The I hate exercise crowd

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  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I've been on MFP almost 4 years... I still mostly hate exercise. I've tried a lot of programs, classes, weight lifting, you name it... It's still a total drag and frankly I hardly bother anymore (I wouldn't mind trying kickboxing but haven't got the courage to drag myself there, and it's not cheap).

    But I love walking. I joined a hiking group, and I walk as much as I can (when it's nicer out, obviously, but I don't mind the treadmill as they have games on it at the gym). I also like watching TV, so I got an exercise bike, and I just do 1.5 hour of it most days while watching my shows - I really don't mind that.

    But seriously, I grew up in France, surrounded by mostly fit people, and none of them went to the gym. They were active, that's all. That's really all that matters IMO.

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    OP - find something you like. I'd cry too if my only exercise was the elliptical - that's BORING!!!! Same with walking on the treadmill - it's like torture unless I find something really good on tv while I'm doing it. Can you try some classes or something? As others have mentioned not all exercise happens in the gym either. I know you said it's cold out but maybe when it warms up you can get out more. I'm in a meet up group that does outdoor activities - great exercise and FUN - in the winter we do snowshoeing, cross country skiing, walks, orienteering (did that this weekend - so much fun!), geocaching, ice skating. Inside you could do indoor ice skating, classes at the gym (Zumba is really fun for the usually exercise hesitant folks), mall walking (one of the event spaces in my area does walking inside too - you could look for something like that), do you have kids? I used to take my kid to laser tag - that was a workout running around and playing! Be creative and think outside the box. There will always be things you don't love but try things out and find something you do enjoy.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    everher wrote: »
    I agree with the posters who say try different activities and / or exercises you might actually enjoy.

    But confession time : I hate the gym. Hate it with a passion. I hate all physical activity in general. I'm an indoors curled up with a book and my cat type of girl. I don't want to hike or swim or God forbid run. But as much as I hate exercise and the gym I also realize I need to exercise for my health. So I go Monday - Friday before work, turn my music up, and work my *kitten* off.

    But the girl practically sprinting through the gym doors at the end of her work out? Yeah, that's me.

    In that case, might I suggest just walking into the gym? Since you don't want to be there, you can sprint right out. Do it a handful of times at once and call it interval training. Exercise: done.

    I'm only half-joking.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
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    rkg1966 wrote: »
    I want to know why when someone says that they hate exercise...are the people bound and determined to make us want to learn to like it and convince us to do it? Why can't you leave us alone and wish us luck on our journeys. I find it rather pushy of you and not very nice, no matter how well meaning.

    Ummm, OP is actually asking for ways to motivate self. So nothing unsolicited here, imho. I think figuring out things you like to do, as an activities, is the key. I love ice hockey, and back on on ice to play. Great cardio. I love cycling, and enjoy long rides. I thought i would hate yoga, but after trying it, i learned how much i can enjoy it. But, i know for a fact, that i dislike gyms. That's a place i don't want to be at, i don't like machines, treadmills, etc. I did that , had a membership for a few years in the past, and have no plans to go back. I also learned that i actually enjoy a long walk, although i always thought that's not something i can/ will ever like. Oh, and roller hockey is my other preferred activity. So explore, and try different things. You might surprise yourself. Just because elliptical is boring, doesn't mean that everything else would be.
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
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    You just need to move. Start small. Find something you like - or even just tolerate. Then make a goal you think is super-easy.

