Exercise! What do you do? How often? And how the b'jesus do you stay motivated??

Everyone started somewhere - most people haven't always exercised since they were kids. For example, I spent nearly all of my twenties on the sofa with a spliff.

Are you me?!

Seriously though, I totally agree with your post. I was active as a child and teenager and then did absolutely diddly squat in the way of proper exercise for the next 10 years after I left school. I used to look at exercisers and assume they'd been that way all their lives, and that I was therefore not One Of Them. I started exercising about 8 years ago and have found that I am in fact a person who can exercise, and who gets enormous benefit from it.

Sorry lazysuzanne wasn't intending to imply that people were being prescriptive, just giving another pov/ way to tackle it

Shakespeare, really I'm no gym bunny. It's a challenge everyday to keep motivated but the benefits for me out way the effort. The time in the gym when I don't have to think about anything else is my reward!

Find something you enjoy, swimming is a great way to start. It's gentle on your body and you can go at your own pace.

At the end of the day only you can motivate yourself. Good luck!

I am also a reluctant exerciser. Now all the kids are at school and I no longer have a buggy to push I find myself expanding slowly! Over the course of 18 months I have gained a stone. I started going to zumba class with a friend but she didn't like it. I find it really hard to go to classes on my own, pathetic really! I have done Davina work outs at home, used to do high energy 5 twice a week and I looked good (that was when I was walking a lot too).

I am now working in a desk job where people are constantly eating and talking about food, everyone eats at their desks. This is really hard! My hubby is an exercise freak and gets twitchy if he doesn't go to to the gym/kickboxing/run.

I have done the 30 day shred but have never done it properly, only doing 3 sessions a week. I found that I gained definition quickly but I can't seem to lose any weight. I also have bad technique and recently pinched my knee cartilage with bad lunges. So I'm steering clear.

My advice would be to try to rope in a friend, you can keep each other motivated. I've also heard really good things about the Couch to 5k app. I will try this when my knee is better!

Good luck!!

shakespeare, actually I think there's a lot in these replies which might help you, if you take the time to read them and not dismiss them as being from shiny perky people. Everyone started somewhere - most people haven't always exercised since they were kids. For example, I spent nearly all of my twenties on the sofa with a spliff.

People are telling you how they fit in the exercise, and what motivates them to keep going, which is what I thought you asked for?

Angel, totally agree that there is no one right way to do things, we all respond differently to exercise.
I dont think anyone has posted up their routine and suggested that it's what everyone else should aim for?

I actually think that there is a wide variation in the endorphin rush people get from exercise which explains the evangelism of some and not others. For me, hard core exercise NEVER made me feel great, just exhausted - it wasn't until I was diagnosed w benign joint hypermobility syndrome that I understood why.

Now I do exercise that suits my body - so no hardcore cardio (spin/body attack etc) which fatigues me and overworks my adrenalin which doesn't suit me. Instead I accept that my exercise plan has to be more focused on calmer things like Pilates (for strength) and swimming/walking (for cardio). I also dance (ballet and stret dance). i dont do all of theae things every week (except flr pilates where i have the luxury of a teacher coming to my home once a week), I just pick what I feel like, and make sure i do a decent amount of "incidental" exercise (ealking to shops etc) as well. I don't exercise when I am genuinely knackered, but I have got better at distinguishing knackered from laziness - I sort of meditate/visualise for 5mins and see if I am genuinely exhausted or just making excuses

Finally, forget about all this "I do 50m of cardio 5x a week and 3z 1hr weight training a week" sort of thing. Aim for 2x 30-45min sessions a week. If you feel like more then do it, but don't feel guilty if you don't. Breaking that cycle of planning to do loads and then, well, not was crucial for me.

(Obviously none of the above applies if you're morbidly obese etc.!)

I am fitter now than I ever was in my 20's, and lighter. Being threatened with major surgery was the first motivation.
The second one was that once I'd lost weight I did not want to look scrawny
Doing bodypump holding 10kg of weights yesterday, my knees reminded me why I spent so much of my 30's in pain.

Activity breeds activity.
Turn off the telly, turn off the puter and walk round the block.
The longest journey starts wit the first step.

I do yoga and pilates while listening to the radio at home, use gym cardio or a long walk as a chance to listen to podcasts

I agree with wannabe - thats exactly what I did this morning when I didn't feel like it... put my exercise clothes on before I got dressed. I felt so sluggish and tired this week, but one, routine half hours excersing in the gym, plus cycling the school run (20 min there and back) and it gives me the energy I need for the day and the sluggish feeling dimishes. It can be hard, but I also find repeating in my head - 'don't give up' helps too!

If you're struggling with motivation, try this:

Think about how you'll feel in an hour or two if you exercise - energised, happier, more relaxed, virtuous. Then think about how you'll feel if you don't - guilty, fat, lazy, and wound up (those are my feelings, you may feel different!).

Gets me off my arse nine times out of ten.

when you get up, dress in your exercise clothes. If you take them off without having exercised you'll feel really silly and annoyed with yourself. Getting changed in the middle of the day or whenever makes it much harder I find! Especially in a cold house.

If you go out running or do a class, could you find a lke minded person? Or take another mum with baby in buggy to do C25k together (the buggy must be running-suitable obviously!).

Must go for a run myself...

just done L1D3 of 30 day Shred.

