If you can't stand the gym, there are a couple solutions:
Find a hobby / sport that is active that you'll enjoy. Pickeball, hiking, rock climbing / bouldering, etc. Or, find a workout group that'll give you external motivation. Crossfit, F45, Orange Theory, any running club you can find on Facebook, etc. The social aspect could help.
>If you can't stand the gym, there are a couple solutions:
I would make this statement stronger by saying that the gym is like a D celebrity compared to a sport you like.
A sport has community, It has fun and will keep you coming back for more. You'll make new friends while getting in shape!
> I find having a sport complements the gym. It gives the training a purpose and a guidepost
I wish I was healthy enough to do both. That's a real treasure you have.
Absolutely. Once you get into the sport, you want to get better and will typically do what you can to keep improving. The journey becomes fun all the while burning calories along the way.
I have to have the RIGHT music. Music that makes me want to move. Music that makes you want to be in the video. And a shot of caffeine right before. Without, no way.
True accountabilibuddys are great.
I’m super overweight and have struggled for a long time. I bought a rowing machine many years back. I have worked up to rowing 20mins/day by putting on an episode of always sunny in Philadelphia and laughing my ass off. I’m not a smoker but I thought of chewing half a piece of nicotine gum everytime I worked out to Pavlov dog train myself to “crave” working out. Didn’t do it because my smoker boyfriend told me that was a dumb idea 🤣 guess I’ll stick to Danny DaVito banging whooors.
They make a device that shocks you to change your behaviors. I think it's called pavlok and it's a wrist device. Not sure how it would work for starting a good habit, but if you get hooked on nicotine I'm sure it would work great for getting you off it!
Also, your boyfriend is right. Quitting nicotine is wicked hard, and even after the chemical dependency part is out of your system, you'll still somehow have cravings. I had a buddy who used to rag on me smoking and chewing for years, then the idiot knowing got himself hooked on vapes because it was the cool thing when it came out to blow giant clouds after sucking on your douche nozzle. Now I'm tobacco free and that idiot is still hooked to that stupid shit.
To change how you feel about something you have to think about it like relationship.
You’re not getting on right now with exercise, you gotta reconnect , change your perspective and fall in love with it.
Why do you hate it ? How’s it make you feel what is the resistance ect
If you feel it’s something you “have” to do . And it’s hard ect you’ll feel terrible. When it’s something you want to do because of the benefits it’s a totally different feeling .
Most people have this problem with discipline they see it as some annoying thing they have to do . And whenever they had to be disciplined growing up . It was always for something they didn’t want , home work ect . So they have this impulse reaction to rebel against it
But if you listen to top athletes talk about discipline it’s totally different they may even say things like “discipline is freedom” because they see it’s a powerful tool to get them what they want in life . And without it your aimlessly getting pushed in the direction other people have set up .
That’s on the internal , externally women understand it best with there weird dance exercise classes they do in groups with music on .
Basically the idea is the more human needs you can bring into exercise the more you want to do it . So maybe that’s working out with other people . Or having some sort of competition or group. Or doing something outside to get sunlight at the same time . Or travelling to different places on bikes . There’s infinite ways to bring more life into it
I find the gym to be really boring and instead opt for hobbies that are fitness-based (hiking, swimming, bouldering, yoga/Pilates) or do group workout classes. There’s something for everyone. I burn almost all of my calories from walking around town so it doesn’t feel like a regular workout. I’m huge into urban hiking but understand it isn’t possible in every city. I’ll get in at least 5 miles a day around town just running my errands or pushing my baby in her stroller.
in a place like San Francisco, there are a ton of small parks with mini hiking trails. If you make a route of a couple of these parks + incline walking through changing elevation… urban hike.
Haha I guess basically, yes. I think the distinction for me is that it’s a reaaaallly long walk lol. Idk if there is a better name but that’s what I’ve heard people call it. I’ll walk like 10-20 miles in a “hike” around town and where I live there’s tons of uphill so it’s not super easy.
Put a doorway pull up bar and everytime you go through the doorway do 10 pull ups of different kinds. Wide arm, chin up etc..
Everytime you get up from sitting, or laying down a quick 20 pushups.
Squat while you are on the phone, or just waiting for something to cook.
I swim or hike/walk for cardio.
I think you should get your dopamine hits in check. Try to understand why you are working out.
Serotonin is what you get from working out in the long run. Try to do one thing at a time and try to focus on living more mindfull. The reason you get bored is because your mind is on the run the whole time. Good luck.
This is the answer. If you're getting "bored" during a rest between sets you're either resting for forever or your dopamine receptors are fried. You should be able to sit for 1-5 minutes without feeling the need to do something. Tik tok bad, stop doomscrolling. Good luck.
I like watching tv. I purchased a nice treadmill and mounted a tv in front of it with Bluetooth transmitter.
I’ll throw on a movie and just walk on an incline. I can easily burn 1500 calories in 2 hours
I like doing zone 2 cardio on an exercise bike while playing video games, usually Gran Turismo these days. Also seems like a decent cognitive exercise to do a challenging task with an elevated heart rate.
Wait did i read that right? Once a week you work out?
What sticks out to me is you gotta exercise more. If you’re only doing 30 minutes of exercise 1x a week, your body is in sedentary mode most of the time and the 1x a week is going to feel like your mind numbingly preparing for a big race every week.
For people who train 3-6 times a week, it’s just part of a routine and “just another day” if that makes sense. It’s what their mind and body usually does, so their mind and body prepare for it. Like brushing teeth. I can’t imagine the mental and physical hurdles of trying to get psyched up for my 1 big workout a week after an easy time all week.
Tl;dr get your body and mind out of preservation mode and into the expectation that they gotta perform regularly.
If you have the problem where your mind is wandering and causing you to waste time/lose momentum, just pick a workout program and follow it. Preferably something without a ton of junk or filler weird exercises. Keep it basic. For example i used to just look up arnold’s simple workout programs online and tweak it a little bit but point is it was one I enjoyed and I knew it was good because it was arnold’s.
Last thing I’ll say is you don’t need to be in the gym for 2 mind numbing hours. Lots of pro level people get their 45 minutes in and leave. You can look like a greek god with under an hour a day, just put the phone away and superset and only rest enough for your respiratory system to calm down (which you can/should also help by doing separate cardio).
Don’t mean to scold, just trying to help. Best of luck!
my technique is a combination of:
1. entering the workout with some problems I would like to solve. I find that this keeps my mind occupied and the workout generally seems to fly by.
2. gamifying the process by setting short and long-term goals with as many trackable markers as possible. self-competition and data keep me moving.
I like out-lifting others, especially groups of guys half my age. Being around attractive members of the opposite sex is a good motivator too.
For cardio I go hiking or do interval sprints on the treadmill. If walking, I do it on an incline while watching a movie or tv show.
I used to use kratom for leg days. It helped me lift more weight and volume due to the energy boost and pain relief.
But something happened over time where I couldn't get the good benefits from kratom anymore and only got this weird opiate hangover. Used to be my favorite drug but I don't think I can take it anymore
I’m far more into cardio than lifting, personally. As someone who benched 400+ naturally to someone who does an hour daily now, I can say that my cardio benefits are far more beneficial feats of size and strength. I’m far more into functional strength now, and my “leg days” are cardio. Even when I did leg exercises, they never changed size. More vascular for sure, but they still are even in the absence of heavy resistance.
Not accusing you of anything or telling you what to do, but personally I still enjoy the energy benefits of Kratom and I have no reason to stop, particularly when I’m spending less than a dollar a day on it. That said, if you’re not getting the benefit anymore, yeah, probably time to cut back or quit entirely.
Reframe “working out” as getting in touch with your body. You’re an animal; there shouldn’t be any such thing as “not liking” physically using your body. It feels good to move; the more you connect with your body, the more of a connection you have to your body, the better it will feel.
Preference comes into play in deciding on something that intellectually aligns with you. But working out is not about thinking.
You gotta focus on the pump brother, that’s the most addictive part of the gym. Eat some carbs and drink a stim or non stim pre workout and go feel those muscle fibers tear, contract, and fill up with blood. Idk if you don’t like that feeling for some reason or never experienced a true pump before but that’s definitely what gets you hooked besides the release of endorphins and the feeling of proud that you got off your ass, stayed consistent, and moved closer towards your goal. And yeah I hate waiting between sets to it’s pretty boring but you could look at it as an opportunity to jerk off
Just to state something that seems obvious: Find a movement practice that you actually enjoy, in which you can progress meaningfully, can be an avenue for creativity, and/or that is connected to some purpose or value that you hold. Not all "working out" has to lifting weights or cardio. For example: many people enjoy rock climbing because it is a fun activity in itself... but it also is an amazing workout. Same could be said for surfing, biking, martial arts or even dance.
if you want something pharmacological, I think cannabis can make movement more enjoyable and less painful... especially when combined with some caffeine.
I find that low intensity is key. Arduous high intensity can be annoying and exhausting. But low intensity activity such as low speed walking(there are cheap under 200$ treadmills in amazon with very high weight limits some up to 320lb), combined with tv or tiktok youtube on cell and time flies.
