Exercise! What do you do? How often? And how the b'jesus do you stay motivated??

[shakespeare]

I'm a very non-committed exerciser who would like to be very much more committed. I'm not overweight but I'm not particularly fit. I'm currently doing one yoga class and a cardio class a week (and last week I managed to fit in a lengthy power walk/with buggy/up hills walk as well) The thing is, its always a bleedin' struggle to get out the door. I spend hours debating with myself the 'yes I will go'/'no I won't' and more often than not, the 'no I won't go' will win. Sometimes I feel like it, but still talk myself out of it! I often resent having to do it (even tho I will probably enjoy it once I'm out) when I'd rather be parked on my arse doing a crossword or similar. And resentment does not an exerciser make.

So how do you get your arse out the door when your body is screaming at you to kick off your shoes and sit your arse down on that big nice comfy sofa...??

[Lavenderhoney]

You don't have to like it! Just do it. Say to yourself, I can either sit here an hour and procrastinate, or get up, do it, and be back in an hour.

I do Pilates whilst watching tv, I can't just sit there:) I relax after... Imagine you have an imaginary friend who won't go away, and nags and moans, guards the fridge, encourages you..

[ErrolTheDragon]

OP - a lot of us were lardy-arsed slackers not so long ago!

Are there people that get the nagging 'can't be arsed' voice but do it anyway? I'm wondering if just by doing it even when you don't feel like it, does it slowly start making it easier?

Yes, absolutely! 'Just do it' - (a) it proves to you that you can and (b) you will almost certainly feel better after you've done it.

So - you've had an overwhelming number of different ideas - pick one that you think will realistically fit into your lifestyle and do it! You can of course try other things as well/instead but the main thing is to get started!

[Everhopeful]

I struggle with motivation too, even though I KNOW I'll feel better after I've done it! I found a blog called "shut up and run", which was very helpful - have a look, while you have your & , you might even be amused enough to do it!

[RedundantExpat]

OP, I struggle a lot, too.

Motivation is lacking not just for sports but also for things like cleaning the house. I have now become evangelical about this for cleaning and it helps me with motivating myself for other unpleasant or easy-to-procrastinate things in my life. It just feels so draining in itself to have that whole monologue about why you can't get out and then feel like a failure because ultimately you didn't go out.

[ZingWantsCake]

just done L1D3 of 30 day Shred.

I listed at lesdt 10 excuses why it would be better to skip it - still no weights, need proper sportsbra, I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I'm tired, DD's underfoot, need to call my mum, should get shopping done, need to have a shower after.......

it was pathetic. it made me feel weak.

I'm done being and feeling weak. so I got up and did it. no excuses.

I am 5 stones overweight and hate all things gym, but if I can do it so can anyone of you!

think Nike and JUST DO IT! go on!

[WannabeFayeMouse]

when you get up, dress in your exercise clothes. If you take them off without having exercised you'll feel really silly and annoyed with yourself. Getting changed in the middle of the day or whenever makes it much harder I find! Especially in a cold house.

If you go out running or do a class, could you find a lke minded person? Or take another mum with baby in buggy to do C25k together (the buggy must be running-suitable obviously!).

Must go for a run myself...

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

If you're struggling with motivation, try this:

Think about how you'll feel in an hour or two if you exercise - energised, happier, more relaxed, virtuous. Then think about how you'll feel if you don't - guilty, fat, lazy, and wound up (those are my feelings, you may feel different!).

Gets me off my arse nine times out of ten.

[sunmonkey]

I agree with wannabe - thats exactly what I did this morning when I didn't feel like it... put my exercise clothes on before I got dressed. I felt so sluggish and tired this week, but one, routine half hours excersing in the gym, plus cycling the school run (20 min there and back) and it gives me the energy I need for the day and the sluggish feeling dimishes. It can be hard, but I also find repeating in my head - 'don't give up' helps too!

[Lazysuzanne]

I do yoga and pilates while listening to the radio at home, use gym cardio or a long walk as a chance to listen to podcasts

[Talkinpeace]

I am fitter now than I ever was in my 20's, and lighter. Being threatened with major surgery was the first motivation.
The second one was that once I'd lost weight I did not want to look scrawny
Doing bodypump holding 10kg of weights yesterday, my knees reminded me why I spent so much of my 30's in pain.

