To wish I enjoyed exercise

[iwant2cats]

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

Yes to this. My mil was only in her mid 60s when she started toppling over and breaking bones. She is in her early 70s now and afraid to walk into town because she has fallen so many times and broken bones. That's no way to be in your early 70s.

Usernamesalltakenblues
I used to love running. I fell out of the habit but need to get back into it.
My limit was 10k and I ran on the streets near where I live. I always did the same route and it had a lot of uphill and downhill running.
I found it a bit boring running on flat ground. Everytime I was running up a hill I knew that there was a downhill coming as a reward.

I think sometimes too you have to get past the shit bit when everything feels awful if you’re starting from a low level of fitness. Working up to run 5k was the hardest bit for me. Those first weeks are awful and I already had some fitness from another sport. I very nearly packed it all in.

I can run a half marathon now and that feels easier than some of those first weeks of Couch to 5k as I have the fitness, but I think with any new sport or activity there’s a hump you have to get over where it’s not that enjoyable at the start. But now when I run I’m not gasping for breath, barely holding on till my walking break, it’s a steady pace, I’m able to appreciate my surroundings, listen to music or an audiobook or run and chat with a friend for 10+k.

I started getting the ‘runner’s high’ when I was able to start running longer and further and my body wasn’t totally beaten up by it. Now I feel fantastic after long runs.

I felt the same, hated it and no motivation to do it alone. I’ve started strength training at a gym with small classes (8 max) and a trainer, plus I go to Jazzercise which is basically dancing and strength exercises, again in a class which is fab.

I rarely enjoy it either. I don't think I have any endorphins. I tolerate exercise (all types) as it's a necessary evil, like teeth brushing and drinking 2ltrs of water a day.
The upside of exercise is that I'm less likely to have heart attack, cancer, stroke etc. I'm still miserable but you can't have everything 😁.

I was you until my mid-30s.

I hated any kind of gym, running/jog/walking, strength training. Hated things that need rhythm or coordination like zumba or dance. Hated tennis - or anything where I spent most of my time running after the ball. Hate group classes where I feel self conscious. Tried so many things and always hated PE in school so thought exercise wasn't for me.

Now I swim, do yoga in front of the tele to wind down and play squash or badminton with my husband for a laugh. Also we go for an evening bike ride for date night and explore our city, instead of going out for dinner all the time. Enjoy a kayak but don't often have the opportunity.

I'm the opposite. I have late diagnosed ADHD and exercise is my THING! I go twice a day - it's my routine & I love being strong and fit. And it means I can eat more.

I hate all forms of exercise. I have tried walking further (I get bored), gym, classes, swimming. I am not fit enough to play a team sport. I don't have anyone to play badminton with on a regular basis. I have a treadmill gathering dust at home, a punch bag, weights. I try doing youtube videos. I just go/do it a couple of times and then don't.

I tend to feel good straight after, pleased I have done it but it is never enough to make me want to do it again.

I wish this were not the case.

I do at least have a dog so get 30 mins of walking in a day (min). If not for that I would be very sedentary as I have a desk job and wfh.

Too right.

I’m happily single & childfree, & AFAIC that’s 2 more reasons to remain strong & independent as long as possible.

I don't enjoy it. I just do it.

I saw a post the other day which basically said if you don’t do any sort of strength training then today is the strongest you will ever be. That reminded me why I do it. It helps I love it too!

I love the feeling of having been in the pool, I just can’t seem to get myself in it. Wet and cold 😬. So I stick to spin classes which are highly addictive and great for weight loss.

I started exercising 4 months ago after years of doing nothing. I started swimming 2/3 times a week but now it's autumn I've joined the gym cos swimming isn't quite as appealing when it's cold. I always hated exercise and swore I'd never join the gym but I've got to do something as I'm perimenopausal, overweight and unfit so joined the one at work. When I first started I was really tired afterwards and don't think I've experienced the endorphin rush as such. However, I've now started to notice that if I'm a bit tired, that after exercise I don't feel as tired. I wouldn't go as far as to say I feel energised but it does seem to perk me up.

No endorphins for me either, OP. The only thing that works for me is seeing the results - I am fitter and more flexible than a lot of people my age (I'm in my sixties).