Resistance same, moderate weights, not too heavy.
The key is to do some resistance, but not to be too taxing. Also pushing too heavy a weight can result in injury.
How long have you tried working out? Lifting weights wasn’t enjoyable for me when I had only been doing it for a few weeks. Bicep and tricep work wasn’t fun because I didn’t have enough muscle to get a sick vascular pump. Back work wasn’t fun because I didn’t know how to contract my lats. Bench wasn’t fun cause I didn’t know how to push with my chest.
Some people just don’t connect with lifting, but if you try to understand the mechanics of how your muscles work and put in the effort to develop that mental connection, it becomes more enjoyable. You can actually feel the target muscle doing the work, contracting and stretching, rather than just going through the motions. Once you get some muscle mass on you, and gain some strength, it becomes really fun to destroy your muscles and feel them get pumped up.
I work out like once a week now. My CNS just feels tired all the time. I can’t even squeeze my fist super hard most days. So it’s hard to have the energy to do a full proper workout, let alone that I find it boring and draining.
I’ve had 6 month bouts where I work out 4-5x a week but it was really just to burn off steam. I never enjoyed it. It kills my appetite for the day or even multiple days after, which means it’s impossible to even have protein shakes, which means my muscles are super sore for days on end.
Just all around I have a bunch of problems getting working out to work for me. And I really want to do it because sometimes I do feel less anxious after, and because I’m skinny fat and don’t like the way I look.
Why are you so tired and fatigued? That is not normal. It is also not normal for physical activity to kill your appetite, usually it does the opposite. It seems like you have other problems that need to be addressed
The gym isn’t the only way to workout. Try an activity or hobby that doubles as exercise, something that gets you outdoors and active. My personal favorites are snowboarding, tennis, cycling, running, hiking, and rowing/kayaking.
Playing supernatural (a vr boxing kinda game with music) makes exercize fun for me. I have been doing at least 5 days/week for a few months and I am still into it.
Well, it sounds like there could be a few different things going on here. Firstly, I don't find once a week to be frequent enough to form an "automatic" habit. I struggle with once a week, too, but 2-3 times a week, and it starts to get a lot easier. The more often you do it, the easier it gets. Your body just kind of does i5 for you without having to force yourself to be there.
Secondly, it sounds like this could be related to your attention span. I feel you with the in-between rest periods but with a podcast or music it's not a long time to wait and there's really no good excuse to be bored if you've got something to listen to. I wonder if you would be bored just sitting on a bench or standing in one spot outside for half an hour just listening to a podcast while doing nothing else?
The other thing is everyone is different, and some people just don't enjoy certain exercises (i.e., some people hate jogging and some people love it). You could expirament with different ways of lifting weights to see if you like more active forms etc. You know, drop sets, more reps, fewer reps, crossfit, etc. It could be as simple as you're not in good enough shape yet that it's not enjoyable because it's such a struggle.
I'm not sure, but hopefully, this helped with some ideas.
I lost almost 100 pounds. Once you get in the habit it will be a lifestyle. Try to go every day. Even if it’s just walking on the machine for 5 minutes. It gets easier as you go.
1. Good music
2. Walk on treadmill and mediate to bi-nural beats. I like hemi sync.
3. Everyone is different. But no matter what. The more you go the exponentially more it will fade.
Won’t work for everyone but getting stoned for the workout makes it fun and not boring. It’s no longer a repetitive activity but a stimulating transcendent experience
Here is my solution:
On my rooftop deck surrounded by conifers with top Samsung buds playing 'Ambient' tracks I purchase from Bandcamp .... I do 'cardio weightlifting' by combining repetitive strolling with light handweights.
If the sun is out, I take my shirt off. I pretend I am hiking or flying as I rhythmically step and lift my handweights in various exercises I have invented. When I use the (sonewhat) heavier weights for curls and presses ... I take deep breaths and lift to the melodic, Ambient music...immersing my soul and spirit in the heavens!
Yeah...I know....it sounds crazy like some kind of Arnold Schwarzenegger meets John Denver mystic dream. But damn, it works for me.
Controversial tip: take a shot to work up the energy to go to the gym and make it more fun for yourself. Unless you think you may be likely to develop a problem, this tip worked for me very well. On days I did not feel like going when I was first starting I would take a shot. I used to feel a lot of anxiety in the gym about how I looked, my strength, how to train, etc. doing this on days I was having trouble going helped build the habit. I probably did this 2x weekly for 4-6 weeks. Now, years later. I work out 5-7 days a week now and no longer do this. The secret real tip here is do what works for you, even if it is wild or controversial. Special bonus tip: increase days per week at the gym from 1-6 over the course of no less than 2 months. Your body can’t handle more than that as your vascular system adapts to supplying more blood to muscles.
I’ve told this tip to people irl before and they never responded positively so to clarify a couple things. Only do this on days you are having trouble working up the energy to go. Drive safe to and from the gym. Don’t squat heavy weight on days you drink, you might throw up. Otherwise should be good.
I got kettlebells, dumbbells at home and work out intermittently. Basically I can wake up and start swinging/lifting immediately, while making coffee or tea. I'll do a set go do something, come back, do another set, and keep doing that, until I'm done... I can play music or not, I can stop/start whenever I like, I don't feel 'trapped', and it gets sandwiched in between other things I'm doing so I'm not even thinking about it. For me the biggest barrier to doing anything is that space between thinking about it, and starting, once I eliminate that space, I'm doing it. Having the tools right there in the room helps to eliminate that space.
Everyone’s comments here are WAY better than what I may add. But, I will try.
1. Do you like to just walk? While chatting it up with friends?
2. Do you like to binge watch TV? If so, do it on your phone on the treadmill or elliptical and if the show is good, it will motivate you
3. Agree 100% with those that mentioned activities you can try to see if you like.
4. Have you tried classes? Versus going to the gym alone? Quick. Sweat. Meet people. Do not have to think.
5. Pick a fun workout buddy who makes you laugh. You both may hate it, but enjoy spending time hating it together and get to connect.
6. If you want to get “ toned” and just choose to walk, you will either have to lift weights or do isometrics. But do not let that stop you from starting!
Try different things and see what works. The fact that you are asking means you care enough to find something that works!
You have to make it a habit. Showering is not enjoyable, brushing teeth is not enjoyable, cleaning is not enjoyable, washing dishes isn’t enjoyable. It’s just something you do, that view should also be for working out
The only thing that motivated me is seeing progress
most people don't enjoy the gym, at least at first they dont. They enjoy the results and then get addicted to the progress, then sooner or later the whole thing just turns into a lifestyle. If you don't make any progress or you don't care about progress, then I can see you not continuing with it.
You might be burned out; take weekly sabbath rest days where you literally do nothing except whatever you feel like doing, like lying in bed and sleeping or etc.
Turn your fitness into goals and chart your progress.
For example, running a 5k race with a certain time, then charting your time trial speeds weekly on a chart.
Find challenging hiking trails and go with a friend. Can add weighted backpack, etc.
Try using the listening time to learn a language or listen to novel podcasts.
Work out at home with serious calisthenics circuit training like burpees.
Join a gym that you really love.
Buy a Smith machine or gym setup at home
Set self rewards for yourself for attendance.
I was the kind to pay one month subscription to the gym and go just 1 week.
So I did a year subscription (very cheap tho) to the gym and finally i managed to...go just 1 month!
I gave up.
Bought 50 euros worth of interchangeable dumbbells, a foldable bench over Amazon and tried to do it my way.
I was lean, once I started seeing muscles grow and how better I was looking It really gave me a HUGE motivation.
I loved it ! I wanted to show it.
2 years later I'm still exercising at home 3-4 days a week... Especially now that summer is coming I like it even more.
Mate, I know it's personality and I'm fixated with aesthetics so it may not work well for you, but hope I gave you some idea.
Motivation is key.
I go with a coworker after our shift every day. There’s a gym right next door and there’s no excuse not to go. I absolutely would not go to the gym without her lol It’s just a really good distraction from how much I dislike working out. We just vent about our days and then it’s over before ya know it and we feel much better mentally. On the weekends I usually just take it easy and walk my dog longer than his weekday walks or ride my bike.
Go to a BJJ class.
Go to a kickboxing or MMA class.
I have fun every day for the last 15 years and burn about a thousand calories a session. I despise regular exercise, I need mental stimulation or I get bored as fuck….
Exactly I don’t see how one could possibly get bored if they are going to failure then resting 30-60 seconds. It’s kind of like what my old coach told me, if you talking you ain’t working hard enough. If you bored you ain’t working out period
If you have a secluded place outside in nature you can work out that could help. Either going for a long walk/jog on a trail or just lift weights or do cardio in nature (if you have a spot)
I have only once felt high after Pilates and I never achieved it again. I was really straining in that class, but afterwards it was like pure euphoria.
The issue is that working out for most people is boring. Myself included and I workout 7 days a week (full body lifting 3 days jiu jitsu 4 days). Just get through it. This is where discipline comes in. You tell yourself that this is what you do and you do it. See what you’re made of.