Activity breeds activity.
Turn off the telly, turn off the puter and walk round the block.
The longest journey starts wit the first step.

[angeltulips]

I actually think that there is a wide variation in the endorphin rush people get from exercise which explains the evangelism of some and not others. For me, hard core exercise NEVER made me feel great, just exhausted - it wasn't until I was diagnosed w benign joint hypermobility syndrome that I understood why.

Now I do exercise that suits my body - so no hardcore cardio (spin/body attack etc) which fatigues me and overworks my adrenalin which doesn't suit me. Instead I accept that my exercise plan has to be more focused on calmer things like Pilates (for strength) and swimming/walking (for cardio). I also dance (ballet and stret dance). i dont do all of theae things every week (except flr pilates where i have the luxury of a teacher coming to my home once a week), I just pick what I feel like, and make sure i do a decent amount of "incidental" exercise (ealking to shops etc) as well. I don't exercise when I am genuinely knackered, but I have got better at distinguishing knackered from laziness - I sort of meditate/visualise for 5mins and see if I am genuinely exhausted or just making excuses

Finally, forget about all this "I do 50m of cardio 5x a week and 3z 1hr weight training a week" sort of thing. Aim for 2x 30-45min sessions a week. If you feel like more then do it, but don't feel guilty if you don't. Breaking that cycle of planning to do loads and then, well, not was crucial for me.

(Obviously none of the above applies if you're morbidly obese etc.!)

[Lazysuzanne]

Angel, totally agree that there is no one right way to do things, we all respond differently to exercise.
I dont think anyone has posted up their routine and suggested that it's what everyone else should aim for?

[EmmaBemma]

shakespeare, actually I think there's a lot in these replies which might help you, if you take the time to read them and not dismiss them as being from shiny perky people. Everyone started somewhere - most people haven't always exercised since they were kids. For example, I spent nearly all of my twenties on the sofa with a spliff.

People are telling you how they fit in the exercise, and what motivates them to keep going, which is what I thought you asked for?

[Thewildthingsliveatmyhouse]

I am also a reluctant exerciser. Now all the kids are at school and I no longer have a buggy to push I find myself expanding slowly! Over the course of 18 months I have gained a stone. I started going to zumba class with a friend but she didn't like it. I find it really hard to go to classes on my own, pathetic really! I have done Davina work outs at home, used to do high energy 5 twice a week and I looked good (that was when I was walking a lot too).

I am now working in a desk job where people are constantly eating and talking about food, everyone eats at their desks. This is really hard! My hubby is an exercise freak and gets twitchy if he doesn't go to to the gym/kickboxing/run.

I have done the 30 day shred but have never done it properly, only doing 3 sessions a week. I found that I gained definition quickly but I can't seem to lose any weight. I also have bad technique and recently pinched my knee cartilage with bad lunges. So I'm steering clear.

My advice would be to try to rope in a friend, you can keep each other motivated. I've also heard really good things about the Couch to 5k app. I will try this when my knee is better!

Good luck!!

[HatticusFinch]

Shakespeare, really I'm no gym bunny. It's a challenge everyday to keep motivated but the benefits for me out way the effort. The time in the gym when I don't have to think about anything else is my reward!

Find something you enjoy, swimming is a great way to start. It's gentle on your body and you can go at your own pace.

At the end of the day only you can motivate yourself. Good luck!

[angeltulips]

Sorry lazysuzanne wasn't intending to imply that people were being prescriptive, just giving another pov/ way to tackle it

[waterlego6064]

Everyone started somewhere - most people haven't always exercised since they were kids. For example, I spent nearly all of my twenties on the sofa with a spliff.

Are you me?!

Seriously though, I totally agree with your post. I was active as a child and teenager and then did absolutely diddly squat in the way of proper exercise for the next 10 years after I left school. I used to look at exercisers and assume they'd been that way all their lives, and that I was therefore not One Of Them. I started exercising about 8 years ago and have found that I am in fact a person who can exercise, and who gets enormous benefit from it.