    I started by doing the least objectionable thing I could think of and combining it with something I like to do. I walked on my treadmill while watching tv. I Told myself as long as I did it 20 minutes a day then I was good. Getting started is always the hardest part, but it was hard to come up with an excuse to not walk for 20 minutes. I didn't have to leave the house, I could even wear my pajamas. It wasn't long before I was on the treadmill longer so I could watch more shows. Or would get bored and start messing with speed or incline. Eventually, the same person who couldn't run a mile 20 years ago in high school started C25K and now runs 20-30 miles per week. For fun. And it all started with a 20 minute walk.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
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    Team sport was my gateway into a better interest in fitness. Find local amateur, adult things and explore.
  • islandnugget
    islandnugget Posts: 10 Member
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    To the OP....Oh gosh, I so totally understand where you're coming from. When I started this journey to better health just the thought of exercising made me depressed. BUT, I did what some of the other posters suggested...I kept at it until I found something I like doing and now it's still not my favorite thing to do, but I don't hate it anymore. I love doing WATP and I absolutely love Body Attack. I'm one of the few people I guess that don't really care for Zumba (I'm just not a dancy-type person), and let's not even talk about Pilates (nooooooo!). Every now and then I come thisclose to actually enjoying exercising...lol, but I just keep at it. Hang in there!!
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    islandnugget wrote: »
    and let's not even talk about Pilates (nooooooo!). Every now and then I come thisclose to actually enjoying exercising...lol, but I just keep at it. Hang in there!!

    Pilates I feel absolutely ridiculous. And a little dirty! LOL!

  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    TaraTaraTara76 wrote: »
    On here looking for friends that well...hate exercise. I've done in 2 days in a row now but I hate it. I want to change that about myself and be the type of person who loved it. I don't know how to change my mindset. It takes me a ton of inner pushing upon myself to set foot on that elliptical. I don't enjoy being on it either and I don't feel that boost people speak of afterwards.. I'm just hot and out of breath. It's too dang cold to go outside for a walk or jog , it was -3 degrees today. Basically looking for people like me ...if you exist to be a motivator friend with me. We can cheer eahother on. Any tricks to change my attitude would also be great. :)

    It's only been 2 days, invest 90 more and you'll start to see progress and be more motivated.

    Exercise helps with multiple diseases, diabetes, heart problems... like tons... it's legit the best thing you could do for yourself... and yet hardly anyone does it.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    OP - the elliptical does in fact suck. Have you tried weightlifting? if not, give it a whirl.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    Something that helped me at first was a pre-workout. The one I chose had a lot of beta-alanine in it, so about 20 minutes after drinking it your muscles and skin would start to tingle. That was my queue to get up, and get on the elliptical and burn off that energy lol. I'm now rotating off the pre-workout for a couple of months, but it did help me at first to have the energy and motivation to get started. Once I was on it, it wasn't an issue to stay on it, but it was that extra push I needed. You can also try some strong coffee or tea, something with a lot of caffeine in it. The extra energy will help your motivation.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
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    nowine4me wrote: »
    OP - the elliptical does in fact suck. Have you tried weightlifting? if not, give it a whirl.

    Fully agree there!
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    As a child, I was always heavy and thought I HATED exercise. As I got older, and started to lose weight, I only wanted to work out to increase my calories burned and weight loss. However, the longer I've worked out, and the more activities I've tried, the more types of exercise I've found that I REALLY enjoy. I love playing the dance video games. I love Zumba and kickboxing. I'm still not crazy about strength training, but I know I need to do it, and I don't HATE it, so I train while watching Netflix. I even make myself slow down enough to do some yoga to work on my flexibility. . . sometimes. I LOVE being outside and going hiking with my boyfriend when the weather is pretty. So maybe if you try enough activities, you will find something you will enjoy as well! I wish you luck.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I don't love exercise. I haven't found a type I feel passionate about like. Probably not a super good exercise motivator.
    I just do it because it is good for me- like brushing my teeth.
    I don't go to the gym.
    I walk and do workout videos on you tube. I like the Jessica Smith videos because she frequently has her dog in them and I can think about the cute dog. Leslie Sansone's walk at home or walk away the pounds videos are easy to follow.
    I listen to music or podcasts while I walk. I walk around my house instead of outdoors many days. You can walk anywhere.
    Just Dance video games are something I can enjoy and do with my dd.

    If your goal is to increase your fitness or get some more calories then you need to move somehow.

