Seriously hate exercising...tips?

2

Replies

  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    starz160 wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice everyone! It's a personal obstacle that I know I can overcome. I just need to get motivated ;)
    I use events for extra motivation and schedule my training to accommodate them.
    • August 2nd, I will be doing my first Warrior Dash
    • August 15th, my first Push/Pull meet
    • September, a fun 6K I do every year - which also end cardio season and begins bulk season
    In lieu of, you could find something on your calendar that would help motivate you. For example, I also have a 25 Year HS reunion in mid-August that I want to look sharp for, perhaps you have something of the same?
  • Hypsibius
    Hypsibius Posts: 207 Member
    edited June 2015
    I was in the same boat for a long time.

    I ONLY enjoy exercising when I am fit and/or seeing noticeable results. That's why an intense daily program and radical diet change like p90x was a great first step for me. And the monotony of running is horrible -- I can't stand it! I get so bored running and tend toward shin splints, so I love mixing it up with yoga one day, kenpo another, core training another -- thrown in with some resistance training and lots of stretching. But the first three weeks of my first p90x run were some of the sorest and most challenging days ever -- I was hungry, I was angry, I felt bitter and weak.

    I also need a specific goal in mind. Training for something, whether it's an intense hike, obstacle course, snowboarding trip, group sport etc... knowing that my goal is overall strength, flexibility, and performance for something is a HUGE motivator. In fact, if I didn't invent reasons to be in shape, I wouldn't be able to motivate to workout just because.

    Hope this rambling reply was helpful :). Good luck!! (And don't listen to people who say you can "just diet" to lose weight. That's harder. And freaking unsustainable. Working out gives you calories to spare and peace of mind so you don't develop an unhealthy relationship with food with food scale, calorie counting etc...).
  • foursirius
    foursirius Posts: 321 Member
    It will be a struggle to be honest. I'd recommend trying to incorporate it into your schedule so it just becomes routine. In time you may grow to enjoy it but just keep grinding it out. Also id recommend trying different activities and you may find one you like.
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
    Be a kid again, I can't stress this enough with people. What did you do for fun as a kid? Most of us used swings, played ball of some kind, had a hula hoop, rollerskated or rollerbladed and so on. Just because your an adult doesn't mean you can't do all/any of those things.

    Sometimes I even challenge kids to a who can hula hoop longer or most baskets made wins or hopscotch. It's just about movement in my mind, get up and move, simple as that.
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
    I used to hate exercising as well- I don't what changed, but I really enjoy it now and really enjoy being active. At first, in January when I started going to the gym, I absolutely hated it, now I hate the days I have to miss the gym. I think once you start doing something and make it habit, you actually start to enjoy it.
  • Northernlight03
    Northernlight03 Posts: 1,980 Member
    I use to hate exercise, would work my way out of doing any and would never even thing about running but for me I now realise it was down to my self a steam, I felt stupid working out, like people would look at me and think look at all that sweat and she isn't even doing it right and that made me give up to easy as I'd be out of breath and telling my self I can't do it, I'm too unfit! But your mind is a powerful thing we just need to learn how to control it and use positive thoughts as I truly believe that what got me thru it and I'm doing my first 5k in 2 weeks. If I can do it u can :)
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    edited June 2015
    urloved33 wrote: »
    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.

    I am 55 I have been working out and in the gym for most of my adult life..since my early twenties. I have probably tried every type of trainging around over the years...at some point...you do what is efficient regardless if you like it love it or not. Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle..."JUST DO IT" ad says it best. Some days you love it..some days you don't and sometimes you can be just indifferent about it..regardelss of how we feel it has to be done!

    For those who have just recently "found" this lifestyle ...check back in thirty five years.

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    starz160 wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice everyone! It's a personal obstacle that I know I can overcome. I just need to get motivated ;)

    I would recommend that you not wait around for motivation or rely on it. Make a habit- stick to the habit- if after a few months you really still hate it- move on to the next thing. But the reality is- that no matter what you love doing- at some point it's going to not be loved- and it's going to feel annoying and a burden. But you keep doing it- and you push through the hard times- no matter what they are.

    I love lifting- I love my job- and I love my BF.

    And there are times when all of them suck. seriously- and I want NOTHING to do with them. But I keep lifting- and keep going to my job and I keep hanging out with my BF. Because I love them and in the long run they are good for my life good for me and make me happy. But I don't wait for motivation for them- because its' a fleeting wiff that doesn't last. "Motivation" will ALWAYS let you down.
  • klmnumbers
    klmnumbers Posts: 213 Member
    like everyone else says - exercise isn't necessary to just lose, but it can be a strange motivator and allow you to eat a little more some days. I'm in the same boat as you. I hate working out (strength training can be fun, but I hate cardio). The only exercise I truly enjoy is a long, leisurely walk around my neighborhood.

