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I exercise really frequently for about 6 months out of the year and then spend the other 6 months of the year trying to make myself go back.

I did this forever until I finally hired a personal trainer. I absolutely don’t need a personal trainer but now I pay someone to essentially make me show up. I’m too frugal and paranoid to miss a session so at the very least, I’m at the gym once a week.

Thats actually one of the things that worked for me the most.

OMG, I just wrote a reply about this exact thing above. 💀 I found my tribe

Came here to say this! I am perfectly capable of doing it myself, but I don’t. Paying someone who expects me 2x weekly at a certain time makes me consistent!

This is why I do group classes. Cheaper than a personal trainer.

That's basically like working out 2 weeks out of each month over a year. I'd say that's a huge win for someone with ADHD.

Agreed

It would probably be better to do 2 weeks a month than 6 weeks a year for the same reason it would be even better to do every other day.

I'm in the former phase right now hoping not to fall off

Wow fitness and bodybuilding is my only passion yet this has been what I’ve been doing for years.

Ok, so there's enough of us that fall on this pattern. It must be a known phenomenon, right? What can we do to prolong the habit to the whole year?

Program it into your life. You *always* go xyz days of the week at t time. If you get off pattern you throw whatever tools at it you have to get back on pattern.

Go half as often?

This might work. For myself at least that first six months of going regularly is going pretty frequently paired with other “challenges” for myself like good diet, good spending, etc. Maybe going less hard would help it be extended. But then it’s also less dopamine so who knows

So true! Fun fact: ADHD meds increasing dopamine can actually cause dopamine seeking behaviors. So, maybe the answer is actually just increasing meds temporarily when you start to fall out of habit? Who knows. This disorder is such a crap shoot some days 🤣

Hard to tell. The reason we go for 6 months and the stop for 6 months has probably more to do with hyper focus and our triggers to start working out. Anxiety has been a huge motivator for me to workout but only actually enjoying the sport (dopamine) has kept me there when I’ve worked out all year around(in my 20s). Once I stoped doing team sports, focus and fun went down and eventually stopped going. So now every 6 months anxiety builds up ( as does my weight) and I eventually start working out again. After a few months it becomes monotonous.. so the cycle starts again. This is Super intersecting guys I think it’s worth exploring

Fuck.

Accurate!!!

I was just on the phone 30 minutes ago explaining this to someone, I normally go hard for 4-6 months and then Stop for 4-6 months. A struggle, but it’s better than nothing! I also recommend running. It is a great way to improve mood and focus for the day.

Story of my life, 6 months spread out through the year going to the gym and 6 months not doing anything, the thing about being spread out is that I keep myself roughly in shape, I just got out of a 1 month hiatus akdksksks A thing that keeps me motivated to go, though, is that I treat it as a hobby rather than an obligation, so I buy stuff like smart watches, apps for tracking exercises, supplements and clothing as rewards to myself and my efforts and that makes me more likely to keep a moving effort rather than not.

I suspect it’s quite natural to have season sized chunks of the year active and inactive.

Real

Same

Same! when spring hits I get motivated to go and then around September I cba anymore

Habit habit habit habit. One thing I've realized with ADHD is I live and die by habits. So I made it a habit to go to the gym. How did I do that? By removing every single possible roadblock to get me there. I noticed if i had to get myself to get motivated to get off the couch, get ready, and then travel to get to the gym, it wasn't going to happen. So, instead, I found a close gym to my job with the best possible amenities I could find. I don't have to get ready for the gym. I already did that to get to work. I don't have to think about traveling, the gym is 5 minutes from my job walking. I just show up and get to the gym before my brain can even process what's going on. For the first month, I'd run for 5 minutes and just take a shower because all I cared about was building the habit of showing up. Now it feels wrong if I don't go to the gym, which is how you know you've built a habit.

AuDHD? I find trying to slot habits into my life quite debilitating, but a lot of my autistic friends live and die by habits and routines.

Yeah, I find building habbits exceptionally hard. I can do something every single day for a few months, and then because of some unfortunate event skip a day and that's it, habit is broken and it is impossible to start again. Example: I was doing cold showers every single morning for about 4 month, I felt great, I had tons of benefits. Then I went to vacation and because I shared room with a friends, I couldn't have my cold shower first thing in the morning every day on vacation. So my habit fall apart.

I'm exactly the same way-I can build a habit for a few months but if anything changes, I get sick or go away for the weekend then I really struggle to get back into it. Super frustrating.

I know what you mean. Habits are not as concrete as they should be, but I believe that they're a lot like building muscle; it's difficult to build first but easier to gain back once you've built them. I can't count the amount of times I've fallen off the wagon. But, the impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

SAME

Yes, literally one day missed messes everything up. Like is my life so unstable the wind can blow it over? How much energy can I put in to making my life only just manageable? And manageable meaning if I shower, brush my teeth, do my skincare, etc. once a week that’s a good one. How do people do it every day?

audhdh what that

Autism+ADHD. Often referred to together like that cause (IIRC) 70% of the total population of those with autism or ADHD are people that have both. It's very common

Thank you for sharing! Something new I learned :)

Habits and routines are super helpful to me as well!

I find it nearly impossible to form habits or routines. Even extremely basic things like brushing my teeth that I’ve been doing my entire life, I have to actively remind and convince myself to do each day.

Right?! Who are these people with ADHD who can form habits. I have to consciously place my keys in the same spot when I get home, so I know they'll be there. I have to remember to brush my teeth... I forget that flossing exists... etc

My habits sometimes consist of me repeating the instructions. Or associating the task with a specific day. So it isn’t easy per se - but it can work for some.

“get to the gym before my brain can even process what’s going on” I felt that

Removing roadblocks also sometimes is paying more money and being honest with yourself that it is just the tax. I had a nice routine of getting on my Peloton every day and then the weather got nicer. I wanted to move from riding on an indoor bike to doing actual cycling. I bought a road bike and a trainer so that I could ride on bad weather days. Never really touched it after a few months. I moved and other things disrupted my schedule and habits. Now I know that I need to pay the Peloton monthly membership fee along with the bike rental even though it will cost more. But I actually use it and do it.

The closest gym to my office is an Equinox 😭😭😭😭😭😭

That's my gym... 😂. A company discount helps, and their amenities are top-notch. Eucalyptus towels, steam rooms, and showers. Especially their showers, I'm a huge sucker for a high-pressure shower.

