I run because I need to and I hate it

I lost the 75lbs I was wanting to and reached my goal weight simply by managing my caloric intake and adding walking to my daily routine.

At first, I could barely lap the couch.

As my fitness and stamina improved I gradually increased my distance/speed.

Don't do exercise you hate. You don't have to punish yourself to manage your weight.

When I first started running, it was a struggle. And I hated it. I took me a long time to get my conditioning to the point where I could sustain a decent rhythm with my stride and my breathing. My speed/pace was still really slow, but I could get into a rhythm where I didn't feel like I was fighting myself. That was when things started to click for me. Once I stopped thinking about how much I hated what I was doing, I was able to think about whatever else was on my mind - could be whatever was going on in my life, could be the scenery or the weather, or any number of other things.

Just checked my runtastic log, i was running about 50 km per week 2 years ago before the pregnancy.
What i love about running the most is that you don't need anything like gear, tool, car to get you someplace to exercise. all you need is some shoes. I don't have a gym membership or a treadmill at home so for me running is a way to keep my figure for free. It is nice to be outside, fresh air, birds chirping, sun shining, listening to fav music and just getting your head free. I had my favourite routes but also alternated between park/forest/concrete/local track at the soccer field. I am from Europe so we have lots of places to run outside. It is of course hard at first but once you conditioned yourself to a certain point you will enjoy it. Of course i also had bad days too when everything ached after only 4 km. My usual run was between 8-13 km. I guess there is no way to force yourself, try swimming, its easier on your joints.

I hate tread milling, but I do it so that I can eat more. Sometimes this way of thinking is necessary for people like me!

I HATE running long distances. I'm pretty fit...some people just hate running and that's ok. I've started sprinting after lifting, and it's not as taxing physically or mentally for me.

You don't have to run to lose weight. You just need a calorie deficit. If you want the cardiovascular benefits...try a recumbant bike or a different piece of equipment.

I used to hate running. I rarely did it. When I started on mfp I started out walking with my dog. As I lost weight and became more fit I started to feel the urge to run some. So I downloaded the C25K app from Zen labs and I loved it. It really helped me ease into running. When I finished C25K I moved on to the C210K app. My advice is to only run if you want to, not because you think you should. I used to do aerobics because i thought I should. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it and I could always come up with an excuse to not do it. I have discovered yoga and I love it. I never make excuses not to do it and sometimes I even do it on a day I haven't scheduled it just because. The best exercise is going to be the one you can stick to, so just keep looking around until you find something you enjoy. If you do want to run then I certainly recommend the C25K app.

Running works because it is inefficient. One can get very rapid results running. Apart from cross country skiing and swimming, there's not much to rival running as the top strategy towards weight loss.

Tips:
1) Always run outside unless circumstances beyond your control and. . .
2) Vary routes and terrain. Run streets, MUPs, trails
3) Leave the HEADPHONES at home. Never try to escape the fact that you're running.
4) Join a club.
5) Have a goal. A training goal. Usually a 5K. Register. Get a training plan and stick to it.
6) Try neutral, minimal shoes. . . lighter shoes. Weight on foot translates to carrying about five times that.

i recently stopped running. i didn't hate it. i actually really enjoyed mornings out with my dog and the zombies, run! app. but between that and lifting i was literally ALWAYS sore and aching. and that i don't enjoy at all. i've tried all sorts of cardio because i do want that level of fitness and honestly i want to eat some of those calories back. i must have tried 100 things. i picked up a hula hoop recently though and i've been learning how to hoop for cardio and i actually really look forward to that. i can do it while i'm watching tv (and i actually do instead of it being within the realm of possibility but not actualized), i suck at it right now but that in and of itself is motivation for me. and it's easy on my joints. i would love to get back to running occasionally though if i can get my sciatica under control.

I think it's important to do something you enjoy so you can keep with it.. BUT, coming from someone who's had a love/hate relationship with running all their life... I encourage you to give it a fair shot before you cut it out. It's so freeing and stress relieving to run in the summer. People watching, enjoying nature, challenging yourself to go further run faster. It's exhilarating!

Like anything in life, you gotta work at it. It'll become easier eventually. And you don't have to run fast to enjoy it. I used to hate running when I was competing in it. Then I hated running when I gained weight and sucked at it. Then I hated running when I got ok with it again. Now I'm back at it, slower - but loving every second about it. Something about seeing the miles tick away as your running, is pretty fantastic.

Moral of the story - give it a chance. You don't have to be good at something to enjoy it.