    So, if you want to incorporate exercise, just try to find something you can enjoy. like.. a local kickball league, walking a pet, etc. But if you can't, don't worry and focus on food.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    There is a massive difference between exercise - which is essential to our health - and performing an activty...which we do for fun.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    edited June 2015
    Sure you can lose weight without exercise, but adding exercise to your routine will deliver enormous health benefits. Getting healthy is already one of your motivations, right?

    Be honest with yourself. Do you hate exercise or do you simply hate exercise because you suck at it? I surely hated running when I sucked at it, but love running now.

    Most people hate doing things they are not very good at and many people lack the ability to envision how slow but steady progress will improve their fitness and eventually make them good at whatever exercise form they choose.

    Developing an affinity for staying physically fit (not talking about weight here) can be an important life-long aid in helping you maintain your goal weight when you get there.
  • mymadfatdiary94
    mymadfatdiary94 Posts: 221 Member
    I used to hate working out too so i totally know how you feel.
    When i first started working out it felt like a torture to my body and my soul:D So i had found some simple fun dance/workout videos and i realized i like them!! So what i mean is that you should try different things until you find what's best for you. I can recommend Keaira Lashae for fun workout videos she's amazing and i'm sure you're gonna love it! Feel free to add me so we can motivate each other and let me know if you liked it or not.
  • hutchin88
    hutchin88 Posts: 83 Member
    I used to be really motivated to exercise, but in recent years, I somehow can't get motivated. I just seem to be more easily bored. So what I've been doing is taking a 7 to 10 minute brisk walk two or three times a day. That I can handle. Then once or twice a week I walk around the grocery or mall for 30 minutes.

    For me the point is to get moving somehow, someway. I truly want to be fit, but the couch keeps calling my name :wink:
    Best to you!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    urloved33 wrote: »
    There is a massive difference between exercise - which is essential to our health - and performing an activty...which we do for fun.

    no
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    I know for myself, I struggled to exercise in the beginning. I hated the idea of going to the gym/running...I was very "all or nothing" when it came to exercise. Of course - I would push myself too hard, feel the DOMS in the AM and say "screw this!".

    My mom told me about her DVD's. Leslie Sansone. I tried one - and was like "omg - this is challenging, but I can do it!" and from there on out my mentality totally flipped regarding exercise. I love at home DVDS. I do Leslie still to this day, I have done turbojam, now Turbo Fire, and Insanity.

    Basically, you have to find what you love. But in order to do that - you have to try new things. My mind now sees a million different ways to exercise!
  • kellyship17
    kellyship17 Posts: 112 Member
    I started on the elliptical, 20 minutes twice a week. I would break it down mentally into 5 minute chunks. Eventually I realized I felt better the days I exercised. Now I do all different things, run, walk, bike, dance, weight lift. Just keep searching, you will find something you enjoy!
  • Wii_Player
    Wii_Player Posts: 2,454 Member
    I know exactly what you mean. So what I did is I mixed something I like doing with exercise. For example, I really enjoy playing games, so I play games on the Wii or PS3 while I am doing my bike. I can still use the controller while I pedal. You could read, watch your favorite show or movie, knit perhaps, while you pedal.

    This might sound weird to some.
  • EmmaFitzwilliam
    EmmaFitzwilliam Posts: 482 Member
    urloved33 wrote: »
    There is a massive difference between exercise - which is essential to our health - and performing an activty...which we do for fun.

    Not in my experience.

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    urloved33 wrote: »
    There is a massive difference between exercise - which is essential to our health - and performing an activty...which we do for fun.


    like what kind of massive?

    like Hudson massive? Mississippi massive?

    or like Atlantic ocean massive?
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Playing tennis has made me want to be stronger and faster. So I strength, interval and cardio train. Find a physical activity you like--tennis, dance, hike... and become better at it.
  • yourradimradletshug
    yourradimradletshug Posts: 964 Member
    Dancing or Zumba. It's much more fun than just walking on a treadmill. Just turn on some of your favorite songs and shake what your mama gave ya! :p
  • Francine_rivas
    Francine_rivas Posts: 77 Member
    starz160 wrote: »
    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!!!
    Maybe do some classes. Do the 5k zombie run app. I haven't tried it yet but it seems like it could motivate you since it's kinda like a game.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    urloved33 wrote: »
    There is a massive difference between exercise - which is essential to our health - and performing an activty...which we do for fun.

