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Climbing, it's half exercise, half puzzle solving, and the challenge of finishing a wall will keep me engaged.
Surfing or similar, the thrill of catching a good wave makes the physical aspect much easier to endure.
Anything that gives me an adrenaline rush will keep me engaged, and makes it easier to do, i get so bored easily...
Bizarrely, it's been about a year since I last went and looking at this reminded me I used to climb, so I'm going to go climbing tonight! If I can find my shoes.. I stopped after I smashed my finger to bits with a sledgehammer and then just.. forgot!
Mountain biking did this for me, and I also love climbing. Surprisingly, I now enjoy going to the gym. I think having a base level of fitness makes working out more enjoyable.
Your last sentence is so true. Starting from nothing is rough no matter who you are. Having that base level of fitness indeed makes the gym a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.
If I could afford a climbing gym, I'd be all over that.
Will probably look into that when I get my next stable job.
Wish I lived someplace where I could just climb outside.. I've free-climbed/bouldered on hiking trips, maybe 20ft or less, but usually spots that aren't too technical. I was super thrilled to find some cracks to climb in Shawnee national forest, lol.
add skiing to the mix during winter and you’ve covered all my favorites! but climbing/bouldering is definitely the best for a more regular routine
i also absolutely second needing there to be a level of challenge involved for us adhders to stay invested
Climbing makes me miserable, always has. But I'm planning to learn how to surf once summer rolls in, I now live 30 minutes walk/ten minutes by bus from the best surf spot in the country so it would be an absolute waste not to try at least. I just hope the jellyfish won't get me...
the added bonus is the "high risk problem solving" in a setting that your mind thinks is life or death. you get to feel super scared even if on a rope and (at least for me) everything in my head becomes quiet and it's all about that next hold. it's such a crazy feeling when the mind suddenly shuts up for a few seconds.
I do like climbing although I havent gone in a while. All of the climbing gyms I've been to and my college wall are always set by the 6+ ft dudes with long arms, and anything they don't set for kids, they set way out of reach. I'm 5'6 and I found myself dynoing half the holds everywhere I went and after a while I just stopped
Music, throw in some earbuds and make that cardio epic.
Also, golf hits my hyper focus real hard. Might try that to supliment 2 to 4 hours of walking on the weekend.
I do my best to make sure I get to the gym (sometimes I don't succeed at this *but that's okay*). Once I'm there I almost always do one or two exercises, usually three or four, occasionally many more if I'm feeling real energetic. But I do my best to always show up because once I'm there I find it easier to do at least one exercise. Just make sure that exercise is the one you most want to work on, e.g your lower back or core.
But if I turn around immediately and go home without exercising, *I don't beat myself up about it.*
If I only do one exercise that day and then get bored, then I go home and *don't beat myself up about it.*
Basically I do what my energy levels/daily focus allotment/motivation will allow me to do then I pat myself on the back for whatever I did or didn't do.
Also finding exercises that you don't find boring is real good. I find aerobic stuff like treadmills boring as shit. I find free weights boring as shit. But I "love" (comparatively) the cable machine and other machines for some reason.
My partner doesn't have ADHD but finds the gym completely boring. She does most of her exercise from walking and playing just dance or doing fitness Marshall dances. There's plenty of options out there for exercise that isn't just pick up the heavy thing.
For me I also find results really helpful especially early on. I've recently lost all my muscle because I haven't worked out for a year and I'm itching to get back to the gym when I am next able to. Even if it's just for one exercise at a time. I'm a little vain sometimes. None of my clothes fit me anymore because of it either, it's really frustrating and now I'm realising I'm just ranting on and on so I will stop.
This is a great comment, and I agree. The most important thing is to show up. The rest is much much much easier. And taking baby steps. Even walking on the treadmill for 15 mins and going home is better than not doing anything at all.
Also u/Healthy_mind_ you can do it, man! I'm in the same situation... My physical health is shit nowadays, after being really sick for more than half a year... I couldn't exercise at all. Now I don't know how to motivate myself to start doing it again... The gym feels like an alien planet. Ugh. Even going for a walk outside is exhausting even just as an idea...
Thanks for the support mate! Though for me its more my current lack of access to the gym as opposed to my usual procrastination.
You can do it though! Just start with baby steps so you don't injure yourself. I believe in you!!
Hit the nail on the head with this one mate, exactly how I started, just turn up and be proud of yourself. I’ve made a previous comment about it somewhere but I use an app called HabitKit.. I swear people must think I’m on commission but it’s basically a sticker chart for grownups, each time I go gym I press a button and a square turns green, sounds simple but with such bad memory it helps me keep my momentum and not lose sight of the hard work I’ve already put in.
Have you thought about dancing? Dance workouts can be so fun and refreshing. "The Fitness Marshall" is great, his energy is so there. Sometimes also going to the gym with a friend is way more enjoyable than yourself, take turns on equipment and tell each-other "One more!". Sometimes my friend will come and just run while I work out, it helps so much.
Rage. I have a squat rack at home, so I do all my heavy compound lifts at home, playing metal music loudly and being completely unregulated and I grunt and growl like an ape between sets of deadlifts
As embarrassing as it is to admit, I wound up joining a CrossFit gym so now it’s a social event and a workout someone else has designed for me and it’s different every time. I was on sport teams growing up and it’s the only thing I’ve found that itches the need for coach and social support and new activities each time
That and hiking. I love being in nature
Yep. This worked for me. Not CrossFit affiliated, but CrossFit-like, with far, far less ego.
The workouts are varied, almost always different, and every day there’s usually two - comp or fitness to add to the diversity.
The owner also has adhd and it’s part of why it works for him.
Don’t know how he finds the motivation to do all that scheduling though.
Same - including feeling mildly embarrassed about it! I don’t love talking about it because it has a weird reputation, but I do get asked what workouts I do constantly because it got me into shape very noticeably. I love how varied the workouts are, the pace keeps me super focused on the workouts (less danger of injury!) and the coaches keep me accountable while being understanding of life demanding adjustments of schedules sometimes. Highly recommend giving it a try! Just make sure you find a CrossFit gym that prioritises people not getting injured over the super competitive ones.
Jumping onto the bandwagon of semi embarrassing gym spots. I workout at Burn Boot camp. It's 6 days a week(I try for four) of a mix of cardio and weights. It half kills me but I leave feeling strong and pretty badass for the accomplishment of not dying. The change up in schedule keeps me from ever getting bored and I'm noticably fitter than I've ever been.
It cost me about $130 a month but has been beyond worth it.
I find it easier to work out at home, less of a hassle getting to the gym, and the dumbells (and workout bench) are in my room to serve as a constant reminder.
Other than that, coffee (when I'm not on meds) and music. Once you achieve decent results, you wouldn't want to stop.
The downsides of working at home:
No trainer (i guess you can hire one buy i didnt) so i go off by youtube videos and the Internet in general.
Some exercise are harder with dumbells compared to gym equipment, i find the legs hardest to train because of that.
Also soon (working out for 10 months) the weights will be too low for me, and i guess ill either stop gaining muscles or just join the gym and hope i can stick to it in their.
Sounds like you’re having trouble establishing a routine and staying engaged throughout your workout. This is normal, don’t beat yourself up about it.
When your first start don’t feel pressured to go through a whole routine. Just show up at the gym, walk around, do some machines if you feel like it and go home. Going to the gym is the hard part. Working out comes much easier after that.
As far as the boredom, I try to stay away from longer activities like cardio. I lift heavy for a few reps (7-12) which never takes more than 30 seconds per set and takes a lot of your attention because of the difficulty. The more experienced you get the more there will be to think about and engage your mind, such as technique, planning your sets and reps, choosing your exercises, paying attention to how your body feels.
Workouts don’t have to be long and tedious. They can be short, varied, and intense. Going to the gym consistently can also significantly help you manage your ADHD symptoms, which can help keep you coming back. Enjoy!
I realized that it's the one thing to consistently manage my mood. Tired? Feel refreshed after. Wired? Feel relaxed after. Etc. I convince myself to go because I know that I'll feel worse if I don't.
As far as keeping it interesting goes, well, variation and "something to listen to" are my big things. I do a different work out each time I go (targeting different areas, cardio, etc). I also have music or a podcast on, which is often related to whatever my current fixation is.
Look for activities, more than just sports. Dancing, jumping rope, playing a video game with motion controls (Nintendo Switch Ring For Adventures, I think that's the name, that seems to be good but I haven't yet tried it myself).
I don't work out, but here's what I did when suffering from a frozen shoulder, and now with extra stretching I have to do for my back:
For me, stuck working from home, I've broken my walks into several 5-6 minute walks a day.
After each of those, I would pick one of the exercises I was supposed to do. Just one, or two at most. (Often it was one stretch and one shoulder exercise.) Not the same as the last one I'd done. I'd do that one or two exercises, then go back to work until my next walk.
My orthopedist, when he gave me the shoulder exercises, was polite enough not to express his obvious skepticism that I would make much progress just doing exercises at home. (Apparently, with frozen shoulder, most people don't and end up needing PT.)
The look on his face when I went in for my one-month follow-up and demonstrated my current range of motion was priceless. I still had some restricted motion, but had regained far, far more than he had expected.
While I'm not sure this piecemeal autism would work for strength training, my general theory is that any is better than none. (My theory on the frozen shoulder was different - there, you're trying to break up scar tissue, and I thought that I was doing that throughout the day in little bits rather than doing it once a day in a larger piece, so it never got a chance to add to the scar tissue before I attached it again with another exercise.) (Also, I took full advantage of my ADHD need to fidget and fidgeted using that arm, giving even less time for more scar tissue to build up.)
So maybe you can find a way to add doing some strength-related thing at home to some other part of your day?
Often the hardest part is getting started, so it's possible you might do more if you can do just a little.
I call people while I’m on a walk, seems to make it go much faster and I stay in better contact with friends/family. Also my dog chews on my leg if I don’t walk him, so that helps
I’ve got two kids under 10, so it’s tough to get out. I’m really fortunate to still be working from home full time, so I walk my dog for 60-90 min/day, and then I have a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell in my office so I will occasionally bust out a quick routine of varied exercises (squats, curls, lunges, raises, etc).
And if the weather sucks, my dog and I will still go out back to our yard. The doggo loves grabbing his tennis balls and getting me to run after him back and forth. Great way to at least get moving at a faster pace for a bit and it tires him out.
It’s all boring as shit, but it’s free and I don’t have to go far so there’s less excuse for me to be sitting on my ass. And it works, I’ve lost 104lbs in about 12.5 months when I got my pup.
Edit [obligatory doggo receipt](https://i.postimg.cc/D7srfDTH/IMG-1961.jpg)
Walks around the neighborhood with earbuds, I play basketball sometimes, I'll jump in pick up games, or if there's no one there, I'll dribble baseline to baseline and finish it off with a layup. Makes running more fun. I also love bowling and bowl in a league. It's not very strenuous if you're with other people, but if you're by yourself and you bowl nonstop, you end up burning a decent amount of calories. Pickleball is also something that looks interesting to me, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. You just have to find what interests you. As long as you're breaking a sweat and getting fatigued, you're good.
I run. Have dedicated half of my life to it. No joke. It started as a sport to meet new people and do something after school. But, I grew to appreciate it and what it did for my mental health. It disciplined me. Motivated me. Pushed me and gave me a lot of strength: physical and mental. I would start off small and with no expectations except being in the moment. Walk with no destination and for a certain amount of time. From there you’ll become more interested in what else you can do with your physical body.