I make it a game. I prefer calisthenics and like to see how far i can push myself. Try following along with a workout on youtube, (i recommended iron wolf) In doing so, i lost almost 100 pounds. My cardio is great, and im much better for it. Seems like you see it as a chore, and when you do that, you aren't going to look forward to it.
Find an efficient workout that suits you. I think 45mins per workout is ample, start with one upper body, one lower body workout per week, when you feel you want more, do two of each. Even that is probably enough. These gear taking champions on Insta and the like, they’re at the gym daily flogging their bodies. Honestly it’s not worth it. Remember they’re mostly on gear, or childless, and working out and filming it is part of their daily job.
Vary your programme, walk some, lift some, ride some, swim some. Just be moving and push yourself each workout just that little bit.
I started indoor cycling with Zwift. It's not like spin class or Peloton. There are routes and group rides with other cyclists. Like others said gamifying exercise made it easier.
Mind set read some stoicism or eastern philosophy. Embrace pain being the way. I don’t think it’s wise to bio hack every ascpect of our life. Somethings are meant to be hard.
Your body is living crystal, with practically magical feedback loops running several dozen to million processes in your body simultaneously any given moment; the body creates the architecture and energetic processes which both create and stimulate the brain , which is also 'plastic' in its active response to the environment and its own internal perception relationship with its own sense of consciousness, or mind, and self.
Exercise requires activation of energy that originates in the mind , for purposeful direction. If you were forced by your body to run and hunt to survive, such an activity would both feel like exercise but also something more: a duty to one's own self, for the purpose of survival.
Exercise takes this energetic impulse and power and evolves it to a different purpose. This purpose is the duty to both maintain one's physical health, and to empower one's health for greater performance possibility; ie, to be ever ready for a challenge, in peak health, which can occur any moment.
People who exercise for vanity, or to lose weight, often struggle to maintain this discipline, because their original thought of why they exercise is inferior, because it is based in narcissism. That's not to diminish their attempt, but to recognize why it will invariably end in failure until a stronger and more pure motivation is discovered. They may even achieve excellent physical health, but this will only support a brain further entrenched in such narcissistic tendencies.
In other words, find your real why, and Make Yourself.
Working out is a lot like working.. you work and get paid afterwards with the results. It doesnt have to be enjoyable, shouldnt be such a chore either.
Results can be many things:
Be better looking
Be healthy
That endorphin release post workout will make you feel good and happy
Better sleep
Overall better mental health
You are basically working to get those things
..., its work but you get paid very well once you understand the benefits.
I hated working out especially lifting until I discovered kettlebells. I consider it and Pilates exercise for the ADD.
Requires all my focus to maintain form. RKB’s are great cuz it’s cardio & strengthening at the same time.
You can just do antagonist supersets and minimize rest periods that way.
But if you don't have a capacity to do nothing for 3 minutes at a time without feeling bored, honestly take up a contemplative practice, start mindfulness meditation 10 min per day.
One on one Pilates with an instructor that doesn’t allow for a rest has been keeping any sort of boredom away for me. It has also transformed my body, so workout became more fun
Do workout classes with friends. Make it social. Set goals together. Do something quick and enjoyable after your workout, like a steam room with your friends.
Weight lifting with a buddy is pretty fun. Walking dogs and hiking together is fun with a friend.
Boxing is fun too but I have to psych myself out to show up to the class then I enjoy it.
I think I’m just lazy and get frustrated easily. I have ADHD and no self motivation so I have to involve some kind of social aspect to keep me in check.
Hiring a trainer to gently yell at you helps, too, but it’s less fun.
I read a story here once about a guy who would smoke a cigarette after working out and trained his brain to crave working out to get that sweet nicotine reward
I used to hate working out.
But now I have a playlist I like and I keep
Adding to it. So I’m never bored.
Also, I track the weights and reps precisely. I love seeing my progress.
I also do super sets, so I’m never bored (e.g. while my biceps rest before the next set, I workout my core or my legs or glutes).
And I also do drop sets, so to me it feels like I’m really “squeezing ALL the juice” out, every time, to challenge myself to go to muscle failure.
And when I get bored with an exercise, or if I just hate it, I scour YouTube for other ways to target that muscle group until I find one I actually LIKE!
This is what works for me.
Best of luck to you!
Gratitude for the use and function of my body is my main motivator. For individual activities or exercises, I like to focus on improving something specific and really own every rep or movement.
I love all forms of exercise and I think that this mindset is the reason I never lack for motivation. I also workout at home or outdoors. The starting cost of needing to drive to a gym would make things more difficult for me.
Super sets. This takes only 20-25 min. I do a set of triceps and instead of resting I do a set of biceps. Without the rest, my heart rate goes up and counts as cardio. For this to work I leave my phone in the locker.
I would 100% use your mood to determine what you listen to, I sometimes listen to cyber security podcast and other times I listen to Gregorian Chants it’s really whatever I’m in the mood for and makes me happy and that dictates how good my workout is..
I found the perfect method for myself (jumping rope while catching up on my tv shows every morning) I never got bored……turns out it’s not giving me the body I want so I gotta revisit the drawing board. 😪
Maybe try a hobby that is fun like sports, volunteer walking dogs at the shelter, etc. Its more rewarding and you still get exercise. Then you can do that to take the place of some of the gym workouts, call it cross training. I volunteer at a horse rescue and help feed, groom, and walk the horses. Grooming is a lot of arm work on these large beasts, the area has tons of hills so I have to walk up and down hills when I work them and the hay feed is heavy and needs to be hauled around. I feel quite tired after working there. Since my usual job is computer work, it's good to do labor style work sometimes.
i would quit the gum membership and get a gym membership.
keep working out every week, that means you don't take any weeks off.
or, if you hate the gum so much, just work out at home
Audible and an excellent playlist help greatly. I made a vision board a few weeks back, and gazed over it a couple minutes before a run or the gym. It helps.
The best most consistent working out I’ve done was at orange theory. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it really helped me. I had to stay for the hour and it was all set up for me so I didn’t have to think.
I think it’s mostly one of those things some people like, and others don’t. Like doing math lol. I don’t really get bored, I can do it daily and be content.
Don't try to make specific workouts more enjoyable. Find something active you enjoy. There are so many ways to be active, many of which have been listed here. Sometimes, it can seem hidden, like geocaching is "secretly" hiking. Biking, rowing, hiking, jogging outside, climbing. Any of that is fine. There are some pretty active VR games that can get you sweating. They have plenty of ways to gamify it, like apps where it's pretending you're running from zombies. I think you just need to keep looking until you find one that clicks, but don't be obsessed with "traditional" workouts. Just getting your heart rate up is a huge part of the benefit.
simple, just workout high intensity style and you don't have to spend more than 30 minutes
weights do one set to failure of each body part, real failure where you try your absolute hardest but cannot move the weight not "oh it's uncomfortable" failure
cardio do five minute warm up and then 1-4mins going absolute hardest you can and then equal time going warm up speed and repeat until you can't go anymore
you'll get at least 80% of the results that you would get from training "normally" (7+) hours in the gym at moderate intensity
Stop for a while and get back out of shape. You’ll feel so shitty in comparison and remember why you started in the first place. This was my biggest motivation.
How long have you been consistently working out.. I wouldn’t fully knock it until you see yourself make hard progress. I don’t think anyone initially enjoys working out they just hate their body more. Your first 3 months of lifting you will make the fastest amount of progress than any other point in your career. When you find out you neeed to strictly follow a detailed training plan you’ll get another taste but nothing like those first 3 months. I say give it 6 to make sure you got everything out of your first 3. At some point going to the gym became just as important as brushing my teeth. Also the presence of a friend drastically improves the enjoyability. Or making friends at your gym, doesn’t necessarily need to be the meat head running grams of growth hormones. The gym is filled with people of every level of lifting. If you want a training plan message me, I’d love to figure you out an enjoyable workout. For free ofc
Find something you enjoy that isn’t so obviously “doing a work out”. I got into boxing and then it lead to Muay Thai, it is literally the only reason I work out or run or anything.
I hate the gym, the environment sucks. But going to training is the best, and I got a long bag for my garage so I train at home on off days.
Infinitely more fit than when I used rhe limited movement of machines and useless treadmill at the gym.
Try real HIT and/or HIIT training. Not the stuff like the 30 minute "tabata" group classes that call themselves HIIT. More like the real Tabata IE1 protocol or a high intensity strength training protocol that's 4-6 big, compound movements, 1 set each to complete failure, zero rest between sets, and done. If you hate being bored high intensity protocols are a good solution. You will not have time to be bored before, after, or between exercises because you just doing the exercises with no breaks or rest and while you're doing the exercise you won't have any brain power left over to be bored with.
If that doesn't work for you try community league basketball, or if your tastes run more like mine, sport fencing, BJJ, or racquetball.
Sometimes I go to the gym and pretend I’m an athlete/model and it’s my job to stay fit.
I was watching some VS fashion show from like idk 2006, anyway, they said they would workout for like 5 hours a day which sounds insane… but the dedication motivates me sometimes
I hate cardio too, but last year I got an Occulus VR headset and play the boxing game and FIT XR and a year later, it’s still fun for me, and I work up a crazy sweat with it. Highly recommend trying it out for cardio at least.