    I've taken a lot of group fitness classes and actually took a rowing class with a young lady that seemed to ban fun. If I was singing along or otherwise just looking like I was enjoying the music, she would turn it down or suddenly start coaching some dumb *kitten* that everybody knows. :laugh: That kind of massive difference? :bigsmile:

    Anyway, I do group fitness classes at the gym, OP. If you have access, there may be such a huge variety that you'll find something you like.

    Also recently I bought this elliptical for days I can't get to the classes. I do anywhere from two to ten minutes at a time and I can take a billion breaks to drink water or play with the phone or whatever. I do it while watching tv and sometimes while the timer is set and I'm waiting for things to cook
  • Sweetie_1103
    Sweetie_1103 Posts: 10 Member
    I have tried many different kinds of workouts struggling to find something enjoyable but always ended up giving it up. Finally, what worked for me was this little stair climbing machine that I can stick in front of the tv and catch up on my PVR'd programs or read my book. Before I know it my timer rings and I'm done. I also have learned to accept that I am never going to look forward to excercise but that I always feel better about myself once I have done my workout. I also sleep a lot better so I keep drilling these things in my head to get myself up on the machine each night.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    So don't exercise. Weight loss is mostly about eating less.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    when I first lost weight many years ago I would elipitcal to oprah and dr phil
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
    I bought a treadmill for my house. I have an iPad. I watch TV shows and movies on it while I run. Boredom gone.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    starz160 wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice everyone! It's a personal obstacle that I know I can overcome. I just need to get motivated ;)

    I would recommend that you not wait around for motivation or rely on it. Make a habit- stick to the habit- if after a few months you really still hate it- move on to the next thing.

    This is a really important piece of advice. Don't wait for motivation, don't wait until tomorrow. I was reading a wonderful book called The Willpower Instinct, and it pointed out that (paraphrasing) we always imagine our Future Self as more disciplined, less burdened by day to day problems, and more motivated than our Present Self. It's very easy to believe that tomorrow or next week, the stars will align and we will feel all kinds of motivation to exercise (or do whatever thing we are putting off).

    The truth is that when tomorrow, next week, or next year comes, the person who is there is still our Present Self, not the imaginary Future Self.

    So the trick is--make plans that are doable for you as you are today, even if they are small and not grand. Start doing it today, even for just a few minutes. "Motivation" that just, somehow, comes sometime in the future, is--at least as far as I can tell--is a fantasy. Real motivation comes (for me) from doing something small now, and then feeling I've accomplished something. And that makes it easier to do it again the next day and the next.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
    JaneiR36 wrote: »
    urloved33 wrote: »
    There is a massive difference between exercise - which is essential to our health - and performing an activty...which we do for fun.

    I've taken a lot of group fitness classes and actually took a rowing class with a young lady that seemed to ban fun. If I was singing along or otherwise just looking like I was enjoying the music, she would turn it down or suddenly start coaching some dumb *kitten* that everybody knows. :laugh: That kind of massive difference? :bigsmile:

    Anyway, I do group fitness classes at the gym, OP. If you have access, there may be such a huge variety that you'll find something you like.

    You can also look for clubs and interest groups. My husband and I recently started Scottish Country Dancing, which is surprisingly vigorous with lots of skipping. There are several clubs in our area that get together and do Scottish Country Dancing once a week (so if we wanted, we could go from club to club and do it three days a week or more). Since it isn't a gym but is more of a social club, it's much more affordable than our other dance classes. $8 will get you three hours of dancing, with instruction, in NYC.

    That sort of thing can help develop a good base level of fitness and the habit of being active.

  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
    edited June 2015
    demoiselle2014 wrote: »
    This is a really important piece of advice. Don't wait for motivation, don't wait until tomorrow.

    I think that's critical. I feel like exercise maybe half the time I contemplate it, at best. But I am happy I did it about 99% of the time after. This is somewhat related to the behavior therapy concept of "behavioral activation."

    Re. the question of exercise being "necessary" for weight loss, it's neither necessary nor unnecessary, it just depends. Theoretically, if you've been eating at a relatively small surplus for years and have been gaining weight, simply adding exercise can result in successful weight loss - without changing what you eat at all. I have a coworker who bought a FitBit and started walking more and is doing just that.

    In my case, about 20 pounds ago or so, I started running much more frequently (after getting my treadmill) and I didn't change my diet at all. I noticed that I was losing weight, which I actually hadn't intended to do at all.

    I joined MFP about a third of the way towards my goal weight (something like that) and added the calorie counting to the mix, figuring I could accelerate my trend even further. So far, it's been working quite nicely.

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