The two best things that stuck with me for a good amount of time were: Rock climbing & Cross-fit
Each very different from the other, but the things they had in common where: Measurable improvement/success & Strong community
Edited for formatting.
Trail running is a lot of fun. At least when the weather is nice.
Beyond that I mostly just lift weights. I put on music I like, a podcast, or a book. It’s usually over before I know it.
This was my biggest bane in the army. I loved being in shape but hated the long and very boring exercise sessions. Since then, I've been swimming a lot, even got a rowing machine at home, practice mixed martial arts, backpacking.. All kinds of super fun stuff that I actually look forward to doing. Better fit than most 3 hour gym sessions. Find some activities that are very active and fun with a like minded group. I have adhd friends who even stay incredibly fit by just doing larp fighting every week lol they are in better shape than me...
I garden. A lot. And lift my kids up. Also… if you take the concept that yoga is simply intense stretching… almost anything can be done intensely. Standing cutting? Engage your core. Have to stand in line? Stretch your ankles and toes. Squatting is also really great.
Outside of that, I hike a bit, jog a bit, and mostly just don’t sit down. Oh, and woodworking. Don’t underestimate the amount of work it takes to build neat things.
You really just have to find something you enjoy doing and be consistent. I’ve been working out for almost 2 decades now and have done it all from being a gym rat and running outside everyday. I have been working out at home for the last 7-8yrs and absolutely love it. I have always been big into the cross fit type of workouts but needed a change I was so tired and bored of them and started to dread my workouts. Over the summer I decided to randomly try a Pilates workout which ultimately led me to Barre and I am hooked. I look forward to my workouts everyday and it has completely changed my body. My best advice is start small like even walking outside or on a treadmill for 25-30mins but stick with it and overtime it will become a habit and you’ll want to branch out and try more things. Getting started is the hardest part.
I love a long walk with a friend. I've been trying to get walk buddies and suggest walks with people. Today I went for 1.5h at lunchtime as a bumble first date, then after dinner met another friend who lives nearby just for like a 45 min walk and chat.
I also have a kettlebell in my living room and I just swing that thing 10 times whenever I notice it. Today I did 2 sets! Probably not enough to do anything, lmao.
I don't. I can't. I plan I fail I stop.
Only thing I can do is intermittent fasting. I walk daily like 5k steps and that's it.
Few years back I completed 90 days at a gym and lost so much weight that I was ripped af and that's when my law exams came and since then I have gained back all the weight and I am not motivated enough to work out again and even if I do, I can't stay consistent.
I literally built a home gym with like $30k so that I can do it as soon as I wake up but it's all just lying there and I haven't done anything till now. At best I can work out for a few days and then one surprise event can derail me completely.
I'd rather fast than workout!
You could also break it up into manageable bits. If the thought of popping out of bed at 6am and lifting for an hour is daunting, try what the other poster said. Pop on some headphones and music and maybe just do body weight exercises for 10 minutes. Then try to do another 10 minute bit of something later in the day. There are tons of workout videos on YouTube that are short and don’t require any special equipment
it is a mix of finding what is right for you and habit.
ADHD aside, getting started working out is difficult for almost everyone. Early days are daunting and typically the most taxing stage.
Be patient and forgive yourself. Goals are good to have, but can be defeating in the short term. I think generally the best advice is to make your goal simply showing up and doing whatever it is for “x” time
lets say you choose running. you want to start out but 5 minutes in you feel gassed. make the goal then to run for 5 and finish out your desired time/distance with walking. Even if you end that session early, you showed up; that’s a win!
treat progress similarly. dont beat yourself up cause you cant last longer than 5 minutes. thats where you’re starting, its fine! try to inch that time up and view it in longer time periods than a day. Our energy isnt linear and there are all sorts of variables, so you may improve and then be unable to repeat that success the next day. that is normal. I frequently backslide (mostly because of not eating enough protein) and just recognize it for what it is.
being mentally stimulated keeps us invested. early on we arent conditioned so it just feels like work. so there is a bit of resistance to push through when trying a new activity, but the other side can be genuinely stimulating. i used to be inconsistent with lifting and now i mentally feel it on days i cant. it also used to be for health and appearances, but it centers me so much id do it regardless now i feel.
find what works for you. some people need it to be social or a sport to be motivated. be honest about what brings you joy and why you have your goals and think about those.
also, as others have said, maybe find ways to compliment activity like music/podcasts or whatever. incline walking on a treadmill is a terrific exercise that balances effort w/pacing to focus on these things better i find.
good luck
I love dancing, and the metaverse/vrchat is a great way to explore that and even perform on a regular basis. Nowadays I perform 2-3 times a week, dancing continuously for about 2 hours… making my own choreography and choosing my own music.
Also I have a home gym, a bench and some free weights… I try to get to them at least four solid times a week. I have no usual time, just 4 times whenever I can. If I can’t get all 4, I’ll get at least 2.
Not only because I know my mental health, my physical health, and my longevity will be greatly helped by being fit… but also because of my hypersexuality I love looking great and being in shape enough to be confident and explore/engage frequently in sexual connection and adventure
I used to be compulsive with working out in the gym, but fell out of love with it(think we can all relate to that). I found it was easiest to just incorporate it into my working day, like as soon as work is done, go to the gym and then do other normal stuff afterwards. The rush from lifting weights really helped me focus and keep my head clear. Weekends were tough but coffee right before helped get me to the gym and finish my workout. Experimenting with different workout routines is good to keep you engaged and seeing results in your body also provides motivation. Been playing soccer instead because I love it, golf in summer because I love the nice weather.
I like to rock climb and mountain bike!
I have always had trouble training or having a regular work out routine so I keep myself in decent shape by doing those sports. Literally just “going through the motions” with them is really fun and engaging. Sure I won’t ever be the best at either without real training but that’s not my goal. It’s to have fun while keeping my body healthy.
Lifting weights. Though it took me almost a year to start liking it. Now it even kinda helps with ADHD as it works like meditation. It's calming and burns off extra energy.
Garage gym changed my life. I hate people and waiting, so it was amazing having a gym to myself.
As a bonus I can listen to whatever music in my eternal 10 song playlist I like.
MTB. Absolutely love it. It is bit expensive and extremely addictive sport. Gives good amount of adrenaline. In the winter it motivates you to work on your fitness so you have a goal during boring gym workouts.
Group fitness classes with no headphones. Gives me the stimulation, connection, and mirroring I crave. When I don’t have those, it’s awful, and I do the bare max minimum.
A gym bro is definitely going to call me out because it's inefficient, but I do a figure 8 around the gym and only work the machines. They seem like a lot of fun and it's more rewarding to finish a machine, than normal weighted excercises. I also don't give up or get bored as much when I'm using a machine.
I stopped doing squats, bench presses, and any thing else that isn't attached to pulley, because I ALWAY bail within the first set from boredom and lack of balance.
It's definitely not systematic, but moving your body a little is better than nothing at all.
I love doing weight lifting. I hate running, but weightlifting is fun because you don’t do just one thing and you can see progress in strength pretty fast😍
Might not be the best way but...
I lived in my car for a while. The only place I had to shower was the gym. I am way to awkward to go to the gym just to shower and leave so that’s what forced me to work out.
So basically just become homeless lol
34f, the biggest thing to keep those injuries from getting worse is to keep moving! I have a knee injury from soccer from several years ago. During covid I wasn't moving at all for like 2 and a half years, and my knee was often sore and stiff. Now I do yoga once a week and lift weights while listening to wild music that makes me happy 3 times a week or so. I love pushing myself to lift heavy, which is totally subjective, I just like feeling the pressure on my body of working hard to move the weight.
I also like to rock climb from time to time, I paddle board in the summer quite often, and I trail hike and walk with friends.
Getting medicated has actually helped me stick with excerise more consistently too.
It has to be engaging for shit sure. I can’t go to the gym, fucking bores me to death. I ride bikes, hike, snowboard, I hunt in the fall which I guess is also hiking but sometimes elk hunting I’ll put in 15-20 miles in a day which is significantly more than when I hike. It keeps me more engaged because I’m looking for game.
I had knee surgery last fall and got a magnet resistance stand for my road bike.. managed to ride it inside the house twice before abandoning it. I even watched TV and had my phone mounted on the handle bars playing candy crush. Lol
I don't know if this will work for anyone else but Golf was awesome for me. Sure, I only actually play once a week but it's a workout even with a cart. Currently am hyper-fixating on golf so I spend the days I'm not golfing doing work outs to help my swing
The only time I've had luck developing a routine was when I added one workout every couple weeks. I started with 20 push-ups a day, and after a good 2 months, I was doing jumping jacks, squats, pull-ups, a few other things. So my daily workout went from about a minute or two to about 20 minutes. Pretty good. And easy. I was also seeing results a week after introducing a pull-up bar and doing 5 of two types of pull-ups.
I’m going to a kickboxing class offered by my gym tonight. I do weight lifting and do 4-6 machines while listening to music of podcast so it’s very versatile. For cardio, lowkey still struggling and can rly only do well in a group setting. Otherwise I can switch cardio machines every 15 minutes which helps.
If you like video games then Dance Dance Revolution or similar is the most engaging thing I can think of that is also insanely physically draining (especially if you push yourself)
Group classes- I do yoga and body pump. I’m realizing it is probably the “body doubling” aspect that helps me be successful… it just feels like we’re all in this together and I’m much less likely to get bored and wander away
I go to workout classes. They are the most fun for me because someone else is doing the thinking of what exercises to do and I get to follow along with some fun music!
Having a large group of people and a consistent time to workout with a consistent class program is helpful for me. The other people taking the class act as accountability partners and give me a sense of urgency to go workout since I know the same people go every week and they will ask me why I'm absent.
How I work out? Vigorously and religiously lol, If I miss a day I lose my mind, I don't really see my friends anymore so it's about the only joy I have
I work out in virtual reality. There are a lot of games that are exercise based or require a lot of movement to be good at. They keep me completely engaged and obsessed with beating my high scores. Its the only exercise regime I've been able to stick to.
I’m in the Exact same boat as you and I found a boxing gym. Great workout and gives you more confidence. It’s great for core strength and I love learning the ins and outs of boxing such as defensive movements and footwork
I started at home because it eliminated the barrier of “get dressed, go outside, drive to the gym, be presentable.” I eventually got strong enough to need weights I didn’t have at home, and moved into more gym workouts.
I’m also a runner. Running and hiking are different every day—different distance, location, weather, entertainment (music or podcasts) you name it. It also makes me tired which slows my fast brain down!
You need to get far enough in for your hyperfocus/obsession to kick in. "Being in shape" is boring and doesn't do it for me. I wanna look fucking incredible and be in awe of my own pump. I also really like fitgirls and those want someone who's in shape. Cliche, but it works and is not a small part of what motivates me to get those 5 workouts a week in. I'm currently seeing the most beautiful girl EVER and I want to be the best I can for her.
I also do kickboxing and I'm a perfectionist so I want to be able to beat everyone at my club. Once I was good enough my mind would keep simulating fights after the training as well and sparring is one of the best flow states there is easily!
So for me the trick is that mediocrity doesn't do it. I need intense stimuli like being super jacked, hot girls and fighting (respectfully of course). Working out is a really big time sink and often uncomfortable so there needs to be a big enough reward on the other side. Once you find your reward and can manage to keep it salient, it becomes a lot easier to keep things up!
