To give up on the gym?

[ShittyFingers]

I joined the local gym around a year ago. Went once … didn’t go again until last month. Had a personal fitness plan created and then went 3 times the week after, twice the week after that, 3 times the following week and then once last week.

I don’t bloody like it that’s the problem! I don’t enjoy it! That fucking cross trainer thing kills me and I could just about manage 5 minutes on it before feeling like I’m going to melt in a heap.
I do not like being hot and sweaty, I find it incredibly stressful. Why am I paying for this??

Well, I have a stone to lose … doing calorie counting. Do I need the gym, I mean … do I really need it??

I do around 10,000 steps a day without the gym.

Definitely give outdoor exercise a try. I thought I hated running because I had only ever done it on a treadmill. I decided to do Couch 2 5k about 18 months ago and have enjoyed running ever since. I use kettlebells at home for toning (although I'm not very consistent with them!)

Of course, it doesn't have to be running, but any exercise outdoors can really give you the feel good factor. Gyms are great, but they aren't for everyone. I do a lap of my local playing fields during my run and see people sweating away indoors on the leisure centre treadmills and think it just seems so pointless, although I do realise there are other machines available!

I don’t know what it is about the cross trainer, it just knackered me after a minute. I hate it. Yet I could do an hour on the treadmill

I’ve just done a 4000 step walk to asda. To be fair I only tend to do 3000 steps in the hour long tone up class I was meant to go to so I don’t feel as bad about not going now (I was going to drive to asda from the gym, doesn’t make sense does it 😂)

Dog walk will be 5000 steps

I don’t like the cross trainer either, prefer the rowing machine. I can go into a sort of trance on that. I do 20-25 minutes. Also use the shoulder and chest presses, leg press and abductor/adductor. Swimming is also good.

The key thing about exercise is you need to not hate it.

I don't like running, so I hate the treadmill. I also don't much like the cross trainer. I'm quite happy on the bike, and also on the rowing machines. I also love swimming.

Classes scare me because I don't want to humiliate myself and have to commit for the entire class.

BUT I really enjoy weights - I have genuinely really surprised myself by enjoying them. I do a 10 minute cardio warm up, then pick 5 things and do them, then go for a swim afterwards.

The thing I find ideal about weights is there's an equality in them - I can go with a friend and it doesn't matter if they lift more than me or less than me, we just use a different dumbell or set the weight on the machine differently and then we're doing the same thing. Then you can just increase it in increments as and when you feel able. I still have loads to learn and I don't very often do free weights with the big plates etc but I am learning more every time. I'm not prepared to commit to e.g. push, pull and legs type days or anything even vaguely complicated but I know I have been getting stronger and fitter even just using the somewhat haphazard methods I have been using so far!

There's no point trying to commit to exercise you hate as that's a sure fire way to be miserable - but if you find something you like then that's great.

Yes I've always thought it's a bit ironic that people drive to the gym to walk on the treadmill. But then I joined a gym a 15 minute drive away mainly for the outdoor pool and I do Body Pump ( a weights class) once or twice a week, but I also walk the dog every day and run with a friend and do parkrun.
To be honest my gym membership is more about enjoying the outdoor heated pool than expecting to get all my fitness needs met, and it's just handy that there's classes on at times that work for me.

Hmmm.

I would say keep at it a bit before you give it up.

You don’t have to follow the plan.

If you don’t like the cross trainer try other things. Lower the speed / intensity, listen to music or a podcast. You only need to get slightly out of breath, not ‘hot and sweaty’.

But if you do lots of walking anyway, it might be that what you most benefit from is weights at the gym. High reps on low / medium weights will tone lots of muscles in no time. Which makes you (me!) feel much better, stronger, and looks good.

People say you don’t need exercise to lose weight but I lose quicker, and keep it off more easily, if I do regular weights / weight bearing exercise.

If you really hate it, stop and do something else but I would say see if you can make it fit you better first.

Do they do different classes? I have enjoyed trying different sessions, Les Mills Body Pump being my current favourite.

It took me 32 years on this planet before I actually took the gym seriously and joined one I really liked, despite it costing an arm and a leg (thanks David Lloyd) and I was dreading it, thought I would absolutely hate it, like other gyms I've joined and ended up not going to. But it's a different world! The people are encouraging and friendly, I love using the pool, there's so much variety of equipment that I can do a different set each day every week and not get bored. I love it because it's finally the right fit for me, maybe try other gyms? And I've found as well as losing weight I'm mentally so much happier. After a gym session I go for a half hour swim, sit in the sauna for 10 mins then dip back into the cool pool before getting out. That last part is absolute bliss, I leave feeling so relaxed and with a clear head. Although those two hours away from the kids are probably the biggest factor 🤣 I hope you find something you really love going, it's a game changer x

You do need to exercise to look good and importantly to feel good - mentally and emotionally. Find something that works for you though! I love a HIIT or weights class - do three a week and you are sorted. Find something that works for you - whether that’s Pilates, taking up an actual sport (eg tennis or a work netball team or something, or downloading an exercise app and doing home workouts) as you can’t live a happy long life without exercise.

@Allsorts1

You do need to exercise to look good and importantly to feel good - mentally and emotionally. Find something that works for you though! I love a HIIT or weights class - do three a week and you are sorted. Find something that works for you - whether that’s Pilates, taking up an actual sport (eg tennis or a work netball team or something, or downloading an exercise app and doing home workouts) as you can’t live a happy long life without exercise.

you can't live a happy long life without exercise

This ^

I wish I'd realised this much sooner than 32, I wish a love of exercise had been instilled in me as a child, actually!