    I LOVE Peanut!!!! I want a French Bulldog so bad. LOL
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    edited December 2016
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    TaraTaraTara76 wrote: »
    On here looking for friends that well...hate exercise. I've done in 2 days in a row now but I hate it. I want to change that about myself and be the type of person who loved it. I don't know how to change my mindset. It takes me a ton of inner pushing upon myself to set foot on that elliptical. I don't enjoy being on it either and I don't feel that boost people speak of afterwards.. I'm just hot and out of breath. It's too dang cold to go outside for a walk or jog , it was -3 degrees today. Basically looking for people like me ...if you exist to be a motivator friend with me. We can cheer eahother on. Any tricks to change my attitude would also be great. :)

    If you want to change that about yourself, it's going to be important to find something you actually enjoy. I loath the elliptical and pretty much any other stationary cardio machine. Just because you loath one form of exercise doesn't mean that you necessarily loath exercise altogether.

    When I started out over four years ago, I was pretty much of the mindset that I didn't particularly like "exercise" either...I pretty much just made it a point to try to be more active in my daily life and a little less lazy.

    Eventually, I did take up regular exercise mostly because my doctor and just about everyone else was telling me that it would really go much further in squashing some health issues than diet alone...I started jogging and hated every stupid minute of it but I made myself do it anyway...it did help somewhat that I started signing up for 5Ks and what not and that gave some purpose to what I was doing rather than exercising for the sake of exercising..but I still didn't particularly enjoy any of that.

    I didn't really fall in love with fitness until I started training for a sprint triathlon...I discovered that I quite enjoyed swimming, though it was kind of a pain to get to the pool on a regular basis...but dusting off my old bike was the real game changer...that's where I fell in love with fitness.

    I never did participate in the triathlon due to a training injury...but that training ignited my passion for cycling and I remain a cycling enthusiast now. It's a little difficult for me in the winter because I'm more or less a fair weather guy, but I do have an indoor trainer, and while it's not my favorite thing in the world, at least I can get in some work to maintain my base until I get into spring training.

    I participate in various cycling events and races during the year and that also helps keep me motivated to get out and train...I'm not particularly good with exercise just because...I like having some greater purpose to what I'm doing.

  • MiniMansell1964
    MiniMansell1964 Posts: 188 Member
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    if it helps the OP
    in dont exercise. i ride my bike. thats fun. the excercise is a benefit of the fun
  • Cylphin60
    Cylphin60 Posts: 863 Member
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    TaraTaraTara76 wrote: »
    On here looking for friends that well...hate exercise. I've done in 2 days in a row now but I hate it. I want to change that about myself and be the type of person who loved it. I don't know how to change my mindset. It takes me a ton of inner pushing upon myself to set foot on that elliptical. I don't enjoy being on it either and I don't feel that boost people speak of afterwards.. I'm just hot and out of breath. It's too dang cold to go outside for a walk or jog , it was -3 degrees today. Basically looking for people like me ...if you exist to be a motivator friend with me. We can cheer eahother on. Any tricks to change my attitude would also be great. :)

    1. Acquire a Jack Russell terrier.
    2. Start playing with it.

    You'll be in the best shape in no time flat lol. There are lots of activities that are full on exercise that don't fall into any exercise category. As the good folks above have been saying, try different things until you find what you like.

    Dogs are awesome.

    Best of luck :)
  • Cylphin60
    Cylphin60 Posts: 863 Member
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    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Cylphin60 wrote: »
    TaraTaraTara76 wrote: »
    On here looking for friends that well...hate exercise. I've done in 2 days in a row now but I hate it. I want to change that about myself and be the type of person who loved it. I don't know how to change my mindset. It takes me a ton of inner pushing upon myself to set foot on that elliptical. I don't enjoy being on it either and I don't feel that boost people speak of afterwards.. I'm just hot and out of breath. It's too dang cold to go outside for a walk or jog , it was -3 degrees today. Basically looking for people like me ...if you exist to be a motivator friend with me. We can cheer eahother on. Any tricks to change my attitude would also be great. :)

    1. Acquire a Jack Russell terrier.
    2. Start playing with it.

    You'll be in the best shape in no time flat lol. There are lots of activities that are full on exercise that don't fall into any exercise category. As the good folks above have been saying, try different things until you find what you like.

    Dogs are awesome.

    Best of luck :)

    That the equivalent of telling someone to start running 10 mph for 50 miles a day. Start with a lower key dog :)Those Jack Russells are not right in the head.


    :)

    :D SO true lol

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