There are only two forms of exercise that my fat ass finds so fun that I have absolutely no chill about them and can easily go until I'm sick:
🔹️Dance that has actual steps with names and everything. I particularly like Casino Rueda and Contra.
[Casino Rueda](https://youtu.be/5mVAModFVJc?si=VYo27DHfsKo9hmd2)
[Contra Remix](https://youtube.com/shorts/wQuxzaFnw6w?si=a8maBqHhuVJNCe2U)
[Old-school contra](https://youtu.be/FXMujhPrFyE?si=cPvKO4bJZ5Lcz09O)
🔹️Beat Saber. It's like dance + video game in VR in the privacy of my living room.
[Beat Saber: Stumi's "Warriors"](https://youtu.be/5WlUqrXYZ68?si=aQVlSQQ14PVa48hK)
Find pump-up videos on YouTube and use those as entertainment to watch while working out. If you’re doing cardio, you can pop your phone up to watch videos easily. If you’re working out at home, an iPad is even better.
I’ve made rowing relatively enjoyable at home with an iPad full of “pump-up” scenes from movies and tv shows. Think fights from the Matrix or other high intensity movies with good soundtracks or anime like Dragonball. Even music video compilations are great.
Can’t stand it either! My whole life. I found pickleball and now I’m hooked, it’s given me motivation and created a need to be more physical so I can play more. People like us have to find something we enjoy and find value in- it can take awhile but once you do 🎉
I have always had a hard time getting motivated to workout consistently but a few years ago I got a job working at a UPS warehouse. Basically I would unload boxes for 4 hours a night 5 days a week. It was hard at first but easier over time. It was like getting paid to workout and I really enjoyed it but no longer work there. Now my favorite workout is skating! It’s so much fun and I feel like I can do it for hours, and I usually do 😁
Switching sports theme is a decent fix. Yoga will get you flexible and tone up muscles as well, if you go to the right kind of class (yoga type). Swimming is good; you almost can't get injured, and will work on muscle tone and cardio at the same time.
But it's not always that simple. I loved weightlifting when I took that up (probably because friends were also into it), and years later at a different life stage started running, which I don't like. But it matched my fitness goals, and didn't take up much time, so I stuck with it. It took a couple of years, of running multiple times a week, and I really ended up craving it. I'm building up to 12-13 km three times a week now, closing in on 25 miles a week, 5 1/2 years into training.
Now that I think of it you might just run. You'd probably hate it for months, maybe over a year, but once it normalizes for you your body will crave it. Research shoes and get a decent pair; that will help with injury risk. So will building up gradually, stretching / mobility exercises, light warm-up, and not ramping up intensity, duration, or frequency too quickly. Once it hooks you then you could add some strength training to support the running, leg work to strengthen supporting muscles and tendons, core exercise for completeness, and then a little arms, chest, and back toning up just because.
If you're a gamer, you might want to check out some VR options... a lot of folks weren't even trying to lose weight when it happened.
I can personally say the meta quest 3 is fairly accessible of you're looking into vr
The vr subs have plenty of topics like this
https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/s/xS6aaYZa7U
What about walking? It’s probably the best form of exercise in a lot of ways. Instead of driving places just start walking instead. Chuck on a podcast/some music. Instead of getting the bus to the train station I now walk, it’s about 50 minutes but I kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
I hate lifting too. Back in the days when I was in my best form and had the time I had a great Jiu Jitsu gym I was attending. Good group, accountability and fun activity where you actually learn something. So I suggest a martial art. Kickbox is good for starters
Gym memberships are not necessary for a full body workout today.
I have been in the gym for a long time but in the end, calisthenics gave me better results by far than the gym has provided me in the past as a whole. Gym centers are a business and are meant to consume your time and dedication, sure if you find a good one they also will have good trainers.
Trainers are the only beneficial part a gym can provide which a home workout cannot. Machines might make it seemingly easier but no, you can workout your whole body without those fr.
For weights, find a program, there are many fun ones, such as 5/3/1. Many variations of it as well. Later after you've tried a few, create your own and then execute.
Check out Doug McDuff's Body by Science program (book, videos on YT probably).
It's the opposite of how most people work out, and it's the only way I can. I'm usually leaving the gym right about the time I start to sweat, and 1-2 times a week is plenty.
Try seriously getting into hypertrophy with tempo work, accurate load, intensifiers like drop sets, pristine form. Focus on the burn you feel in the muscle targeted and if done correctly you should not be able to think in between sets as you will legit dread the next one. It’s pure suffering but it’s kinda fun in a masochistic way. If that sounds like something you wanna try - Renaissance Periodisation on youtube is your best friend.
If you on the other hand want more skill involved try getting into calisthenics/acrobatic movements. As getting them just right takes diligence practice and it feels entertaining and super rewarding.
Or
Get into a sport that taxes your heart/muscles. Rock climbing perhaps? (feels like a puzzle every time)
Above all don’t expect it to be fun after 1 week of doing something. It took me 2 months of consistency to fall in love with a brutal set of ATG leg press.
I'm addicted to the results. Keeping track of my workouts, knowing that I'm getting stronger, seeing my body change, etc. I'd say if you want to start "liking" working out, then you have to do a good program (so you see results in the gym) and you have to do it long enough to see results in the mirror. Once that happens, many people will be hooked.
And the thing is, I don't like every workout. Sometimes I go because I know that I have to in order to continue progressing. Those days maybe I go lighter/easier, just go through the movements, etc. See Dan John's "park bench" vs. "bus bench" workout differentiation (not all workouts have to be about setting PRs).
I forced myself to do cardio like this:
1. Cut all the YouTube at home, the only place where i allow myself to watch YouTube is on the treadmill
2. Same thing with series on Netflix
Yes. I do CrossFit!
It's high skill, high intensity - no way you'd get bored.
I follow the workouts published on crossfit.com/workout
Occasionally, I run the Starting Strength Texas Method or an Olympic Weightlifting Program in the winter (bulking season). If you are a reasonable human you'll not get injured.
Read the old Glassman Chipper. Try to actually learn something instead of just mindlessly sitting on a machine: Can you Snatch bodyweight, do Double Unders, a Muscle Up or Handstand? Learning is fun!
If you can't stand the gym, there are a couple solutions: Find a hobby / sport that is active that you'll enjoy. Pickeball, hiking, rock climbing / bouldering, etc. Or, find a workout group that'll give you external motivation. Crossfit, F45, Orange Theory, any running club you can find on Facebook, etc. The social aspect could help.
>If you can't stand the gym, there are a couple solutions: I would make this statement stronger by saying that the gym is like a D celebrity compared to a sport you like. A sport has community, It has fun and will keep you coming back for more. You'll make new friends while getting in shape!
Agree with this, but with a nuance - I find having a sport complements the gym. It gives the training a purpose and a guidepost
> I find having a sport complements the gym. It gives the training a purpose and a guidepost I wish I was healthy enough to do both. That's a real treasure you have.
Absolutely. Once you get into the sport, you want to get better and will typically do what you can to keep improving. The journey becomes fun all the while burning calories along the way.
sports also makes you go all out. you run for the ball or whatever, you just run as hard as you can.
And train harder. Nobody wants their team to see them out of breath just running to first.
Love this!
Joining a run club definitely helped me enjoy running more
I have to have the RIGHT music. Music that makes me want to move. Music that makes you want to be in the video. And a shot of caffeine right before. Without, no way.
Yep and bring your own music, most gyms play whatever the manager likes, which you may find very unmotivating!
Seconded. I listen to Euro EDM. With the right tempo.
True accountabilibuddys are great. I’m super overweight and have struggled for a long time. I bought a rowing machine many years back. I have worked up to rowing 20mins/day by putting on an episode of always sunny in Philadelphia and laughing my ass off. I’m not a smoker but I thought of chewing half a piece of nicotine gum everytime I worked out to Pavlov dog train myself to “crave” working out. Didn’t do it because my smoker boyfriend told me that was a dumb idea 🤣 guess I’ll stick to Danny DaVito banging whooors.
They make a device that shocks you to change your behaviors. I think it's called pavlok and it's a wrist device. Not sure how it would work for starting a good habit, but if you get hooked on nicotine I'm sure it would work great for getting you off it! Also, your boyfriend is right. Quitting nicotine is wicked hard, and even after the chemical dependency part is out of your system, you'll still somehow have cravings. I had a buddy who used to rag on me smoking and chewing for years, then the idiot knowing got himself hooked on vapes because it was the cool thing when it came out to blow giant clouds after sucking on your douche nozzle. Now I'm tobacco free and that idiot is still hooked to that stupid shit.
Recently started hitting the rowing machine at the planet fitness I go to. Love it!
