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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To have to admit defeat - I hate, hate, hate exercise. Can I change?

37 replies

Naturalbornsloth · 30/04/2017 14:57

I love the idea of exercise. I crave feeling strong and having energy and my body feeling fit and healthy.

However, I'm just so unbelievably shit at any form of exercise. I get so demoralized in classes because everyone else can handle it and even if they're struggling they can do it. I can't. Today I bounced into my yoga class full of enthusiasm, and then after 20 minutes I was feeling like shit. My wrists hurt. My head felt like it was exploding, too full of blood. I then got shaky and nauseated, and finished by having a diabetic hypo and had to guzzle sickly sugary fizzy drink to get back to normal in order to travel home.

I really want to be reasonable at exercise. I've attached so much shame to it - it's just another fucking example of how my body isn't good enough and doesn't work right. But paradoxically, if I could get fitter and stronger I'd feel so much better about my body, by feeling healthier and tougher.

I've noticed I feel happier about exercise when totally alone and not comparing how massively shit I am to everyone else, but I really want to become good at yoga and could never afford private lessons.

Can anyone relate to this? What do you do?

OP posts:

Batgirlspants · 30/04/2017 15:02

Yes totally. It's exercising with other people that I hate so I brought a bike and go off by myself. That's bliss. Can't do classes.

Batgirlspants · 30/04/2017 15:02

Bet there's yoga DVDs you can get?

ParmaViolets17 · 30/04/2017 15:04

I'm exactly the same as you, OP. Tried joining a few classes to make friends and ended up feeling so useless and demoralised I went home in tears.

Thinking of getting some yoga / Pilates DVDs - have you tried that?

Dozer · 30/04/2017 15:05

There's another thread with an OP who hates exercise: lots of great suggestions on it. That OP wasn't persuaded, but you might find something suitable!

allegretto · 30/04/2017 15:06

I do yoga at home. I always feel awful in classes too. Maybe if I get better and don't feel like throwing up in downward dog I will go back to classes.

SmileEachDay · 30/04/2017 15:06

I hate group exercise.

I love running, on my own. I was shit at it. Then I was shit at it some more. Now I'm slightly less shit. I love the feeling after when I've made my body work.

Oysterbabe · 30/04/2017 15:07

Cycling, walking, running.
I'm a fan of exercising alone too :)

Oysterbabe · 30/04/2017 15:08

Also might get on with HIIT. The Body Coach has 20 minute vids on YouTube you can follow. 20 minutes every other day, job done.

Itscurtainsforyou · 30/04/2017 15:08

I'm similar op - dozed, please could you post a link to that thread?

Op - I've signed up to the British heart foundation marathon in a month - in the hope that it'll motivate me to get out and walk/run enough to cover the 26 miles. I'm going for a walk/jog to the park later today. I dont generally do running but need to do something

Original poster

Naturalbornsloth · 30/04/2017 15:09

I will look for the other thread!

Glad it's not just me.

Although, I do wonder how much of this is about the actual act of exercise itself, and how much is about my own lack of self esteem. Or perhaps confidence, because I've never ever ever been good at this. Right from when I was a tiny child - always the slowest, shittest kid in any sporting activity.

I think people always thought I wasn't trying - but I feel like I'm trying, and then people react as if I'm not and that I'm just being a twat. Then I wonder if really I'm not trying at all and just being a precious snowflake about it all?

OP posts:

ecuse · 30/04/2017 15:10

there's some online yoga thing my friends have mentioned (but I cant remember the name, sorry) where you can do live classes with a real instructor you can see and talk to but you cant see the others in the class. If you want feedback and help from instructor, you can turn on your camera, if not you can leave it off so nobody at all can see you. And you can do pre-recorsded classes too, I think. This might be a cheaper way of having something that feels like a private class?

But I cant remember the name, so hopefully someone else will come along who knows what Im talking about!

Jengnr · 30/04/2017 15:11

I hate exercise too. I joined Parkrun because I need to do something. It's 45ish mins of pure torture but at least then it's done.

I really don't understand those oddballs who run for pleasure.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 30/04/2017 15:11

I hate when exercise classes but don't mind exercising solo. I'm really uncoordinated so anything dance based or yoga is out. I actually like weights, I can get into my own zone and challenge myself.

