Advice for someone who doesn't enjoy excercise

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heather4life4
heather4life4 Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have recently started back to MFP again for the 2nd time. This time around i have 2 kids, very actively involved in sports and so we are usually on the go. Any suggestions for someone who does not enjoy exercise, i haven't found anything that really draws me in and i want to stop what i am doing or not doing and work out. How do you find this frame of mind? Any suggestions on things to do for beginners? Needing a place to start.
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  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited May 2017
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    What are you hoping to gain from the exercise? What is the reason/purpose?
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    Walking?
  • Melissa_Leanne86
    Melissa_Leanne86 Posts: 13 Member
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    Have you tried doing short (15-20min) body weight workouts at home or outside? That is usually how I get clients started with working out who are a bit resistant to exercise/going to the gym.

    Everyone is different, but in my experience, it typically comes down to two things:

    a) overwhelmed from all the information out there about working out, so a fear of not doing it "right"

    b) not sure where to start/fear of injury

    Working out doesn't have to be for hours at a time 5/days a week, especially in the beginning. And as long as you're moving your body in a purposeful way...that counts.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I think it really comes down to finding an exercise/activity that you enjoy. Something that doesn't feel like a chore. Maybe practice sports with your children? Take family hiking trips? Biking, dancing, gardening, sports, walking, running, yard work, etc.

    You don't have to carve out a section of time to "exercise" to get/stay fit. You can work extra activity into your day. Take the stairs, walk or bike instead of drive when possible, walk more and sit less.
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
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    Walk on a treadmill and watch something. I have a few shows that I exclusively watch when I'm on the treadmill.
  • heather4life4
    heather4life4 Posts: 37 Member
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    Melissa_Leanne86, thank you! Yes i do feel overwhelmed with everything. I am not comfortable with anything exercise. It's scary to me to be honest. And since i don't understand it, then i don't know where to start.

    Thank you Chef_Berbell, i sure can walk while the kids are at sporting events and i enjoy walking outside. In Iowa it's been not too bad so far weather wise. So i hope that it continues so i can do that. I do enjoy that.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I was always the one with a note to miss PE at school (whenever I could!). Now I work out 6 days a week - 20 mins aerobics DVD workouts in the morning, similar or Wii Zumba in the afternoon except when I have a class - I do a Zumba class on Wednesday and clubbercise on Wednesday and Friday (the BEST fun!) at a local school. Other than that its just walking here and there, trying not to use the car for short trips (a mile each way or less). Once you find something you enjoy its a whole lot easier - I did try Zumba class at my local sports centre but it was not so much fun as the one in the school hall, which is friendly and has people of all ages and sizes. Clubbercise is even better as its in the dark with disco lights and glow sticks and no-one can see if you go wrong!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Experiment and find something you enjoy. Having kids means you can try things together, or at least at the same places, so you do not have an "excuse" to not go. For example, in my case, I have found that there are several places within reasonable distance from my house offering swimming classes for kids and at the same time the adults can swim in a different pool or different lanes, and there are also several places for dance or martial arts offering classes both for kids and adults. If the kids exercise outdoors, like soccer etc, you can always just walk while they are havign practice, or jog or go for a bike ride.
  • heather4life4
    heather4life4 Posts: 37 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your advice, help and words of wisdom!! I greatly appreciate it and need to learn it isn't about being ridiculous about it, but to make the most out of what i have and where i am at in life. And i need to learn to take some time for myself and not feel guilty about it. Thank you to everyone who has posted!!
  • Shaycos
    Shaycos Posts: 3 Member
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    Why not get involved with the children. Do they need helpers with their sports eg setting up or taking down. Games in the park or at beach or in garden. Skating, swimming, nature hikes etc. Doesn't have to be in the gym.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    edited May 2017
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    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    When I first started, I lurked around these boards for a while. I paid attention to the people who always gave good advice (in my opinion) and I noticed that the women whose bodies looked like what I wanted to look like all had one thing in common: they lifted weights and they didn't follow any fad diets. I started researching beginner programs and started. I also got my diet in check. That's where I found that frame of mind because I had finally found exercise that I loved and wanted to keep doing. I also learned that I didn't have to go balls to the wall every day with exercise to lose weight. I lost the bulk of my weight working out mostly 4 (sometimes 5) days a week and it no longer felt like a chore.

