... to ask how you learned to like exercise

[lookatallthosechickens]

Or at least not hate it with a fiery passion?

Today I was out walking and found myself picking my way down a medium-steep rocky path like a little old lady - I felt totally off balance and scared of hurting myself. It's like I've lost all my youthful agility - and I'm only 42!

I don't care about exercise to look better - I'm fine with my weight and figure. I just don't want to end up like my mother, needing a stick to walk anywhere and with all sorts of malfunctioning joints and tendons keeping me indoors by the age of 65.

My main blockers are a very low tolerance for pain (like normal exercise pain from lactic acid in your muscles), a mild sense of panic when I feel short of breath from exertion, and it's just so BORING.

So how did you make yourself like exercise enough to actually go out and do it? Any ideas for exercise (especially anything that isn't running, weights, or swimming)? I currently walk about 30 mins to an hour a day so it needs to be more intense than that to improve my endurance and agility.

I like classes (especially HIIT circuits). They make you feel great afterwards. I think the secret is to start gently and go regularly

I like combat, attack, pump. There are youtube videos plus one of my instructors is doing pump and attack over zoom and fb so there's a bit of interaction

I’m a bit like you but got the bug for cycling. Absolutely love the freedom of it. Maybe you’ll be the same As pp’s say, it’s finding something you not find a chore. The additional benefit of cycling is that it can fit into your lifestyle and is cheap. Good luck.

I think when you are unfit it is hard to enjoy exercise, which really is an unfortunate double bind.

My experience is that you just have to persevere through the stage of unfitness where everything is hard and trust that you will build strength and fitness as you carry on. Apps help with this because you can measue your marginal gains - e.g. you walked that mile faster this week than you did last week, you walked 20km in week 1 and now you are walking 35km....that sort of thing helps you see you are making progress even though it doesn't feel like it sometimes.

Only when you are fit and strong is exercise enjoyable IME

Try some slightly more out there forms of exercise: archery, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, tap dancing, belly dancing, horse riding, pole dancing, aerial hoop or yoga, badminton, etc.

Running, cycling and swimming are great if you enjoy them, but if not, there are so many alternative sports to try now, and it's a case of finding what you enjoy and what will keep you going back.

I do it with others. Exercising on my own is boring and I give up too easily or find a silly excuse not to start. If I join a class then I have to keep going.
And I live in the North, where everyone talks to everyone so I can do a gym class and we can have a bit of banter with the instructor, and make self-deprecating jokes.

I also joined a running club and enjoyed feeling part of the community - the encouragement really helped, and the pride I feel when I complete a race gives me real endorphins buzz. I'm not a fast runner, I'll never win any prizes, but every race I enter gains points for my club and I like feeling that I've contributed to our successes in local leagues. Runners are a friendly bunch, and no runner gets left behind. And there's often cake at the end of races!

Also, I love buying new gym gear and trainers. I know that's shallow, but that makes me happy too

Music is a great help. Play music you love while you exercise.

I hate it, always will. Because of my rheumatoid arthritis and damaged joints I can only do pilates and swimming. A lot of it is honestly just doing it first thing so it is out of the way. My pilates is just ten minutes each morning so I can manage that. Haven't been able to swim though as I am shielding

Try something different e.g. building running or riding into your commute so it’s less about exercise, could also consider goodgym.org which is another different flavour of motivation.

I picked stuff I liked, eventually! Yoga is good for balance, strength and agility, especially a class (or zoom class) bc I feel like I'd be judged for missing a week. I also enjoy trying to follow dance videos, especially popsugar workouts and move with colour masterclasses (haven't shelled out for the proper course). Both of those work for me bc you're not thinking about the need to exercise so much, you're either focusing on breathing and meditation, or having fun dancing to cheesy pop music

I jog because it's easy and quick. I decide to go and within ten mins I'm off and on my way with no equipment or prep needed and it's free.

However during lockdown me and the kids started with Joe wicks and it just wasn't for us so we moved on and we all started really.e enjoying two things

1. dancing. We did "just dance" at home during lockdown but obviously the options are endless. There are plenty of classes you could join. If you go on you tube there are just dance videos for so many songs. You can create a playlist that lasts half an hour and perfect the routines over time.

