How do I learn to love exercise?

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Replies

  • AI1108
    AI1108 Posts: 488 Member
    It's weird to say but you almost have to tailor your workouts to your personality and your mood that day.

    I think it took a few years before I started loving it and now I get excited for my workouts! Yes that's right.. the girl that used to get winded after a 15 minute run loves it!

    You gotta figure out what works for you. I did a year of yoga, switching from studio to studio until I found the right one.. 3 months later everyone wanted to know what I was doing to get my hips looking so good!

    Then came the cardio routine. Honestly that was the hardest to love cause my mind is always in speed mode. The elliptical felt too easy, the stairs bored me and running was hard. I'm kind of competitive so I'd turn on my Ipod and try to outrun my latest time. It kept me motivated to keep going. I knew I wanted to drop the fat and started to love waking up the next morning with a stomach that felt flat :)

    Also going to the gym regularly you get to know the people that work there and the regulars. It's like a community in itself. I'd find out what the next classes that were being offered were and what was the best ones to take. I'd sometimes talk to the trainers during my down time and they'd give me pointers on what exercises would target the areas that I wanted.

    When I took up strength training that was when I started to really have fun working out. I would basically spend two evenings a week playing around with different machines to see what felt like it was really working. (Be careful with this one... I say playing around but I would follow the techniques before I switched them up.. don't want anyone hurting themselves.) It became "me" time .. when I wasn't at the office, or in class, or following my crazy schedule.) The more I trained, the easier other workouts became .. like running & yoga.

    My advice... just kick yourself out the door, throw on your workout gear and find what you love. You'll start loving yourself for it :)
  • TayJoMama
    TayJoMama Posts: 348 Member
    I asked my personal trainer/bodybuilder brother in law this same question and he said most people don't like exercise, but love the results. I found that to be true, once I started losing, I wanted to do more to keep the results coming. Seriously, get an MP3 player and get some up beat music on there and you will be burning those calories more that you have before. I like working out to music or my favorite tv show, it takes my mind off the workout and yet I'm still working. I also get bored easily, so changing up and trying something different is a good thing to do also. Good luck!
  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
    Another thing I've been doing on days when I have to use the gym machines - I've started praying while I walk/cycle/elliptical. Honestly, it started with "Dear God, please get me throug this!" hahaha. But later I started trying to use the time to pray on things, be grateful that I have this body and can still get it moving every day, and pray for strength to treat it with respect, etc. etc.

    I know, not everyone is into prayer, but sometimes it just puts a new spin on the exercise I'm doing. And I feel good.

    You know what? that is a wonderful Idea! why not use that time to talk to God! great idea thank u sooo much!!!!!! (dont' want to offend anyone by saying that) but yes, prayer is something I can do
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Do sports.

    That way you're doing it because you want to do the sport, you want to compete, win, etc. Burning calories becomes a by-product of it, and not the reason you're doing it. I find that if im in the gym, every second im only thinking of the calories. By doing sports, you stop thinking of the calories, and just enjoy the sport, and the calories get burned without thinking about it :)
  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
    It's weird to say but you almost have to tailor your workouts to your personality and your mood that day.

    I think it took a few years before I started loving it and now I get excited for my workouts! Yes that's right.. the girl that used to get winded after a 15 minute run loves it!

    You gotta figure out what works for you. I did a year of yoga, switching from studio to studio until I found the right one.. 3 months later everyone wanted to know what I was doing to get my hips looking so good!

    Then came the cardio routine. Honestly that was the hardest to love cause my mind is always in speed mode. The elliptical felt too easy, the stairs bored me and running was hard. I'm kind of competitive so I'd turn on my Ipod and try to outrun my latest time. It kept me motivated to keep going. I knew I wanted to drop the fat and started to love waking up the next morning with a stomach that felt flat :)

    Also going to the gym regularly you get to know the people that work there and the regulars. It's like a community in itself. I'd find out what the next classes that were being offered were and what was the best ones to take. I'd sometimes talk to the trainers during my down time and they'd give me pointers on what exercises would target the areas that I wanted.

    When I took up strength training that was when I started to really have fun working out. I would basically spend two evenings a week playing around with different machines to see what felt like it was really working. (Be careful with this one... I say playing around but I would follow the techniques before I switched them up.. don't want anyone hurting themselves.) It became "me" time .. when I wasn't at the office, or in class, or following my crazy schedule.) The more I trained, the easier other workouts became .. like running & yoga.

    My advice... just kick yourself out the door, throw on your workout gear and find what you love. You'll start loving yourself for it :)


    You so just motivaed me for the day!
  • aapye78
    aapye78 Posts: 24
    my secret was too find something I love doing. we live near the mountains of Colorado and I LOVE hiking them ( burns tons of calories) and I love swimming. I know those aren't everyone's thing but find something you like to do
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    You have to find an exercise that you LOVE. That's the difference. I HATE elliptical/treadmill etc. Bores me to TEARS. Then I started taking classes and the rest as they say was history. Spinning became my passion...obviously...as I now teach it! I took the cardio dance classes, Zumba, Body Pump, yoga, Spin...I switched it up. An hour never went so fast, it pushed me harder than I'd ever push myself, and I was too proud to leave when it got hard. :-D I have met life long friends going to these classes, and I've turned it into a career. Give group ex a try...I actually look forward to the classes...I NEVER did on cardio machines. Good luck!
  • Fochizzy
    Fochizzy Posts: 505 Member
    I never did. I accept that it is part of my day. My big accomplishment was to learn to not dread it. Not motivating but I am not sure everyone will "love" exercise
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    I wish I had the answer. I loathe to exercise. I will never enjoy it, period. It's just going to be one of those things I do because I'm a grown-up now and can't always just do what I want to do. Like go to work. Exercise. Eat my veggies. My problem with exercise is I hate to sweat. Really. I cannot stand it. Tough to exercise properly without sweating. Oh well.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Why do you hate sweating? It's a great unit of measure for how hard you worked! Like a badge of honor! If you see someone drenched in sweat at the gym you think "Wow, he's worked hard!". Its probably the only place where being soaked in sweat will get you respect and admiration, not disgusted looks! :D
  • liza27201424
    liza27201424 Posts: 69
    i would suggest just experimenting with other exercises until you find one that you actually enjoy. everybody is different, and the gym isnt for everyone.
    try swimming, going for a bike ride, going for a hike stuff like that. you may enjoy it more.
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