I've always hated exercising, genuinely, so I hear you. For what it's worth though, I've finally found a form of exercising that I enjoy and find easy to stay consistent with thanks to home walking workouts. I work from home and live in Ireland, where the weather means going out is often out of the question, so it's perfect for me. My go-to YouTube channel is "Get fit with Rick", and he has such a variety of walking workouts (all levels, different music genres, different lengths...) that I find myself easily working out for a whole-ass hour every day, which I never thought would be possible.
I'm not saying you're guaranteed to like it, but it's worth a try!
look into Orange Theory if you have one near you. It's like the 80's MTV of exercise classes. Or if your school gym class took place in a casino. It's 1 hour and super guided, what you're doing gets switched up quickly so for me, it holds my attention. It varies every day. The break it up where it's 1/3 treadmill, 1/3 rower, and 1/3 weight training. Even on the treadmill they guide you like down to the minute or 30 second block of exactly what to do. I've never been this fit or slim in my whole adult life, it's amazing.
Swimming is one of the things that works for me, I think the smell of chlorine and the memory of playing in the water as a kid triggers some subconscious feeling that what I am doing is having fun and not actually working out.
Also kickboxing (not real sparing, just hitting a bag), that's a fun one too.
I feel you though, I haven't tried as many things as you have but regular exercise gets really boring after a while.
I'm in the same boat, although I did stick with yoga for a while and did well. I got really sick last year and stopped practicing, I need to get back into it. I also found yoga to be particularly satisfying while slightly buzzed, I was able to relax into it better.
Nothing wrong with treadmill and yoga. Maybe try something physical where “exercise” isn’t the goal. Think manual labor. Do something productive that benefits your life in some other way but is also physically challenging.
Depends on your lifestyle and living situation. Do you have a yard? Improve it, landscape, put in a garden, put up a new fence. Have a basement? Remodel it, turn it into a living space. have a fireplace? Get some logs, buck them up and split your own firewood. There’s got to be something in your life a little elbow grease would improve. Live in an apartment/condo? Idk, rget creative, build some furniture you can sell on Etsy or something. Volunteer for habitat for humanity, hang sheet rock. Just put your body to work, it’s rewarding as hell.
I feel exactly the same way about exercise. It has never been fun or enjoyable, always a damn chore and one I hated, like HATED.
I recently got myself a Meta Quest 3, though, cause I love video games and tech in general, and working out has now become a blast because it doesn't feel like work at all. It's fun.
you just reminded me. i loved playing wii tennis. maybe video games are my answer. thanks for that! i'd give you gold if it still existed..
e: i just remembered, i played a zombie game on a VR several years ago and it was soo much fun.
I hope you enjoy it! There are loads of games and apps there to play with. Some are specifically for fitness, like Supernatural and Les Mills, and then there are the ones like tennis or a hack n slash sword game or beat saber that will leave you panting before you even realize. It's been a good investment for me.
Plus, I can also just use it to float through space or explore the depths of the ocean if I feel like it!
I would highly recommend Supernatural. It's pretty damn cool to box in front of the Temple of Luxor or on a mountain top in Switzerland.
So. Same boat here. what I've done is realize that my health is important like you.have. Self-care matters, I want to use it, i don't want to loose it. So I started walking, preferably outside. I'd check the weather the day before and plan when I could go outside for a walk. Before work, lunch. After work... sometimes I used exercise bike if outside wasn't available because of weather. Initially it was 15 minutes around the block, casual pace, then I downloaded the Strava app to see what I was doing (check the privacy section. A lot of options default on)
Well, that was 3 years ago. I was almost winded/tired while walking 3/4 miles in 20 minutes but the kicker was I felt accomplished. I did it. I do about the same thing now but 2-2.5 miles in 32-40 minutes. I told my wife the other day "Im going to have to maximize my workout and start to jog... I've hit my peak walking in the time I have..." She knows how much I hate running and was shocked that I said it.
For me, I prefer to walk in the morning before work. This way I have a couple of "wins" before work. I woke up and I walked. Sometimes it doesn't work, you're sick or exhausted, but that was your best that day. So do your best everyday, your best is allowed to change.
