To wish I enjoyed exercise

[iwant2cats]

I genuinely wish I did. I don’t; I never have and never experienced the endorphin rush.

We have an open oak framed garage. At the end, in front of my car is my gym mat and weights and TRX straps etc.

No lifting in there hence need for headtorch!

I hear you OP! Mainly, I don't like sweating, and am not remotely competitive, even against myself, so all that personal best stuff to me is pointless.
I go swimming - what helped was forming the routine, so that I do it out of habit- and walking in a group which has the advantage of enjoying the countryside and chatting with others.
I've got to that age where I see that the friends and relations who don't exercise, are losing health and it's painful to watch. So although exercise is frankly boring, the alternative is worse. I hope you find something that works for you.

@Westfacing its the only time I do anything silly or fun. So for example I dance around between sets to music.

There is no other time in my life where I would dance. It's really fun but at 48 it's many years since I've been anywhere I could dance. DC are older now. DH doesn't dance. And I used to love dancing. (not in a group choreographed way)

The key to enjoying exercise is to find an exercise you love. I used to find the idea of exercise boring, but by chance I discovered I love skating very, very much and for a year or so, I went skating multiple times a week, which in itself is a form of exercise. But the more I enjoyed skating, the more I wanted to exercise, as in I stopped skating as exercise and started exercising to enjoy skating more. I wanted stronger legs, stronger core, stronger arms, etc. So I started weightlifting, I started adult gymnastics, I started swimming, aerial, trampolining, dance, etc. And because I already had a decent baseline of fitness from skating, I immediately enjoyed those more.

That said, when I was too busy to be able to do the exercises I love, I took up jogging on a treadmill at home, which I have a real love hate relationship with. I mostly hate it while I do it, it sucks. But then I finish my challenge, 5k without stopping, I take a cold shower and honestly, the endorphins that hit me are like the best quality mdma times 1000. I'm just insanely blissed out in a way that is unimaginable until you've experienced it, every part of my body and brain are just happy. I have to be careful to not do it before I try to work, as I'm just too chilled to do anything that requires brain engagement. It's kind of crazy, as it only works with running and it's because I don't enjoy it past the first couple of minutes, I'm inconstant negotiation with myself to finish because my every instinct is to stop. I get a pleasant feeling of satisfaction and chill from every other workout, but running makes me out and out high.

Me too. I hate pool swimming, but I absolutely love swimming in the sea.

I’ve put my old caravan on a seasonal pitch in Wales, next to a cove. I’m there every chance I get for the swimming and the coastal walks. I’ve never felt fitter. Dreading the next few months when I can’t go (the site will close at the end of this month).

I find i don’t enjoy exercise ( although some types are better than others), but do enjoy having exercised as feel much better after. I guess that’s the endorphins though.

I hear you!

It’s a chore to me. Bit like cleaning my house. I don’t enjoy it but like the feeling of having done it. I do Pilates, but wouldn’t say I love it. I love the strength it gives me. Used to enjoy the odd team sport like netball but I’m not really good or fit enough to join a club.

I want to do more strength training but hate public gyms and don’t have space in my house to store gym equipment.

I am a restless person, so I need physical exertion. Like a dog. If we have a big garden or house project, I'm ready. But I also just want time to just do nothing and read.

I do gym classes but I hate the repetitive nature of them. But then, I like being told what to do, so my mind can do other things.

I suppose I like running. So I do it 1 or 2 times a week. But I think it's the being outside and feeling like I've achieved something that I like more. Especially if i can keep under an hour for my 10ks. But that gets boring because there aren't that many routes from my front door and driving somewhere takes more time and money from me.

I have found my people! I detest exercise but I do do Pilates every day plus a class once a week because it does make me feel better after I've done it but i don't like it.
I detest swimming and cycling also but they do make me feel better - well, not so much the cycling as only been out twice this year and have been shattered after each time and the second time was only round our street. And getting out of wet swimming stuff is awful.
I go for a walk each day too more for the fresh air and I have 'joined the church walking group. Thats only monthly and I've made it out twice this year.
Happily I have already done my pilates and walk today and I have been moving about lots sorting out the washing!
I just do not like exercise!

