Do you think working out/exercise is boring?

Options
1235»

Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    Options
    Wronkletoad wrote: »
    for those who "train" -- for what are you training?
    Alpine climbing.
    Hunting.
    Bar fights.
    Possible DL competition in January.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Options
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Step 1 - realize it's not about having fun, but rather about improving your health, appearance, and overall quality of life, and thus do the workouts anyways.

    I agree! (there is a flag button but no Like button? weird)

    Step 1: Decide you are doing this and not all wishy washy nancy pansy like all the other times you were 'serious'

    Step 2: Buy lots of healthy food from all the food groups, but especially lean protein sources and healthy fats like avocados to help with recovery. Create new staples.

    Step 3: Designate and area or buy a membership to somewhere where you can do everything you need to do, regularly and without distractions.

    Step 4: Continue to educate yourself when it comes to your workouts and programs.

    Step 5: Remind yourself that motivation plays no part in achieving fitness or weight loss or healthy statistics. It is nothing more than sugar to help the medicine go down, you can still workout when you have zero motivation.

    Step 6: Be as consistent as possible and keep checking your aim.

    Step 7: If you come up with a great idea for people to have a lot of fun with their workouts together, post it in Motivation & Support on MFP!

    Tada!!!

  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Options
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    I'm confused.

    well not really because here's the thing.

    There are people who train.

    and there are people who check the box to work out.

    and then there are people who are kind of addicted to the feeling of working out- but are still just working out- because it's their hobby and it's "fun"

    I do not have fun when I'm lifting- it hurts. It sucks- I'm in pain. sometimes my muscles burn- sometimes my lungs burn- sometimes I bleed- sometimes I puke- I pass out. It SUCKS.

    But I LOVE it. I love every second of it- I love it for what and who it makes me.
    People who run 5/10Ks. a lot of them aren't "checking a box" they are having fun- and they like the feelings they get.

    Then there are marathoners- who sacrifice short term- suffer long term- and grind through for a bigger long term goal- training. They don't have 'fun" a lot of times- but they do it because they love the long term bigger aspect of it. Same with power lifting.

    I'm a dancer- I do not go to bellydance class for fun. I don't go for aerobics- I'm a serious dancer- sometimes- many times- it is not fun. Its hard- it's sweaty- I have to deal with other women and we get cranky- and it's frustrating b/c the *kitten* we do is hard. But I LOVE it.

    I'm training for bigger goals.

    This goes far beyond "fun". Saying it's fun just doesn't even cover it. I'm not looking to be entertained by my workouts.

    People are so wrapped up with being entertained and having to check their stupid little box that they worked out they forget about anything bigger. It's sad.

    xthumb.gif

    I like this.

    me too, add me to the in-training list. definitely not a check box list, i would just have to check the box every day. my plan is way more involved lol. i have HUGE rewards over the next year because of training.

  • Wronkletoad
    Wronkletoad Posts: 368 Member
    Options
    cool, guys and good luck in all the endeavors!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    Wronkletoad wrote: »

    for those who "train" -- for what are you training?
    being fuking awesome.


  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Options
    Wronkletoad wrote: »
    for those who "train" -- for what are you training? to me that entails for a specific event / sport (e.g., BJJ with or w/o competition; a 1/2 marathon, etc), whereas "working out" is "exercise with a program and progression"... semantics at this point, but I'm just curious about "training"

    tough mudder season. ALL TEH LONG HARD RACEZZZZZZZZZZ

  • Orione2
    Orione2 Posts: 54 Member
    Options
    Tbaby1514 wrote: »
    civilizedworm wrote: »
    I don't know, perhaps its because I am at a stage in my life and with all the incumbent responsibilities that come with it, I enjoy the hell out of my workouts. I mean, I always did and especially when I couldn't take the physical beatings of skating or snowboardng any longer in my late twenties and early thirties I enjoyed the activity in the gym. Most workout amps go to 10, I wrote an 11 on mine because that's how I usually feel post workout - like I want to go back.

