Exercise SO HARD

[Dontknowwhattodo223]

I am so down at the moment and finding exercise so difficult. I went to a gym class yesterday and it felt like I was wading through treacle, my body feels like the tin man. But one of the main things that gets me down is how fat I am so I need to keep exercising. Any tips?

Is there anything you enjoy doing? I hate exercise! I do however enjoy swimming and I am trying to go for a walk each day.... listening to a podcast or something helps a lot.

Do it first thing in the morning then it's done and it sets you up for the rest of the day. It WILL get easier I promise

It gets easier!! I started exercising properly a couple of years ago after 20 odd years (basically whole adult lifetime) of no exercise. God it was hard and embarrassing how little I could do. But within a few weeks it was a bit easier and within a few months I really felt much better. And now I actually feel a bit sad if I do nothing for 2 weeks!

It really does get so much easier. Make it a regular thing so it’s in your diary and you just go whether you feel like it or not.

Are you low in iron or any other vitamin?
Get a blood test

If there is I haven't found it yet. I find swimming really boring and hate the whole getting undressed and dressed in sweaty changing rooms.
I don't mind walking but I don't know where I'd go. Don't fancy walking round the streets.

Find a local park and walk around there. The nature and walking combined will give you a boost.

OP - are you me?! I am fat and even walking uphill makes me feel fat and sweaty. I'm ashamed. All I can say is - you're not alone.

Sometimes I walk round a park. Or try to build it into your day so you are walking with a purpose. Like today I had to go to the post office... usually I'd drive but I walked instead and took a longer route than necessary just so I could build some type of exercise into my day.

Are you early 40s at all? I have noticed since 40 the excess weight I carry not only seems a lot harder to lose, it also impacts me in ways it didn't in my 30s. My joints also feel very stiff and achey

Sometimes it can depend where you are in your cycle, I find thr week before my period is due so tough and really have to push myself.

What about Pilates or yoga? Nice to build some flexibility but also nice that you can start in the privacy of your home using YouTube. Speaking of YouTube, how about walking workouts like Get fit with Rick which is basically dance steps to music, some are as short as 7 minutes long. What about a walk while you listen to a podcast or audiobook - you don’t have to ‘go’ anywhere, just keep walking.

I love swimming, I can only do breaststroke and my arms do all the work but I find it meditative and I’ve never regretted a swim.

Its important to find something you like but don’t feel restricted to the Lycra activities - walking round the shops is still moving so still exercise!

Could you try YouTube classes? They're free, and there's all sorts. Yoga, Pilates, etc. Or an exercise bike? I cycle but when it's rainy I use an exercise bike instead because I wear glasses and hate cycling in the rain. Yoga is great, there are so many different levels and you can start off really slowly, same with Pilates. Also a walking pad can be useful.

Weights I've recently got into, and I enjoy that. I don't like gyms either, so I just get up early and do a workout before the day starts. Also, lots of walking! Do you have dogs? I love a great big wander with them somewhere quiet. I'm rural, but if you're not could you find a nice park to have a wander around?

You need to fake it until you make it. If you linger in this negative mindset then of course you will not enjoy it, but you need to push through and force yourself to do a little bit more each week. Don’t view it as a punishment, view it as a necessary act for your wellbeing, in the same way that brushing your teeth is.
it takes persistence and discipline which is why not everyone can do it. It’s not supposed to be easy from the beginning but it will get easier. Pull yourself together and crack on.

@Dontknowwhattodo223 you are lapping me because I’m on the couch and at least you’re exercising. Solidarity, you are not alone. I’ve set myself a goal of a gym session next week (when back from half term hols) and to resume the YouTube Pilates I was doing in the summer before house renovations took up my spare room/exercise space.

thank you for reminding me I need to get going!

I'm assuming you have a gym membership if you've recently been to a class, or at least access to one; my advice would be to give weight-training a go. It's the first and only time in my life I've stuck at exercise, lost weight and kept it off (6 years now!).

Obviously I have to focus on my food intake as well but give it a try there are lots of accounts to follow on social media who have weight training workouts for beginners etc.