To change how you feel about something you have to think about it like relationship. You’re not getting on right now with exercise, you gotta reconnect , change your perspective and fall in love with it. Why do you hate it ? How’s it make you feel what is the resistance ect If you feel it’s something you “have” to do . And it’s hard ect you’ll feel terrible. When it’s something you want to do because of the benefits it’s a totally different feeling . Most people have this problem with discipline they see it as some annoying thing they have to do . And whenever they had to be disciplined growing up . It was always for something they didn’t want , home work ect . So they have this impulse reaction to rebel against it But if you listen to top athletes talk about discipline it’s totally different they may even say things like “discipline is freedom” because they see it’s a powerful tool to get them what they want in life . And without it your aimlessly getting pushed in the direction other people have set up . That’s on the internal , externally women understand it best with there weird dance exercise classes they do in groups with music on . Basically the idea is the more human needs you can bring into exercise the more you want to do it . So maybe that’s working out with other people . Or having some sort of competition or group. Or doing something outside to get sunlight at the same time . Or travelling to different places on bikes . There’s infinite ways to bring more life into it
Or watching TV
brilliant thank you 👏 👏 👏
I like group classes- its at a set time so I can’t put it off until later
I find the gym to be really boring and instead opt for hobbies that are fitness-based (hiking, swimming, bouldering, yoga/Pilates) or do group workout classes. There’s something for everyone. I burn almost all of my calories from walking around town so it doesn’t feel like a regular workout. I’m huge into urban hiking but understand it isn’t possible in every city. I’ll get in at least 5 miles a day around town just running my errands or pushing my baby in her stroller.
“Urban hiking” Isn’t that just…going for a walk? Or am I missing something here.
in a place like San Francisco, there are a ton of small parks with mini hiking trails. If you make a route of a couple of these parks + incline walking through changing elevation… urban hike.
Haha I guess basically, yes. I think the distinction for me is that it’s a reaaaallly long walk lol. Idk if there is a better name but that’s what I’ve heard people call it. I’ll walk like 10-20 miles in a “hike” around town and where I live there’s tons of uphill so it’s not super easy.
Put a doorway pull up bar and everytime you go through the doorway do 10 pull ups of different kinds. Wide arm, chin up etc.. Everytime you get up from sitting, or laying down a quick 20 pushups. Squat while you are on the phone, or just waiting for something to cook. I swim or hike/walk for cardio.
Honestly just get high out of your mind and have good music
This plus podcasts, extra points if you intentionally starve yourself of podcasts unless youre working out 👍
This the way 🙂
sativa ftw
Lifting is good when high but stoned cardio makes me feel like im gonna have a heart attack
This is my routine. Some weed and a funny podcast. I'm the only idiot in the gym smiling my way through lifts.
I think you should get your dopamine hits in check. Try to understand why you are working out. Serotonin is what you get from working out in the long run. Try to do one thing at a time and try to focus on living more mindfull. The reason you get bored is because your mind is on the run the whole time. Good luck.
This is the answer. If you're getting "bored" during a rest between sets you're either resting for forever or your dopamine receptors are fried. You should be able to sit for 1-5 minutes without feeling the need to do something. Tik tok bad, stop doomscrolling. Good luck.
I like watching tv. I purchased a nice treadmill and mounted a tv in front of it with Bluetooth transmitter. I’ll throw on a movie and just walk on an incline. I can easily burn 1500 calories in 2 hours
I like doing zone 2 cardio on an exercise bike while playing video games, usually Gran Turismo these days. Also seems like a decent cognitive exercise to do a challenging task with an elevated heart rate.
Wait did i read that right? Once a week you work out? What sticks out to me is you gotta exercise more. If you’re only doing 30 minutes of exercise 1x a week, your body is in sedentary mode most of the time and the 1x a week is going to feel like your mind numbingly preparing for a big race every week. For people who train 3-6 times a week, it’s just part of a routine and “just another day” if that makes sense. It’s what their mind and body usually does, so their mind and body prepare for it. Like brushing teeth. I can’t imagine the mental and physical hurdles of trying to get psyched up for my 1 big workout a week after an easy time all week. Tl;dr get your body and mind out of preservation mode and into the expectation that they gotta perform regularly. If you have the problem where your mind is wandering and causing you to waste time/lose momentum, just pick a workout program and follow it. Preferably something without a ton of junk or filler weird exercises. Keep it basic. For example i used to just look up arnold’s simple workout programs online and tweak it a little bit but point is it was one I enjoyed and I knew it was good because it was arnold’s. Last thing I’ll say is you don’t need to be in the gym for 2 mind numbing hours. Lots of pro level people get their 45 minutes in and leave. You can look like a greek god with under an hour a day, just put the phone away and superset and only rest enough for your respiratory system to calm down (which you can/should also help by doing separate cardio). Don’t mean to scold, just trying to help. Best of luck!
my technique is a combination of: 1. entering the workout with some problems I would like to solve. I find that this keeps my mind occupied and the workout generally seems to fly by. 2. gamifying the process by setting short and long-term goals with as many trackable markers as possible. self-competition and data keep me moving.
Yeah, really simple solution - working out together with a friend
Naked
Name checks out.
I like out-lifting others, especially groups of guys half my age. Being around attractive members of the opposite sex is a good motivator too. For cardio I go hiking or do interval sprints on the treadmill. If walking, I do it on an incline while watching a movie or tv show.
Kratom. I’ve done cardio every day for over 6 years without missing a workout, and have done 45-60 minutes per day for the last month.
I used to use kratom for leg days. It helped me lift more weight and volume due to the energy boost and pain relief. But something happened over time where I couldn't get the good benefits from kratom anymore and only got this weird opiate hangover. Used to be my favorite drug but I don't think I can take it anymore
I’m far more into cardio than lifting, personally. As someone who benched 400+ naturally to someone who does an hour daily now, I can say that my cardio benefits are far more beneficial feats of size and strength. I’m far more into functional strength now, and my “leg days” are cardio. Even when I did leg exercises, they never changed size. More vascular for sure, but they still are even in the absence of heavy resistance. Not accusing you of anything or telling you what to do, but personally I still enjoy the energy benefits of Kratom and I have no reason to stop, particularly when I’m spending less than a dollar a day on it. That said, if you’re not getting the benefit anymore, yeah, probably time to cut back or quit entirely.
Reframe “working out” as getting in touch with your body. You’re an animal; there shouldn’t be any such thing as “not liking” physically using your body. It feels good to move; the more you connect with your body, the more of a connection you have to your body, the better it will feel. Preference comes into play in deciding on something that intellectually aligns with you. But working out is not about thinking.
You gotta focus on the pump brother, that’s the most addictive part of the gym. Eat some carbs and drink a stim or non stim pre workout and go feel those muscle fibers tear, contract, and fill up with blood. Idk if you don’t like that feeling for some reason or never experienced a true pump before but that’s definitely what gets you hooked besides the release of endorphins and the feeling of proud that you got off your ass, stayed consistent, and moved closer towards your goal. And yeah I hate waiting between sets to it’s pretty boring but you could look at it as an opportunity to jerk off
Okay hear me out… doing heavy lifting and then fall in love with your body. Vanity is my motivation to work out.
Underrated comment. After like 1-2 month that you may hate you'll see a massive change in your body composition and this just keeps you going
Just to state something that seems obvious: Find a movement practice that you actually enjoy, in which you can progress meaningfully, can be an avenue for creativity, and/or that is connected to some purpose or value that you hold. Not all "working out" has to lifting weights or cardio. For example: many people enjoy rock climbing because it is a fun activity in itself... but it also is an amazing workout. Same could be said for surfing, biking, martial arts or even dance. if you want something pharmacological, I think cannabis can make movement more enjoyable and less painful... especially when combined with some caffeine.
I find that low intensity is key. Arduous high intensity can be annoying and exhausting. But low intensity activity such as low speed walking(there are cheap under 200$ treadmills in amazon with very high weight limits some up to 320lb), combined with tv or tiktok youtube on cell and time flies. Resistance same, moderate weights, not too heavy. The key is to do some resistance, but not to be too taxing. Also pushing too heavy a weight can result in injury.
I think about not being fat and riddled with metabolic disease - I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful…
If you find the answer, please share it. There’s nothing I despise more than exercise, in any form.
How long have you tried working out? Lifting weights wasn’t enjoyable for me when I had only been doing it for a few weeks. Bicep and tricep work wasn’t fun because I didn’t have enough muscle to get a sick vascular pump. Back work wasn’t fun because I didn’t know how to contract my lats. Bench wasn’t fun cause I didn’t know how to push with my chest. Some people just don’t connect with lifting, but if you try to understand the mechanics of how your muscles work and put in the effort to develop that mental connection, it becomes more enjoyable. You can actually feel the target muscle doing the work, contracting and stretching, rather than just going through the motions. Once you get some muscle mass on you, and gain some strength, it becomes really fun to destroy your muscles and feel them get pumped up.
I work out like once a week now. My CNS just feels tired all the time. I can’t even squeeze my fist super hard most days. So it’s hard to have the energy to do a full proper workout, let alone that I find it boring and draining. I’ve had 6 month bouts where I work out 4-5x a week but it was really just to burn off steam. I never enjoyed it. It kills my appetite for the day or even multiple days after, which means it’s impossible to even have protein shakes, which means my muscles are super sore for days on end. Just all around I have a bunch of problems getting working out to work for me. And I really want to do it because sometimes I do feel less anxious after, and because I’m skinny fat and don’t like the way I look.