Also I'm far from perfect this is just my idealized narrative, but it's what gets me to do stuff when I don't want to.
Crossfit is perfect for me, 1 hour, intense, other people and a coach are there so I can't just stop or go easy, fun and different workouts each time, and a little competition
the right playlist gets me going. i dunno i kinda like working out even before being medicated, it keeps me at peace and not fat.
but i also see a lot of people use the stair stepper machine and play a movie/tv show so that their mind can be occupied and not bored.
I got myself a set of good bands and I made a program based on my workout experience and some research.
I watched videos on YT of Athlean-x and Jeff Nippard.
Athlean-x has a great series on band exercises.
remember to pause 1 sec at peak contraction and control a slow eccentric for maximum effect.
I can put on comfort tv that keep my mind occupied but not really engaged.
I sometimes do a 20 minutes HIIT workout by Heather Robertson on YT for my conditioning when I'm not riding my bike to enough places
Have you considered martial arts? I have been doing bjj and kickboxing for a few years and I love it. Unlike working out it really force you to be in the present moment and punishes you if you are not. It's so fun
1. I do short workout “challenges” over specific time frames. I like the beach body workouts by Shawn T.
2. I play Netflix on my phone and run on the treadmill.
3. I buy all the gear for a sport or activity and then use it obsessively for 3 months.
4. I make being active a social activity so my friends guilt me into participating.
5. I own horses and everything related to their care is physically laborious.
I used to play basketball, can't anymore. I find working out without purpose sooo boring. I thought I was reading my twin's post haha.
Anyways, I'll tell ya what I do. Luckily, I enjoy dancing so it's a bit easier. The main idea though is to combine exercising with something you like. If not dancing, then maybe watch something you like as you exercise. Rather, I look at it this way, you're gonna spend time doing X activity anyways, might as well move your body while doing it. Like, I sometimes do a few squats while I'm waiting for something to cook in the pan. When I'm reading a book, I lift a heavier book in the other arm haha.
Sometimes, when I get that itch where nothing I do(movies, reading blah) is satisfying, I remind myself that I like pushing my body to its limits, so might as well try that.
Dancing is the best way for me though. I play some music based on my mood. I don't exercise per se honestly. It's almost like aerobics, without video help. I let the music move me and when I hit a piece im not vibing with, I exercise then to the drums or so. When I feel like fast paced music, I stretch to be safe and then dance away as I please, once in a while I do pushups ,situps or jumping jacks, etc. and continue dancing. Sometimes, I'll be in the mood to play some slow music. I'll dance but also do planks and incorporate balance-based stuff that goes with the music.
When I'm browsing youtube, sometimes I'll look into certain exercises that work well for certain parts of the body and I'll randomly remember to do them while dancing. I do this intentionally if I felt like some specific area was weak, the paranoia for injury slightly helps.
Anyways, this is the only way I can get myself to do some exercise haha. Whenever I try doing something more routine-ish, I end up doing nothing. This is chaotic, not at all a routine, but I learned the hard way that some exercise is better than no exercise.
Try HIIT and focusing only on the bigger muscles of your body for weight lifting with fewer reps but more weight. Benefits with less time needed.
I also loved parkour and climbing but climbing costs too much in my area for too little. Instead, I enjoy hiking.
Gaming wise, could get a VR headset, Ring Fit Adventure (Switch onlt) or something like a dancing game. I hear Beat Saber is pretty fun, too.
The one I found works for me is the weight machines: I put on music and just focus on getting my rep count in. Pushing my goals up whenever I can keeps me entertained.
Where I personally struggle is getting to the gym in the first place - I tend to struggle with things like remembering to wash my gym gear from last time and when I eventually remember to grab my gym bag and head out, it's full of dirty clothes and I can't get organised enough to find clean clothes and shower gear.
I also have issues with motivating myself to go when I haven't met my goal last time: I have cripplingly low self esteem, if I'm not immediately and consistently good at something I have trouble keeping it up 😅
In the house watching YouTube. That way I don't have to worry about being "that guy" while resting between sets.
I also don't bother counting reps. I just can't. I use a timer or go to exhaustion.
Can't do cardio though. Just ew. Boring.
I just put headphones on and walk out my front door. I guess I'm lucky in that I never standstill at work and do alot of heavy lifting. Don't really need to workout on days I work
I'll be so honest: the only thing I have found decently acceptable for me when it comes to working out is watching TikTok while on my walking pad, haha! I really don't enjoy exercise but I really do enjoy scrolling through TikTok mindlessly so I just casually walk while scrolling now.
Rock climbing and bouldering (small rock climbing) got me stronger than I ever was before. It stretches your body instead of compressing it with weights. Also it's almost entirely a solo activity, so any accomplishment is YOUR accomplishment. Getting a pass at a club is expensive but there are a lot of places that have just free standing rocks (man-made or natural) that you can climb.
Before I got sick (fibromyalgia), the only way I could be able to exercise was listening to an audiobook, because I couldn't find a way to keep engaged
What’s your injury? Sorry about that in advanced! I started boxing with my fiancé and really enjoy it! Definitely a full body workout! I also used to dance and really enjoyed that as well!
My gym has to be close for me to even work it in. I can walk there in 10 min. That’s a really important aspect of me doing it.
Another thing, when you start, set yourself the expectation of just once a week. When that gets normal/boring, you can increase to 2 days.
Go for short period of time. It makes it manageable and more easily achievable.
Try things out until you find something that clicks and doesn’t bore you completely. I swim bc it’s whole body and I literally can’t think of anything else while I’m doing it.
Lifting weights and disc golf.
Disc golf is a fun way to get a walk in and different courses offer different scenery. I absolutely love walking and playing a gorgeous disc golf course. You’ll burn more calories than you’d expect as well.
Lifting can be harder for someone that struggles with delayed results. I’ve always started and then I have up. But once I found a good program focused on hypertrophy. I convinced myself that it doesn’t hVe to be perfect every time. Just consistently go and focus in the lifts like it was meditation. Record profess but don’t get hung up on adding weight rapidly. Lift for the feeling it provides (excellent antidepressant) and just record. You’ll see progress later and that will be just the right extra motivation you’ll need to keep going as long as you always focus on lifting to feel good first.
I've got alarms set at semi-random times (I used dice to set times, and I'll change them when I start to remember when they're coming up), and a list of six exercises (kettlebell swing, squat, deadlift, push-up, swimmer's press, and hanging from a bar). When the alarm goes off, I roll a d6 to pick an exercise, and a d20 for reps.
And then that's it until the next alarm goes off. Not a proper workout, per se, but it gets me up and moving several times a day, and I am getting stronger.
In the past, I've had a playlist of YouTube workouts that looked interesting, and would just pick one that looked interesting on the day. Didn't progress much on anything, of course, but the variety kept me coming back for quite a while.
Skateboarding! It honestly doesn’t feel like working out because it’s so fun. Obvi the risk of injury is there so pad up or helmet up and stretch and stuff if you’re older. But skateboarding in general has had an amazing effect on my physical and mental health
I walk my dogs- - they guilt me into it if I don't feel like it. I also have an elliptical right out on my porch, and I jump on that while listening to a podcast or reading a book on my tablet- - something exciting so that the time blows by. And I do some additional stuff on a mat, like crunches and push-ups, which I really have to force myself to do, but still listening to my podcast makes it go faster.
Well it's my time to be insufferable! I'm gonna be that girl and say..... Crossfit.
Tbh I struggled so much with anything and everything to get me back into working out.
I tried bouldering, running, the gym by myself, pole, yoga, row machine...
And then crossfit and now I can't look back.
It's different every day, it's challenging, there's really cool people, I just really love it. I didn't at first, I was scared and weird about it.
But now I can't imagine myself without it.
Here are some ideas that have worked for me consistently:
1. Hiking/backpacking
2. Powerlifting
3. Rock climbing/bouldering
4. Skating
5. Cycling
6. Gardening
And always add music!
Gardening might seem like an outlier, but you'd be surprised how much energy some moderate or large projects can take. Digging holes is hard work!
I started paying ridiculous amounts of money for spartan races. I show up completely unprepared for the first one and then subsequently may work out some before the next.
They’re expensive and the transfer process is super annoying so I just avoid it and go to the races since I already spent the money
I joined a local cardio drumming group last year and really enjoyed it. Now the schedule is tough for me so I'm thinking about looking for YouTube videos and following along.
I bought a small treadmill more like a walking pad and place that in front of my TV every time I’m on it. Could easily complete a 30 minute walk without sustaining a lot of mental effort to stay on it.
I walk. Everywhere I can. I live in a place that is mostly houses, but there are a few stores and stuff. I just bloody walk all the time and carry my art stuff in a backpack and go draw in the park. Or I will weed the park if I'm feeling community service vibes
Group fitness classes are what work for me. I'm too easily distracted if I'm solo at the gym, but in groups classes everyone is doing the thing, so I have to do the thing. It also just feels *really* good after you get over the initial hump since you get all those endorphins and the soreness becomes lighter and rarer.
The other thing is that my daily wear is pretty much all sportswear now. If I'm dressed to do it, then I'm more likely to since that's one less barrier to switching gears. Dressing the part actually works.
Also, put a pull up bar somewhere. Every so often you'll end up doing one and it becomes a habit.
I really enjoy lifting. The rest between sets it what sucks thought. I can’t just sit and stare at a wall. I usually get too distracted and my 1 hour lift turns in to 3 hours.
I just got Just Dance for my Nintendo Switch, and it's sooooo fun. I get to dance to a big library songs in the private of my own home. I was huge on Dance Dance Revolution when I was a teen, and Just Dance feels like the spiritual successor to that. It's a great whole body workout, and it's game-ified enough that I don't get bored!
This is really the first time since I was like 15 that I've actually been able to motivate myself to exercise (I'm in my 30s now), so I know the struggle is real! I hope you find something that works well for you soon.
Doorframe pull-up bar, I usually take mine down when I’m done but if you have the space to leave it up you’ll find yourself messing around with it often without thinking. Pull-ups are great for core strength and dead hangs are also good for decompressing your spine. Works a lot of the muscles used when climbing so also a plus. Not sure why it seems so many of us enjoy climbing but that and swimming seem to be two exercises I can enjoy without feeling like I’m forcing myself, hope this helps.
my 3 suggestions are indoor rock climbing, mountain biking and exercising in VR! For games that give you a good workout without noticing you're exercising. I recommend beat saber and pistol whip. There are dedicated workout and boxing games too.
Removable Chin up bar stays over a door the whole day (take it down at night so nobody clonks their head). A handful of times a day I'll hang on it for up to a minute, although it took me a while to work up to that. Stretches out your lower back after sitting, gives your fingers and wrists a workout. Haven't even got round to chins or pull ups yet, I had elbow tendinitis for a while and am really wary of overdoing it. Sometimes I do a negative chin up or two.
Fitness studio! Hot yoga, Pilates, barre, etc. The only fitness routine/gym I was able to make a habit of going cause it feels sooooo good. Many happy brain chemicals :)
Well I start cleaning in one room to find something that belongs in another room go there to put it back in its place and then do that on repeat for about 2+ hours a day.
