Seriously hate exercising...tips?

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starz160
starz160 Posts: 50 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone. I hope I'm not the only one with this problem but I absolutely HATE exercising! I don't get the "high" everyone else does. I just get bored and crabby. I see a lot of pictures of success stories of people running in 5K's, etc. Realistically, I can never see myself wanting to do those kind of things. Even when I was thin, I hated running. Does anyone have any advice to make exercise more enjoyable? I listen to music but watch the clock tick down minute by minute praying that the exercise is over soon. I need help!!!
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Replies

  • kimault1984
    kimault1984 Posts: 71 Member
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    You don't have to exercise to lose weight, just eat less. Works for me :)
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Join an adult sports league. Walk your dog. Walk with a friend/walk while talking on the phone with a long-distance friend. Walk around a local park or botanical garden taking photos of pretty flowers. Buy a bike off Craigslist! (A real bike, not a stationary one. And also get a helmet). Take dance lessons! Dance like an idiot in your house while singing along to your favorite pop songs. Try learning dances off YouTube videos. Maybe investigate a weightlifting program? If you must be on cardio machines, flip a towel over the machine so you can't see the clock. :)

    Basically, find something you enjoy. Or else load up Netflix on your tablet and grudge through an episode of Supernatural. At least you'll always know the Winchesters are having a worse time than you. >:)

    ETA: You can certainly lose *weight* without exercise, but strength training is important for women as we get older, and cardio is phenomenal, even necessary, for long-term heart and lung health. :)
  • EmmaFitzwilliam
    EmmaFitzwilliam Posts: 482 Member
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    I've mostly done the "eat less" route. There are some advantages to exercising - weight lifting can tone the muscles which results in better support for the fat and skin layers. I say "mostly" because I do walk on the order of 2.5 miles a day.

    Yoga and any form of dance can also be enjoyable in and of themselves.

    Life is too short to sentence yourself to something you hate in your free time. Have you ever played bocce ball? Do you like any sport? Take up geocaching. There are a number of ways to get in movement without taking a <class> or chaining yourself to a treadmill.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    find something else to do or don't exercise.

    or recognize that exercise isn't for your entertainment- most people look for it to be pure fun- it's not a movie- it's not a game- it's not a fun night out. (well my idea of a fun night out IS friday night at the gym- but that's me).

    Find something that you don't mind doing and do that- hiking- horse back riding- kyaking- tennis/raquet ball. Dancing- Fencing- rock climbing- walking. There's about a million things in the world that are interesting to do that are physically demanding- seems like it's awfully hard to say you've tried them all and hate them all.

    But ultimately you don't HAVE to work out to lose weight- just watch what you put in your pie hole and you'll lose weight.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    do things that are fun and aren't necessarily exercise.
    dance, zumba, hiking, pole, etc.

    I don't belong to a gym, I do belong to a yoga studio-because I think it's fun. I walk and run but I started with short walks with the dog. and decided I wanted to run to see more results, but it certainly isn't required
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »
    Join an adult sports league. Walk your dog. Walk with a friend/walk while talking on the phone with a long-distance friend. Buy a bike off Craigslist! (A real bike, not a stationary one. And also get a helmet). Take dance lessons! Maybe investigate a weightlifting program? If you must be on cardio machines, flip a towel over the machine so you can't see the clock. :)

    Basically, find something you enjoy. Or else load up Netflix on your tablet and grudge through an episode of Supernatural. At least you'll always know the Winchesters are having a worse time than you. >:)

    This^

    Keep trying new things. Find something you enjoy. For me exercise isn't just a help to lose the weight - it's a must to keep the weight off. Exercise is a lifestyle change for me.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    If your goal is weight loss, don't worry about the exercise part. You can lose a lot of weight by restricting calories.

    Life is too short to keep doing things you hate. Maybe one day you will find an activity you enjoy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    do something you like doing...why does everyone seem think it has to be running...if I'm running, it is more likely than not that some very bad *kitten* is about to go down...I prefer cycling myself and also do a bit of hiking and swimming and walk my dog most evenings.