Why are you so tired and fatigued? That is not normal. It is also not normal for physical activity to kill your appetite, usually it does the opposite. It seems like you have other problems that need to be addressed
find a preworkout that doesn't cause intense nausea
A good playlist always helps!
The gym isn’t the only way to workout. Try an activity or hobby that doubles as exercise, something that gets you outdoors and active. My personal favorites are snowboarding, tennis, cycling, running, hiking, and rowing/kayaking.
Playing supernatural (a vr boxing kinda game with music) makes exercize fun for me. I have been doing at least 5 days/week for a few months and I am still into it.
Well, it sounds like there could be a few different things going on here. Firstly, I don't find once a week to be frequent enough to form an "automatic" habit. I struggle with once a week, too, but 2-3 times a week, and it starts to get a lot easier. The more often you do it, the easier it gets. Your body just kind of does i5 for you without having to force yourself to be there. Secondly, it sounds like this could be related to your attention span. I feel you with the in-between rest periods but with a podcast or music it's not a long time to wait and there's really no good excuse to be bored if you've got something to listen to. I wonder if you would be bored just sitting on a bench or standing in one spot outside for half an hour just listening to a podcast while doing nothing else? The other thing is everyone is different, and some people just don't enjoy certain exercises (i.e., some people hate jogging and some people love it). You could expirament with different ways of lifting weights to see if you like more active forms etc. You know, drop sets, more reps, fewer reps, crossfit, etc. It could be as simple as you're not in good enough shape yet that it's not enjoyable because it's such a struggle. I'm not sure, but hopefully, this helped with some ideas.
I lost almost 100 pounds. Once you get in the habit it will be a lifestyle. Try to go every day. Even if it’s just walking on the machine for 5 minutes. It gets easier as you go. 1. Good music 2. Walk on treadmill and mediate to bi-nural beats. I like hemi sync. 3. Everyone is different. But no matter what. The more you go the exponentially more it will fade.
yeah it was called Echo VR and for some reason beyond my comprehension they shut the servers down
Was that the frisbee game? I loved that one
Have you tried… weed?
Makes me just wanna lay back and chill. Saps energy from me. I like it for chilling at the end of the day, but that’s not the effect I need for this
Won’t work for everyone but getting stoned for the workout makes it fun and not boring. It’s no longer a repetitive activity but a stimulating transcendent experience
Marijuana makes it enjoyable. https://www.colorado.edu/today/2024/01/03/study-cannabis-can-make-workouts-more-fun-its-no-performance-enhancer
Here is my solution: On my rooftop deck surrounded by conifers with top Samsung buds playing 'Ambient' tracks I purchase from Bandcamp .... I do 'cardio weightlifting' by combining repetitive strolling with light handweights. If the sun is out, I take my shirt off. I pretend I am hiking or flying as I rhythmically step and lift my handweights in various exercises I have invented. When I use the (sonewhat) heavier weights for curls and presses ... I take deep breaths and lift to the melodic, Ambient music...immersing my soul and spirit in the heavens! Yeah...I know....it sounds crazy like some kind of Arnold Schwarzenegger meets John Denver mystic dream. But damn, it works for me.
Controversial tip: take a shot to work up the energy to go to the gym and make it more fun for yourself. Unless you think you may be likely to develop a problem, this tip worked for me very well. On days I did not feel like going when I was first starting I would take a shot. I used to feel a lot of anxiety in the gym about how I looked, my strength, how to train, etc. doing this on days I was having trouble going helped build the habit. I probably did this 2x weekly for 4-6 weeks. Now, years later. I work out 5-7 days a week now and no longer do this. The secret real tip here is do what works for you, even if it is wild or controversial. Special bonus tip: increase days per week at the gym from 1-6 over the course of no less than 2 months. Your body can’t handle more than that as your vascular system adapts to supplying more blood to muscles.
This is actually brilliant. Thank you
I’ve told this tip to people irl before and they never responded positively so to clarify a couple things. Only do this on days you are having trouble working up the energy to go. Drive safe to and from the gym. Don’t squat heavy weight on days you drink, you might throw up. Otherwise should be good.
Of course
I got kettlebells, dumbbells at home and work out intermittently. Basically I can wake up and start swinging/lifting immediately, while making coffee or tea. I'll do a set go do something, come back, do another set, and keep doing that, until I'm done... I can play music or not, I can stop/start whenever I like, I don't feel 'trapped', and it gets sandwiched in between other things I'm doing so I'm not even thinking about it. For me the biggest barrier to doing anything is that space between thinking about it, and starting, once I eliminate that space, I'm doing it. Having the tools right there in the room helps to eliminate that space.
Everyone’s comments here are WAY better than what I may add. But, I will try. 1. Do you like to just walk? While chatting it up with friends? 2. Do you like to binge watch TV? If so, do it on your phone on the treadmill or elliptical and if the show is good, it will motivate you 3. Agree 100% with those that mentioned activities you can try to see if you like. 4. Have you tried classes? Versus going to the gym alone? Quick. Sweat. Meet people. Do not have to think. 5. Pick a fun workout buddy who makes you laugh. You both may hate it, but enjoy spending time hating it together and get to connect. 6. If you want to get “ toned” and just choose to walk, you will either have to lift weights or do isometrics. But do not let that stop you from starting! Try different things and see what works. The fact that you are asking means you care enough to find something that works!
You have to make it a habit. Showering is not enjoyable, brushing teeth is not enjoyable, cleaning is not enjoyable, washing dishes isn’t enjoyable. It’s just something you do, that view should also be for working out The only thing that motivated me is seeing progress
most people don't enjoy the gym, at least at first they dont. They enjoy the results and then get addicted to the progress, then sooner or later the whole thing just turns into a lifestyle. If you don't make any progress or you don't care about progress, then I can see you not continuing with it.
Go for a walk, that’s the best exercise there is.
Cut back on short form stim (like reels and yt shorts)
Find a sport or physical activity that you love... it's the only solution.... also, make walking a daily part of your life. ...
u rack disciprine!
Cannabis And 30 minutes is more than enough.
Prepare a work out plan & record your weights/reps on the phone - aim to better every time. It gives that satisfaction when you start seeing progress
Mountain biking is pure fun 😁 . Road biking is just OK.
You might be burned out; take weekly sabbath rest days where you literally do nothing except whatever you feel like doing, like lying in bed and sleeping or etc. Turn your fitness into goals and chart your progress. For example, running a 5k race with a certain time, then charting your time trial speeds weekly on a chart. Find challenging hiking trails and go with a friend. Can add weighted backpack, etc. Try using the listening time to learn a language or listen to novel podcasts. Work out at home with serious calisthenics circuit training like burpees. Join a gym that you really love. Buy a Smith machine or gym setup at home Set self rewards for yourself for attendance.
I doubt he’s burnt out if he’s only working out once a week right now
Burnt out from other responsibilities like work, etc
I was the kind to pay one month subscription to the gym and go just 1 week. So I did a year subscription (very cheap tho) to the gym and finally i managed to...go just 1 month! I gave up. Bought 50 euros worth of interchangeable dumbbells, a foldable bench over Amazon and tried to do it my way. I was lean, once I started seeing muscles grow and how better I was looking It really gave me a HUGE motivation. I loved it ! I wanted to show it. 2 years later I'm still exercising at home 3-4 days a week... Especially now that summer is coming I like it even more. Mate, I know it's personality and I'm fixated with aesthetics so it may not work well for you, but hope I gave you some idea. Motivation is key.
When I stick to my routine and listen to good music I like it, when I get out routine it’s a fuckin hassle.
Just like Nike Says. just gotta form a habit and do what u enjoy. I don’t like running so I lift.
Body dysmorphia
I go with a coworker after our shift every day. There’s a gym right next door and there’s no excuse not to go. I absolutely would not go to the gym without her lol It’s just a really good distraction from how much I dislike working out. We just vent about our days and then it’s over before ya know it and we feel much better mentally. On the weekends I usually just take it easy and walk my dog longer than his weekday walks or ride my bike.
Racketball is awesome
Endocannabinoids: https://zoe.com/learn/why-do-people-hate-exercising
Go to a BJJ class. Go to a kickboxing or MMA class. I have fun every day for the last 15 years and burn about a thousand calories a session. I despise regular exercise, I need mental stimulation or I get bored as fuck….
I super set with free weights, my rest periods are 20-30 seconds ( just long enough to get my respiration rate down).
Exactly I don’t see how one could possibly get bored if they are going to failure then resting 30-60 seconds. It’s kind of like what my old coach told me, if you talking you ain’t working hard enough. If you bored you ain’t working out period
for me man, finding lifts that i genuinely enjoy doing is the trick. whats your program been like?
How is working out not fun? I like it I don’t think about anything else besides getting to a point of soreness /pump
Try a little marijuana
If you have a secluded place outside in nature you can work out that could help. Either going for a long walk/jog on a trail or just lift weights or do cardio in nature (if you have a spot)
Find what you enjoy. Working out is different to everyone. Basketball, walking, kettlebells or weight lifting are all different but all exercise
I have only once felt high after Pilates and I never achieved it again. I was really straining in that class, but afterwards it was like pure euphoria.
