I HATE exercising! Is it really necessary?

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  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Exercises for health:
    Walking
    Dancing
    Hula hooping
    Swimming
    Water aerobics
    Wii fit games
    Yoga
    Tai chi
    Biking


    Almost anyone can find something they like, but it might take a while of trying different things.
  • iWishMyNameWasRebel
    iWishMyNameWasRebel Posts: 174 Member
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    Eating right changes your size. Exercise changes your shape. I used to hate exercise too. In fact, I’d still much rather lay in the hammock than lift weights. However, I LOVE the results from the little bit of time I spend sculpting and challenging my body, especially the mental results. I hate brushing my teeth too, but I do that anyway, because I like having teeth in my head and my breath not peeling paint. We do LOTS of tasks that are not what we enjoy, but the results from doing the tasks make them so worth it. Physical activity is no different (for those of us who don’t love it). Also, try lots of different activities, and do the ones you hate the least.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Calories are what matter for weight loss. With that said, you can certainly lose weight without exercise, but you may not like the results when you reach your goal weight.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    As I said before--your expectations are high. You are already comparing yourself to great bodies, people that are working out. Without exercise of some kind you will lose the weight, but will lose muscle and may not like the results. So--what's it gonna be? You only get one life and one body. It's up to you to decide--there are no miracles.
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
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    Necessary no, beneficial in so many ways, yes.
  • haylzcov80
    haylzcov80 Posts: 4 Member
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    Do you like music? Just pop on your favourite songs and dance, throw some shapes, move in any way you want, laugh, make it so much fun and there you go you have exercised!
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean OP. I felt the same way early on. But for my health and for my goals I knew exercise would eventually have to be apart of my plan.

    So I tried all kinds of sports, activities and exercise and found things I enjoyed. Years later, now I LOVE being active everyday. It's not always a workout either. I'll walk or chase my puppy around, dance silly with my hubby, go on family walks etc.

    Good luck!
  • Movemoreguy22
    Movemoreguy22 Posts: 387 Member
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    Just do something that gets your heart rate up.. something fun even if it's a game of it or kiss chase haha..
  • wandasherratt
    wandasherratt Posts: 5 Member
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    I understand when you say that exercise hurts, which makes you averse to doing it. This is my second time around aiming to lose about 70 lbs. I'm halfway there, and I've learned something from my earlier experience using WeightWatchers. You CAN lose weight without exercise, and at the beginning, that's probably the best thing to do. If you're carrying a lot of extra weight, of course it's going to to hurt to try to move all that mass! Now that you've lost some weight, you can gradually introduce exercise and slowly build some muscle. Do something that you'll enjoy. Last time around, I did my own exercise by dancing in the living room to a Jerry Lee Lewis cd. It really worked to get my heart pumping and it made my muscles stronger. When you're stronger, you can do more exercise and it won't hurt. Plus, it does suppress your appetite, so you won't be feeling as hungry all the time.

    Now, it's 17 years later and I have to lose the weight again. I'm not using WW, I'm using the calorie tracker here at MFP and I'm doing exercise. This time, I've joined a fitness program at the community center, and I can see that doing exercise in an organized way (aerobics class and strength training) is probably better than the do-it-yourself method I did the first time. Different muscles are getting strengthened, instead of just the few that I used when I was dancing. However, it worked for me that time, and this is working this time. In both cases, you build up your resistance over time, and the problem of aching muscles and joints will diminish. As it gets easier to do, you'll be less reluctant, and you'll do more. Success reinforces itself.

    I'd say start with some exercise, even if it's just walking at the beginning. Use an app like MapMyWalk to record your progress - it's something solid to look at to remind yourself that you ARE really doing this, and it helps you to push yourself a little further each time. good luck!
  • orangegato
    orangegato Posts: 6,570 Member
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    Correct me if I am wrong, but as one loses weight and gets smaller, their calorie allotment gets smaller and tighter. And this can become more and more difficult to adhere to (at least for me). So exercise can also be used to increase your calorie goals by eating some calories back that you burn off.

    But I need to follow my own advice better too.....
  • mberry14766
    mberry14766 Posts: 10 Member
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    I do IF as well, I’m 5’6 221 lbs... I eat 1400 calories or less a day (mainly healthy foods) but sometimes I cheat and I also HATE excersising but I love to walk...maybe just take a walk, just something small to get ur heart rate up!!
  • ninjamere1
    ninjamere1 Posts: 40 Member
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    No. Calorie deficit is the reason for weight loss.

    When you work out you can eat a little more. Also working out results in looking better once the weight is off.

    Maybe cardio isn't the exercise for you. There is yoga. Lifting. Walking. Swimming can be awesome if you have pain involved with exercise.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
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    mberry14766 wrote: »
    I do IF as well, I’m 5’6 221 lbs... I eat 1400 calories or less a day (mainly healthy foods) but sometimes I cheat and I also HATE excersising but I love to walk...maybe just take a walk, just something small to get ur heart rate up!!

    walking is a low impact steady state cardio, done right that is!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    Everyone else has covered this really well already, so I know I'm just repeating the same if I go on about how exercise makes you look and feel better, CICO is how you actually lose pounds. True.

    For me, the two things are almost separate. I need exercise to keep my anxiety under control and that is the main reason I do it.

    I have lost over 130 lb and kept it off for years now. I have literally never been to a gym, on a treadmill, or any of that stuff. If I did that stuff I am sure I may be less flabby in certain areas and happier with my physique. But it's not a priority to me and I know myself really well and I know if I paid for a gym membership I'd force myself to use it and I would start to hate exercise because of it and then I would quit. So I don't do that.

    What I love to do is take long walks, and go hiking on trails and sometimes even some light climbing. When I started this stuff I was between 270 and 300 lb and I would get out of breath and feel embarrassed for other people to come with me or watch me, so I did it alone. I have gradually (over many years) turned into someone who jog/runs a 5k now and then with friends, and doesn't mind leading a moderately difficult hike. This makes me feel SO proud and pleased with myself and that's worth a lot to me.

    Do I want to go work out in a gym? Nope.
    Am I somewhat active? Certainly.

    This is probably cheesy and not for everyone but I also keep journals of all my walks and hikes, even down to something like 4 laps of the large shopping mall in my town. I decorate it with Japanese stickers and make it fun for me. It's something I do for myself and it motivates me to do more. When I first started out, I was motivated to go from around the block to destinations 4-5 miles from my home and I credit that with kicking off my entire lifestyle change.

    Make it fun.

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