    I'm talking about the over weight average person (mostly females lack the motivation for the physical part of diet and exercise) just trying to get into making all of these changes.

    I'm a female 70lb overweight and love mountain biking and road biking. I tried ultra running, did a 30 miler off road, but my knees and back dont like running. Open water swimmings fun, the fat is an advantage. Try canoeing its a sit down sport. Just get out. What motivates me is feeling ruddy fantastic after a session. Looking forward to more awesomeness as the weight comes of. If you don't like what your doing find something that you like. I hate gyms, they are stuffy, boring and full of grunting sweating people...enough to drive anyone out into the real world... Rain wind and real weather beats it hands down. Feel the glow!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    Wronkletoad wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    well, just keep in mind, machines are boring.

    and a third- or fourth-best alternative to weights...

    for those who "train" -- for what are you training? to me that entails for a specific event / sport (e.g., BJJ with or w/o competition; a 1/2 marathon, etc), whereas "working out" is "exercise with a program and progression"... semantics at this point, but I'm just curious about "training"

    it can be semantics, but from my observations over the past few years of all this good livin' I can tell you that there definitely seems to be a complete difference in mindset. I like what JoRocka said about "checking the boxy"...in my observations, many people who talk about "workingout" and finding motivation to "workout" or suggest that "working out is boring, how do I now make it boring" are really trying to find a way to get up enough motivation to get that boxed checked.

    Basically, they know they should be doing something, but they don't know exactly why other than to check that box...so how do I go about checking that box and staying motivated to keep checking that box day in and day out. In my observations, most of these people do not really have any actual fitness aspirations or fitness goals...their "working out" revolves mostly around how many calories can they burn; what's going to burn more, this or that; how many calories should I burn working out; does weight lifting burn as many calories as cardio....and should i just do cardio, etc. These are the types of questions you tend to see when people are trying to check the box...and most of them revolve around weight management objectives, not fitness objectives.

    Someone who is "training" generally will have some greater purpose to that training that goes beyond burning calories or weight management. It might be participating in particular events...it might just be internalized goals of being bigger, faster, stronger...it might be achieving a certain physique, etc. In any case, they program their workouts or otherwise find existing programs to help them efficiently achieve their fitness aspirations.

    In most cases I would say that people are also participating in activities that they ultimately enjoy...though training for them and putting in the work may not always be a joy. As an example, I'm an avid endurance cycling enthusiast...I'm not going to win the Tour de France or anything, but I enjoy cycling and I enjoy participating in events and I'm always striving to do better.

    I basically have three seasons...off season, pre-season, and in season. pre-season is the least "fun" for me because that's when I'm having to be out there are really making sure I get in my miles and I'm upping my miles. During pre-season I really make it a point to get all of my rides in regardless of weather (it can be biting cold, windy, roasting hot) and regardless of my feelz because I know those rides and those miles are going to pay dividends later...this is when I have to be my most disciplined. There are times of pure misery in pre-season.

    When I'm in season I can actually dial it down a little and relax a bit more...it's still important to get my rides in and get my miles, but I already have a solid base that goes beyond what most of my events would require so I really just worry about maintaining that base and resting up when I need rest.

    The off-season (right about now) is nice because I can really take a load off from my training. This is when I will do any rehab work that might have been pending or I might just take a couple weeks off altogether to go do different stuff like yoga or rock climbing...early fall is also a good time for hiking our local mountains. I let my body de-stress and go have some fun. I also hit the weight room more, particularly as winter rolls in and I spend less time on my bike. I basically spend enough time on my bike in the off-season to maintain a reasonable base of endurance and cardiovascular endurance so that I can start off in the Spring refreshed and hopefully at a higher level than I was the previous spring.

    TL/DR

    Working out - generally translates to understanding the need to do something but not knowing quite what or why...goals are primarily focused around calories and weight management

    Training - generally translates to more lofty fitness aspirations and greater purpose to whatever the workout is.

