Anyone else never got a mood boost or a high from exercise?

[blacklid]

I do it, I go to the Gym 3 times a week and I do strength training at home and some yoga and I walk most days. I have never in my life gotten a mood boost or hid of endorphins from exercise. I do it to stay fit and to not gain weight and other health benefits but to me the exercise is for the most part a chore I just have to do. I don't enjoy watching sport or playing team sports, I'm not competitive in the least all my hobbies are creative and somewhat sedentary.

Anyone else like this?

@EveningSpread Well I know this because during the initial days of covid I didn't do much at all just the odd walk. I felt less fit and was getting out of puff walking up stairs at times but emotionally and mentally I was fine, perhaps better as I had more time to do the things I actually enjoy.

Exercise is in the same bracket as washing up or laundry for - hate it but needs to be done. I've tried so many different forms of exercise and after 10 years I still hate it all.

@LavenderBlue19 I think there could be some truth in that.

@LavenderBlue19 I’m not at all competitive, I hate competition, but absolutely get the endorphins/high.

I do but I need to feel the pain of 90% max heart rate to get it. Otherwise nothing. But I get properly euphoric it’s lovely. Very much like being high on drugs (I imagine!) I’m chatty and calm and feel wonderful and happy. I’m so grateful I get it I didn’t realise it was down to genes.

I've often wondered this too, done all sorts of sports and exercise over the years and never felt a 'high'. I also don't feel anything from caffeine (though I do like coffee) and I've smoked a few cigs but never really felt anything but dizzy from them either

I do wonder do some people just react to stimulants more than others, exercise being one of them

Do you enjoy sports at all, watching or playing?

Interesting, I'm very sensitive to stimulants of any kind and so tend to avoid them.

Me neither, the only thing I get it from is the chinese massage my acupuncture lady does. It's like a deep sports massage. I think I need actual pain to get it!

I don't get the endorphin rush thing during exercise, but I do feel much better, happier and more relaxed afterwards. That only happens with cardio though - after resistance training/weights I feel depleted and low.

No

I get a mood boost from watching Elsbeth with a can of coke zero and some sour patch kids 🥰

Me. Nice to know I am not alone. Interesting if it's a genetic thing.

I only feel like this after a cycle.
I think because that feeling is still the same as it was as a kid. Especially if I take my feet off the pedals going through a puddle.

Depends what I do. If I go to the gym and lift weights on my own, I get no feel good factor at all.

If I go to a class - spinning, body pump, grit strength, body combat etc, I feel a huge rush of endorphins and my husband says I’m annoying afterwards 😂

It’s probably not endorphins BTW. They can’t jump the brain-blood barrier.

Probably dopamine, endocannabinoids and leptin.

Never from going to the gym. Never from a walk from my home. But practising martial arts to cinematic music? I feel amazing. The music alone does it for me, but add kicking, punching, bo staff, and I could do it all day. Same with hiking in windy weather, in remote places or by water.

I now know music and combat sports are my ways to relieve stress. In fact, if I miss it, I become low.

I do when I enjoy what I'm doing. I wouldn't get it from an hour in the gym or an exercise class because I'd be there for the exercise rather than the pleasure of whatever it is I'm doing.

I think intense cardio is best bet for this. Try a spin class? If you jog and then run fast for a short time I always feel brilliant

No not really. I used to watch Wimbledon years ago, but that’s about it.

I wonder if it’s more to do with finding a form of exercise that you enjoy? I don’t get the high from running, walking, any other exercise use other than weight training.

I don't think so I've tried a lot of different things, different focuses, different paces and non of it is fun for me. I think the idea that it must be genetic makes the most sense really. I think those who do get a boost from it are lucky it must be nice and motivating.

I don't enjoy it but I was actually very good at Hockey, Netball, Sprinting and Hurdles at School. I was even hurdles champion, Meh I'd rather have been reading a book or playing piano!

Not in my case. There are several forms of exercise I enjoy, sadly not the ones that you can do on a daily basis. Skiing, hiking in the mountains, rock climbing. But I never, ever get the exercise high, even doing those things, that dh gets from just doing a normal training session at home.

Wish I did. I have to keep going on sheer discipline.

I think it must be genetic. I’m competitive (though supremely uninterested in all forms of sport, playing or watching) and a coffee addict. Like the OP I’ve tried lots of kinds of exercise and the best that can be said is that I hate some less than others. I exercise intermittently as I work very long hours and sometimes the discipline just isn’t there!

I came on to say that for me, the more I push myself, the bigger the endorphins. E.g. I run a fast 5k run and feel great and when I got a PB of 90kg (deadlifts) I was on a high all evening 👊

However @TeenLifeMum has debunked that theory as she didn't even get endorphins after a marathon 😯 So maybe it's just one of those things.