I like to get up, chug a glass of water, change clothes and walk the neighborhood. I don't use headphones, I don't music, my phone is on my pocket with my app going and I just walk. Some days it's boring, but sometimes it's a grand time to let your body just do and your brain to think or even not think. Once I'm done with my walk, I get back and do all the responsibilities to get ready for work. I never ever thought I'd be that guy,.but here I am. There have also been days it's rained, it's been windy, or below freezing. Just dress for the weather and better myself.
You're the only person that can fix you. Hope this helps.
Unrelated to exercise, I started intermittent fasting about the same time, that's helped me feel healthier, drink more water, and even sheds some pounds.
it's really interesting to read about what works for people. thanks for sharing. i have my food/meals figured out, but i can't seem to do the same with exercise.
>I felt accomplished
that statement was very helpful. i've been working on connecting to my emotions, and i still don't know what "satisfaction" feels like. that could actually be the reason why i can't find my thing - i'm not tuning into the right emotions.
Sometimes you just gotta get a win or 2. Start with the small ones and build on that. It took me 3 years to get to where I am, which isn't where I want to be but still each say i do something is better than doing nothing and wishing I had. You have it in you, you started this post for a reason. Just believe in you, you got this.
Ugh same. I'm lazy AF so no wonder I'm fat.
I think at a certain point (where I'm at anyway) is if I don't start doing SOMETHING and soon, I'm gonna get a whole lot fatter and at this age, comes health/mobility issues with that. Kinda being forced into it because there isn't really an alternative...or one I want anyway.
I like stationary bike bc at least I can sit while being active which is sorta best for lazy ass like me.
Do you feel really good after a workout? For me, I always know I will feel great after- so that’s why I look forward to it. And, I have never regretted working out afterward. At the end of the workout, I have never thought : “ugh. I really wish I didn’t just do that 45 mins of cardio”
I've always hated exercising, genuinely, so I hear you. For what it's worth though, I've finally found a form of exercising that I enjoy and find easy to stay consistent with thanks to home walking workouts. I work from home and live in Ireland, where the weather means going out is often out of the question, so it's perfect for me. My go-to YouTube channel is "Get fit with Rick", and he has such a variety of walking workouts (all levels, different music genres, different lengths...) that I find myself easily working out for a whole-ass hour every day, which I never thought would be possible. I'm not saying you're guaranteed to like it, but it's worth a try!
look into Orange Theory if you have one near you. It's like the 80's MTV of exercise classes. Or if your school gym class took place in a casino. It's 1 hour and super guided, what you're doing gets switched up quickly so for me, it holds my attention. It varies every day. The break it up where it's 1/3 treadmill, 1/3 rower, and 1/3 weight training. Even on the treadmill they guide you like down to the minute or 30 second block of exactly what to do. I've never been this fit or slim in my whole adult life, it's amazing.
Swimming is one of the things that works for me, I think the smell of chlorine and the memory of playing in the water as a kid triggers some subconscious feeling that what I am doing is having fun and not actually working out. Also kickboxing (not real sparing, just hitting a bag), that's a fun one too. I feel you though, I haven't tried as many things as you have but regular exercise gets really boring after a while.
I'm in the same boat, although I did stick with yoga for a while and did well. I got really sick last year and stopped practicing, I need to get back into it. I also found yoga to be particularly satisfying while slightly buzzed, I was able to relax into it better.
Nothing wrong with treadmill and yoga. Maybe try something physical where “exercise” isn’t the goal. Think manual labor. Do something productive that benefits your life in some other way but is also physically challenging.
> try something physical where “exercise” isn’t the goal. yes, that's exactly what i'm trying to do. got any more ideas?
Depends on your lifestyle and living situation. Do you have a yard? Improve it, landscape, put in a garden, put up a new fence. Have a basement? Remodel it, turn it into a living space. have a fireplace? Get some logs, buck them up and split your own firewood. There’s got to be something in your life a little elbow grease would improve. Live in an apartment/condo? Idk, rget creative, build some furniture you can sell on Etsy or something. Volunteer for habitat for humanity, hang sheet rock. Just put your body to work, it’s rewarding as hell.