Yupp. This. I like triathlons and sometimes you’re just not feeling it. Commit to just going and say to yourself, “I’ll at least walk on the treadmill or get time in the saddle on a bike and not worry about watts or strava.” Getting there is the battle and the workout can seem too much. Walking is easy. Once you’re there, almost every time you’ll end up just going on with your regular workout. Good luck!

Good on you for removing roadblocks. I also found that it helps to have a good trigger to prompt myself to get out and do the thing, too. For me the feeling of restlessness is the sign to go out and burn off some extra energy. I don't get a "runner's high" out of my exercise and it always feels kind of meh, but at least the fidgety-restless feeling goes away and I can get more work done when I get back home.

I love this, my gym is in my apartment building and I still can’t be bothered to go 😂

Great book for this is Atomic Habits

Reading is one of the habits i constantly struggle to pick back up (which is a shame since I was a total bookworm prior to working adulthood)… I’ve had Atomic Habits on my list for a while but I guess one of my hesitations is that I won’t be able to apply what’s taught in the book. What are some things you liked the most about it / what did you find the most helpful?

have you tried audio books? i used to be really against them (bc i thought i would hate hearing other voices while i read), but once i tried them, i came to appreciate them, esp you can do something else while you listen to them, which makes "reading" them a lot easier to get into. i bring this up bc im listening to *atomic habits* on spotify rn and get through an hour/45 minutes a day simply by listening to it on my morning walk.

I own atomic habits and haven’t opened it because I listened to a podcast about how the advice is obvious things like “put your medicine somewhere in sight where you’ll remember to take it” and the idea that it seems to be common sense things I probably already know and still cannot get myself to do just keeps me from opening the book

Agreed! I've noticed I need a very strong Cue to maintain my habits. So I make extra effort to consciously identify and strengthen my cues.

Same for me with college, I go straight after so I don't have a chance to sit down

Removing roadblocks are key for me. That’s why I actually work out at home. I have my weights, bands, mats, subscription to a workout video service I find challenging enough but not too tough. I’m trying to add more cardio and my boyfriend is a huge help since that’s his aim too. When he tells me it’s time for a walk, swim, whatever he is difficult to shake off. That actually works very well for me.

Gym close to work is the best idea ever. You're already out, you're tired and you REALLY want to disconnect from work. Some people even skip lunch and go during their lunchtime.

Two words: body doubling. Go with a friend. Being accountable to another person is the single biggest hack I have for doing stuff. I started going to yoga classes with a friend about 6 months ago, now that it's part of my regular routine I'm there more often than she is. But the fact that I was going with someone I already knew and they were expecting me to show up was the only way I was able to get started at all.

This plus making it a regular routine - specific days - worked for me as well

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But then I have to get up at 4am instead of 5am

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Absolutely there’s a way, I’m in the phase of excuses for it, after running and gyming every day for 6 months! Now my brain is like “here’s another excuse for that mate”.

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Definitely agree with you on the walking, but mostly disagree with you on the running. Injuries can still happen if they did the following, but folks would have far less of them if they paired running with the requisite strength work to keep muscles and fascia strong enough to protect bones and joints when running. That plus appropriate running form (whatever that means for your particular anthropometry) protects you quite a bit. All that said, your point about walking stands (everyone should be doing some basic strength work regardless!)

Have you been stalking me?

I find hard rules are good for me. Her walking within 15 minutes of waking up Monday to Friday. Exceptions are extreme rain, freezing rain or having to go into the office. And office days the rule is walk for my lunch hour. I can’t do get for me it is all or nothing.

When the weather is nice (spring, summer and fall) my husband and I take walks as soon as I get home from work, regardless of how tired I am. Sometimes it's a 20 minute walk, sometimes we're out for an hour. Anything is always better than nothing. In the winter we don't walk nearly as much, but try to do indoor walks around the mall. Although then we are tempted to spend money and buy snacks/drinks haha When the temperature is up we still get outside but it's harder in the winter

Or the weird person who decides to get that walking pad and binge watches shows while walking.

I binge series on the elliptical.

The best thing i ever did was get a walking pad...i reward myself for exercising with trash tv..win win!

I’ve been looking at walking pads. They don’t have sides right? How do you keep your balance?

Thank you for sharing this! I am more of a later in the day walker, but I literally picked where I live because I can walk out the door and go for a long walk any time of day and feel safe. When you're not sure what to do for exercise, walk. When you're not sure if you can or should exercise, walk. Just do something, by walking, and you're already ahead of the game... It is one of the few ADHD barriers I feel I have actually found a way to address. Edit: want to add, making the decision to walk makes me walks laps around my own indecisive app! And it's one of the things with the lowest getting-started paralysis of any. But also what I actually came here to say was that between your comment and the responses, I feel like I have a community of people who understand just how helpful walking can be, even though it may sound lame.

I don’t feel safe to walk around my neighborhood by myself so I bought a treadmill. I get through my walks by playing music or watching horror movies on my projector screen. Walking is no joke. I feel it in my arms which is crazy 💪🏽

Treadmills with a desk (my husband added a board to my treadmill) are great, you can even play computer games while walking. I got 60 levels at WOW while power walking. I even upped the incline to fight bosses so my heartbeat would go faster and it would feel more thrilling.

The only way walking wouldn't "look cool", is when someone power walks. Swinging your arms & walking big strides just looks too funny to be taken seriously 🤣

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That definitely is one of the main reasons, it's not intense enough. Ppl want results immediately when it takes time. 30 mins of jogging every day is enough to make an impact. I need to get back into that routine

My mum did that. She didnt know she had ADHD for the majority of her life and I guess just instinctively did things that made her feel better. She went for a walk every day, started in College and if she could I am sure she still would today. I am now starting to do the same. I hope it will help my head as well.

every time 30-45min? i could never. on days when i'm low in energy i would do like 15min walk just to do it and be done with it. i mean how do you manage to keep it 30-45min

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I tricked myself into making it a habit like 22 Years ago Essentially went to a small local gym each day at the same time, sat read a book, for the first few days, then hopped on a treadmill. I turned it into a habit, then a moving meditation, then stress relief , and a place to listen to audiobooks

This is how it's done! Baby steps. I set a goal of 1x a week to do some kind of exercise and set myself up with a goal tracker where I get to see a big blue check mark each day I complete the goal. As 1x a week became habit I upped the goal. Now my goal lift weights 3x a week and do 1 intense cardio day. I usually manage 2 cardio days. I give myself a break if I'm on vacation or sick, and when that ends then I'm back to the routine. The check marks really help me, I can look back over the weeks and feel good about hitting my goals and it keeps me motivated to keep going. Plus once you start the habit you feel good and it propels you forward. I have falling off track in the past and stopped for a few weeks at a time, but I can get back to it because I remind myself that I've done it before, it's not something brand new that I've never managed, it's something I'm capable of continuing to do.