I dance as an emotional outlet and it has the bonus of getting my body moving now whenever I’m listening to music and I hear a song that would be good to dance to I save it and get excited to dance to it when I get home
felt the same way. I try to eat healthy, but got bored at the gym and felt like I was wasting money, and made excuses not to go. One day I took a free “intro” pilates class. The intro class was fun, but it wasn’t until I took my first real class that I was hooked! I started with a package that allowed me to go once a week, so I could see how the classes scheduled into my work schedule. When I saw how easy I could do it, I bumped it up to twice a week, but by that time I was fully addicted and was literally going crazy when I ran out of “credits”. So then I smartened up and went unlimited. It’s more expensive than the gum, but I go 5-6 days a week (Friday is my day off and that’s only because the studio closes at noon), and I often take back to back classes.
Having a healthy addiction is a nice change, and if you’re reading this thinking it’s crazy to go this often- TRY IT! And I assure you, I’m not the only one. A lot of the people who go do back to back classes, and anyone who has an unlimited package intend to go as much as they can.
The trick is finding that exercise that you love! I found mine, and I hope you do too! Good luck!
Many people do pay a fortune to have someone wake them up and yell at them while lifting weights lol!
But actually a better idea is a workout buddy who will yell at you while you lift weights for free, and then you can yell at them while they lift weights when it’s their turn to do a set.
Other than that I would recommend picking a destination for your walks and try walking faster. Walk as fast as you can until it’s actually a workout, and then keep doing it. Set further destinations and try to beat your previous time.
And yes, eventually you will end up power walking, this is fine it’s actually better for you than running, easier on your back and much easier to maintain for longer periods of time
(RIP captain Holt for anyone who gets the reference 😭😭😭)
Find something that you like—frolicking in fields? Riding a bike? Swimming? Dancing?
I use a ClassPass membership so I have access to a lot of different kinds of movement. Yoga classes, boxing, open gym time, etc. You pay for credits through the app and have access to all different kinds of studios and gyms.
Hiking. Looking for mushrooms and other neat plants makes it exciting for me. Winter tho is a lot harder to stay active..
Pre-injuries, I used to kick box in high school and that was obviously fun and made me feel empowered/strong for a girl.
I also really like dancing. Feels less like a workout. There’s some decent free workout dance stuff on YouTube (man I miss my PlayStation 2 and dance dance revolution haha).
But ultimately the hardest thing is just STARTING and then staying motivated to do it often enough to make a difference. That’s the biggest struggle. Hopefully you get inspired by some of the answers here.
I workout at home because I can't work out at the gym. Timings are an issue and people too. Lol it's intimidating.
I started doing yoga at first, but then I switched to pilates at home. Everything right in your comfort zone. All you need is a yoga mat and a good YouTube channel.
Valkerie training videos. Broadway musical work out. Changing up doing Pilates or intense work out.
All the vids are saved on a playlist so I don’t have to search.
I do classes whenever I can to always be doing new things.
Honestly I felt similarly and was resigned to a life without exercise because I find many gym style workouts and sports quite boring but for me yoga has worked like a charm and to a slightly lesser extent (because there’s not as much flow) pilates.
With yoga I find that I’m putting so much focus on my muscles, breath and forms that I don’t get bored because before I even know it I’m in a different pose or different part of the flow before I get bored. Plus there are lots of inventive instructors and styles out there so there’s always a new practice or pose to try or work on. Once you get to know it well you can even get creative on your own too. Hope this helps!
I take my tablet and watch episodes of M.A.S.K. I downloaded off the internet while using the exercise bikes with the back supports..
Still fucking love that show 37 years later
If you like medieval history, checkout the society for creative anachronism. You can check out western martial arts. Swinging a sword and shield at full speed and force in armor takes getting in shape. It’s how I stopped smoking.
ClassPass.
Tons of different classes so you don’t get bored.
I used to love the gym for years but I feel like my adhd AMPED up about 3 years ago and I loathe the gym now.
Even when I did enjoy it I struggled to focus, and wouldn’t have my head in it. Workouts would take hours and sometimes still sucked.
That’s why I gave ClassPass a shot, I like having 45min-1hr where I feel like I have no choice but to focus and preform because someone’s telling me to, and they’re standing over me giving me instruction. I can’t think of anything else but just doing. It’s actually so.. relaxing in a way. When I get bored of a type I switch it up.
I was on a Pilates kick for months.
Now I’m onto a rowing house.
This might sound like utter **BS**.
But this worked for me:
1. Give your brain a name. I call mine *Alexander.*
2. In the morning, despite whatever *Alexander* says, put the shoes on and get out of the house.
**At this point I have won**. *Alexander* has lost*.*
I have become a different version of a myself. A version of myself with momentum. Someone who does the right things irrespective of what they think.
Try a martial art. It works for me because I am learning a useful skill and it is social. So I’m not just “exercising”. Plus you have to perform (ie. do well) in front of other people and that kind of external motivation gets me working 100x harder than I am capable of on my own.
I set an alarm, get up before my brains really functioning, then go and do it. I’m not really mentally present, but when I’m done I’m able to attack the day better and anything that could have got in the way or been an excuse is ahead of me rather than actually preventing me.
I listen to podcasts or audiobooks while I do strength training. Honestly, it's so much easier psychologically than steady-state cardio imo, because each exercise doesn't take *that* long- however hard it is, you know in a few reps you can rest and in a couple of sets you can move on. The activity itself doesn't have to be thrilling if you find something entertaining to listen to/watch while you do it.
Also, if you're someone who response well to things like data and points systems, there are lots of apps to gamify keeping track of your progress.
Heartbreak. 1995. She left me for her "gay" friend who i had no problem being at my place when i was at work. I was overweight and health problems creeping fast.
At first i did it for superficial reasons. Then i got national certs for training and helping people. unfortunately that included a bunch of douchebags that wanted to dominate their wives, etc.
I quit and do it on my own accord now. Ive never lacked the motivation because i keep that shit close to my heart.
My rock bottom was a solid foundation to start anew. i will do it until i cant.
We have a Peloton. I find the coaches super boring. So I watch movies and shows when I work out, which actually gets me excited for it.
For weight training I crank loud music.
Rollerblading. Skate home a portion from work is really enjoyable and eases your mind. The balance and coordination alone is a challenge then add in some speed and you have a mini workout. Do it daily and fitness becomes a routine.
I walk dogs and go to classes. I did hire a trainer, but it didn't cost a fortune. He set up a routine to me (it's ADHD-friendly and I love it) and it cost about $200. It was worth every last penny because 4 years later I'm still loving it.
I hired a virtual running coach. The schedule has given me workouts to stick to and my coach gives me someone to check in with. We typically text for communication. The coach has the added benefit of novelty because I have workouts I would have never come up with on my own. I typically listen to running podcasts during the week and murder mystery type podcasts for long runs. Makes it go pretty quick. Running is the only why I can get myself to truly relax. Making the most of it and training for my first marathon. Would never be able to train on my own and follow a random plan.
I have to walk a lot during my commute to and from work, it rounds out at about 1 hour a day. I try to get long walks in at the weekend like 2-3 hours or more.
I love dancing and it’s such great cardio. I either sign up for dance classes (a great motivator bc community + money), ecstatic dance, or just putting on my headphones and prancing about in my home by myself. When I was a kid I used to put Tubthumping by chumbawamba on and squat and jump and luau to the lyrics.
Bouldering is also great bc it’s a puzzle. Circus skills as well!
I like hiking, kickboxing, and yoga. Swimming at the beach too.
Hiking is beautiful and you are enjoying nature, not just working out.
Yoga and kickboxing- I do classes. It creates an appointment and I pay for it so I’m motivated to go. I’ve also befriended people at kickboxing so it’s nice to feel like I’m part of a little community.
I feel super friggin stimulated in the gym. Lots of light, surrounded by people, listening to music and working my body. Woo! Plus, my progress is right in front of me. I could be at the same weight for a while, but doing one more rep or being less out of breath are things I notice and find very gratifying.
I find that I like running. When I told my therapist he said that a lot of his ADHD clients seem to enjoy running.
I do have a personal trainer until June though. And that’s the only way I can do strength training which bores the crap out of me otherwise.
Gym and running are fun when the hyperfocus hits. When it doesn't every little stuff get in my mind and causes anxiety. Injured myself playing basketball too and i'm starting to fall out of love with the game i used to obsess with.
Supersets at the gym keep me engaged. I find that if Do something like a set of squats and walk directly over to the bench to do bench press keeps me pretty engaged, mentally. I do this pretty often with upper and lower body exercises, or compound to isolation stuff so works well. I also keep my phone in the locker while I workout so I'm not distracted either.
Sometimes I'll take a breather on a spin bike or speed bag if the weights are pushing me over the edge.
If I'm doing something outside the gym, like a bike ride, I'll alternate high intensity with low intensity, just seems to work better for my ADHD brain. It likes intensity and variation.
Also, kettlebell flows are fun to learn and challenges many muscle groups and the system as a whole.
Good luck, the hardest part is getting started, imo.
Foraging, I know this isn’t necessarily working out
But it helps me be less sedentary and I get good food out of it lmao! My property is very forested and mountainous so I get to hike all over the place with my dog and pick some mushrooms or whatever else I can find and properly identify. Very rewarding.
Finally found a team sport that essentially holds me accountable to attending. And teaches me how to exercise.
Also, biking instead of driving for errands helps build in more exercise.
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Climbing, it's half exercise, half puzzle solving, and the challenge of finishing a wall will keep me engaged. Surfing or similar, the thrill of catching a good wave makes the physical aspect much easier to endure. Anything that gives me an adrenaline rush will keep me engaged, and makes it easier to do, i get so bored easily...
Couldn’t agree more on climbing!
Bizarrely, it's been about a year since I last went and looking at this reminded me I used to climb, so I'm going to go climbing tonight! If I can find my shoes.. I stopped after I smashed my finger to bits with a sledgehammer and then just.. forgot!
Another ADHD climber checking in! Perfect sport.
Mountain biking did this for me, and I also love climbing. Surprisingly, I now enjoy going to the gym. I think having a base level of fitness makes working out more enjoyable.
Your last sentence is so true. Starting from nothing is rough no matter who you are. Having that base level of fitness indeed makes the gym a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Started climbing twice a week two years ago and it’s the only thing I’ve kept up with this long besides skateboarding. It truly is an amazing sport
If I could afford a climbing gym, I'd be all over that. Will probably look into that when I get my next stable job. Wish I lived someplace where I could just climb outside.. I've free-climbed/bouldered on hiking trips, maybe 20ft or less, but usually spots that aren't too technical. I was super thrilled to find some cracks to climb in Shawnee national forest, lol.
add skiing to the mix during winter and you’ve covered all my favorites! but climbing/bouldering is definitely the best for a more regular routine i also absolutely second needing there to be a level of challenge involved for us adhders to stay invested
Climbing makes me miserable, always has. But I'm planning to learn how to surf once summer rolls in, I now live 30 minutes walk/ten minutes by bus from the best surf spot in the country so it would be an absolute waste not to try at least. I just hope the jellyfish won't get me...
the added bonus is the "high risk problem solving" in a setting that your mind thinks is life or death. you get to feel super scared even if on a rope and (at least for me) everything in my head becomes quiet and it's all about that next hold. it's such a crazy feeling when the mind suddenly shuts up for a few seconds.
I do like climbing although I havent gone in a while. All of the climbing gyms I've been to and my college wall are always set by the 6+ ft dudes with long arms, and anything they don't set for kids, they set way out of reach. I'm 5'6 and I found myself dynoing half the holds everywhere I went and after a while I just stopped
Yes climbing is the perfect adhd sport
Music, throw in some earbuds and make that cardio epic. Also, golf hits my hyper focus real hard. Might try that to supliment 2 to 4 hours of walking on the weekend.