Same, I can’t stand it. I wish I did enjoy it would make it so much less of a chore

Just do a small bit every day. Much like housework

It takes time. I think you have to find something you enjoy and after a while you find you actually want to do it.

i have adhd and I get all the endorphins from sport, even when on my meds

you just need to find the right one - I love combat sports as I like the problem
solving element.

some love rock climbing for the same reason.

With me it's run a Parkrun lose 1lb ...

I'm the same. I just don't enjoy any of it. I took up running a couple of years ago and I make myself do it four times a week. I hate being sweaty, and I sweat so much, especially on my face. I know I should appreciate the sunny mornings with mist rising over the fields, and I try to tell myself that, but I just don't. I do it for the breakfast afterwards. I do it because I've lost weight (by not eating much at all) and this is the only way I'll be able to maintain. I'm trying to convince myself it's good for my health overall, despite my blood pressure not going down and my cholesterol and glucose going up. I lift some arm dumbbells to try to get some shape back in my arms because of the loose skin, but that's even more dull and horrible. I do it for the reward of my drink/dinner afterwards (only about 5 minutes, twice, so it shouldn't feel too onerous!). But it's all a chore, always. I'd much rather curl up with a book. I walk to get places, I cycle to get places. I sometimes walk or cycle because I can then go somewhere nice for coffee and cake when I get there, but it's all about the reward for me, not about enjoying the actual walk or cycle really.

I'm the same OP. I only do it because I think I should to be healthy. I'm so envious on my DH who loves to go for runs, swims, tennis etc. To compensate, I try to walk as much as I can because at least that's getting me somewhere. I used to like step aerobics back in the day and have just discovered that my local gym has a class so I go to that and enjoy it. Otherwise, I literally force myself to go for a swim every now and then.

I agree with the people who say that it's about finding the exercise that works for you. I love running, not my slow runs but intervals and speed sessions are my thing. They really get the endorphins going and I feel like Im pushing my body so hard that I can't think about anything other that what I am doing at that moment which is very rare for me. I begrudgingly do strength and mobility work to allow me to run faster but I don't particularly like it.

I never ever enjoy it while I'm doing it, it's just boring and hard (apart from hill climbing, hiking and swimming which I enjoy for reasons absolutely unrelated to the fact that they're good for my body). Afterwards I definitely don't get an endorphin rush or anything like that - just a mild smugness and sense of satisfaction at having ticked it off the list.

I exercise a lot, yes it is hard, yes it is boring, I do get endorphins but you need to get it done before those occur, so it’s a slog for most peiple at the start,

I find what makes it enjoyable is I listen to music, alone with my own thoughts, it’s me time, where I can switch off everything else. In addition it becomes habit, where you feel bad if you don’t do it,like sitting ignoring the pile of dirty dishes and you know you’ve visitors in 20 mins,

oncs you get into the habit it is way easier, it just becomes part of your day, you feel better mentally for having done it, and if you do it right, you see the results in your body, so for example I have clear muscle definition and when I’m debating with myself I know that if I don’t keep that up that tone and definition will go, and I like that tone and definition, I don’t want bingo wings,I want to wear sleeveless tops, I want to be able to see myself naked or in underwear and feel good, to put shorts on in the summer and see my thighs looking long with muscle, and I know to look like that, I need to do the work, it’s that simple.

I fell over earlier - I was thinking & didn’t notice the kerb. Got straight up, reassured the people who were asking if I was OK & carried on. The side I fell on hurt a bit but was fine after a couple of minutes.

It was a helpful reminder that this is why I do strength training & yoga, even if I don’t always feel like it. I know there are no guarantees but I want to give myself a decent chance of having good balance & strong bones into my 70s & 80s.

I can still get a rush from cycling but it's only enjoyable if it's long stretches of safe cycle path because of the sheer amount of fuckery on the roads from other people and I'm old so I'm more noticing.
I do love the odd workout from my elliptical, but I can't be arsed anymore. You do forget how good it feels .

I don't love it, but I do it because I love the results. I consider it just part of lookingn after myself, like brushing my teeth.

Or run for the fun and eat to fuel yourself.

Quite.