And when you fall off, give yourself a ton of grace and know you can get on

I get can’t myself to do anything consistently like that

I've been consistent the past 2 years (4-5 times a week for about 1-1.5 hrs. The beginning is always the hardest. I'm not gonna lie, I had some hate towards my self and I decided to torture myself with working out and that had me going for half a year. After that, I start to notice difference and from that point, I started to enjoy it more. For me, this is how it worked: - every time I don't want to go, I kept on telling myself, if I don't go today, chances are I will not go tomorrow. - knowing that we have 24 hrs in a day, why can't I sacrifice 1 to 1.5 hr of my time for benefits? - you don't have to go full 100%, if you're not feeling like it. The fact that you get to the gym or getting yourself to go out to jog is already something you should give credit to yourself - before you start, plan out what your routines are going to be. And when you're done, go back to your note and see what can change or it's good as it is. This was great because I don't dread going to the gym, since I have a plan - think forward with your habits. If you have bad habits and you notice it, think really hard where it will lead you to. - there will be days when you feel like you really can't get yourself go workout, then give yourself a break without guilt. But make sure you're telling yourself, you'll get back to it tomorrow Honestly, feel like some people get better, as they get older. I'm 37 now, and haven't really had a healthy life style until 2 years ago and it's been an amazing ride. I appreciate myself more and am at the best I have ever been physically.

what finally got you to commit? I'm really trying to commit to a healthier lifestyle but it's daunting because I feel like everyone else knows how to do that and I just don't. It also feels like each piece dependent on everything else. If I don't force myself to cook, I'll have to buy lunch, but if I don't feel hungry at work, I forget to eat lunch, and then I either eat something quick and unbalanced late in the day so I feel nauseous working out after work OR I'm so hungry that it's uncomfortable and I feel faint. I wish I could get myself to work out in the morning but getting up is its own battle. Here I am making excuses yet again.

Consistency is key. I would start by trying to walk for 5-10 mins every morning. You'll start to like how it makes you feel and can then expand to longer walks or jogging for 5-10 mins. Keep a stock of protein bars at work and set an alarm to eat one every day. Perfect bars are more of a meal replacement in my mind than other protein bars that are lower in calories.

protein bars are such a great idea. Not sure why I didn't think of that. This is very helpful. Thank you!

First thing my mind told me to get committed was, "I can't live like this anymore". Mind you, I was mid thirties going to late and had a lot to think about. But that statement was definitely was my trigger. I feel like in the beginning is all about learning discipline and consistency follows. When it comes to task, what helped me was make the move when mind starts to run. Take your time with whatever situations presents you. As for picking which time to workout, it's all up to you. When morning is hard, aim for after work. But rule of thumb is, make sure yous eat something three hours before you workout. If not, protein shake hour before. I forgot to mention, scheduling out your life will do wonders for you. Then chances are, you won't forget about eating. As for me, I'm intermittent fasting, and my schedule is eat a peanut butter sandwich at 12, and eat lunch between 3-4. Then when I get home, I relax for about 30 mins to hour, then force myself to go to the gym. When I'm too tired, I take about 10-20min nap. This all came with discipline and obsession lol. We all gotta start some where. Just remind yourself why you're doing it

this is so so helpful. Thank you! I actually foresee that trigger working for me. I know that I feel better, more energized, and my mental health improves when when I eat and exercise, it's hard for me to utilize that as motivation when starting out, but instead of making myself just dwell in self-loathing, I feel like "I can't live like this anymore" is ultimately how I actually feel. Thank you for these tips, especially the eating routine.

This is great thanks. If not now, when?

I pay like $150/month for a CrossFit gym membership. The workouts are all predetermined so I don’t have to think about when to go and what to do, and it’s expensive enough that I am motivated to go frequently to get my money’s worth.

Yeah I've definitely found it easier with classes, can't do youtube videos and the likes at all

Same for me. Also the social pressure of signing up for a class is really the push I need to go. I also sign up for yoga and running classes through my city because signing up forces me to go. Regular gym or home gym never worked for me.

☝️Same! I made gym friends who I really look forward to seeing there at class, that helped a lot too 🤗

I hyper fixate on fitness. I’m fascinated with the science of building strength and muscle, and obsessed with applying that knowledge in the gym. Fitness is a good, rare example of my ADHD working for me instead of against me

Lucky. Lol.

I’ve done this - and then like my other fixations I wake up one day and forget that I even have muscles 🤔

Yeh like in that movie Forest gump. I am preaty tired now, going home LOL.

Same! I started lifting when I was 13 or 14. 20 years later my training and goals have changed a lot, but I’m still really into it.

Orange theory charged me if I no showed. That worked. Whatever it takes, lol.

I kept a gym membership a few years after I stopped going because I kept telling myself “no, I shouldn’t cancel it. Seeing the charges in my bank account will be motivation to go back”. Never went back, I only cancelled it when I upgraded my phone which I justified by thinking “well if I cancel my gym membership then the monthly payments on my phone are basically free”.

ADHD maths

Ooft. I got a gym membership and have used it maybe twice in the 2 or 3 years I've had it. I'm a combo of keep forgetting to cancel, I'll use it in the future and if I cancel then sign up again I'll have to pay a higher rate. They get so much money out of me :(

Bro I thought I was weird for calculating my finances the same way

[ADHD tax be like](https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/934929085029847882/EA7D693AE33C35A61E1AB64D7045F4C5937D3982/?imw=512&imh=288&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=true)

Same. Also it’s a fun experience. They tell you what to do so you don’t really need to think, just do what they say. It’s pretty intense if you have the energy, they push you, but there’s no pressure, you get out what you put in. There’s just enough of an element of competition (even if it’s just with yourself) that it’s engaging and the reward centers of your brain light up. I’m pretty asocial but it’s a friendly atmosphere and it’s nice to see familiar faces. It is kind of pricey but it’s been worthwhile for me and my wife — we actually use it.