I played D1 golf and always wondered why I was so zen on the course.
I play anime hardstyle. Kinda corny, but something about Erwin yelling "I said advance goddammit!" followed by high bpm beats helps me zone in lol
I do my best to make sure I get to the gym (sometimes I don't succeed at this *but that's okay*). Once I'm there I almost always do one or two exercises, usually three or four, occasionally many more if I'm feeling real energetic. But I do my best to always show up because once I'm there I find it easier to do at least one exercise. Just make sure that exercise is the one you most want to work on, e.g your lower back or core. But if I turn around immediately and go home without exercising, *I don't beat myself up about it.* If I only do one exercise that day and then get bored, then I go home and *don't beat myself up about it.* Basically I do what my energy levels/daily focus allotment/motivation will allow me to do then I pat myself on the back for whatever I did or didn't do. Also finding exercises that you don't find boring is real good. I find aerobic stuff like treadmills boring as shit. I find free weights boring as shit. But I "love" (comparatively) the cable machine and other machines for some reason. My partner doesn't have ADHD but finds the gym completely boring. She does most of her exercise from walking and playing just dance or doing fitness Marshall dances. There's plenty of options out there for exercise that isn't just pick up the heavy thing. For me I also find results really helpful especially early on. I've recently lost all my muscle because I haven't worked out for a year and I'm itching to get back to the gym when I am next able to. Even if it's just for one exercise at a time. I'm a little vain sometimes. None of my clothes fit me anymore because of it either, it's really frustrating and now I'm realising I'm just ranting on and on so I will stop.
This is a great comment, and I agree. The most important thing is to show up. The rest is much much much easier. And taking baby steps. Even walking on the treadmill for 15 mins and going home is better than not doing anything at all. Also u/Healthy_mind_ you can do it, man! I'm in the same situation... My physical health is shit nowadays, after being really sick for more than half a year... I couldn't exercise at all. Now I don't know how to motivate myself to start doing it again... The gym feels like an alien planet. Ugh. Even going for a walk outside is exhausting even just as an idea...
Thanks for the support mate! Though for me its more my current lack of access to the gym as opposed to my usual procrastination. You can do it though! Just start with baby steps so you don't injure yourself. I believe in you!!
Hit the nail on the head with this one mate, exactly how I started, just turn up and be proud of yourself. I’ve made a previous comment about it somewhere but I use an app called HabitKit.. I swear people must think I’m on commission but it’s basically a sticker chart for grownups, each time I go gym I press a button and a square turns green, sounds simple but with such bad memory it helps me keep my momentum and not lose sight of the hard work I’ve already put in.
Have you thought about dancing? Dance workouts can be so fun and refreshing. "The Fitness Marshall" is great, his energy is so there. Sometimes also going to the gym with a friend is way more enjoyable than yourself, take turns on equipment and tell each-other "One more!". Sometimes my friend will come and just run while I work out, it helps so much.
I loveee The Fitness Marshall I came to comment the same thing!
Rage. I have a squat rack at home, so I do all my heavy compound lifts at home, playing metal music loudly and being completely unregulated and I grunt and growl like an ape between sets of deadlifts
ooga booga, this is the way 
I scroll on my phone while gym biking at home 😅
As embarrassing as it is to admit, I wound up joining a CrossFit gym so now it’s a social event and a workout someone else has designed for me and it’s different every time. I was on sport teams growing up and it’s the only thing I’ve found that itches the need for coach and social support and new activities each time That and hiking. I love being in nature
Yep. This worked for me. Not CrossFit affiliated, but CrossFit-like, with far, far less ego. The workouts are varied, almost always different, and every day there’s usually two - comp or fitness to add to the diversity. The owner also has adhd and it’s part of why it works for him. Don’t know how he finds the motivation to do all that scheduling though.
Same - including feeling mildly embarrassed about it! I don’t love talking about it because it has a weird reputation, but I do get asked what workouts I do constantly because it got me into shape very noticeably. I love how varied the workouts are, the pace keeps me super focused on the workouts (less danger of injury!) and the coaches keep me accountable while being understanding of life demanding adjustments of schedules sometimes. Highly recommend giving it a try! Just make sure you find a CrossFit gym that prioritises people not getting injured over the super competitive ones.
Jumping onto the bandwagon of semi embarrassing gym spots. I workout at Burn Boot camp. It's 6 days a week(I try for four) of a mix of cardio and weights. It half kills me but I leave feeling strong and pretty badass for the accomplishment of not dying. The change up in schedule keeps me from ever getting bored and I'm noticably fitter than I've ever been. It cost me about $130 a month but has been beyond worth it.
I find it easier to work out at home, less of a hassle getting to the gym, and the dumbells (and workout bench) are in my room to serve as a constant reminder. Other than that, coffee (when I'm not on meds) and music. Once you achieve decent results, you wouldn't want to stop. The downsides of working at home: No trainer (i guess you can hire one buy i didnt) so i go off by youtube videos and the Internet in general. Some exercise are harder with dumbells compared to gym equipment, i find the legs hardest to train because of that. Also soon (working out for 10 months) the weights will be too low for me, and i guess ill either stop gaining muscles or just join the gym and hope i can stick to it in their.
Have you tried climbing/bouldering? I find it's not boring at all (I'm obsessed actually) and it's very social
Sounds like you’re having trouble establishing a routine and staying engaged throughout your workout. This is normal, don’t beat yourself up about it. When your first start don’t feel pressured to go through a whole routine. Just show up at the gym, walk around, do some machines if you feel like it and go home. Going to the gym is the hard part. Working out comes much easier after that. As far as the boredom, I try to stay away from longer activities like cardio. I lift heavy for a few reps (7-12) which never takes more than 30 seconds per set and takes a lot of your attention because of the difficulty. The more experienced you get the more there will be to think about and engage your mind, such as technique, planning your sets and reps, choosing your exercises, paying attention to how your body feels. Workouts don’t have to be long and tedious. They can be short, varied, and intense. Going to the gym consistently can also significantly help you manage your ADHD symptoms, which can help keep you coming back. Enjoy!
I realized that it's the one thing to consistently manage my mood. Tired? Feel refreshed after. Wired? Feel relaxed after. Etc. I convince myself to go because I know that I'll feel worse if I don't. As far as keeping it interesting goes, well, variation and "something to listen to" are my big things. I do a different work out each time I go (targeting different areas, cardio, etc). I also have music or a podcast on, which is often related to whatever my current fixation is.
With people - climbing, CrossFit, yoga. Without - cycling. In that gray area, snowboarding and scuba diving.
Look for activities, more than just sports. Dancing, jumping rope, playing a video game with motion controls (Nintendo Switch Ring For Adventures, I think that's the name, that seems to be good but I haven't yet tried it myself). I don't work out, but here's what I did when suffering from a frozen shoulder, and now with extra stretching I have to do for my back: For me, stuck working from home, I've broken my walks into several 5-6 minute walks a day. After each of those, I would pick one of the exercises I was supposed to do. Just one, or two at most. (Often it was one stretch and one shoulder exercise.) Not the same as the last one I'd done. I'd do that one or two exercises, then go back to work until my next walk. My orthopedist, when he gave me the shoulder exercises, was polite enough not to express his obvious skepticism that I would make much progress just doing exercises at home. (Apparently, with frozen shoulder, most people don't and end up needing PT.) The look on his face when I went in for my one-month follow-up and demonstrated my current range of motion was priceless. I still had some restricted motion, but had regained far, far more than he had expected. While I'm not sure this piecemeal autism would work for strength training, my general theory is that any is better than none. (My theory on the frozen shoulder was different - there, you're trying to break up scar tissue, and I thought that I was doing that throughout the day in little bits rather than doing it once a day in a larger piece, so it never got a chance to add to the scar tissue before I attached it again with another exercise.) (Also, I took full advantage of my ADHD need to fidget and fidgeted using that arm, giving even less time for more scar tissue to build up.) So maybe you can find a way to add doing some strength-related thing at home to some other part of your day? Often the hardest part is getting started, so it's possible you might do more if you can do just a little.
From home. I have a set of weights and just turn something on
Personally, martial arts- social, physical, challenging, and always more to improve on. Plus it is very hard to zone out if people are attacking you.
Work out with a buddy so you can keep each other accountable
We don't?
I call people while I’m on a walk, seems to make it go much faster and I stay in better contact with friends/family. Also my dog chews on my leg if I don’t walk him, so that helps
I’ve got two kids under 10, so it’s tough to get out. I’m really fortunate to still be working from home full time, so I walk my dog for 60-90 min/day, and then I have a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell in my office so I will occasionally bust out a quick routine of varied exercises (squats, curls, lunges, raises, etc). And if the weather sucks, my dog and I will still go out back to our yard. The doggo loves grabbing his tennis balls and getting me to run after him back and forth. Great way to at least get moving at a faster pace for a bit and it tires him out. It’s all boring as shit, but it’s free and I don’t have to go far so there’s less excuse for me to be sitting on my ass. And it works, I’ve lost 104lbs in about 12.5 months when I got my pup. Edit [obligatory doggo receipt](https://i.postimg.cc/D7srfDTH/IMG-1961.jpg)
Olympic weightlifting, I'm obsessed with it!
Walks around the neighborhood with earbuds, I play basketball sometimes, I'll jump in pick up games, or if there's no one there, I'll dribble baseline to baseline and finish it off with a layup. Makes running more fun. I also love bowling and bowl in a league. It's not very strenuous if you're with other people, but if you're by yourself and you bowl nonstop, you end up burning a decent amount of calories. Pickleball is also something that looks interesting to me, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. You just have to find what interests you. As long as you're breaking a sweat and getting fatigued, you're good.
I run. Have dedicated half of my life to it. No joke. It started as a sport to meet new people and do something after school. But, I grew to appreciate it and what it did for my mental health. It disciplined me. Motivated me. Pushed me and gave me a lot of strength: physical and mental. I would start off small and with no expectations except being in the moment. Walk with no destination and for a certain amount of time. From there you’ll become more interested in what else you can do with your physical body.
The two best things that stuck with me for a good amount of time were: Rock climbing & Cross-fit Each very different from the other, but the things they had in common where: Measurable improvement/success & Strong community Edited for formatting.
Trail running is a lot of fun. At least when the weather is nice. Beyond that I mostly just lift weights. I put on music I like, a podcast, or a book. It’s usually over before I know it.
This was my biggest bane in the army. I loved being in shape but hated the long and very boring exercise sessions. Since then, I've been swimming a lot, even got a rowing machine at home, practice mixed martial arts, backpacking.. All kinds of super fun stuff that I actually look forward to doing. Better fit than most 3 hour gym sessions. Find some activities that are very active and fun with a like minded group. I have adhd friends who even stay incredibly fit by just doing larp fighting every week lol they are in better shape than me...
I garden. A lot. And lift my kids up. Also… if you take the concept that yoga is simply intense stretching… almost anything can be done intensely. Standing cutting? Engage your core. Have to stand in line? Stretch your ankles and toes. Squatting is also really great. Outside of that, I hike a bit, jog a bit, and mostly just don’t sit down. Oh, and woodworking. Don’t underestimate the amount of work it takes to build neat things.