    Find something you enjoy doing that involves moving...voila...you're exercising.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    http://www.ted.com/talks/emily_balcetis_why_some_people_find_exercise_harder_than_others?language=en
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    Find something you enjoy that incorporates exercise. Exercise is intended to be a path to a larger goal - better, faster, stronger.

    How long have to stuck with it? Like anything else you have to expose yourself to it before you settle on something you enjoy.
  • maria15x
    maria15x Posts: 13 Member
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    kimault1984 wrote: »
    You don't have to exercise to lose weight, just eat less. Works for me :)
    Personally I don't think eating less is really a great alternative. While yeah you will almost definitely lose weight, I think it's important to stay fit. Doesn't have to be running, as I know running can kind of suck, but idk find something that you find bearable. Even something as simple as walking. I dont know, hope I kind of help.
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
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    It is your choice to exercise or not.

    However, if you do want some of the benefits of exercise, just find some way of moving your body that you enjoy. It doesn't necessarily needs to be "exercise" nor does it have to be cardio.
    Maybe something water based like water aerobics?
    Although I'd think something outdoors might be more suitable, because it is always nice to just step outside after being indoors for a while.
  • colors_fade
    colors_fade Posts: 464 Member
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    I hate running. But I like walking. Great for clearing your head, and just overall pleasant.

    There's probably something out there that you would enjoy. Just have to find it :)
  • Wendy1Fl
    Wendy1Fl Posts: 102 Member
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    I was the same way when I first started my weight loss endeavor in my mid twenties. I couldn't stand every minute I was working out, regardless of the activity. Eventually, I did start to enjoy it. It took me obtaining a good cardio base for it to hurt less. I also found that if I could do any activity outdoors (hiking, swimming, even trudging through the deep snow) I felt a lot better about my workout than if I were in a boring indoor setting. I can't stand the gym! Seeing nature, breathing fresh air, and hearing nature sounds all give me a huge boon in my sense of well-being. Also, having a dog with me makes me smile & laugh & takes my mind off the physical exertion. The only indoor exercise I enjoy is Yoga, because it really makes me feel good. I think the best thing for you to do is keep trying different things, in moderation, to find the least horrid, and stick with it for a month before deciding if you hate it or not.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    And here I find walking to be deadly boring. Especially on a treadmill or walking in circles on a track. I mean, it's not like I'm getting anywhere! But it turns out I like to run. It is better if I have a destination, like the coffee shop, the library, or a competitive run.

    It pays to figure out what you really like, because that's what will stick.
  • determined_100
    determined_100 Posts: 30 Member
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    I swim a lot its relaxing.... Works muscles and I seen improvement in just weeks. Also dancing is a great exercise and its lots of fun. Good luck ☺
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
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    grin and bear it. its part of a healthy lifestyle...you do not have to love it or even like it..you just have to do it.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Personally, I think grin and bear it is terrible advice.

    I always hated exercise too.

    A medical diagnosis woke me up and made me face some hard truths, and one of those was that I realized I had some silly ideas about exercise. Exercise didn't HAVE to be this or that. I didn't have to run, I could walk (for example). I'd always enjoyed walking. That was key. It was something I enjoyed.

    I had once belonged to a gym and worked with weights. I joined a gym again and started with a trainer working my strength back up.

    Reading around the internet, I read a mention of water jogging, and though I hate the idea of running, that appealed to me a LOT, and I gave it a go and ADORE it. That really, really clicked for me. I put on my waterproof mp3 player and zone out. I feel weightless and it's blissful.

    The thing is that I kept trying different things I thought I'd enjoy.

    Join a bowling league, roller skate, look for a gym with a pool and water walk... there are tons of ways to be physically active. You don't have to push super hard or do Zumba or meet a certain standard. Doing something is better than sitting on the couch, though.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    My mom feels the way you do about exercise. She went with the WII fit in the morning, and walking in the evening, and she dances sometimes.
  • 19marialyn
    19marialyn Posts: 12 Member
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    I have found if you force yourself to work out for a week, you make a habit of it and it is not as hard :) also try doing fun stuff like swimming with friends and family or walking your dog. Working out is easier when someone will do it with you.

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