    IMO, both can be enjoyable but neither are going to be "fun" all of the time.

  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Options
    No. And I see I missed an idiotic discussion. :o
  • ragenhay1
    ragenhay1 Posts: 158 Member
    Options
    I hated going to the gym when I went before it was so boring. This time I joined a gym with fitness classes so I'm led through the work out and they change them about every six weeks. I love it now!
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
    Options
    47Jacqueline wrote: »
    No. And I see I missed an idiotic discussion. :o

    That look like it hurt.
  • ltworide
    ltworide Posts: 342 Member
    Options
    My two cents I love kicking butt when I exercise...in the gym lifting weights, I get a deep sense of satisfaction out of handling a barbell loaded with plates. Hitting the track or doing ladder/cone/bosu drills for speed-agility work I always strive to beat my personal best time.

    I enjoy a wide variety of exercises & activities & aim to be the best me I can be whether its horseback riding, swimming, canoeing, archery, Zumba, Krav Maga, yoga, strength training or sprinting, 5 & 10 km marathons, tough mudder...

    I love exercising in a way that connects mind & body & movement... I love exploring what activities I enjoy doing, learning, experimenting & changing & adapting as I progress. I love seeing & feeling the changes I've made in my mindset & my body. I love a good challenge to push myself further.

    But if you told me I had to do all my cardio on a treadmill, elliptical, etc. or tell me I had to use weight machines I'd run.... Just not my style.... I do what works for me to get the results I want.

    Bottom line to me dig deep discover what's important to you, set some goals, plan/program out to achieve those goals (SMART) & slot in your exercises. Be consistent to develop it into a habit, assess/evaluate progress, be open & flexible & change/adapt as needed &/or goals change, rinse & repeat. Don't sweat the small stuff, life happens, be forgiving to yourself it's the long term results you need to focus on, get back on track if you've derailed.
  • Working2BLean
    Working2BLean Posts: 386 Member
    Options
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Step 1 - realize it's not about having fun, but rather about improving your health, appearance, and overall quality of life, and thus do the workouts anyways.


    Why was this post flagged 4 times? Really?

    Stating a different opinion that is kind of correct is now worthy of getting flagged?

    I agree with this person.

    Working out isn't always fun or exciting and those days take self discipline. That is a type of growth as well. The same self discipline that keeps me working out when it is boring, or I am tired, or whatever else.... That same self discipline helps me stick to my eating plan when I want to stray.

    Fitness isn't easy. It isn't impossible but it ain't always fun.

    And not sure how this fits the premise of the thread, but the two best workout partners I ever had were women. They helped me stay on track early on. Rarely ever missed.

    More often guys are hung over or some other thing and miss a workout. In my experience.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Options
    mostly I dislike 'exercise'. But doing an 'activity' that happens to sneakily get me fitter? That I love.

    Lately I've also realised that in order to do the activities I love, some supplementary exercise may be necessary. For example, I don't want to be a runner, but I recognise that if I want to do an obstacle race, or do long hikes, or have greater stamina dancing, then going through the c25k programme will probably help with those things.

    The fitter I am, the less knackered I am at the end of the day.
  • Lucille4444
    Lucille4444 Posts: 284 Member
    Options
    Playing music helps lifting to be more fun. Bicycling outdoors is fun, there are always things to see and much of the time, people to talk to.
  • walk2health4me
    walk2health4me Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    i want to exercise so bad i can taste it...with two blown knees i went from a daily walker and work out person to a housebound knees in braces 4 wheel walker 3 wheel walker now the knee braces are off and i can pick up my trek poles and hand weight and work out..i blew cobwebs off my tai chi dvd and yoga dvd ..it feels great to be able to put on pedometer and start building up steps again..stretching and flexing after having a ankle to thight leg brace on one knee and strap on brace on the other..akkkkkkk

Categories