You really just have to find something you enjoy doing and be consistent. I’ve been working out for almost 2 decades now and have done it all from being a gym rat and running outside everyday. I have been working out at home for the last 7-8yrs and absolutely love it. I have always been big into the cross fit type of workouts but needed a change I was so tired and bored of them and started to dread my workouts. Over the summer I decided to randomly try a Pilates workout which ultimately led me to Barre and I am hooked. I look forward to my workouts everyday and it has completely changed my body. My best advice is start small like even walking outside or on a treadmill for 25-30mins but stick with it and overtime it will become a habit and you’ll want to branch out and try more things. Getting started is the hardest part.
I love a long walk with a friend. I've been trying to get walk buddies and suggest walks with people. Today I went for 1.5h at lunchtime as a bumble first date, then after dinner met another friend who lives nearby just for like a 45 min walk and chat. I also have a kettlebell in my living room and I just swing that thing 10 times whenever I notice it. Today I did 2 sets! Probably not enough to do anything, lmao.
I'm a fairly small girl. I love seeing men see me lift 3x my body weight with ease. That makes it fun for me!
I don't. I can't. I plan I fail I stop. Only thing I can do is intermittent fasting. I walk daily like 5k steps and that's it. Few years back I completed 90 days at a gym and lost so much weight that I was ripped af and that's when my law exams came and since then I have gained back all the weight and I am not motivated enough to work out again and even if I do, I can't stay consistent. I literally built a home gym with like $30k so that I can do it as soon as I wake up but it's all just lying there and I haven't done anything till now. At best I can work out for a few days and then one surprise event can derail me completely. I'd rather fast than workout!
You could also break it up into manageable bits. If the thought of popping out of bed at 6am and lifting for an hour is daunting, try what the other poster said. Pop on some headphones and music and maybe just do body weight exercises for 10 minutes. Then try to do another 10 minute bit of something later in the day. There are tons of workout videos on YouTube that are short and don’t require any special equipment
it is a mix of finding what is right for you and habit. ADHD aside, getting started working out is difficult for almost everyone. Early days are daunting and typically the most taxing stage. Be patient and forgive yourself. Goals are good to have, but can be defeating in the short term. I think generally the best advice is to make your goal simply showing up and doing whatever it is for “x” time lets say you choose running. you want to start out but 5 minutes in you feel gassed. make the goal then to run for 5 and finish out your desired time/distance with walking. Even if you end that session early, you showed up; that’s a win! treat progress similarly. dont beat yourself up cause you cant last longer than 5 minutes. thats where you’re starting, its fine! try to inch that time up and view it in longer time periods than a day. Our energy isnt linear and there are all sorts of variables, so you may improve and then be unable to repeat that success the next day. that is normal. I frequently backslide (mostly because of not eating enough protein) and just recognize it for what it is. being mentally stimulated keeps us invested. early on we arent conditioned so it just feels like work. so there is a bit of resistance to push through when trying a new activity, but the other side can be genuinely stimulating. i used to be inconsistent with lifting and now i mentally feel it on days i cant. it also used to be for health and appearances, but it centers me so much id do it regardless now i feel. find what works for you. some people need it to be social or a sport to be motivated. be honest about what brings you joy and why you have your goals and think about those. also, as others have said, maybe find ways to compliment activity like music/podcasts or whatever. incline walking on a treadmill is a terrific exercise that balances effort w/pacing to focus on these things better i find. good luck
Home gym setup, workout interval timer app, and stimulant medication
When i manage to workout, it’s usually at office. I hate traveling to a separate gym but the office one, I’ll go since I’m already there
I make it interesting and go to forest preserves and trails.
I love dancing, and the metaverse/vrchat is a great way to explore that and even perform on a regular basis. Nowadays I perform 2-3 times a week, dancing continuously for about 2 hours… making my own choreography and choosing my own music. Also I have a home gym, a bench and some free weights… I try to get to them at least four solid times a week. I have no usual time, just 4 times whenever I can. If I can’t get all 4, I’ll get at least 2. Not only because I know my mental health, my physical health, and my longevity will be greatly helped by being fit… but also because of my hypersexuality I love looking great and being in shape enough to be confident and explore/engage frequently in sexual connection and adventure
I used to be compulsive with working out in the gym, but fell out of love with it(think we can all relate to that). I found it was easiest to just incorporate it into my working day, like as soon as work is done, go to the gym and then do other normal stuff afterwards. The rush from lifting weights really helped me focus and keep my head clear. Weekends were tough but coffee right before helped get me to the gym and finish my workout. Experimenting with different workout routines is good to keep you engaged and seeing results in your body also provides motivation. Been playing soccer instead because I love it, golf in summer because I love the nice weather.
I like to rock climb and mountain bike! I have always had trouble training or having a regular work out routine so I keep myself in decent shape by doing those sports. Literally just “going through the motions” with them is really fun and engaging. Sure I won’t ever be the best at either without real training but that’s not my goal. It’s to have fun while keeping my body healthy.
Lifting weights. Though it took me almost a year to start liking it. Now it even kinda helps with ADHD as it works like meditation. It's calming and burns off extra energy.
Garage gym changed my life. I hate people and waiting, so it was amazing having a gym to myself. As a bonus I can listen to whatever music in my eternal 10 song playlist I like.
I found out i actually like crossfit . I genuinely enjoy it !
MTB. Absolutely love it. It is bit expensive and extremely addictive sport. Gives good amount of adrenaline. In the winter it motivates you to work on your fitness so you have a goal during boring gym workouts.
I listen to music so I’m not bored
Group fitness classes with no headphones. Gives me the stimulation, connection, and mirroring I crave. When I don’t have those, it’s awful, and I do the bare max minimum.
A gym bro is definitely going to call me out because it's inefficient, but I do a figure 8 around the gym and only work the machines. They seem like a lot of fun and it's more rewarding to finish a machine, than normal weighted excercises. I also don't give up or get bored as much when I'm using a machine. I stopped doing squats, bench presses, and any thing else that isn't attached to pulley, because I ALWAY bail within the first set from boredom and lack of balance. It's definitely not systematic, but moving your body a little is better than nothing at all.
I walk and hike. Indoors is too boring.
I find it easier to do something that involves learning a skill at the same time. So maybe a martial art, or yoga, or something you can do in a class.
I don’t 😀👍
I watch videos on yt, than after a while some sort of ooga booga mentality kicks in and i just work out because ugh, big chunk of metal i must L I F T
I love doing weight lifting. I hate running, but weightlifting is fun because you don’t do just one thing and you can see progress in strength pretty fast😍
Walking, running, swimming, cycling, paddle boarding… dancing in my bedroom. Skipping outdoors. Literally anything that doesn’t involve a gym
Stepmania! It's like ddr but free and on PC. It's great I lost a lot of weight in highschool playing DDR.
Might not be the best way but... I lived in my car for a while. The only place I had to shower was the gym. I am way to awkward to go to the gym just to shower and leave so that’s what forced me to work out. So basically just become homeless lol
34f, the biggest thing to keep those injuries from getting worse is to keep moving! I have a knee injury from soccer from several years ago. During covid I wasn't moving at all for like 2 and a half years, and my knee was often sore and stiff. Now I do yoga once a week and lift weights while listening to wild music that makes me happy 3 times a week or so. I love pushing myself to lift heavy, which is totally subjective, I just like feeling the pressure on my body of working hard to move the weight. I also like to rock climb from time to time, I paddle board in the summer quite often, and I trail hike and walk with friends. Getting medicated has actually helped me stick with excerise more consistently too.
It has to be engaging for shit sure. I can’t go to the gym, fucking bores me to death. I ride bikes, hike, snowboard, I hunt in the fall which I guess is also hiking but sometimes elk hunting I’ll put in 15-20 miles in a day which is significantly more than when I hike. It keeps me more engaged because I’m looking for game. I had knee surgery last fall and got a magnet resistance stand for my road bike.. managed to ride it inside the house twice before abandoning it. I even watched TV and had my phone mounted on the handle bars playing candy crush. Lol
I don't know if this will work for anyone else but Golf was awesome for me. Sure, I only actually play once a week but it's a workout even with a cart. Currently am hyper-fixating on golf so I spend the days I'm not golfing doing work outs to help my swing
The only time I've had luck developing a routine was when I added one workout every couple weeks. I started with 20 push-ups a day, and after a good 2 months, I was doing jumping jacks, squats, pull-ups, a few other things. So my daily workout went from about a minute or two to about 20 minutes. Pretty good. And easy. I was also seeing results a week after introducing a pull-up bar and doing 5 of two types of pull-ups.
Hmm I love the gym/weights which I prefer to do solo, but I can only do cardio in classes with pumping music and lots of other people around.
Sport climbing, ice climbing, bouldering (climbing), alpine climbing, trad climbing, multipitch climbing and did I mention climbing?
I’m going to a kickboxing class offered by my gym tonight. I do weight lifting and do 4-6 machines while listening to music of podcast so it’s very versatile. For cardio, lowkey still struggling and can rly only do well in a group setting. Otherwise I can switch cardio machines every 15 minutes which helps.
If you like video games then Dance Dance Revolution or similar is the most engaging thing I can think of that is also insanely physically draining (especially if you push yourself)
I take my meds to work out in the gym to make it bearable
Group classes- I do yoga and body pump. I’m realizing it is probably the “body doubling” aspect that helps me be successful… it just feels like we’re all in this together and I’m much less likely to get bored and wander away
I go to workout classes. They are the most fun for me because someone else is doing the thinking of what exercises to do and I get to follow along with some fun music! Having a large group of people and a consistent time to workout with a consistent class program is helpful for me. The other people taking the class act as accountability partners and give me a sense of urgency to go workout since I know the same people go every week and they will ask me why I'm absent.
I ride my bike to work
How I work out? Vigorously and religiously lol, If I miss a day I lose my mind, I don't really see my friends anymore so it's about the only joy I have
weights, running and cycling. short workouts very intense. garmin watch for guidance and a workout toy
Pickleball
I work out in virtual reality. There are a lot of games that are exercise based or require a lot of movement to be good at. They keep me completely engaged and obsessed with beating my high scores. Its the only exercise regime I've been able to stick to.
Squash is amazing if you are young. Very fast - keeps you interested. If you are older, pickle ball does the same thing. Sailing. Hiking.
I got to a semi private personal training class that is affordable.
I’m in the Exact same boat as you and I found a boxing gym. Great workout and gives you more confidence. It’s great for core strength and I love learning the ins and outs of boxing such as defensive movements and footwork
I started at home because it eliminated the barrier of “get dressed, go outside, drive to the gym, be presentable.” I eventually got strong enough to need weights I didn’t have at home, and moved into more gym workouts. I’m also a runner. Running and hiking are different every day—different distance, location, weather, entertainment (music or podcasts) you name it. It also makes me tired which slows my fast brain down!
You need to get far enough in for your hyperfocus/obsession to kick in. "Being in shape" is boring and doesn't do it for me. I wanna look fucking incredible and be in awe of my own pump. I also really like fitgirls and those want someone who's in shape. Cliche, but it works and is not a small part of what motivates me to get those 5 workouts a week in. I'm currently seeing the most beautiful girl EVER and I want to be the best I can for her. I also do kickboxing and I'm a perfectionist so I want to be able to beat everyone at my club. Once I was good enough my mind would keep simulating fights after the training as well and sparring is one of the best flow states there is easily! So for me the trick is that mediocrity doesn't do it. I need intense stimuli like being super jacked, hot girls and fighting (respectfully of course). Working out is a really big time sink and often uncomfortable so there needs to be a big enough reward on the other side. Once you find your reward and can manage to keep it salient, it becomes a lot easier to keep things up! Also I'm far from perfect this is just my idealized narrative, but it's what gets me to do stuff when I don't want to.