I got back into exercise in 2019 having barely done any since leaving school. The first run I did was less than 1km and oh my i felt like death!
I discovered plot my route and I got quite excited trying to find small adjustments to my route to add distance. I found I had to avoid long straight roads at the end of runs as I found it hard to maintain the enthusiasm! By playing with the routes I found favourite roads and in 6 months I got up to 3-5 km a couple of times a week and occasionally at the weekend I managed 6-7km.
I then fell pregnant got severe depression then moved somewhere hilly. I tried running but the hills were too much so I started an online pilates class. It's a small class and the teachers gives adjustments to you depending on your needs so you get that personal feel even though it's on zoom.
In September my daughter started school switching a 10 minute drive to nursery to a 15-20 minutes walk. I started to feel fitter and braved running. It took a while to find a route that had short uphills and ok straights. I've mostly done 2-3km runs but have managed 5km once.
The hardest thing is doing it once and then twice and the three times. For me that's crunch point either it becomes habit or it drifts and I don't keep it up. The more generally active I am the easier it is to get into the habit.

I would start by looking for a 10-15 minute loop around your house to go for a brisk walk try that once or twice a week. Then try to see how to make it a 15-20 minute walk.

Losing weight is mostly about adjusting your diet = you can't out train a bad diet.

You'll find exercise gets easier as you lose weight, and as you get fitter. But take it slowly getting fitter - walking around 15,000 steps a day regularly would do you as much good as exercise in the gym that you don't enjoy.

I hate exercise. I run 5ks because I can and it feels like I should but I never caught the running bug. Pilates is probably the one that’s okay. On the plus side, weight loss is about food more than exercise. I do occasionally so weights at home too. I’ve not made it to the gym for a month.

Are you new to exercise? It gets easier, quickly, I promise! Please try the class a couple of times before giving up!

I started regular exercise for the first time 5 months ago. Honestly, that does 5-6 weeks was horrible. But now I enjoy it and feel crap if I haven’t got moving.

I agree that doing it first thing really help. It sets me up for the day.

Get yourself some 3-4 kg dumbbells and check out Growingannanas. Really well structured workouts, from 12 minute tabata HIIT to 45 minutes weight-based sweaty sessions. Start low and slow and aim to progress over time.

And nurture your core. A strong core makes walking, exercising and lifting weights soooooo much easier. Start doing the Bowflex 3-minute plank every day and you'll soon notice a huge difference in your overall fitness.

Start slowly. Begin by just adding a 5-10min brisk (for you) walk, you want to bring your heart rate up but not feel like you're dying. Gradually increase the length of your walk over the weeks until you hit the recommended 150minutes of intentional moderate exercise a week ( spread over 5 days).
Find a physical activity you enjoy, and if you're going to a class talk to the instructor before the class starts so you can work out if you need any modifications.

I run weekly classes and always have modifications and alternatives (along with progressions) for each exercise.

Definitely start slowly. I've been trying to build an exercise habit for years but hated it and struggled. In August I decided to start using the Apple Fitness workouts and committed to just 10 minutes a day of yoga. It's been 12 weeks and I'm now comfortable doing workouts of up to 30 minutes and not just yoga. They're still shorter than the average gym class but I'm definitely feeling stronger and more importantly actually doing it every day. Good luck, I know how hard it is

I agree with those saying it gets easier the more you do it. I’m mid 40s and tried classes, swimming, running, walking, yoga, you tube videos at home.. there was nothing I hadn’t tired 😂

What finally stuck was getting a treadmill. I realised I didn’t like the gym because I felt self conscious and uncomfortable. I wasn’t coordinated enough for classes. I was scared to walk alone and didn’t want to run in bad weather. I could walk and I could run, I just didn’t enjoy doing it in public/outside.

I treated myself to a treadmill, plonked it in front of the tv and now I use it almost every day. Sometimes it’s a half hour walk, sometimes I power walk for 90 minutes. The thing is I use it regularly, I have never injured myself and now I enjoy it. I’ve recently lost half a stone after months and months of yo yo-ing one pound on, one pound off. Highly recommend.

Two and a bit years ago, I was obese and did no exercise partly because I was so busy with work, and partly because I was too fat to want to face the gym bunnies. I lost weight first - 4 st or so, by low carb, low cal, 16/8. Once I was thinner, I started to go to the gym regularly. To begin with, I did a few minutes each on the treadmill, the elliptical and the rowing machine. I watched more weight fall off - another 2st - and today I’ve done half an hour each on the rowing machine, the elliptical and the treadmill. I listen to audio books while I’m exercising, and it’s a wonderful way to both decompress and do a good physical workout.