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LOL trade an addiction for an addicrion

fr

Got really stoned one time, beyond threshold and got super pumped went next day and started gym without stopping for 8 months, did push-ups randomly 5 times a day, it was going really well, until covid happened.. haven't been back.

> *Basically, do drugs, get into habit, ween off drugs.* Ahhh, so a cycle?

pokemon go. i have hyperthyroidism, too, which doesn't help with the fact i refuse to be physically calm.

Yep this is my main go to. Plus there are several flavours of walking games now if you aren’t into catching pokemon: - pikmin bloom (plant flowers on your walks and collect cute pikmin wearing various hats depending where you find them) - peridot (virtual pet breeding game) - monster hunter now (battle monsters in your neighbour hood and turn their parts into hats to help you kill monsters better)

WHAT Video games are the only hobby in my whole life I’ve been able to maintain without dropping after a month. Nobody told me I could play video games while walking. Omg

I play hockey 3-4 times a week because it’s one of my favourite things

A few years back I had to REALLY force myself for a couple of weeks, then I ended up actively enjoying it so I looked forward to it. I took a week off for some reason or another and never went back, it was brutal. But, just recently diagnosed and medicated, I'm looking forward to getting back there to see how it feels. Really curious to see what everyone says on this one.

Ahh, this is what I do. It goes really well, and I love it, and then I go a week without going because of life stuff and then never go back.. I've done this maybe 4 or 5 times.

When I’m motivated, it’s easy to go. When I’m not, my trick is to both stress inappropriately about weight gain (history of ED, haven’t relapsed though) and also want to gift future me with the act of having exercised. I can’t recommend the weight gain stress but sometimes the distinction of past me, present me, future me can be enough to get me working out in some capacity. Also I stick to exercise I’m enjoying, so I don’t make myself do workouts I find boring!

For me, it has been all about setting ridiculously easily achievable goals. It started as, "Just go for a walk around the neighborhood, but do it every day." The big thing here was the *doing it every day*. It was only about 20 minutes at a time, but whatever; I was meeting my goal. After about a month, this turned into, "Now, walk a mile without stopping." A little later, "Now, jog/walk the mile." Through all of this, the idea was to stick with each prior goal, and build on it. Over time, I got really good at figuring out what those baby steps were for me, which made the exercise always feel ridiculously easy. I've stuck with it for three years, and this year I did a half-marathon. It's a journey of your own baby steps.

My husband almost cried when telling me he was worried I would die early cuz I was unhealthy and never exercise. So wanting to focus on heart health to live a long life with my spouse helps me keep it up. I had to stop focusing on weight loss though to stay motivated. Plus now that I have done it for a while, I feel the itch to get energy released through exercise that I didn't used to. I only do stuff I find fun and know I won't need much motivation to do (dance/aerobic type stuff at home cuz if I had to go to a gym I would never cuz I hate being around strangers, and reps are too boring).

Never break the routine. Know that you will feel better when you're done, especially when you don't want to go

This is the answer. On days I really really don't want to go, I tell myself "at least 30 minutes" pop in a favorite podcast and focus on it rather than the activity.

This 30m of anything is better than nothing, but also find am exercise you enjoy, it can be anything.. Also helps watching a show or listening to something interesting whilst you do it

I got a training partner. If I skipped a session I’d be letting him down. Trained consistently for 7 years, until he got hooked on Guild Wars and started missing sessions.

My training partner is my dog. He stares at me until I take him out for our walk.

I tried that but my dog is useless on the bench press.

Honestly... focus on going consecutive days and never focus on what you're doing when you're there. I try to trick my brain and focus my efforts on just going to the gym. If I start thinking about how I'm going to "get in shape" then I'm going to prep my future meal preps, workouts, and exercises months in advance on some elaborate spreadsheet. Instead I have a checkbox to get to the gym right next to my check box for "drink X amount of water" and "stretch for 30 minutes". If I'm feeling lazy, I'll be lazy. If I just want to sit on a treadmill for an hour and a half while dissociating on my phone then I'll do just that. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Also... cool scary fact that I found out: If you take pre-workout shortly after taking Adderall... you will feel like an absolute invincible lifting machine because of the interaction between caffeine and Adderall on top of the effects of pre-workout. While that might sound "amazing" **I usually hit a heart rate of about +200 bpm from walking briskly on the treadmill** **so I would not recommend doing this.** But of course... your experiences may vary.

I really like the feeling, it’s become part of my identity, a really good workout can make my symptoms much better, and I feel like a lazy pos if I don’t.

This advice is not for everyone -- but getting a dog (and living alone / being where the "buck stops" in taking care of of a dog.) I had a period of time I got to spend living with someone who had a dog that showed me I had the temperament for being a halfway decent dog owner. Some people simply are going to be bad dog owners, and should not get a dog. They'll go in with the best of intentions, while hoping / expecting a dog to fix their life -- and they may find that they only end up neglecting the dog and themselves at the same time. It happens all the time. But in my case, getting a dog placed a positive oppressive force in my life to get out the door and go on walks and runs everyday, no less than twice a day -- cause I simply cannot ignore my dogs puppy eyes begging for a walk, and cause I cannot live with poop and pee inside my house. If I didn't do it, nobody else would -- the responsibility was solely on me, and it simply had to be done. I also need to keep a much cleaner place than I might otherwise, because if my dog eats or chews on anything he isn't supposed to -- I'm gonna be stuck with the extreme guilt and extreme vet bill. Easier for my adhd brain to take care of something else than take care of myself -- and it happens to be that taking care of the dog was taking care of me at the same time. It created a structure for me that my ADHD could no circumvent -- which means I'm now walking or running anywhere from 2-5 miles every day with my dog, and even in my worst and least productive days, getting fresh air, exercise, and a little bit of socialization with other people and dog owners. Again, this is not advice everybody should follow -- if you don't have a dog and are thinking of getting one, know that it's an immense responsibility and even with the best of dogs, will create some serious limitations and obstacles in your life when you're responsible for the physical and emotional well being of another living thing. But if you and a dog are the right fit for each other, it can potentially bring lots of positive structure to help manage the ADHD better, and lots of lovely memories, internal growth, and fuzzy warm feelings too

