To think that you're really lucky if you enjoy exercise?!

[bumblebee1987]

I will preface this by saying that I'm really fed up because I've been dieting and exercising since March and lost a very minimal amount of weight despite really trying, and have now plateaued for weeks, so this is probably more of a vent 😆

I hate exercise. I always have, every since school, I am rubbish at it, am not remotely competitive, and I just don't enjoy it. I have tried many many different types of exercise, it's all the same, I don't enjoy any of it. I don't enjoy watching sport, hearing about sport or being involved in sport in any way.

I go to the gym 3 times a week because I feel like I have to, because I am overweight and I need to sort myself out, but I hate it. I know I need to do it, but I don't enjoy it, and I think this is really unfortunate. My DH on the other hand, LOVES sport, his entire career is based in sport, he loves nothing more than going for a 5 hour bike ride or spending an hour or two in the gym, it's his happy place. Which is great because obviously it's really good for him!

I keep seeing fitness influencers saying how important it is that you find the sport that you love so that you will keep it up, but I really don't think there is one for me?! So I think I am basically stuck with forcing myself to do something I hate a few times a week, despite hating every second of it.

So am I being unreasonable to suggest that it's actually really lucky if you enjoy sport and exercise?! I am not talking about being good at it, I appreciate that being good at it takes a huge amount of dedication and not luck etc, but if you really enjoy it regardless of whether you're good at it or not, then that's really fortunate, right?!

I appreciate that this is very much a first world problem and is meant in a light-hearted way!

Wow this is a long thread!

I also hated exercise. Then I did Jillian Michaels the shred. She is annoying but a lot of the things she said resonates and now I have learned to enjoy exercise, or at least enjoy the effects of exercise, I still hear her voice in my head when I’m struggling.

Please try and switch the mindset from diet and exercise because you hate your body, to one of eating right and working out because you love your body.

It really is a game changer.

YANBU. I do a lot of exercise and have always loved it! I do still watch my diet to a certain extent but I also find healthy eating quite enjoyable as well. I definitely don't take it for granted though - I know I'm fortunate to enjoy this all and not have to worry about my weight.

What do you find enjoyable about healthy eating?

I'm not the PP, but - healthy food is delicious. And I enjoy knowing that I'm fuelling my body and taking care of it. And if I eat healthily the majority of the time then I can eat the crap when I fancy eating it. I'll eat a pizza, and I'll enjoy it, but afterwards what I mostly want to do is go back to eating healthily.

What is enjoyable about healthy eating? Everything!

sourdough granary bread, homemade peanut butter, avocado, feta, vegetables, fruit, cheeses of all descriptions, salads, homemade coleslaw, curries of all types (just drop the naan and rice), scrambled egg made with full fat cream, full fat Greek yoghurt with berries and honey, shellfish, Sunday roast with loads of healthy veg, dark chocolate with nuts, hoummus, ice cream, red wine ………

Maybe I’m lucky in that I love lentils and dislike pizza and fast foods but I genuinely love the foods I eat.

Same. I want to love the Gym but I hate it. I'm a lazy exerciser. Lift dumbbells whilst sitting watching TV, occasionally I stand and do squats with them. I do 20 step ups on stairs every time I enter my house. Now Im going to start following dance videos on YouTube. I love not having to go out get into gym gear and push myself.

However Im low carb most days. Very rarely eat bread, rice, pasta, potatoes. So all keeps me toned enough. You can always find something you like, if you dislike Gym then it doesn't have to be that.

I used to hate exercising with a passion, hated so much. I really felt bad in my body though and I knew I should start keeping healthy. Couple of years ago I started off slowly by doing the 7 minute workouts on YouTube every couple of mornings and then carried that on for like a 2-3 months and then I felt like doing more. I then did 30min workouts for couple of months and now I do 1 hour workouts 4x a week. I do 30mins cardio and then 30 mins of weights and I love it.

It is surprising because I hated it but now i love it. When I don't workout I try to walk for 40mins to an hour. I also don't go to the gym as I don't think its time efficient for me, working full time and then kids at home. I just work out at home around the kids. Unfortunately I can't eat healthy so exercise is a must for me.

I think the best idea would be to find something you like to do and then just keep up with that.

But that's not enough calories and is completely unsustainable for most people.

