To not understand how anyone enjoys exercise??

[Baileysoncereal]

How do you motivate yourself to exercise when it’s horrible being out of breath and sweaty

I’m not moving around at work anymore (covid related furlough/unemployment) and after a few months, I’m really noticing a difference in how unfit I am and how easily I’m out of breath. I’ve tried a ton of sports, and there’s nothing I enjoy and I can never be bothered putting in the effort anyway
Eg. Why run if you can jog, why jog if you can walk.

I hate being sweaty, I hate being out of breath, I hate not being good at something and I love sitting on the couch and watching TV.
So how do you motivate yourself or even shock actually love exercising?!

I hate being all sweaty too, and sadly I do seem to sweat within 20 paces of setting off on a run. Swimming is MUCH nicer.

You could start with something "non - sweaty" like yoga, pilates or a short abs/stretching class. You might find that you are OK with being sweaty if you build up from there.

motivation:

• the feeling of having done something outside.
• the progress (tracking on an app)

and atm replacement pe whilst school is closed. nothing quite as motivating as outrunning a teenager who is very fit and a foot taller than me!

I hear you OP, and I say that as someone who's tried all sorts of things...I've been a keen swimmer, a runner, walked 1000s of miles in all weathers, done classes, home work outs, martial arts, yoga, had a home gym, etc. Yet ultimately I'd rather sit on my arse eating crap and drinking, and it's an effort every single time. I never really enjoy it, and the only good part of exercise for me is when I've finished and no longer feel guilty for sitting on my arse!

*is exactly how I felt not isn’t exactly how I feel 😬

I love exercise. Running, swimming, yoga, weight lifting, hiking - pushing myself and getting fitter is really enjoyable for me.

It's an amazing feeling to get sweaty, raise your heart rate, release a lot of endorphins and take a shower after. I think the fitter you are the more enjoyable it is, for me anyway!

I used to be obese, size 22, and hated being breathless and achy, but now I'm a size 8/10 it's a different kind of breathless and I enjoy DOMS!

But everyone is different :)

For me, Sweat washes off. Deordorant is good stuff. I hate being cold so getting warm is fine. Why shower just because it's a scheduled activity; better to shower because I need to wash sweat off.

Running is a special case... I like a challenge. I was (am) always the slowest & weakest but I still have that childish thing of enjoying the achievement & satisfaction of knowing I worked hard and did something that was hard for me -- I don't care if others can do it better, because it was hard for me and I did it anyway. "Just because something is difficult is not a reason not to do it".

I am a terrible runner. So the fact I can go out & run miles (slowly) is amazing. I am so happy with myself for 12 minute miles.

My favourite types of exercise either involve exploring (kayak on rivers, walking up new hills, cycling in new places or seeing what's happening in old places... ) or utility (walking & cycling to get from A to B or to exercise the dog). Digging the garden or DIY can be quite physical, too.

Oh, and runner's high. I am sure i get that, too. It helps.

Other people want social exercise or like private youtube routines or something meditative. Only some exercise freaks want to brag every event on Strava.

You get to eat more if you exercise more. I lose my appetite if I don't get any exercise, so I have to exercise if I want to enjoy food. Most women my age are fat. I am not fat. No magic genes, no diet, no natural athleticism to explain that. Life long exercise habits are main reason I am not fat.

I could flip your Q around & say how can anyone enjoy just sitting around all the time. Haven't you seen everything on TV three times already. I don't want to feel creeped out by lurking diabetes, visceral fat, hidden heart disease, risks of cancer...

I never enjoyed exercise (find it dull and uninteresting at best) until I took up running a few years ago. I know you mentioned it in your post but have you signed up to Strava for example? I find it really motivating to see where I've run and how far as well as all the medals I get. I mean, I know they're not real medals but sometimes after a hard slog I upload my run and see that I actually did pretty well.

Sorry, as if that wasn't long enough...

I enjoy exercise because it's my habit & my life would feel like it was missing huge without it.

I've been working out 4 days a week-ish (online workouts at home - cardio, weights and stretch) for at least the last 5 years.

I hate it. Hate it. Hate it.

I am so much healthier, stronger, better balanced, calmer, find anything physical so much easier. But I despise it. I've tried lots of different types of exercise and settled on the one that has a visible/noticeable effect, takes up the least time, and I can just about tolerate.

I suppose it's like smear tests or the dentist. Uncomfortable (not AS uncomfortable, but much more frequent), but worth it for the long term benefits to your health.

You might learn to enjoy it, I know lots of people that do. But if you can't, that's fine, just don't let that be a reason not to do it.

I come out in actual hives when I do exercise thats more energetic than walking. I always have, even when I was a stick- thin teen, healthy 20s and slightly overweight 30s. I hate it for this reason.

I have to force myself into it but afterwards I always get an endorphin hit and am glad I’ve done it so I try to remind myself of that when I’m getting ready to go.