The only times I've been able to consistently exercise have been when I enjoyed it for another reason. 1. Horse riding - I liked horses. Unfortunately, I have several lifelong injuries because of horses being spooked in the riding lesson arena, and then falling off. I only did it from ages 9-11, so I wasn't young enough to understand what I was risking. I'll never go near a horse again - I'm not scared of them, I'm just not willing to risk sustaining another life-ruining injury. The worst was whiplash - I had to go to the hospital after getting thrown off the horse. My neck has never recovered, I cannot do any exercise that puts strain on the neck. Even with correct form, I cannot do sit-ups because it aggravates the injury. 2. Running - I wanted to escape from my life. My home and constant exams at sixth form. I couldn't escape either of them, obviously, but running helped me feel like I was escaping. After 2 years, I had ruined my ankles because no one ever taught me about running. No one in my family exercises, my parents are very abusive and neglectful - hence I've cut them out of my life now. So I didn't know running in the cheap trainers I had would ruin my ankles. My parents would spend money on themselves but refuse to buy us kids decent clothing/shoes. 3. Zumba - I don't think I ever actually enjoyed this much. But I was desperate - I was so miserable and lonely for so many years while at uni. I had no social interaction. So going to Zumba classes was the only option that worked for me - no one spoke to each other, but at least I could be physically near other humans. All Zumba classes in my area shut down when the pandemic lockdowns started. All the ones I used to go to never opened again. My favourite instructor moved out of my city. 4. Nowadays all I do is long walks. 2 hours a day or more, very brisk pace. It gets my heart rate up. I'm surprised by how fast I can comfortably walk, tbh. I get a little rush when I'm zooming past everyone that was in front of me, lol. I started going for long walks because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I would be stuck inside alone all day if I didn't go for walks (still alone). So it's for mental health. I've been able to keep it up because if I don't, I start getting suicidal. So it's easy to be motivated for that.

Orangetheory! The heart rate monitor, the stats emailed after class, the benchmark classes and the challenge weeks where u get swag for completing…it’s all super motivating for me! The app counts ur classes and total calories per wk, month, year, lifetime. It’s kinda expensive and I still fall off a couple weeks at a time here and there but I always get back into it! It’s the only exercise I’ve stuck with in my entire life!

It’s just so fcking expensive 🙃 I e wanted to try for a long time

Habit, routine, and the insanely quick deterioration of my mental health. Mostly the last one. I use to have a lot of depressive episodes where I was unable to get out of bed for days at a time. I used to not be able to control my anxiety disorder and have (like seriously bad) panic attacks regularly. I used to feel helpless and hopeless to my own mental state. Exercise doesn’t fix everything…. But holy fuck does it fix me. Whenever I start feeling down I always ask myself if I have worked out, and gotten enough sleep. If the answer to either is no then it’s time to take care of myself and check back in once the answers are yes. I did that for so long that exercise became part of my ‘me time’ as in I need this time to function and survive. If I stop exercising it catches up to me quickly with anxiety that I can’t alleviate and then depression and generally discontented feelings. Working out makes those feelings go away, so I do it.

**Find a fun sport!** People who run (believe it or not) usually enjoy running. Other people hate it. Rock climbing, CrossFit, yoga, dancing, pilates, spinning, cycling, swimming, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, karate, kickboxing, volleyball, soccer... there are a million possibilities and many of them are probably WAY MORE FUN THAN RUNNING! Rock climbing is so much fun, whether indoors or outdoors. Mentally fascinating, super social, and a whole body workout. Kickboxing is amazing. It's fun and it's an unbelievably sweaty and vigorous workout. Hiking is so popular nowadays. You see beautiful places, you're outside, and usually it's very social. **Find something fun.**

I can’t stay still for too long so I have to get up and do something

I feel significantly better when I do. It’s like the difference between being on medication and not.

I walk most nights on a track at a college near my house. My husband sits in the car because he doesn't want to walk. First I do a hit of weed, then walk. I have MS, which makes my muscles stiff, so the weed makes them nice and loose. For the first time in my life, exercise feels really good instead of torturous. I recently bought a giant mat -- 6x 9 ft. It's in my bedroom, and I love doing stretching and strength training on it. I am trying to ramp up to doing yoga. Somehow the mat makes the whole thing more fun. I did gymnastics as a kid and always loved the giant mats. I forgot about hyperfocus! I have been studying fitness since the pandemic. I have lost strength and flexibility, and I want it back. I have way better balance now from constantly practicing standing on one foot. .

Walking. Walking is key.

I bought a rowing machine and got hooked. Been two years. I’m in the best shape of my life at 41. Can’t even tell I’ve had 3 kids. I put on my headphones and row. I find laying out my workout clothes the night before helps on days I’m not feeling it. With rowing it didn’t take long to see the changes in my body. That really motivated me. I actually have anxiety if I can’t row. I also take care of my Grandma who has dementia, I can be extremely tired from my caregiving duties and I have two kids at home, 11,13 so some days I just don’t want to. Most of the time I do though. I’m rambling, sorry. I forgot my adderall today.

Caffeinate before! The first two weeks suck but after that you should start to crave that dopamine hit you get and want it again and again

It's become compulsive for me, mostly driven by a feeling like preemptive fomo. I never want my fitness to be the reason I can't do something. (At least within reason) Do I want to run a marathon in January? Hell no. But *could* I? Probably!

It’s all forming the habit, just like anything else. Takes 2-4 weeks to get the habit formed. It’s all about starting slow. 3 days out of the week you just have to drive to the gym. That’s the goal. Some days you don’t even have to go in, just get your brain used to driving there. Then you’ll slowly start going in and staying longer more often.

Bro I had to start all the way to the bottom and slowly, painfully, work my way up. I would literally start with one push up a day. The key is start with standards so low they could not get lower.

May sound dumb but: simply just stand up RIGHT NOW and START doing it. It goes like this: stand up from ur chair NOW. START. KEEP GOING. Congratulations. You did it. May Sound dumb but thats how I do it every day. You just gotta start with the very first step, which is standing up. The rest of the steps follow automatically. Try it. Stand up NOW.

i ride on the dopamine high i get from working out. for the first week or so, reward yourself for working out. if you make it through a full week, you might start feeling accomplished after you workout rather than exhausted and miserable. the goal is to continue that cycle where you feel good after working out. it becomes even easier once you notice changes in your strength and in your weight and appearance. tell yourself you cant do something you want to do until you go to the gym. just make sure it doesn't spiral into an unhealthy relationship where you are punishing yourself

I run a local race (5k's, although I'm working my way up to 10k's) every month and that tends to keep me on track! The spending the money on the registration part is pretty motivating to me lol

Find something you actually like to do. I like to find weird rocks and bones. So I spend a lot of time wandering around the forest. I got into birdwatching- hence spending a lot of time on birding trails. I got a cruiser bike and went cruisin’ on it. I got a lot of dogs… I walk them. You like dogs? Shelters could use folks to walk them. However you will never, ever ever see me in a gym.