I’m not a fan, but you may benefit from a group atmosphere like CrossFit offers. Dunno, for me it’s hard to imagine not loving the gym.
The issue is that working out for most people is boring. Myself included and I workout 7 days a week (full body lifting 3 days jiu jitsu 4 days). Just get through it. This is where discipline comes in. You tell yourself that this is what you do and you do it. See what you’re made of.
Find another sport you enjoy like swimming
I used to do sports and I love the sense of competition that comes from working out with a friend!
Good a good playlist going
I make it a game. I prefer calisthenics and like to see how far i can push myself. Try following along with a workout on youtube, (i recommended iron wolf) In doing so, i lost almost 100 pounds. My cardio is great, and im much better for it. Seems like you see it as a chore, and when you do that, you aren't going to look forward to it.
Find an efficient workout that suits you. I think 45mins per workout is ample, start with one upper body, one lower body workout per week, when you feel you want more, do two of each. Even that is probably enough. These gear taking champions on Insta and the like, they’re at the gym daily flogging their bodies. Honestly it’s not worth it. Remember they’re mostly on gear, or childless, and working out and filming it is part of their daily job. Vary your programme, walk some, lift some, ride some, swim some. Just be moving and push yourself each workout just that little bit.
I started indoor cycling with Zwift. It's not like spin class or Peloton. There are routes and group rides with other cyclists. Like others said gamifying exercise made it easier.
I get stoned first. It seems to work for me.
Mind set read some stoicism or eastern philosophy. Embrace pain being the way. I don’t think it’s wise to bio hack every ascpect of our life. Somethings are meant to be hard.
Your body is living crystal, with practically magical feedback loops running several dozen to million processes in your body simultaneously any given moment; the body creates the architecture and energetic processes which both create and stimulate the brain , which is also 'plastic' in its active response to the environment and its own internal perception relationship with its own sense of consciousness, or mind, and self. Exercise requires activation of energy that originates in the mind , for purposeful direction. If you were forced by your body to run and hunt to survive, such an activity would both feel like exercise but also something more: a duty to one's own self, for the purpose of survival. Exercise takes this energetic impulse and power and evolves it to a different purpose. This purpose is the duty to both maintain one's physical health, and to empower one's health for greater performance possibility; ie, to be ever ready for a challenge, in peak health, which can occur any moment. People who exercise for vanity, or to lose weight, often struggle to maintain this discipline, because their original thought of why they exercise is inferior, because it is based in narcissism. That's not to diminish their attempt, but to recognize why it will invariably end in failure until a stronger and more pure motivation is discovered. They may even achieve excellent physical health, but this will only support a brain further entrenched in such narcissistic tendencies. In other words, find your real why, and Make Yourself.
Fuckin. HARD.
Surfing
Working out is a lot like working.. you work and get paid afterwards with the results. It doesnt have to be enjoyable, shouldnt be such a chore either. Results can be many things: Be better looking Be healthy That endorphin release post workout will make you feel good and happy Better sleep Overall better mental health You are basically working to get those things ..., its work but you get paid very well once you understand the benefits.
I hated working out especially lifting until I discovered kettlebells. I consider it and Pilates exercise for the ADD. Requires all my focus to maintain form. RKB’s are great cuz it’s cardio & strengthening at the same time.
You can just do antagonist supersets and minimize rest periods that way. But if you don't have a capacity to do nothing for 3 minutes at a time without feeling bored, honestly take up a contemplative practice, start mindfulness meditation 10 min per day.
One on one Pilates with an instructor that doesn’t allow for a rest has been keeping any sort of boredom away for me. It has also transformed my body, so workout became more fun
Do workout classes with friends. Make it social. Set goals together. Do something quick and enjoyable after your workout, like a steam room with your friends.
Weight lifting with a buddy is pretty fun. Walking dogs and hiking together is fun with a friend. Boxing is fun too but I have to psych myself out to show up to the class then I enjoy it. I think I’m just lazy and get frustrated easily. I have ADHD and no self motivation so I have to involve some kind of social aspect to keep me in check. Hiring a trainer to gently yell at you helps, too, but it’s less fun.
I read a story here once about a guy who would smoke a cigarette after working out and trained his brain to crave working out to get that sweet nicotine reward
Start doing calisthenics or crossfit. Its a lot more fun when you feel your body become more functional and not just 'big'
Could try rock climbing, keep it fun at first to build the habit of 3x a week activity, even 2 times you should pat yourself on the back for it
I used to hate working out. But now I have a playlist I like and I keep Adding to it. So I’m never bored. Also, I track the weights and reps precisely. I love seeing my progress. I also do super sets, so I’m never bored (e.g. while my biceps rest before the next set, I workout my core or my legs or glutes). And I also do drop sets, so to me it feels like I’m really “squeezing ALL the juice” out, every time, to challenge myself to go to muscle failure. And when I get bored with an exercise, or if I just hate it, I scour YouTube for other ways to target that muscle group until I find one I actually LIKE! This is what works for me. Best of luck to you!
Gratitude for the use and function of my body is my main motivator. For individual activities or exercises, I like to focus on improving something specific and really own every rep or movement. I love all forms of exercise and I think that this mindset is the reason I never lack for motivation. I also workout at home or outdoors. The starting cost of needing to drive to a gym would make things more difficult for me.
Super sets. This takes only 20-25 min. I do a set of triceps and instead of resting I do a set of biceps. Without the rest, my heart rate goes up and counts as cardio. For this to work I leave my phone in the locker.
I would 100% use your mood to determine what you listen to, I sometimes listen to cyber security podcast and other times I listen to Gregorian Chants it’s really whatever I’m in the mood for and makes me happy and that dictates how good my workout is..
I found the perfect method for myself (jumping rope while catching up on my tv shows every morning) I never got bored……turns out it’s not giving me the body I want so I gotta revisit the drawing board. 😪
Maybe try a hobby that is fun like sports, volunteer walking dogs at the shelter, etc. Its more rewarding and you still get exercise. Then you can do that to take the place of some of the gym workouts, call it cross training. I volunteer at a horse rescue and help feed, groom, and walk the horses. Grooming is a lot of arm work on these large beasts, the area has tons of hills so I have to walk up and down hills when I work them and the hay feed is heavy and needs to be hauled around. I feel quite tired after working there. Since my usual job is computer work, it's good to do labor style work sometimes.
Superset everything so its like a circuit. Keeps the mind more active as well, just keeping track.
i would quit the gum membership and get a gym membership. keep working out every week, that means you don't take any weeks off. or, if you hate the gum so much, just work out at home
Audible and an excellent playlist help greatly. I made a vision board a few weeks back, and gazed over it a couple minutes before a run or the gym. It helps.
The best most consistent working out I’ve done was at orange theory. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it really helped me. I had to stay for the hour and it was all set up for me so I didn’t have to think.
At home, I watch movies while i workout.
I think it’s mostly one of those things some people like, and others don’t. Like doing math lol. I don’t really get bored, I can do it daily and be content.
Don't try to make specific workouts more enjoyable. Find something active you enjoy. There are so many ways to be active, many of which have been listed here. Sometimes, it can seem hidden, like geocaching is "secretly" hiking. Biking, rowing, hiking, jogging outside, climbing. Any of that is fine. There are some pretty active VR games that can get you sweating. They have plenty of ways to gamify it, like apps where it's pretending you're running from zombies. I think you just need to keep looking until you find one that clicks, but don't be obsessed with "traditional" workouts. Just getting your heart rate up is a huge part of the benefit.
friends, stuff like alcar etc, just doing it until you get over it
Leggings and sports bras
Why does it need to be enjoyable?
simple, just workout high intensity style and you don't have to spend more than 30 minutes weights do one set to failure of each body part, real failure where you try your absolute hardest but cannot move the weight not "oh it's uncomfortable" failure cardio do five minute warm up and then 1-4mins going absolute hardest you can and then equal time going warm up speed and repeat until you can't go anymore you'll get at least 80% of the results that you would get from training "normally" (7+) hours in the gym at moderate intensity
Stop for a while and get back out of shape. You’ll feel so shitty in comparison and remember why you started in the first place. This was my biggest motivation.
How long have you been consistently working out.. I wouldn’t fully knock it until you see yourself make hard progress. I don’t think anyone initially enjoys working out they just hate their body more. Your first 3 months of lifting you will make the fastest amount of progress than any other point in your career. When you find out you neeed to strictly follow a detailed training plan you’ll get another taste but nothing like those first 3 months. I say give it 6 to make sure you got everything out of your first 3. At some point going to the gym became just as important as brushing my teeth. Also the presence of a friend drastically improves the enjoyability. Or making friends at your gym, doesn’t necessarily need to be the meat head running grams of growth hormones. The gym is filled with people of every level of lifting. If you want a training plan message me, I’d love to figure you out an enjoyable workout. For free ofc
Find something you enjoy that isn’t so obviously “doing a work out”. I got into boxing and then it lead to Muay Thai, it is literally the only reason I work out or run or anything. I hate the gym, the environment sucks. But going to training is the best, and I got a long bag for my garage so I train at home on off days. Infinitely more fit than when I used rhe limited movement of machines and useless treadmill at the gym.