What about a team sport? Might find the social contact motivating? There are lots of ‘back to netball’ sessions across the country which are aimed at people who haven’t played since school or ever, and won’t be full of super sporty types. I enjoy playing netball, and the being out of breath and sweaty is a byproduct of playing rather than the whole purpose, if that makes sense.

Doesn’t have to be netball, but I know they’ve got a big drive for community involvement at the moment, other sports may too.

I hated exercise for my whole entire life & would honestly rather have died rather than exercised until earlier this year. I hate being hot & sweaty & I go red in the face for hours after. Then in the first lockdown I found PlyoJam workouts on YouTube & eventually did a free trial, signed up for 3 months & now I’ve signed up for a year. But you could flick through their YouTube workouts easily. I love it so much. It’s a mix of plyometrics & dancing & they do it to a mix of current chart songs & also older great songs! I love the music & that element of it makes it fun especially because I find it quite easy. They show you several ways to do each move so you can adjust it if you can’t/don’t want to jump. I now find I just automatically do a workout every day. My day doesn’t feel right without it in the same way if I didn’t brush my hair I would feel wrong all day. PlyoJam might not be the thing for you but if you can find something like that, that you love & enjoy, that would make all the difference to you I'm sure

Walking is good exercise too

Walking is not vigorous enough to achieve your government guidelines, or significantly reduce your risk of death unless you are very unfit (and as soon as you do it for a bit it will then make you fit enough that it's no longer particularly beneficial) you have to be breathing hard, walking up very steep hills might be enough.

I don't enjoy it much either, and have always managed by actively building it into my say. I bought my house because it's easy to walk or bike to work, but more inconvenient to drive it take transport.

I rarely drive but instead do all shopping on foot. Ditto kids' activities - nearby, close enough to walk, too close to bother driving. (All online these days.)

Other activities like dancing I do for fun, not to get fit.

So now... like you, I have to seek out reasons to get out on foot. Going for a walk (with no "end goal") holds little appeal! I do my shopping in dribs and drabs to force myself out and about.

But I agree, it's not easy to get enough exercise in lockdown.

Sorry for typos - "day" not "say", "or" not "it"!

I hate it because the pounding heart and sweating mimics a panic attack so it’s closely connected for me. I have to be doing something non exercise related to exercise properly like biking or skiing or something like Zumba.

Put me on a treadmill or stationary bike and I won’t push myself because I hate feeling like a panic attack is in progress.

the only good part of exercise for me is when I've finished and no longer feel guilty for sitting on my arse!

that's definitely the best part.

Runners high is definitely a thing, something to do with endorphins being released.

I can’t run anymore due to injury and cycle instead. I do t get the same high from it but I enjoy being out the house, in my own little world chilling out. I don’t get breathless like running and focus more on endurance for fitness/calorie burn. But I enjoy seeing how I improve and the scenery is nice.

I do spin classes for something more cardio and do kind of have to drag myself there but enjoy it ok when I’m there and feel great afterwards. I love bodypump as well.

They do say exercise is about finding something you enjoy, whether it’s canoeing, rollerskating, rock climbing?

I think it's sometimes just a case of trying a few different types of exercise to find one you can get on with. I was never sporty at school, and am rubbish at swimming and running. I bought a cheap rowing machine a few months ago on a whim and whilst I wouldn't say I now love exercising, I don't find it too much of a chore to do two or three 20 - 30 minute workouts a week. It's really good for toning up and within the first couple of sessions, I could notice a difference. Likewise if I don't work out for a couple of weeks I notice I lose the muscle tone, so it's a good incentive to keep up with the workouts.

I run and when I'm actually doing it I'm not always loving it! But what I do love is the effect it has - I love being fit and not getting out of breath when I have to run for something, I love that I sleep well, I love that my body looks and feels good, I love the feeling I get after running, particularly if I've got wet and cold doing it, that hot shower, warm, dry clothes and bowl of hot soup feels amazing, because I feel I've earned it.

Being out of breath can be improved. Being sweaty isn’t that bad.

Plus good bit of exercise means a bit more stamina for the bedroom

Having the bloke you like watching you hula hoop and getting rather aroused by it is in itself a worthwhile reason to exercise.

Plus I love exercise. I like the endorphin high I get from running through the woods. It’s not the running but that feeling of being incontrol of my own body and it can do the things I want it to do. Running hurts but having that feeling is worth running for.

I hate it too. Hate swimming, dancing, running, etc etc joined a gym and quit. Can’t stand any of it. Was always picked last for PE and hated all sports. I was always a book worm and now at 40 my weight is only just starting to creep up after always being naturally skinny so know I should do something but I just can’t stand it. I do however walk everywhere I can instead of taking the car so that’s about 30 mins brisk walking a day which the NHS people say is enough....!

I find music helps enormously.