I listed at lesdt 10 excuses why it would be better to skip it - still no weights, need proper sportsbra, I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I'm tired, DD's underfoot, need to call my mum, should get shopping done, need to have a shower after.......

it was pathetic. it made me feel weak.

I'm done being and feeling weak. so I got up and did it. no excuses.

I am 5 stones overweight and hate all things gym, but if I can do it so can anyone of you!

think Nike and JUST DO IT! go on!

OP, I struggle a lot, too.

Motivation is lacking not just for sports but also for things like cleaning the house. I have now become evangelical about this for cleaning and it helps me with motivating myself for other unpleasant or easy-to-procrastinate things in my life. It just feels so draining in itself to have that whole monologue about why you can't get out and then feel like a failure because ultimately you didn't go out.

I struggle with motivation too, even though I KNOW I'll feel better after I've done it! I found a blog called "shut up and run", which was very helpful - have a look, while you have your & , you might even be amused enough to do it!

OP - a lot of us were lardy-arsed slackers not so long ago!

Are there people that get the nagging 'can't be arsed' voice but do it anyway? I'm wondering if just by doing it even when you don't feel like it, does it slowly start making it easier?

Yes, absolutely! 'Just do it' - (a) it proves to you that you can and (b) you will almost certainly feel better after you've done it.

So - you've had an overwhelming number of different ideas - pick one that you think will realistically fit into your lifestyle and do it! You can of course try other things as well/instead but the main thing is to get started!

You don't have to like it! Just do it. Say to yourself, I can either sit here an hour and procrastinate, or get up, do it, and be back in an hour.

I do Pilates whilst watching tv, I can't just sit there:) I relax after... Imagine you have an imaginary friend who won't go away, and nags and moans, guards the fridge, encourages you..

Oh God this thread makes me feel more unfit than I do already - which is a lot!!

My motivation for exercise is zero, I never seem to feel fit - just more tired.

I cycle when I can, quite often do a bike ride at the wend with dd. I quite like swimming but the local pool is closed for refurbishment, about two years ago I got some running trainers - they are still in the box
I have got a pilates dvd but again seem to be able to find a lot of excuses not to do it.

Hmm I need an exercise plan!!

I'm like you and lack motivation. The only thing I've found is do something you genuinely enjoy. I'm learning to play tennis and that is fun and interesting enough to keep me going every week. It's also after school drop off on a day my DS is at nursery so it fits in well with my life. I'm actually disappointed if we get cancelled for rain which is not like me with other exercise

Allowing yourself a treat if you complete your week's scheduled exercise can help too. After a few months you could allow yourself a bigger treat. Obviusly finances play a part in this, but it can still be smaller more affordable things.

Someone upthread said something about nice exercise clothes and looking good. That can really help. If you feel good about what you're wearing, you'll want to put your exercise clothes on and use them. Treating yourself to a new piece of kit after x number of weeks exercise can be a good motivator.

Don't know if this is the sort of thing that would appeal to you, but I started running using Running Made Easy:
www.amazon.co.uk/Zest-Running-Made-Easy-Magazine/dp/1843404346/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380788515&sr=8-1&keywords=running+made+easy

It's a run/walk programme and it VERY accessible. I remember the first time I ran for 2 minutes non-stop!!! I felt such a sense of achievement! Knowing that I was achieving things I had never done before really motivated me.

This might seem a bit weird, but it really works for me when I don't want to do exercise. I tell myself that it's OK, I don't have to like it, I don't have to want to do it, I just have to DO it. It kind of frees me from the pressure of having to WANT to do it, ENJOY it and be all enthusiastic about it, and I can just sort of get on with actually doing it. I always feel positive afterwards, so that carries me through and focussing on how good I will feel and what a shame it will be to miss out on that feeling can motivate me too.

That said, I always tell myself that if I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY do not want to exercise then I won't force it. But I have to REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY not want to do it. I set the bar for this quite high and have only ever said sod it, I'm not doing it a couple of times.

When I was working (am SAHP now) I'd go to the gym, or dance class, straight from work. Going home first was the kiss of death and made it so much harder. It's harder when you don't have that kind of routine, but making it a normal part of your day and week can still help.

As for the knackered thing, you'll find that exercising regularly will give you more energy. I also find it helps with mental knackeredness, as it's a way for me to get out of my head and focus on myself and what I am doing in a different way.

Well done you! Go for it!!

this is an odd one : my cleaner can tell if you even lost a pound - I don't know how!

she's actually more of a friend and although she used to come weekly, her first job has gone crazy so she's not been for a while.
she'll come in a few weeks time and I really really want to "impress" her!

The only way I can stay motivated is to book classes at the gym I quite like those and then it's set in stone Go with a friend so you will motivate each other

When I was working, I joined the gym close to work ( 5 mins walk) and could be there in 5 mins, changed and running 30 mins, out, fast shower, hair tied up in a bun, back at work. Not every day! There was also usually a free meeting room I could book for a lunchtime and do yoga. Just lock the door.

Otherwise I always went for a walk lunchtime. With dc its harder, as you get time when they nap, and you either want to rest or race round tidying.

I slung in the shred and did it- exercise bra and trainers at the ready always.

Babysitters can come during the day though, at weekends, - my dh worked weekends- so I used to get someone every weekend for an hour, which meant I was ready to run out of the house and up the hill!