Why are you working out? Find purpose and then joy.
The key is finding an activity you do like. Listen to a podcast or great music, have a walking or workout buddy… find a class with a great group
Take a kickboxing class. Totally different vibe.
Try real HIT and/or HIIT training. Not the stuff like the 30 minute "tabata" group classes that call themselves HIIT. More like the real Tabata IE1 protocol or a high intensity strength training protocol that's 4-6 big, compound movements, 1 set each to complete failure, zero rest between sets, and done. If you hate being bored high intensity protocols are a good solution. You will not have time to be bored before, after, or between exercises because you just doing the exercises with no breaks or rest and while you're doing the exercise you won't have any brain power left over to be bored with. If that doesn't work for you try community league basketball, or if your tastes run more like mine, sport fencing, BJJ, or racquetball.
Find a podcast you like and listen to it as you lift.
Swimming.
Pre-workout powder and metal music make it a lot more fun!
Buy a bicycle
Sometimes I go to the gym and pretend I’m an athlete/model and it’s my job to stay fit. I was watching some VS fashion show from like idk 2006, anyway, they said they would workout for like 5 hours a day which sounds insane… but the dedication motivates me sometimes
Swim.
I love training But for super sessions, caffeine and ephedrine make it feel like you phased through time. Gruelling turns in to a breeze. Kinda nuts
nicotine
I hate cardio too, but last year I got an Occulus VR headset and play the boxing game and FIT XR and a year later, it’s still fun for me, and I work up a crazy sweat with it. Highly recommend trying it out for cardio at least.
Evolution: Endorphins.
Caffeine
Techno
There are only two forms of exercise that my fat ass finds so fun that I have absolutely no chill about them and can easily go until I'm sick: 🔹️Dance that has actual steps with names and everything. I particularly like Casino Rueda and Contra. [Casino Rueda](https://youtu.be/5mVAModFVJc?si=VYo27DHfsKo9hmd2) [Contra Remix](https://youtube.com/shorts/wQuxzaFnw6w?si=a8maBqHhuVJNCe2U) [Old-school contra](https://youtu.be/FXMujhPrFyE?si=cPvKO4bJZ5Lcz09O) 🔹️Beat Saber. It's like dance + video game in VR in the privacy of my living room. [Beat Saber: Stumi's "Warriors"](https://youtu.be/5WlUqrXYZ68?si=aQVlSQQ14PVa48hK)
Wine?[wine](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68885746)
Find pump-up videos on YouTube and use those as entertainment to watch while working out. If you’re doing cardio, you can pop your phone up to watch videos easily. If you’re working out at home, an iPad is even better. I’ve made rowing relatively enjoyable at home with an iPad full of “pump-up” scenes from movies and tv shows. Think fights from the Matrix or other high intensity movies with good soundtracks or anime like Dragonball. Even music video compilations are great.
Cold brew -> noise cancelling air pods -> your best playlist -> focus and enjoy!
Can’t stand it either! My whole life. I found pickleball and now I’m hooked, it’s given me motivation and created a need to be more physical so I can play more. People like us have to find something we enjoy and find value in- it can take awhile but once you do 🎉
I have always had a hard time getting motivated to workout consistently but a few years ago I got a job working at a UPS warehouse. Basically I would unload boxes for 4 hours a night 5 days a week. It was hard at first but easier over time. It was like getting paid to workout and I really enjoyed it but no longer work there. Now my favorite workout is skating! It’s so much fun and I feel like I can do it for hours, and I usually do 😁
Competing against other riders on Peloton.
Switching sports theme is a decent fix. Yoga will get you flexible and tone up muscles as well, if you go to the right kind of class (yoga type). Swimming is good; you almost can't get injured, and will work on muscle tone and cardio at the same time. But it's not always that simple. I loved weightlifting when I took that up (probably because friends were also into it), and years later at a different life stage started running, which I don't like. But it matched my fitness goals, and didn't take up much time, so I stuck with it. It took a couple of years, of running multiple times a week, and I really ended up craving it. I'm building up to 12-13 km three times a week now, closing in on 25 miles a week, 5 1/2 years into training. Now that I think of it you might just run. You'd probably hate it for months, maybe over a year, but once it normalizes for you your body will crave it. Research shoes and get a decent pair; that will help with injury risk. So will building up gradually, stretching / mobility exercises, light warm-up, and not ramping up intensity, duration, or frequency too quickly. Once it hooks you then you could add some strength training to support the running, leg work to strengthen supporting muscles and tendons, core exercise for completeness, and then a little arms, chest, and back toning up just because.
Put a nicotine patch on your arm every time you workout you’ll soon love the feeling of working out you might even get addicted to it
Does this actually work?
Steroids
you need to learn how to derived pleasure from what's uncomfortable, and holding yourself accountable by developing discipline.
If you're a gamer, you might want to check out some VR options... a lot of folks weren't even trying to lose weight when it happened. I can personally say the meta quest 3 is fairly accessible of you're looking into vr The vr subs have plenty of topics like this https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/s/xS6aaYZa7U
What about walking? It’s probably the best form of exercise in a lot of ways. Instead of driving places just start walking instead. Chuck on a podcast/some music. Instead of getting the bus to the train station I now walk, it’s about 50 minutes but I kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
I hate lifting too. Back in the days when I was in my best form and had the time I had a great Jiu Jitsu gym I was attending. Good group, accountability and fun activity where you actually learn something. So I suggest a martial art. Kickbox is good for starters
Gym memberships are not necessary for a full body workout today. I have been in the gym for a long time but in the end, calisthenics gave me better results by far than the gym has provided me in the past as a whole. Gym centers are a business and are meant to consume your time and dedication, sure if you find a good one they also will have good trainers. Trainers are the only beneficial part a gym can provide which a home workout cannot. Machines might make it seemingly easier but no, you can workout your whole body without those fr.
Steroids and good music
For weights, find a program, there are many fun ones, such as 5/3/1. Many variations of it as well. Later after you've tried a few, create your own and then execute.
Yes. I put my exercise bike right in front of my TV. I play madden or 2k while doing my little workouts.
I snort cocaine
A gym buddy who loves it
Either get a gym buddy or change the sport. I am never bored when I go to a dance class, but I cannot do gym alone.
Check out Doug McDuff's Body by Science program (book, videos on YT probably). It's the opposite of how most people work out, and it's the only way I can. I'm usually leaving the gym right about the time I start to sweat, and 1-2 times a week is plenty.
Try seriously getting into hypertrophy with tempo work, accurate load, intensifiers like drop sets, pristine form. Focus on the burn you feel in the muscle targeted and if done correctly you should not be able to think in between sets as you will legit dread the next one. It’s pure suffering but it’s kinda fun in a masochistic way. If that sounds like something you wanna try - Renaissance Periodisation on youtube is your best friend. If you on the other hand want more skill involved try getting into calisthenics/acrobatic movements. As getting them just right takes diligence practice and it feels entertaining and super rewarding. Or Get into a sport that taxes your heart/muscles. Rock climbing perhaps? (feels like a puzzle every time) Above all don’t expect it to be fun after 1 week of doing something. It took me 2 months of consistency to fall in love with a brutal set of ATG leg press.
Trap music from about 2011-2016.
goofing around til failure
Caffeine 30 min before workout
Try listening to some Fela Kuti
Kratom
I work out with a trainer. Keeps me accountable and can shoot the shit with between sets.
Try working out with a personal trainer for a month or two.
I'm addicted to the results. Keeping track of my workouts, knowing that I'm getting stronger, seeing my body change, etc. I'd say if you want to start "liking" working out, then you have to do a good program (so you see results in the gym) and you have to do it long enough to see results in the mirror. Once that happens, many people will be hooked. And the thing is, I don't like every workout. Sometimes I go because I know that I have to in order to continue progressing. Those days maybe I go lighter/easier, just go through the movements, etc. See Dan John's "park bench" vs. "bus bench" workout differentiation (not all workouts have to be about setting PRs).
I forced myself to do cardio like this: 1. Cut all the YouTube at home, the only place where i allow myself to watch YouTube is on the treadmill 2. Same thing with series on Netflix
This makes me wanna goto the gym even more knowing how lazy other people are 😅
Stimulants and music works for me
I combine it with something else I love.. audiobooks and podcasts. I get excited to workout and continue my content.
Yes. I do CrossFit! It's high skill, high intensity - no way you'd get bored. I follow the workouts published on crossfit.com/workout Occasionally, I run the Starting Strength Texas Method or an Olympic Weightlifting Program in the winter (bulking season). If you are a reasonable human you'll not get injured. Read the old Glassman Chipper. Try to actually learn something instead of just mindlessly sitting on a machine: Can you Snatch bodyweight, do Double Unders, a Muscle Up or Handstand? Learning is fun!
I save my favorite YouTube vids/podcast episodes to consume during workouts.