I go running - this is the really boring one. Sometimes I take the dog, kills two birds with one stone. Sometimes I listen to audio books - currently learning abotu the history of landscape as I run.

I static cycle in front of YouTube videos, which keeps my mind off the tedium, or I do an online spin class, which seems to go faster, likewise a YouTube Pilates class.

But my favourite activity and the only one I really enjoy is horse riding. I feel like I've had a good workout, the horse has been exercised and it's actually interesting. Plus, if I'm riding out with someone I can natter too.

I see a personal trainer at the gym every week. It helps keep me motivated and injury free.
I also go to some classes at the gym, although I have to be careful as my hypermobility can lead to a lot of pain.
I enjoy the classes for the regimented programme and company of others.

It took a year of strength training with the trainer to start enjoying it. I like to go to the gym now, stick my headphone is with a podcase or 2, and work through my programme. I don't get the endorphin rush, never have, but I am enjoying the improved look of my body which now has toned muscles.

I've just started adding in half an hour of extra cardio a week - intervals on a bike, stairmaster or swimming 20 lengths (500m). I couldn't have done this 6 months ago, but again I stick on a podcast, or if on a machine I can watch sthg I've downloaded from netflix. No endorphins but not miserable either.

I'm in my fifties, going through peri menopause, and seeing my mum struggle so much due to poor mobility in her 80s. I'm absolutely determined not to be like her when I'm 80. That keeps me going!

I have always hated sport and running. The idea of using machines at the gym bores me to death. I can barely swim and hate getting in the pool. I love dancing, walking in the fresh air and pilates though. I think you just need to find what you like. Even walking round the shops is better exercise than nothing.

I have heard this for years, that once you find what you like it’s all good but I just haven’t!

I like swimming in the sea but I live very far inland and plus I suspect actually doing it in winter would be different.

I like autumn walks sometimes but that’s the novelty factor when I borrow a friends dog. I think I’d find it annoying if it was my dog!

Cycling hurts my bum and skiing is prohibitively expensive.

Same!!

Youre not exercising hard enough maybe?

I hate it. I hate sport of all kinds. Actual loathing.

I walk a lot because it gets me from A to B in the fresh air and I don't have to be near anyone on the bus. When I had room for a bike, I cycled because ditto.
I don't mind a little swim every now and then. Alone.

Anything else, absolutely not. Competitive sports and gyms and park run etc etc is my version of Hell. I'm lifting and carrying huge pots and pans at work all day, I'm strong, I can run if I need to, that's enough for me.

Me too. Total non-responder here. Feel I have a defective body that has to be hauled about the world, taking my head where it needs to go. I envy those sprightly types who seek to actually enjoy inhabiting their bodies and ‘getting the high’ (tho some can be pretty smug).

I used to vaguely enjoy step, as it was complicated enough to give me brain something to do. Running is eye-wateringly tedious, and humiliating as I get overtaken by old ladies walking their Pekingese dogs. Cycling takes too long to get any benefit.

I reluctantly lift weights at the gym or home as it seems best time : results ratio.

Irritatingly, I do sleep better and feel less mad if I exercise. But thats insufficient motivation to get me to the gym without a lot of moaning.

It's sensory for me. I hate the feeling of sweat. And I hate the changing before and afterwards and the showering. I don't understand how people can just jog and then do the school run. I would feel so disgusting. So 30 mins of exercise = 2 hours of pre and post faffing. And I never get the endorphins so it's all just.a horrible horrible experience.

I don’t either, my sporty friends tell me I’m not pushing hard enough and that the endorphins will come, never happened for me!

Dancing is ok. I sometimes do zumba in front of the TV. But that involves spending 10 minutes clearing furniture and toys too.

Maybe if I had some amazing home gym on the garden? But no doubt it would be full of spiders.

Find something you do enjoy, there will be something!
team sports? You can make friends and achieve something together, so it’s not just about the exercise.
reformer pilates? As the machine moves it requires a lot of focus, so provides a bit of mindfulness into the workout. You also do a lot of it lying down, in a small group and don’t get too hot and sweaty. So appeals to more people.