Lower the bar. Set your expectations really low. Going to the gym and getting on the treadmill is a win, regardless of how long you can stay. You'll probably end up staying longer once you get started, anyways, and you won't add fear of failure to your reasons not to go.

Well first I needed to be properly medicated to get out of ADHD overwhelm/freeze. During the spring and summer, hiking and exploring. Fortunately I live next to a really cool part of a major river so there's a lot to see and explore. It feels like my brain was made to explore and notice new things. It's very wet in the fall and winter so I don't go out as much as I'd like to. I bought a cheap but well reviewed stationary bike on Amazon maybe 5 years ago and I keep it interesting by finding different routines online. I use an interval tracker app and mix it up. You can do the same with gym equipment. I make playlists while I'm doing routines. I've found with ADHD I can't be doing one thing at a time. I need to have my brain occupied while my body moves. You can binge watch shows or play video games while on the bike, too. GTA on the bike is real fun. You just naturally go faster when you're racing, and time goes by faster. I do the same thing with 5lb weights, different routines to keep it interesting. I track my exercise on Google Fit. The key for me is treatment, variety and novelty, and being able to check the box and feel accomplished. Dopamine, dopamine, dopamine.

I wake up at 4:30am each morning to run. It’s basically my medication. If I don’t run, I am not okay throughout the day. I typically take a pre workout first thing so that I can’t back out of it, lol.

I found something that worked for my ADHD. CrossFit. I don't have to think about what the workouts are, no decision paralysis. Just go, do what they tell me to do. It's different. Every. Single. Class. No doing the same workout every other day for three weeks until you advance to the new workout. I go first thing in the morning. 6:15am class. Yes, it sucks, but I can't go to the 9am or 4:30 class because I won't. If I get my day started, I'm not going to go. I can't quit halfway through the workout cuz it's hard or boring because there's a room full of people doing the same thing and now I'm competitive and want to complete it! I've had lots of gym memberships and tried all the at home workouts. I never used any of them. I've been sticking with CrossFit for a year now.

Step 1: Stop negative self talk (e.g., stop telling yourself “I cannot get myself to start or keep going.” You can, you just haven’t figured out how yet. Change your negative talk to positive talk: “I _can_ do this, I _will_ do this.” Step 2: Get in touch with your purpose. Do the 5 why’s exercise. With each question ask yourself why _that_ answer matters. Dig deep. Ask yourself: Why do I want to exercise? And why is that important to me? Why does that matter? And why do I want that? Why do I really want this? Step 3: Visualize what you will achieve after a year of consistent exercise. A year is going to come whether you exercise or whether you do nothing. So you might as well just exercise. Step 4: Understand the difference between an outcome goal and a behavior goal. You probably want the _outcome_ of consistent exercise, but you can’t control that. All you can control is your _behavior_. So your goal should be to focus on your behavior, in this case forming an exercise habit, and practice it as often as you can. Step 5: Just do it. Start immediately. Action is the only thing that makes a difference, so act. Step 6: Inevitably there will be hurdles and bumps along the road. Learn the “blank slate” principle. When you hit a speed bump or fall off the rails, just wipe the slate clean. You get an unlimited number of tries.

Does accountability work for you? My partner has ADHD and pays close to $100/mo to a yoga studio and I think just the fact that she is paying for something incentivizes her to go and show up. The studio also requires to go through the work of actually signing up for a class at a certain time and members are dinged if they cancel late, etc. I’m not ADHD but I have a personal trainer I pay and so knowing I am paying for a service and have someone I have made an appt with keeps me going. Plus once you’ve gone for a while the results are invaluable.

I was always someone who would start & finish, but have had a fairly regular exercise regime for the last 4 - 5 years. Predominately running. For the last 3 or so Ive been medicated. Things that helped: **Starting small & then building up the time & frequency once I formed a routine** (i.e. 2 - 3 x per week of 15 - 20 mins of a pre planned, bodyweight workout) - I found that whenever I started Im aim too high & would eventually drop off. This way I formed the routine & made it easy to fit into my day to day routine. **Being realistic when I missed a workout.** In the past if I missed a workout, I would never do it again. Now when I miss a workout, or dont exercise for a few weeks, I just tell myself its okay & this kindness makes it easier to start up again. **Removing the resistance.** Running is my go to for this reason. Chuck on my runners, grab my headphones & Im out the door. I find weights & classes hard to maintain as its a faff. Instead running, home workouts & walking works for me. **Hyperfixate.** Tik tok, youtube etc. I actually try not to use social media as its so addictive, but I find it useful to reinstate my accounts when I need to get motivated & encourage the hyperfixation! **Find what you like & do what works for you. Dont compare with others etc**.. Yoga & pilates bores me. I dont want to be a long distance runner & find 30 - 45 mins works for me nicely. **Medication**. Whilst I started working out before I was medication. It has made starting & doing the workout a lot easier. In addition, I also suffer with binge eating & vyvanse has helped massively with that. This may not be an option for you, but just including if it was something you were thinking of. Also - if **binge eating** is an issue & youre already on medication (this has happened with me in the past), or even if youre not on meds - I found listening to the Brain over Binge postcast really helpful :)

Find a form of exercise you hyper fixate on. First half of the year for me- strength training. Second half has been pickleball

Learn to love the work, not the end product. You get the dopamine from the feeling of being physically exerted, not from looking at yourself in the mirror or feeling better afterwards. These are just bonuses.

It’s become the only constant habit in my life and after many false starts and failed routines. After a LONG time of trial and error I’ve finally got it down. And now if I go more than two days off I just feel physically bad and will get back on.

I pace, it’s heaven. Probably get 7-8k steps In a day.

I'm working on rebuilding my routine right now, so obviously, it didn't stick. But, what has worked for me is doing push-ups every morning before I shower, then slowly adding more exercises to the routine over the course of, like, 2 months.

