truth. There are a lot of things you'll never find me doing simply because I just don't like them. HIIT is not my thing. I do intervals, but that stuff? Not me.

  • smontes16
    smontes16 Posts: 38 Member
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    What is your rate of loss without working out to compared to adding exercise?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Yep. I still lift, because that's my life. But I haven't put on a pair of real sneakers in 6-7 weeks. Cardio is the poops.
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    smontes16 wrote: »
    What is your rate of loss without working out to compared to adding exercise?

    Last year when I hired a PT and had a structured workout plan, I actually ended up gaining weight and fat % (3 months)! I didn't understand about calories.. didn't know my TDEE, etc... I was only trying to eat clean..(oh so misinformed!!) .. so, the past 6 months or so, I just focused on eating a deficit and have lost almost 9 lbs.
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    insearchofcheese wrote: »
    This. Last time I lost a significant amount of weight, I overestimated how much exercise would help me lose weight. I was working out 2 hours or more 6 days per week. It was practically a second job and I didn't really enjoy it. This time, I'm much more relaxed and not killing myself in the gym AND I insist on only doing activities I enjoy. Makes life so much happier!

    That's awesome!

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