Do people actually enjoy working out?

kas1317 wrote: »

I really just DO NOT enjoy it. It puts me in a terrible mood. I am not overweight by any means (5'1 115 pounds) but I would like to look better and drop a few pounds. I do feel like i have "excuses" --- I drive 45 min on a stop and go commute everyday, and honestly, when I get home, I just want to shower and cook dinner. I don't sit down until 8 or so to relax, and then it is off to bed to I can wake up at 6am to do it all again. I am married (no kids) working fulltime, housework, commute are enough to make me not want to do anything else! I know this sounds lazy and people have the same life PLUS KIDS, I just don't know how they do it.

any suggestions or motivating words!

Pick a gym (or running/cycling/etc. location) near work or opposite the traffic flow...the commute traffic may clear a bit by the time you finish.

Find a workout you love and do it. I love swimming---it's a great way for me to zone out and not have to deal with anything/anyone. It's a part of the patented brookielaw "swim til you don't give a *kitten*" program. I love lifting with my trainer. I walk nearly every day at lunch at work just to get away from my desk and tedium. I love training for triathlons, and competing with myself. No, I'll never see a podium (Ok I'll SEE one, I just won't be standing on it for awards/placement in my age class), but it's fun to me. If you love it, you'll make time for it. If you don't love it, find something else to do.

If I don't get my daily hour on the recumbent (or run) I get very antsy and feel gross when I eat.

Not always, no. Some days, working out sounds miserable and it takes every bit of mental willpower to get me to put on my workout clothes and do something. But I push myself to find at least one thing I can do each day that sounds enjoyable and will burn calories, even if it's 30 minutes of yoga or taking my dog for a walk around the neighborhood. I change it up constantly because otherwise, I'll get bored and give up. I take a variety of classes at my gym - martial arts, weightlifting, dance, yoga, and I also have workout videos I can do at home (yoga, barre, and more martial arts). I also enjoy mowing the lawn, gardening, bike riding, and kayaking, so if I want to be outside and away from a workout DVD, I have those options. I've been working hard for the past 3 months and have lost 20 pounds and built up muscle, so now, my motivation to continue working out is to keep the body I worked so hard to get.

I look forward to exercising more than any other individual activity in my life.

Yes. I enjoy working out very much. Having said that when I first got back into it at the beginning of the year it took me a couple of months to work into a routine that I enjoyed. There are as many ways to be physically active as there are people in the world.

I enjoy long walks, but sometimes I don't have time, so I use a cardio machine (fitness glider). I've been creating a gym in my basement with low-cost items like dumbbells, stability ball, cardio step, tubes and bands. I will say that I don't always enjoy working out while doing it... but I love

• The feeling of accomplishment when I get to stop
• Noticing results. Until about 2 months ago, I don't think I'd ever done a lunge in my life. Now I'm doing two sets of 12 reps with 3lb dumbbells and I can complete the set. I tried lifting a 15lb dumbbell today in the store and did 5 reps with it when a few weeks ago, it was all I could do to raise it a few inches off the rack and put it down without slamming it.
• Taking the stairs in the subway system at a decent clip and not being winded at the top.

Sometimes I mix things up. A cardio-and-weights interval workout if 'pure' strength training feels like something I'd rather not do. Longer walks. But a couple of weeks ago, I'd done a two-hour walk in the morning and mid-afternoon, even though I hadn't planned on doing more, I just... wanted to move. So, yeah. Did the interval workout. And it felt great.

I understand how you feel. My suggestion would be to do a little bit in the mornings - there are plenty of short workouts that you can find on the Internet (I use Pinterest to find them because there are tons of easy visual charts; HIIT, morning workout are good search terms) or apps on your phone like the 7 minute HIIT workout apps (I have one from ZenLabs but there are a number of them). Or a short run. Or swim, or ride... I think having a variety of activities makes it easier and more fun, less monotonous.

You can also take breaks during the day and get in some squats, planks, pushups, high knees, etc. You can also bring a few resistance bands to work and get in some bicep curls or other exercises at your desk.

kas1317 wrote: »

I really just DO NOT enjoy it. It puts me in a terrible mood. I am not overweight by any means (5'1 115 pounds) but I would like to look better and drop a few pounds. I do feel like i have "excuses" --- I drive 45 min on a stop and go commute everyday, and honestly, when I get home, I just want to shower and cook dinner. I don't sit down until 8 or so to relax, and then it is off to bed to I can wake up at 6am to do it all again. I am married (no kids) working fulltime, housework, commute are enough to make me not want to do anything else! I know this sounds lazy and people have the same life PLUS KIDS, I just don't know how they do it.

any suggestions or motivating words!