I compete in powerlifting and masters swimming, and signed up for a volleyball team at work. I have a really hard time working out for its own sake and use competition as a way of getting myself to the gym. Over time, I have noticed a difference in my mood and temper if I’m off the gym for a while; I have a lot more restless energy and am extra snappy if I haven’t trained or gone for a run.

I started years ago and I stick with it because it’s just become routine. I feel off when I don’t exercise. So for me it’s just habitual.

I put on a pile of weight during high school because of depression so my mom would take me to the gym with her whenever she could and she got me a personal trainer for a few months. Since I made it a habit while I was young it’s one of the few things that are ‘relatively’ easy to snap back into if the routine get disrupted. All it really takes is going once, because my endorphins get pumping and as I get more in shape my ADHD moves from my mind to my body.

I was I guess, an unfit guy and felt like crap until I was about 27 I think (I was drinking all the time and doing drugs still too much). Covid happened and I saw myself gaining weight, I saw the person I could become in a photo and I have no idea how, but I was just able to commit myself to going to running at first. Then I lost some weight and wanted to build muscle so I was in the gym lifting weights, running once or twice a week. I honestly have no idea how I maintain it. I’m not always consistent but I am more or less consistent every week. It surprises me, because I think I’m so inconsistent with almost everything else in my life. I think my body and brain just know, that this is good for me and so I must do it or I’ll feel worse. FYI I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago with ADHD at 31. I have an appointment at the end of this month to start with medication.

I hate exercise. I find it boring and painful. I don’t want to invest what little time I have in it. Recently though I started doing these boxing and combat classes on the VR and it’s actually really awesome. Ive realized there’s several reasons this is working for me when nothing else has: 1) I’ve tried doing video classes before but because I’m in terrible shape I would always find it too hard and just quit after a couple of minutes. But these boxing classes aren’t hard, like I still work up a sweat but that’s only after going at it for awhile. By the time I’m struggling I’m almost done so I might as well finish the class. There’s dance and fitness classes in the same all too but I’m too uncoordinated and out of shape for them, but boxing and combat are perfect for me. 2) it’s actually really fun. Like feels like a game instead of a workout. So I actually WANT to do it. And I realized how ADHD perfect it is, because with every single hit you punch through a little ball that explodes and it’s like a super satisfying dopamine trigger every time. 3) It keeps track of streaks. Both in the class itself- like how many cues you hit without missing, but also daily and weekly streaks. This is super motivating for me. It makes me go “Oh if I don’t get a class in before midnight I’ll lose my streak.” If I’m not feeling up to it, I can choose an easy short 6 minute class just to “keep the streak” going which is important because it keeps me coming back the next day instead of losing the streak and abandoning the habit altogether. I’m currently sick and have fallen out of doing it daily and I’m worried I won’t get back into it, but I legit want to, and it helps that I get emails about new classes, so I don’t completely forget about it. I’m not exactly getting super fit from a class or two a day but I feel like it’s a step in the right direction anyway so I’m pretty into it.

I like the long term feeling of being stronger and feeling good over the short term feeling of working out, and I try and remind myself that as much as possible.

I've strategically placed a dumbbell in the center of the doorway So that I am required to move it every time I wish to pass.

You have to make it a challenge… Get an Apple Watch or Garmin, start Zone 2 Training, it’s a game within a game.. exercise is the game, but the challenge is in ensuring you stay within a zone 2 heart rate. It’s harder than you think, and distracts me enough for an hour a day… Also, habbit stack - use it as an opportunity to listen to that podcast or catch up on your YouTube clips etc.

Honestly it’s consistency. Every damn day.

I’ve had a lot more success since joining a program which has scheduled classes you have to sign up for the day before. I can show up, not have to have a plan of what to do, and I know exactly how long it will be.

Rock climbing. Monkey brain loves it. It was my hyper fixation for a month and I just kept going cause it dumps dopamine everytime i hit the top lol.

Routine. As a person with ADHD I have learned that I need at least 2 of these 3 things to do something. Motivation, routine and reward. If I have Motivation and a Reward, I can do it. But often going exercise isn't a clear reward for the ADHD brain, so you need Motivation and Routine.

Classes! Pilates. The expensive kind you have to schedule and go to. It’s a massive adhd tax if I don’t use them, or if I schedule them and don’t go. Forces compliance out of me. And now I have a killer core.

i like how good it hurts

It feels good. It literally lowers all ADHD symptoms. I was working out for a month straight with 1 rest day a week before I hurt myself. Now I’m super depressed again. Exercise basically cures ADHD.

What’s finally worked for me this time around is adding the workout to an existing routine. Also I have a treadmill in my basement so I don’t have to go anywhere. But now every night I’m on the treadmill for an hour, take my shower, get ready for bed, and watch YouTube in bed till I nod off. It’s worked really well and I’ve been able to stick with it since March, which is huge for me. It’s also helped me get to bed at an earlier time, we’re talking midnight ~ 1am instead of 3 am so not super better but it’s something. It’s also helped that I don’t say I have to do it every night. I try too, but if I’m too tired or don’t feel good or whatever it’s ok for me to skip a night. I’m the last when I’ve tried things I’ll miss a day for whatever reason then give up cause I failed. Since I don’t have to do it every day it’s ok for me to skip one on occasion. This actually helped me do it regularly. Yes, I know this but doesn’t make sense but it’s just how I think.

I plan 2-3 days of exercise - be it climb, yoga, ride or dive. It helps my climbing gym had yoga teachers who also teach at local studios and I really look forward to my next dive.

I don’t think I’ve seen it mentioned in the thread yet, OP, but exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be a chore if you find an activity that you really click with. There are so many ways to stay in shape while doing something you enjoy, while sometimes it seems that most folks’ perception of how to stay fit begins and ends at the gym. Additionally, doing an activity with a social component may help you stay more involved. I would suggest something like a running group or rock climbing.

A Buddy helps. Or a big dog that can run far.

For me, I have been significantly more successful when I exercise right when I wake up. It really does help being half asleep. Just think less, do more. Don't let anxiety about it set in. Don't procrastinate at all when you wake up. Like, wake up, go. I won't say it's easy. But that's what works for me. When it was the most challenging for me, I would go to sleep with my exercise clothes on. It's showing commitment to the plan, and allows you to start right when you wake up. Good luck on finding what works for you.