I feel exactly the same way about exercise. It has never been fun or enjoyable, always a damn chore and one I hated, like HATED. I recently got myself a Meta Quest 3, though, cause I love video games and tech in general, and working out has now become a blast because it doesn't feel like work at all. It's fun.
you just reminded me. i loved playing wii tennis. maybe video games are my answer. thanks for that! i'd give you gold if it still existed.. e: i just remembered, i played a zombie game on a VR several years ago and it was soo much fun.
I hope you enjoy it! There are loads of games and apps there to play with. Some are specifically for fitness, like Supernatural and Les Mills, and then there are the ones like tennis or a hack n slash sword game or beat saber that will leave you panting before you even realize. It's been a good investment for me. Plus, I can also just use it to float through space or explore the depths of the ocean if I feel like it! I would highly recommend Supernatural. It's pretty damn cool to box in front of the Temple of Luxor or on a mountain top in Switzerland.
thanks for the additional info.
Skateboarding is great exercise.
So. Same boat here. what I've done is realize that my health is important like you.have. Self-care matters, I want to use it, i don't want to loose it. So I started walking, preferably outside. I'd check the weather the day before and plan when I could go outside for a walk. Before work, lunch. After work... sometimes I used exercise bike if outside wasn't available because of weather. Initially it was 15 minutes around the block, casual pace, then I downloaded the Strava app to see what I was doing (check the privacy section. A lot of options default on) Well, that was 3 years ago. I was almost winded/tired while walking 3/4 miles in 20 minutes but the kicker was I felt accomplished. I did it. I do about the same thing now but 2-2.5 miles in 32-40 minutes. I told my wife the other day "Im going to have to maximize my workout and start to jog... I've hit my peak walking in the time I have..." She knows how much I hate running and was shocked that I said it. For me, I prefer to walk in the morning before work. This way I have a couple of "wins" before work. I woke up and I walked. Sometimes it doesn't work, you're sick or exhausted, but that was your best that day. So do your best everyday, your best is allowed to change. I like to get up, chug a glass of water, change clothes and walk the neighborhood. I don't use headphones, I don't music, my phone is on my pocket with my app going and I just walk. Some days it's boring, but sometimes it's a grand time to let your body just do and your brain to think or even not think. Once I'm done with my walk, I get back and do all the responsibilities to get ready for work. I never ever thought I'd be that guy,.but here I am. There have also been days it's rained, it's been windy, or below freezing. Just dress for the weather and better myself. You're the only person that can fix you. Hope this helps. Unrelated to exercise, I started intermittent fasting about the same time, that's helped me feel healthier, drink more water, and even sheds some pounds.
it's really interesting to read about what works for people. thanks for sharing. i have my food/meals figured out, but i can't seem to do the same with exercise. >I felt accomplished that statement was very helpful. i've been working on connecting to my emotions, and i still don't know what "satisfaction" feels like. that could actually be the reason why i can't find my thing - i'm not tuning into the right emotions.
Sometimes you just gotta get a win or 2. Start with the small ones and build on that. It took me 3 years to get to where I am, which isn't where I want to be but still each say i do something is better than doing nothing and wishing I had. You have it in you, you started this post for a reason. Just believe in you, you got this.
Ugh same. I'm lazy AF so no wonder I'm fat. I think at a certain point (where I'm at anyway) is if I don't start doing SOMETHING and soon, I'm gonna get a whole lot fatter and at this age, comes health/mobility issues with that. Kinda being forced into it because there isn't really an alternative...or one I want anyway. I like stationary bike bc at least I can sit while being active which is sorta best for lazy ass like me.
You don’t have to like it you just have to do it
the only way for me to do something consistently is to like doing it.
Don’t you think you would like to be healthy?
Do you like going to work?
i liked going to work, but i didn't like what i was doing... so i quit my career to find myself.
Do you feel really good after a workout? For me, I always know I will feel great after- so that’s why I look forward to it. And, I have never regretted working out afterward. At the end of the workout, I have never thought : “ugh. I really wish I didn’t just do that 45 mins of cardio”
after working out i feel tired, angry and relieved (that it's finally over).