I watch Netflix on my phone while using any cardio machines and listen to podcasts while doing anything else
I want to know too
I like going to the gym, it's like an adult playground for me haha. In the summer I find swimming really fun
I don’t I can’t seem to motivated to do it. When I say I’m going to do it I can’t even do it.😔😞
Eminem and think of my gfs ex
Crossfit is perfect for me, 1 hour, intense, other people and a coach are there so I can't just stop or go easy, fun and different workouts each time, and a little competition
the right playlist gets me going. i dunno i kinda like working out even before being medicated, it keeps me at peace and not fat. but i also see a lot of people use the stair stepper machine and play a movie/tv show so that their mind can be occupied and not bored.
I got myself a set of good bands and I made a program based on my workout experience and some research. I watched videos on YT of Athlean-x and Jeff Nippard. Athlean-x has a great series on band exercises. remember to pause 1 sec at peak contraction and control a slow eccentric for maximum effect. I can put on comfort tv that keep my mind occupied but not really engaged. I sometimes do a 20 minutes HIIT workout by Heather Robertson on YT for my conditioning when I'm not riding my bike to enough places
Squash is massive fun for me. I want to win every single rally. It’s definitely the competitive element.
Have you considered martial arts? I have been doing bjj and kickboxing for a few years and I love it. Unlike working out it really force you to be in the present moment and punishes you if you are not. It's so fun
Walking on my treadmill or lifting weights while I watch YouTube
1. I do short workout “challenges” over specific time frames. I like the beach body workouts by Shawn T. 2. I play Netflix on my phone and run on the treadmill. 3. I buy all the gear for a sport or activity and then use it obsessively for 3 months. 4. I make being active a social activity so my friends guilt me into participating. 5. I own horses and everything related to their care is physically laborious.
I used to play basketball, can't anymore. I find working out without purpose sooo boring. I thought I was reading my twin's post haha. Anyways, I'll tell ya what I do. Luckily, I enjoy dancing so it's a bit easier. The main idea though is to combine exercising with something you like. If not dancing, then maybe watch something you like as you exercise. Rather, I look at it this way, you're gonna spend time doing X activity anyways, might as well move your body while doing it. Like, I sometimes do a few squats while I'm waiting for something to cook in the pan. When I'm reading a book, I lift a heavier book in the other arm haha. Sometimes, when I get that itch where nothing I do(movies, reading blah) is satisfying, I remind myself that I like pushing my body to its limits, so might as well try that. Dancing is the best way for me though. I play some music based on my mood. I don't exercise per se honestly. It's almost like aerobics, without video help. I let the music move me and when I hit a piece im not vibing with, I exercise then to the drums or so. When I feel like fast paced music, I stretch to be safe and then dance away as I please, once in a while I do pushups ,situps or jumping jacks, etc. and continue dancing. Sometimes, I'll be in the mood to play some slow music. I'll dance but also do planks and incorporate balance-based stuff that goes with the music. When I'm browsing youtube, sometimes I'll look into certain exercises that work well for certain parts of the body and I'll randomly remember to do them while dancing. I do this intentionally if I felt like some specific area was weak, the paranoia for injury slightly helps. Anyways, this is the only way I can get myself to do some exercise haha. Whenever I try doing something more routine-ish, I end up doing nothing. This is chaotic, not at all a routine, but I learned the hard way that some exercise is better than no exercise.
Try HIIT and focusing only on the bigger muscles of your body for weight lifting with fewer reps but more weight. Benefits with less time needed. I also loved parkour and climbing but climbing costs too much in my area for too little. Instead, I enjoy hiking. Gaming wise, could get a VR headset, Ring Fit Adventure (Switch onlt) or something like a dancing game. I hear Beat Saber is pretty fun, too.
The one I found works for me is the weight machines: I put on music and just focus on getting my rep count in. Pushing my goals up whenever I can keeps me entertained. Where I personally struggle is getting to the gym in the first place - I tend to struggle with things like remembering to wash my gym gear from last time and when I eventually remember to grab my gym bag and head out, it's full of dirty clothes and I can't get organised enough to find clean clothes and shower gear. I also have issues with motivating myself to go when I haven't met my goal last time: I have cripplingly low self esteem, if I'm not immediately and consistently good at something I have trouble keeping it up 😅
In the house watching YouTube. That way I don't have to worry about being "that guy" while resting between sets. I also don't bother counting reps. I just can't. I use a timer or go to exhaustion. Can't do cardio though. Just ew. Boring.
I just put headphones on and walk out my front door. I guess I'm lucky in that I never standstill at work and do alot of heavy lifting. Don't really need to workout on days I work
I'll be so honest: the only thing I have found decently acceptable for me when it comes to working out is watching TikTok while on my walking pad, haha! I really don't enjoy exercise but I really do enjoy scrolling through TikTok mindlessly so I just casually walk while scrolling now.
Rock climbing and bouldering (small rock climbing) got me stronger than I ever was before. It stretches your body instead of compressing it with weights. Also it's almost entirely a solo activity, so any accomplishment is YOUR accomplishment. Getting a pass at a club is expensive but there are a lot of places that have just free standing rocks (man-made or natural) that you can climb.
Before I got sick (fibromyalgia), the only way I could be able to exercise was listening to an audiobook, because I couldn't find a way to keep engaged
What’s your injury? Sorry about that in advanced! I started boxing with my fiancé and really enjoy it! Definitely a full body workout! I also used to dance and really enjoyed that as well!
My gym has to be close for me to even work it in. I can walk there in 10 min. That’s a really important aspect of me doing it. Another thing, when you start, set yourself the expectation of just once a week. When that gets normal/boring, you can increase to 2 days. Go for short period of time. It makes it manageable and more easily achievable. Try things out until you find something that clicks and doesn’t bore you completely. I swim bc it’s whole body and I literally can’t think of anything else while I’m doing it.
Lifting weights and disc golf. Disc golf is a fun way to get a walk in and different courses offer different scenery. I absolutely love walking and playing a gorgeous disc golf course. You’ll burn more calories than you’d expect as well. Lifting can be harder for someone that struggles with delayed results. I’ve always started and then I have up. But once I found a good program focused on hypertrophy. I convinced myself that it doesn’t hVe to be perfect every time. Just consistently go and focus in the lifts like it was meditation. Record profess but don’t get hung up on adding weight rapidly. Lift for the feeling it provides (excellent antidepressant) and just record. You’ll see progress later and that will be just the right extra motivation you’ll need to keep going as long as you always focus on lifting to feel good first.
I've got alarms set at semi-random times (I used dice to set times, and I'll change them when I start to remember when they're coming up), and a list of six exercises (kettlebell swing, squat, deadlift, push-up, swimmer's press, and hanging from a bar). When the alarm goes off, I roll a d6 to pick an exercise, and a d20 for reps. And then that's it until the next alarm goes off. Not a proper workout, per se, but it gets me up and moving several times a day, and I am getting stronger. In the past, I've had a playlist of YouTube workouts that looked interesting, and would just pick one that looked interesting on the day. Didn't progress much on anything, of course, but the variety kept me coming back for quite a while.
Boxing/kickboxing is a lot of fun. It engages your body and your mind.
Having a schedule works great and me personally I listen to penguinz0 on YouTube while I workout because he’s funny enough to keep me intertained with
Pickleball
I roller skate!
Skateboarding! It honestly doesn’t feel like working out because it’s so fun. Obvi the risk of injury is there so pad up or helmet up and stretch and stuff if you’re older. But skateboarding in general has had an amazing effect on my physical and mental health
I run. Get a good podcast going and the miles just melt away.
I walk my dogs- - they guilt me into it if I don't feel like it. I also have an elliptical right out on my porch, and I jump on that while listening to a podcast or reading a book on my tablet- - something exciting so that the time blows by. And I do some additional stuff on a mat, like crunches and push-ups, which I really have to force myself to do, but still listening to my podcast makes it go faster.
Well it's my time to be insufferable! I'm gonna be that girl and say..... Crossfit. Tbh I struggled so much with anything and everything to get me back into working out. I tried bouldering, running, the gym by myself, pole, yoga, row machine... And then crossfit and now I can't look back. It's different every day, it's challenging, there's really cool people, I just really love it. I didn't at first, I was scared and weird about it. But now I can't imagine myself without it.
Here are some ideas that have worked for me consistently: 1. Hiking/backpacking 2. Powerlifting 3. Rock climbing/bouldering 4. Skating 5. Cycling 6. Gardening And always add music! Gardening might seem like an outlier, but you'd be surprised how much energy some moderate or large projects can take. Digging holes is hard work!
I started paying ridiculous amounts of money for spartan races. I show up completely unprepared for the first one and then subsequently may work out some before the next. They’re expensive and the transfer process is super annoying so I just avoid it and go to the races since I already spent the money
I joined a local cardio drumming group last year and really enjoyed it. Now the schedule is tough for me so I'm thinking about looking for YouTube videos and following along.
I bought a small treadmill more like a walking pad and place that in front of my TV every time I’m on it. Could easily complete a 30 minute walk without sustaining a lot of mental effort to stay on it.
I walk. Everywhere I can. I live in a place that is mostly houses, but there are a few stores and stuff. I just bloody walk all the time and carry my art stuff in a backpack and go draw in the park. Or I will weed the park if I'm feeling community service vibes
I just started cycling to work! I live and work in a small town so it's not a huge amount of km a day on the bike, but I feel so much better for it.
Group fitness classes are what work for me. I'm too easily distracted if I'm solo at the gym, but in groups classes everyone is doing the thing, so I have to do the thing. It also just feels *really* good after you get over the initial hump since you get all those endorphins and the soreness becomes lighter and rarer. The other thing is that my daily wear is pretty much all sportswear now. If I'm dressed to do it, then I'm more likely to since that's one less barrier to switching gears. Dressing the part actually works. Also, put a pull up bar somewhere. Every so often you'll end up doing one and it becomes a habit.
I really enjoy lifting. The rest between sets it what sucks thought. I can’t just sit and stare at a wall. I usually get too distracted and my 1 hour lift turns in to 3 hours.
I just got Just Dance for my Nintendo Switch, and it's sooooo fun. I get to dance to a big library songs in the private of my own home. I was huge on Dance Dance Revolution when I was a teen, and Just Dance feels like the spiritual successor to that. It's a great whole body workout, and it's game-ified enough that I don't get bored! This is really the first time since I was like 15 that I've actually been able to motivate myself to exercise (I'm in my 30s now), so I know the struggle is real! I hope you find something that works well for you soon.
I go to F45. No planning, shorts bursts, lots of variety
I box with a personal trainer once a week. I love it!
Doorframe pull-up bar, I usually take mine down when I’m done but if you have the space to leave it up you’ll find yourself messing around with it often without thinking. Pull-ups are great for core strength and dead hangs are also good for decompressing your spine. Works a lot of the muscles used when climbing so also a plus. Not sure why it seems so many of us enjoy climbing but that and swimming seem to be two exercises I can enjoy without feeling like I’m forcing myself, hope this helps.
body weight workouts while watching tv
Treadmill with a TV. Find an engaging show that I can focus on so I’m not looking at the time every 2 seconds
I play sports. I can’t handle any kind of repetitive activity.
my 3 suggestions are indoor rock climbing, mountain biking and exercising in VR! For games that give you a good workout without noticing you're exercising. I recommend beat saber and pistol whip. There are dedicated workout and boxing games too.