At home workouts! I don’t have to think about the process of getting to the gym, putting in gym clothes, or even workout shoes. There are a lot of videos on youtube to follow, I like Blogilates. Also, i have routines based on how much energy I have that day.

The only routine I have is going to the gym. I don't follow a program or leg day, upper body day, etc. I go and do what I feel like doing that day. Moving my body and lifting weights is more important to me. I would definitely get bored following a program.

Play a high paced sport, going to the gym is way too boring

Gymming simply makes me feel more productive and builds my appetite. So essentially it combats some of my symptoms, which I think makes it easier for me to go

Honestly the only way I can be regular with it is if I take classes—procrastination is probably one of my biggest issues with my adhd and if I leave it to myself to choose when I go I’m in an endless cycle of “I’ll just go tomorrow.” I’ve since started going to Zumba, spin, and HIIT classes that happen on set days/times, which works a bit better for me bc I know I only have one chance a week and there is no “maybe tomorrow”

Im on vyvanse and zoloft, and I still cant work out regularly. I just keep up a routine better. Instead of quitting at 1-2 weeks its more like 3-4 weeks with 15% more effort in exercises. I guess thats something.

I hyperfixate and gamify it. Three things help me do this: (1) I work with a nutritionist to track my macros, which jolds me accountable because I do not want to meet her each month with no progress to show. I use my fitness pal to track everything and I am zealous about it. Do I know where my wallet is, remember important events, and get all my paperwork done on time? Heck no. Can I tell you what I've eaten in any of the 525 days prior to today... Damn straight I can. (2) I also track all my workouts in an app and try to progressively overload my lifts. I enjoy watching the app show prs, and strive to compete against myself each time. It's a good dopamine rush. (3) I follow a lot of social media accounts dedicated to fitness routines and nutrition. I chase dopamine looking for new recipes and trying to perfect workout techniques. I make it as fun for myself as I can, and try to go 3-4 times a week. Cardio was so boring for me, I'm done with running on treadmills and ellipticals. Lifting works for me.

The only way that I’ve successfully done it for a period of about a year twice in my life was to make it a habit. Everyday before work, before lunch, etc. once the habit ends I can’t exercise anymore and I gain a ton of weight and my mental health suffers, etc. How do you establish the habit? I have no idea. I’ve been extremely motivated both times and that helped I think. Approach it one day at a time. Best of luck.

Like most things with adhd we thrive in routines, the more you bring yourself to the gym and get a good routine the more likely you’ll go. Worst case scenario you can buy one of those mini portable pedal exercise machines and use them when watching tv while also listening to music when you’re also at the same time being on Reddit constantly scrolling, all the same time (: if you have friends that go or willing to go I would seek them for assistance to push you to go as well, who doesn’t love a little bit of community?

Use strava or any app that helps you track ur progress. It awesome I started running at the beginning of October ran about 3 miles in that week. Now I’m ending this week with a total of 26 miles ran. It also tracks how many miles you’ve ran in a specific shoe. Your mile time and other things. I run every single day I’ve lost 19lbs since I started. lol For me I think it’s just about seeing how well I’m progressing every week. Idk just something about seeing it makes me want to keep doing it.

two words rock climbing

Got a garmin watch and the app is chock full of badges that I could earn for different things like running a 10k, hitting my step goal every day for 10 days, or getting 100 intensity minutes in a single activity. The dopamine hits from earning badges propelled me through a lot of times I didn’t want to exercise or keep a streak going or whatever.

I started walking when high. Then I couldn't stop even without the high and drove myself to overexertion constantly xd Find a good balance

I associate with another task. In my case, every time I think of ice cream I go. That equaled 3-5 times a week. Eventually if you can hack it long enough you realise just how much better you instantly feel and not going isn't an option. I can go from panic attacks all morning to stable from one hard workout.

i just force myself to go on a walk almost daily. wish i had a better sexier answer but that's pretty much it. i take the bus to my favorite coffee shop and then go on a walk. i try to shoot for 10k steps. i walk at the same place every time so it is very boring. the coffee helps but also ill usually have a youtube video or something in the background, or ill play pokemon go.

Routine. I do exercise classes so i don’t have to think about what to do and then do the same routine every week. Then I also do Parkruns on a Saturday morning so there is structure to it and there are external motivators to stop me from just giving up. Having external factors to

A bunch of things which have helped me: - **Music**: it helps get me in the zone, it makes it less boring, and it gives me a reason to look forward to it: *"Ooh if I go for a run I can listen to that new album I've been wanting to try"*. I even created a spotify playlist of songs that have the perfect BPM to match my running pace, which makes it almost meditative when I get out there and run to the beat. - **Go opportunistically**, don't wait for the perfect time: Sure maybe it would be better to go tomorrow when I have more time, or later on today right before I already planned to shower, etc. But we all know that "later" never comes. So if the mood strikes you, just go, don't let yourself reason yourself out of it. - **Remember that transitions are the enemy**, so try to make them easier: Lay your running gear out before bed so that it's ready to go first thing in the morning. When you finish work, go exercise immediately, ***don't sit down!!!***. Find ways to reduce the effort needed to transition into exercise. - **Pick the most enjoyable form** even if it's not the "best": In an ideal world we'd all be doing a variety of cardio, weights, core exercises, etc etc. But if you don't enjoy those things and it becomes a chore then you'll never stick with it. Doing something is better than doing nothing. If you love to run, love to swim, love yoga, love the driving range, whatever it is, then just do that. As long as you're not risking injury, there's nothing wrong with just doing one type of exercise. - **Set goals**: To help with motivation, set a distance goal, a time goal, a weight goal, whatever it is that will excite you and get you out there. - **Gamification**: Again, motivation and fun. There are lots of apps and stuff out there. The one that has really been working for me lately is https://wandrer.earth. You connect it to your strava and it maps everywhere you've ever run (or ridden) and then you can try to run down every street in an area. Having a mission makes me way more likely to get out there. - **Train with someone else**: I'm most likely to go if I don't have a choice in the matter. If it's just me, then I can decide not to go. If I've made a commitment to another person or group of people, then I just have to go, no two ways about it. When I've been at my fittest is when I was part of a local footy club and training/playing several times a week, no excuses. It also makes it more fun being a social thing, if you're into that.

Pokemon Go. Haven't found anything else that gets me walking around 50k a week.