Original poster

Naturalbornsloth · 30/04/2017 15:12

Thanks for replies, all! I'm repeating myself but I'm so glad it's not just me!

Feeling sick in yoga class struck me as particularly horrifying. Because it's meant to be so wholesome and promote well being, and I truly felt like I was attempting to kill myself in a very peculiar fashion by pumping too much blood to my head.

OP posts:

devondream · 30/04/2017 15:12

Went to a class in 1997 ... never again !!!!!

Now I walk and slowly attempt the couch to 5k alone. Exercising alone is fab! You are always the best and top of the class!!!!

So much less demoralizing

Sometimes in my wildest day dreams I am 20kg lighter and marathon fit and return to a class just to show I can do it! But highly doubt that will ever happen 😭😭

SmileEachDay · 30/04/2017 15:12

0-10k is brilliant OP - I did as I was told on the app and I can now run 10k. I couldn't run 1k before. or even for the bus

Itscurtainsforyou · 30/04/2017 15:13

I was always shit at sport op, it made school life very difficult. I think one of the most important things you can do is encourage your child to find a sport they enjoy, because I never did!

May50 · 30/04/2017 15:16

I walk on a treadmill at home in front of TV twice a week. And have a couple of yoga DVDs that I try and do a couple of times a week. I want to be fit and lithe, but am the opposite at the mo , but working slowly . So stiff at the moment I'm hoping yoga will ease it. I hate classes with other people so much prefer doing it alone at home!

liberatethebunnies · 30/04/2017 15:18

Same boat here- worst in PE, always been physically weak and out of shape. Hiking is the only form of exercise I've ever loved but it's hard to carve out the time to do it regularly. Everything else I've had to grit my teeth and just power through. I haven't tried yoga but found pilates really really hard. I dream of being fit and feeling it rather than inhabiting this alien-feeling shape.

I think part of the struggle is that progress can take a long time to show up and it's easy to feel stunted and trapped when I'm stuck in the whole cycle of trying to exercise more, feeling depressed, stopping for a while, beating myself up and then getting back into it again. Bloody brain.

mistermagpie · 30/04/2017 15:18

God classes are the worst. The only thing I have ever stuck at is running, on my own, headphones in. I hate group exercise or team sports of any description.

Solo running, swimming or cycling are a different thing entirely. You can go at your own pace (very slowly if your starting out), don't need any coordination, can go at a time that suits you and don't need to worry about fitting in with anybody else. Seriously, try something like that, couch to 5k is ideal if it's running, and you might have a totally different experience.

Physically it will still feel tough if you're just beginning to exercise obviously, but take it slow and you will be surprised how quickly it gets easier. Don't give up, there is a 'sport' for you, it's just about finding what it is.

OdinsLoveChild · 30/04/2017 15:19

Someone I know does yoga from youtube. She hated going to groups and found a whole programme of yoga on youtube. She likes it because she does it when she wants and if she feels she was crap she just repeats the same one again.

I however am struggling to even bother to consider exercise at the moment. I hate it with a passion. I do need to do something at some point though as I'm getting a bit wibbly.

mistermagpie · 30/04/2017 15:21

Oh and yoga is awful (in my opinion!), really - try lots of other things too, there will be something you love. I was the overweight 'games' avoider at school and now I love running. I'm slow and it's still hard work, but I love it anyway.

FeedTheSharkAndItWillBite · 30/04/2017 15:31

I don't like yoga. I did pregnancy yoga when pregnant with DC1. Not my thing...

But youtube does sound like a good idea.
Or what about simply walking? Biking? Walking about half an hour a day is already a big improvement for somebody that didn't do that before....

Or what about dancing? You could start with a gentle dance. Or what about group dancing? I used to be part of a really fun ceilidh group (just for fun) that met once a week.There were people of various exercise levels...

haveacupoftea · 30/04/2017 15:32

I fucking hate yoga even on DVD. All that breathing in and out makes me dizzy. Is there anything you don't hate? I can handle swimming, it's the form of exercise I hate the least.

haveacupoftea · 30/04/2017 15:32

Lots of hate in my last post

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