2. cycling. The beauty of cycling is that you can go anywhere so much more quickly than waling or running. I use it to explore my village and nearby villages. I go all over, in residential streets and down little snickets. The feeling of soaring down a hill.is amazing and the pride you feel when you make it to the top of a hill is also pretty good.

I think exercise is more fun when you have a goal that you then achieve because you get the pride and the feeling of triumph which lasts at least the rest of the day. So whatever you do set yourself targets and make them slightly more tricky as time goes on.

You might find a gym more to your liking due to you being entirely in control. You need to improve core strength, leg/foot strength, stabilise joints and proprioception. Machines are a safe and less gasp inducing activity. You might like Reformer Pilates, too.

Once you've felt improvement from that, you may feel more able to do weight bearing and aerobic exercise.

Joe

I HATE exercise. I do housework and gardening in a vigorous manner and that provides a reasonable amount of exercise. The other thing I do is ride an exercise bike in the spare room - I can force myself to do that for 20 mins, it’s easily accessible and can be done at any time.

I use to do Zumba and body pump classes at the gym. I can self-motivate to exercise I need someone to tell me what to do, and music. Now I am doing couch to 5k which is surprisingly ok - you just walk when they say walk and run when they say run, and make sure you have a good playlist. Also strength exercises with fitness bands, there are plenty of guides online, you can just do 10 mins a day. And when you feel ok to go to a class or instructor, Pilates is a must for strength and balance.

Have a look at Team Body Project on YouTube. I loathe exercise and am very fat, but Daniel the PT on there has great EQ and it's reassuring that he does low impact due to buggered knees. Plus he sweats buckets which makes me feel better about being a total puddle. Did 5 weeks at 3 times a week and now upping to 6. I swear at him alot but it gets me through.

I did couch to 5k two years ago and now I run a couple of miles every morning. Found a route I love and listen to a podcast. It’s my me time.

Find an exercise you enjoy. I've tried all sorts but stuck with weight training. I got a PT before my brother's wedding and she introduced me to it. I'm very competitive and became addicted to lifting heavier and heavier, outdoing what I'd done before. I love the challenge and it's easy to measure progress. Biggest benefit is how much I can eat as a result of weight training. I need to eat more to stop losing weight so if ever there was a reason to keep it going that's it....

I'm fairly new to exercise and felt like you at the beginning. It was actually a thread on here by someone about how much they love exercise that motivated me to get started.

I'd already started yoga just before lockdown and luckily my teacher converted to online classes so I've been able to keep that up and actually increased from 1 class a week to 3 now (and I'm absolutely loving it).
I've also recently started a beginners outdoor low impact exercise class and I've invested in an exercise bike at home.

I now try and do something exercise related every day, I'm beginning to discover YouTube videos like popsugar and I've got a Fitbit. I can feel myself actually starting to enjoy exercise which I never thought would happen! I've also surprised myself as despite being an introvert I'm really enjoying the group sessions and need the motivation they give me.

A few things that helped me:

• having a reason, beyond getting fit. For me it is my kids - being healthy for them and setting an example for them. Thinking about that is enough to make me fired up to be the best version of myself!
• not thinking about it as exercise (I.e. a task to do) but training (a skill to develop). Then picking something you want to get better at. I’ve picked strength training. Screw running, lifting something heavy is massively fun and therapeutic. Not to mention practical!
• just changing 1 small thing at a time. It’s a long game and if you try and do too much too soon none of it will stick. It’s worth sticking out.

Maybe look into yoga?

I think lots of people forgo stretching everyday. But it's one of the most vital things you can do. That's what stops you from becoming stiff later on. I'm trying to make it an everyday thing as I'm terribly inflexible.
I put a 10min morning yoga stretch when I get up with Adrienne ? I think and it's much harder than it looks.

I never did like it. However, it is important so I exercise regularly.

.. and if there was a way to stay healthy without exercise I'd be the first person to do it!

I love exercising, weight training is my go too, but I have done 30 day shred in the past; which was the start of my fitness.. exercise helps keep me sane, try a few different forms of exercise and see if there's one you enjoy