There are types of exercise I enjoy more than others, but I would always rather be reading a book. After years of on and off exercise sprees, I'm in the camp of making small manageable changes that will last rather than going hardcore for 3-9 months and then burning out.

My situation is similar to yours except I'm single. I also have a dog and since I work full time, I have dog guilt leaving him for longer so I can exercise.

I try to walk 1-3 miles/day and I go to yoga once a week. Not going to impress anyone, but I feel better and maybe next month I'll feel motivated to add to it:)

I hear you! But it is possible. I work a full time job with a 30-40 minute drive each way and have two kids. I wake up at 6am. Work from 7:30am-4:30pm. Get the kids and am home by 5:30pm. Bedtime is 7:30pm and as soon as they hit the pillow, that's my time. My hubby and I go to the gym on alternating days, occasionally changing it around so we both lift about three times a week. He usually goes to the gym while I do the kids bedtime so if he's back from the gym before it gets too late, I'll go for a jog on my "off" day. On the days I work out, I don't really get any chores done beyond my workout but either the hubby will get stuff done or else the dishes can really wait until my "off" day. I never used to enjoy working out and really didn't get into it until after my second child was born. I rely on easy dinners (eggs, chicken cooked the weekend before, wraps, etc) and a set workout schedule and plan that takes the thinking out of working out. I also second trying things you think you might not enjoy. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm starting to enjoy weight lifting! You can do it!!

I love that I am well enough and I have the physical strength and stamina TO work out. Not to get all sappy, but I am thankful every single day for the healthy body that I continue to nurture for as long as I can.

Having had a serious illness, and recovering from it, puts a different perspective on things. Not everyone gets a second chance and I won't waste it. So, YES I love working out because I CAN!

Find something you enjoy and you may change your attitude about exercise. I go to aquasize class several times a week, do yoga, Qigong, 5K and 10K road races and play a lot of disc golf with my husband and family. I watch stupid TV while I do dumbbell and bodyweight exercises or just stretching on my yoga mat. There's something out there for everyone. Keep looking!

I hated it until the last few years. Always had excuses, always too tired, always too busy, always miserable when I did do something, had tried a million different things and thought I hated it all...

And then I guess something just clicked for some reason. I decided that I couldn't keep on not exercising (I was never technically overweight and had an active job, but I knew I wasn't in great shape), and I...started doing something. I did C25K and suddenly running was okay, because I didn't feel like I was going to die anymore every time I tried. I lifted some weights and it was not fun but I could push myself to do it in exchange for getting to run a bit afterwards. It started to be fun to go to random classes or go play a sport with my friends or swim because it wasn't as difficult and I started to understand the endorphin thing since I did feel good afterwards.

Now, I cycle commute, run regularly, and do a little weight training when my husband twists my arm (I've never learned to like it but I know it's good for me.) I'm training my puppy to run with me too. Overall, I just found ways to make it part of my life and not something that took me away from my life. I went to the gym or for a run at lunch, I learned to enjoy quiet early morning runs for the solitude and stress relief, I never say no to a run or race with friends or rec sports or a dance class because they're all great ways to see my friends without just going out for drinks or whatever. I don't love it all and I'm not good at a lot of it (see: sports with balls, anything requiring grace) but I still find something to enjoy about it, whether its the camaraderie, the convenience (bike commuting), or just the way I feel afterwards (or getting to eat more because of it.)

And I really do feel better for it. More energetic in general, stronger, and it's nice to be able to just run one of those gimmicky fun runs on a whim or say yes to a hiking or ski trip without thinking twice or offer to fill in when someone's team member can't make it to a game or carry the groceries.

Yes, but only the workouts I want to do, and usually after the fact. Hate the hell out of cardio and will be grumpy start to finish, but lifting is my heart. I love lifting. About 3/4 into my workout I'm cranky and want to stop, but at the end I get that lovely endorphin kick I always heard of but never experienced until I started doing the powerlifting type workouts.

Not everyone has to do the same workouts and it's totally reasonable to hate some of it. Working out is hard, and for me I frequently have to work to figure out if I actually hate it, or if it's just hard at the time.

Powerlifting gives me so much joy.

I had the 45 min commute to work plus a very challenging full time job. I was a cranky zombie when I got home and always tired. My doctor suggested I move closer to work, I gave him $80 and did what he said.

My suggestions saving time are living in a small place, not having too much stuff, doing laundry at the laundrette where you can get everything in one machine and then one dryer and its done, stop wearing makeup, get fruit and veg delivered, do your meal prep for the week but swap some meals with friends so you can cook in bulk but don't have to keep eating the same thing. Combining exercise with catch ups with friends and family like walking, swimming or bike riding (then pretend to look horrified when they produce a bottle of wine from their bag afterwards).