Nonsense!

Walking is an excellent way to keep fit. It's low intensity so doesn't damage joints, it's free and uou can go up/down hill or increase your speed to increase the intensity.

"healthy food is delicious"

I don't think I like any healthy food :(
I can make it bearable by adding a bit of something nice like cheese.

"Walking is an excellent way to keep fit."

I walk about an hour most days and am not fit. If I ever walk with other people, I can't keep up. I also don't think it's intensive enough to be someone's main exercise, unless elderly.

Cheese is healthy, it’s only unhealthy if you eat too much or combine with refined carbs. Instead of eating a cheese sandwich followed by an apple, just have a bigger chunk of cheese and the apple. More filling and healthier.

How did your weights session go OP? I love weights. Not always while I’m doing it (and I never want to go!) but I feel so strong and empowered afterwards.

your amended diet looks much better, the previous one was not enough food. CICO is outdated, there’s loads of (quality) research on why it’s so much more complicated. I’d recommend reading Why We Eat (Too Much) by Dr Andrew Jenkinson as a starter.

I would also recommend following Rebelfit on Facebook. He’s a PT who talks a lot of sense, in a compassionate way. Very anti the toxic diet culture.

good luck!!

1200 is very low. Don't forget your body needs a certain amount of calories (BMR) to just function every day i.e. essential life saving activities such as heart beating, lungs breathing etc. Use an online BMR calculator which will give you your very lowest calories that you can have to make sure your essential activities are covered. www.verywellfit.com/what-is-bmr-or-basal-metabolic-rate-3495380

if you've been surviving on 1200 calories a day, plus exercising, your body has probably thought your going through a famine so is desperately trying to keep hold of excess fat in order to just function.

@NoAprilFool - Thank you so much for asking! Unfortunately it was cancelled, which is a shame, BUT, I have taken the bill by the horns, and I had an hour long meeting with a personal trainer and nutrition coach last night, and I'm going to be doing 3 sessions a week with him (with a focus on weights apparently!) and he has also given me some great nutrition advice. (He agreed that my new diet plan is MUCH better than the old one! He just made a couple of tweaks and gave me some ideas). Financially this is going to cripple me 😂 However, if I can do it for a few months to get me on the right track and give me a kickstart, then hopefully that will set me off in the right direction. Fingers crossed! I'm excited to hopefully finally start getting somewhere and seeing some progress!

Good luck @bumblebee1987 . I think if you can find a positive focus in exercise and see positive gains, that will really help you. Weights is great for that. I want to lift heavier things, so I want to give my body the quality fuel that builds muscle, and I see the progress both in the numbers on the things I'm lifting, and in the visible muscle mass under my skin. I also notice little things like I can heft the full recycling bin, or the full tray of the online shop, with ease, which I used to find heavy .

Hurrah! It could be the best money you ever spend. I used to hate the gym, but after doing PT for a while, I don’t exactly love it but I do know what I’m doing and get a lot of satisfaction from it.
very best of luck

I'm sorry for your weight struggles and hope lifting is the answer for you..but yes YABU.

It's like anything in life that gives a sense of satisfaction or is not super easy, if you don't do it regularly and get over the initial difficulties then it will always feel difficult. I don't enjoy cooking or cleaning (some people do)..but I do it and the more I keep on top of it, the easier it becomes and I cam actually then start to try and find some joy in it. Cooking in a disorganised and badly equipped kitchen, there is no chance I would enjoy it. The same applies for exercise, the people who are enjoying it have put some effort in in the beginning to get over the difficulties to then be in a place where they can enjoy it.

I'm naturally sporty and once I'm in the "groove" of something I enjoy it, but I used to love running and now I hate it.
Fell out of love with F45, couldn't motivate myself to swim every day. Every single thing I did to try and get back into an activity I enjoyed, I would spend the entire time loathing it and counting down to the end.

I only recently found boxing and have been so surprised how much I enjoy it. And when I say enjoy it, I don't enjoy feeling like my lungs are going to burst, or my arms are going to fall off, or my abs are screaming at me, but I can tolerate it surprisingly well.

I enjoy the variety in each session which encompasses cardio, bag work, high intensity like high knees or jumping jacks, and then core work. It keeps me on my toes so I don't have time to think I hate it!

Punching shit helps too.