    Eta: I'm not saying you have to lift weights. I'm just saying this is what lit my own fire.

    Mia speaks truth. There are a couple of things you can do (not necessarily to the exclusion of one another)

    1) find something you love (as above)
    2) re-define exercise and re-discover play -- going for a hike at a leisurely pace, snorkeling, paddleboating on the lake, playing catch, walking along a nature trail, all these things are "exercise" and yet super approachable. If you can slowly start adding more positive, fun activity to your life, "exercise" will stop being a negative thing in your mind.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    heather4life4 wrote: »
    I have recently started back to MFP again for the 2nd time. This time around i have 2 kids, very actively involved in sports and so we are usually on the go. Any suggestions for someone who does not enjoy exercise, i haven't found anything that really draws me in and i want to stop what i am doing or not doing and work out. How do you find this frame of mind? Any suggestions on things to do for beginners? Needing a place to start.

    Keep looking - keep trying new things. Hula hoop, pilates, rebounding, yoga, ....just a ton of different things out there.

    You-Tube is great for test driving workouts for free. These are good starter cardio workouts: https://www.youtube.com/user/walkathomemedia
    Anytime - anywhere.

    Being active can mean taking steps. Try playing a sport yourself. Go hiking on the weekends. If all else fails find the thing that you tolerate, make a schedule.....stick to it. You don't go the the doctor because you enjoy, you do it because it's the healthy thing to do.
  • maggiejlister
    maggiejlister Posts: 1 Member
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    I started exercising last year as I noticed I just couldn't eat like I used to and keep the weight off so I reluctantly started running. I HATED it at first... Well, for the first 2 months I despised running and would put it off as much as I could. So, to make sure I had a goal I signed up to a half marathon which I'm doing this weekend.

    I'm not a runner or ever been athletic, and I can admit to actually enjoying it now. The only reason I joined a gym was because my boiler broke at home so needed somewhere to shower until it got fixed. I now go 3x a week whilst running 3x, and I'm feeling much better for it. Turns out I like weights but not a fan of running machines!
  • edlanglais5
    edlanglais5 Posts: 172 Member
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    Cardio machines with a tv or a really energetic playlist to keep you pumped.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Walk walk walk! There are TONS of people here whose only purposeful exercise is walking. Getting a little bit of higher paced cardio and some strength training as well would be optimal, but sometimes optimal just ain't gonna happen, and something is better than nothing!

    I also know a lot of moms who do short DVD/internet workouts and their small children like to jump around with them as if they are doing it too. Challenge your kids to races around the house.

    And just keep trying stuff until something sticks. You can check out Fitness Blender for lots of different free workouts you can do in your living room.
  • Out_of_Bubblegum
    Out_of_Bubblegum Posts: 2,220 Member
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    heather4life4 wrote: »
    Melissa_Leanne86, thank you! Yes i do feel overwhelmed with everything. I am not comfortable with anything exercise. It's scary to me to be honest. And since i don't understand it, then i don't know where to start.

    Thank you Chef_Berbell, i sure can walk while the kids are at sporting events and i enjoy walking outside. In Iowa it's been not too bad so far weather wise. So i hope that it continues so i can do that. I do enjoy that.

    I often times add walks throughout my day - a chronic knee injury prevents me from running, but I often will hit 5-6 miles/day, including some great hill work near my house... definitely gets the blood moving. If you enjoy walking outdoors.. there you go - exercise.

    I also suggest trying some activity based classes.. kickboxing, or dance, as example. It doesn't have to be labeled "exercise" to give you what you need.
  • sosteach
    sosteach Posts: 260 Member
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    The two things that work for me..1. Dance Fitness class and @. Get a dog to walk
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
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    I would say stop thinking of being active as "exercise." I was in the same boat for a while until I found a few things I love: water aerobics/Aqua Zumba, hiking, swimming, and walking my dog in the neighborhood.

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