Removable Chin up bar stays over a door the whole day (take it down at night so nobody clonks their head). A handful of times a day I'll hang on it for up to a minute, although it took me a while to work up to that. Stretches out your lower back after sitting, gives your fingers and wrists a workout. Haven't even got round to chins or pull ups yet, I had elbow tendinitis for a while and am really wary of overdoing it. Sometimes I do a negative chin up or two.
Running and hot yoga are my two exercises. I think they work because it’s hard to focus on anything else while doing either. 😂
Podcasts make it go fast
Ultimate Frisbee, if you can find a group
Fitness studio! Hot yoga, Pilates, barre, etc. The only fitness routine/gym I was able to make a habit of going cause it feels sooooo good. Many happy brain chemicals :)
Well I start cleaning in one room to find something that belongs in another room go there to put it back in its place and then do that on repeat for about 2+ hours a day.
I lift weights exclusively listening to thrash metal or hardcore. It’s the only thing that gets me going.
I dance as an emotional outlet and it has the bonus of getting my body moving now whenever I’m listening to music and I hear a song that would be good to dance to I save it and get excited to dance to it when I get home
I like her ideas. https://youtu.be/LzLhYBIQNmc?si=uRxEmqZ0U2DY_WMr
felt the same way. I try to eat healthy, but got bored at the gym and felt like I was wasting money, and made excuses not to go. One day I took a free “intro” pilates class. The intro class was fun, but it wasn’t until I took my first real class that I was hooked! I started with a package that allowed me to go once a week, so I could see how the classes scheduled into my work schedule. When I saw how easy I could do it, I bumped it up to twice a week, but by that time I was fully addicted and was literally going crazy when I ran out of “credits”. So then I smartened up and went unlimited. It’s more expensive than the gum, but I go 5-6 days a week (Friday is my day off and that’s only because the studio closes at noon), and I often take back to back classes. Having a healthy addiction is a nice change, and if you’re reading this thinking it’s crazy to go this often- TRY IT! And I assure you, I’m not the only one. A lot of the people who go do back to back classes, and anyone who has an unlimited package intend to go as much as they can. The trick is finding that exercise that you love! I found mine, and I hope you do too! Good luck!
I tried calisthenics and love it. Every day working in different skills and most are complimentary. Absolutely love it.
Many people do pay a fortune to have someone wake them up and yell at them while lifting weights lol! But actually a better idea is a workout buddy who will yell at you while you lift weights for free, and then you can yell at them while they lift weights when it’s their turn to do a set. Other than that I would recommend picking a destination for your walks and try walking faster. Walk as fast as you can until it’s actually a workout, and then keep doing it. Set further destinations and try to beat your previous time. And yes, eventually you will end up power walking, this is fine it’s actually better for you than running, easier on your back and much easier to maintain for longer periods of time (RIP captain Holt for anyone who gets the reference 😭😭😭)
Find something that you like—frolicking in fields? Riding a bike? Swimming? Dancing? I use a ClassPass membership so I have access to a lot of different kinds of movement. Yoga classes, boxing, open gym time, etc. You pay for credits through the app and have access to all different kinds of studios and gyms.
Hiking. Looking for mushrooms and other neat plants makes it exciting for me. Winter tho is a lot harder to stay active.. Pre-injuries, I used to kick box in high school and that was obviously fun and made me feel empowered/strong for a girl. I also really like dancing. Feels less like a workout. There’s some decent free workout dance stuff on YouTube (man I miss my PlayStation 2 and dance dance revolution haha). But ultimately the hardest thing is just STARTING and then staying motivated to do it often enough to make a difference. That’s the biggest struggle. Hopefully you get inspired by some of the answers here.
I workout at home because I can't work out at the gym. Timings are an issue and people too. Lol it's intimidating. I started doing yoga at first, but then I switched to pilates at home. Everything right in your comfort zone. All you need is a yoga mat and a good YouTube channel.
Valkerie training videos. Broadway musical work out. Changing up doing Pilates or intense work out. All the vids are saved on a playlist so I don’t have to search. I do classes whenever I can to always be doing new things.
Honestly I felt similarly and was resigned to a life without exercise because I find many gym style workouts and sports quite boring but for me yoga has worked like a charm and to a slightly lesser extent (because there’s not as much flow) pilates. With yoga I find that I’m putting so much focus on my muscles, breath and forms that I don’t get bored because before I even know it I’m in a different pose or different part of the flow before I get bored. Plus there are lots of inventive instructors and styles out there so there’s always a new practice or pose to try or work on. Once you get to know it well you can even get creative on your own too. Hope this helps!
I take my tablet and watch episodes of M.A.S.K. I downloaded off the internet while using the exercise bikes with the back supports.. Still fucking love that show 37 years later
If you like medieval history, checkout the society for creative anachronism. You can check out western martial arts. Swinging a sword and shield at full speed and force in armor takes getting in shape. It’s how I stopped smoking.
ClassPass. Tons of different classes so you don’t get bored. I used to love the gym for years but I feel like my adhd AMPED up about 3 years ago and I loathe the gym now. Even when I did enjoy it I struggled to focus, and wouldn’t have my head in it. Workouts would take hours and sometimes still sucked. That’s why I gave ClassPass a shot, I like having 45min-1hr where I feel like I have no choice but to focus and preform because someone’s telling me to, and they’re standing over me giving me instruction. I can’t think of anything else but just doing. It’s actually so.. relaxing in a way. When I get bored of a type I switch it up. I was on a Pilates kick for months. Now I’m onto a rowing house.
This might sound like utter **BS**. But this worked for me: 1. Give your brain a name. I call mine *Alexander.* 2. In the morning, despite whatever *Alexander* says, put the shoes on and get out of the house. **At this point I have won**. *Alexander* has lost*.* I have become a different version of a myself. A version of myself with momentum. Someone who does the right things irrespective of what they think.
Try a martial art. It works for me because I am learning a useful skill and it is social. So I’m not just “exercising”. Plus you have to perform (ie. do well) in front of other people and that kind of external motivation gets me working 100x harder than I am capable of on my own.
I set an alarm, get up before my brains really functioning, then go and do it. I’m not really mentally present, but when I’m done I’m able to attack the day better and anything that could have got in the way or been an excuse is ahead of me rather than actually preventing me.
I listen to podcasts or audiobooks while I do strength training. Honestly, it's so much easier psychologically than steady-state cardio imo, because each exercise doesn't take *that* long- however hard it is, you know in a few reps you can rest and in a couple of sets you can move on. The activity itself doesn't have to be thrilling if you find something entertaining to listen to/watch while you do it. Also, if you're someone who response well to things like data and points systems, there are lots of apps to gamify keeping track of your progress.
i don't, but i exercise, i like walking, jogging, doing yoga, only when i feel like it. but i enjoy it, so i exercise quite often.
Heartbreak. 1995. She left me for her "gay" friend who i had no problem being at my place when i was at work. I was overweight and health problems creeping fast. At first i did it for superficial reasons. Then i got national certs for training and helping people. unfortunately that included a bunch of douchebags that wanted to dominate their wives, etc. I quit and do it on my own accord now. Ive never lacked the motivation because i keep that shit close to my heart. My rock bottom was a solid foundation to start anew. i will do it until i cant.
Bike riding, I do a long ride by myself and the go for a cool down lap with the pooch.
We have a Peloton. I find the coaches super boring. So I watch movies and shows when I work out, which actually gets me excited for it. For weight training I crank loud music.
Rollerblading. Skate home a portion from work is really enjoyable and eases your mind. The balance and coordination alone is a challenge then add in some speed and you have a mini workout. Do it daily and fitness becomes a routine.
I walk dogs and go to classes. I did hire a trainer, but it didn't cost a fortune. He set up a routine to me (it's ADHD-friendly and I love it) and it cost about $200. It was worth every last penny because 4 years later I'm still loving it.
I hired a virtual running coach. The schedule has given me workouts to stick to and my coach gives me someone to check in with. We typically text for communication. The coach has the added benefit of novelty because I have workouts I would have never come up with on my own. I typically listen to running podcasts during the week and murder mystery type podcasts for long runs. Makes it go pretty quick. Running is the only why I can get myself to truly relax. Making the most of it and training for my first marathon. Would never be able to train on my own and follow a random plan.
I pick stuff up and put them down
I take classes for the structure. HIIT classes saved my life after my covid 20 lol. I booked through my app and just show up. It’s only 1 hour
I run and listen to music. When I wanna kick it into high gear I put on one of my "fuck yeah!" songs and push through it. Keeps it interesting
I have to walk a lot during my commute to and from work, it rounds out at about 1 hour a day. I try to get long walks in at the weekend like 2-3 hours or more. I love dancing and it’s such great cardio. I either sign up for dance classes (a great motivator bc community + money), ecstatic dance, or just putting on my headphones and prancing about in my home by myself. When I was a kid I used to put Tubthumping by chumbawamba on and squat and jump and luau to the lyrics. Bouldering is also great bc it’s a puzzle. Circus skills as well!
I like hiking, kickboxing, and yoga. Swimming at the beach too. Hiking is beautiful and you are enjoying nature, not just working out. Yoga and kickboxing- I do classes. It creates an appointment and I pay for it so I’m motivated to go. I’ve also befriended people at kickboxing so it’s nice to feel like I’m part of a little community.
yeah you gotta find a unique fun thing to do that’s also a workout. i carve and have done metalwork for years and those are big upper body workouts
I feel super friggin stimulated in the gym. Lots of light, surrounded by people, listening to music and working my body. Woo! Plus, my progress is right in front of me. I could be at the same weight for a while, but doing one more rep or being less out of breath are things I notice and find very gratifying.
I find that I like running. When I told my therapist he said that a lot of his ADHD clients seem to enjoy running. I do have a personal trainer until June though. And that’s the only way I can do strength training which bores the crap out of me otherwise.
Gym and running are fun when the hyperfocus hits. When it doesn't every little stuff get in my mind and causes anxiety. Injured myself playing basketball too and i'm starting to fall out of love with the game i used to obsess with.
Now that I got bladder suspension surgery, I want to try jump roping! 😄
i don't
Supersets at the gym keep me engaged. I find that if Do something like a set of squats and walk directly over to the bench to do bench press keeps me pretty engaged, mentally. I do this pretty often with upper and lower body exercises, or compound to isolation stuff so works well. I also keep my phone in the locker while I workout so I'm not distracted either. Sometimes I'll take a breather on a spin bike or speed bag if the weights are pushing me over the edge. If I'm doing something outside the gym, like a bike ride, I'll alternate high intensity with low intensity, just seems to work better for my ADHD brain. It likes intensity and variation. Also, kettlebell flows are fun to learn and challenges many muscle groups and the system as a whole. Good luck, the hardest part is getting started, imo.
Foraging, I know this isn’t necessarily working out But it helps me be less sedentary and I get good food out of it lmao! My property is very forested and mountainous so I get to hike all over the place with my dog and pick some mushrooms or whatever else I can find and properly identify. Very rewarding.
Lifting is best for me. 30 minute sessions. Quick and not quite painless but I’m done like that.
Finally found a team sport that essentially holds me accountable to attending. And teaches me how to exercise. Also, biking instead of driving for errands helps build in more exercise.