[Lazysuzanne]

I'm with you Angel

I've also spent a fair bit of time on the sofa with a spliff:o
(and the rest )

[Sleepwhenidie]

I agree with the mantra - stop fking thinking about it and how much you don't want to do it, reasons why you should be doing something else (and btw nothing could be more important than your health) and just DO IT. Tell yourself that you are someone who exercises regularly - you just are ...then choose what its going to be today - 30 minutes or more of anything - a run, a swim, a yoga session, 30DS, give yourself a choice and it doesn't feel so bad and soon it will become a habit, you will be that person you told yourself you were and you will probably start doing a favourite thing more often than the other stuff and may even come to love it .

[Abgirl]

Great thread! Have lost over 2st since June through lots of hard work and watching what I eat, with not much cheating! Did nothing before, started walking everyday, then gradually introduced more exercise - Wii Zumba, a Joanna Hall DVD. When I felt ready for a challenge, started and completed 30DS, and have just finished ripped in 30. I work full time and get up at 5.45 to fit in DVD before DSs get up - I exercise almost everyday but have found plenty of variety is key for me.

Other top tips:

• change what you 'normally' do. We booked a multi-activity holiday this year which gave me the kick up the backside to get fitter, and I loved it!
• have persuaded DH that it's a good thing to take DSs out for a walk every sunday morning. We did over 3 miles last week and all enjoy it (well DS2 spent the last mile moaning but we ignored him

Life much much better now for putting the effort in, I am happier and healthier and like the new clothes I now need!

[overmydeadbody]

So much good stuff on this thread already, I can't add much.


But like Nike say, Just do It.


Get out. Move. Run.

I started running two yesars ago and, even though I work full time, I make sure I get out and run for an hour four or five times a week. I run four or five times a week for an hour at a time, that is an hour that even most busy people probably sit down and watch tv in the evening without even noticing it.

[tomatoplantproject]

Have always been reasonably fit and have tried lots of different things - I get bored easily but can really get into something for a while. I love feeling really fit and running was a bit of a constant. I then had really bad hips through pregnancy and stopped exercising. My hips took a long time to recover and I developed back problems and decided that losing weight and getting stronger might help - in June I gave myself 3 months to lose weight through walking and yoga/Pilates regularly (in the yoga centre around the corner) and 3 weeks ago I finally stopped feeling in pain. I love my yoga sessions - it's time away from dd (I arrange them for when dh is around) and I'm feeling stronger. I want to get as strong as possible before ttc #2 in an effort to stave off the spd.

[DalmationDots]

Do you walk your DC to school? Or could you? I used to sometimes walk them in wearing my gym kit and then run home.
Once they were older I had a gym class which I went to every week and paid in advance. It became part of my routine, plus I enjoyed it so it wasn't hard to motivate myself.

[waterlego6064]

tomatoplant I've had a similar experience. I had a lot of hip pain while pregnant with DS, and then experienced sciatica after he was born, mainly because he was a big baby, and I'm quite small and carrying him around and in and out of car seats etc (and he didn't walk til about 14 months) buggered my pelvis up. I still get sciatic pain now, 5 years on, BUT it's much worse when I don't exercise. I have to be careful with running as it can set off an episode of sciatica, but otherwise exercise has been hugely helpful, especially Pilates.

[PepeLePew]

Yes, OP, starting slow and doing it even when you don't want to are great places to start. But it takes a while to stick.

I have always loathed exercise - but I allowed that loathing to get in the way of doing it. Then I had to get, if not super-fit, at least in reasonable shape as I signed up to an expensive and physically challenging trip with some friends.

I was terrified I wouldn't manage it or would ruin it for them, so I dusted down my trainers, signed up to a gym and did a whole lot of different things.

Turns out I do really hate the treadmill and step machine and I am not cut out for boot camp type classes, but I absolutely love the Body Attack/Body Combat classes and am actually not a bad mid distance runner. And although I've got no core or upper body strength I am getting some satisfaction from improving it with a personal trainer who I really like. I managed the trek better than half the people I was with, and I am still running and going to the classes because it's become a habit. And next year I'm doing an even tougher trek and am looking forward to it.

Nice kit helps. Motivating music helps. But actually just doing it is the only thing that really makes the difference. The minute you think "shall I?", you won't. Don't think, ever. And as someone else said, if you do, tell yourself that if it is awful you will stop. I've only done that once (I ran two miles and caught the bus home!).

There is huge satisfaction, for me, in seeing that my body can actually do way more than I thought it could. I would never have thought I could run 5k, never mind run it in less than 25 mins.