Help me find an exercise I enjoy!

[IncorrigibleTitmouse]

I know I need to do more exercise, but I really, really hate it. I always have. I was useless at PE at school (that’s a whole other slightly traumatic thread) and I just need to find something I don’t dread.

Walking is the one I can stir myself up to do because I listen to an audiobook and get on with it, but I live in a country where the outdoor temperatures will be in the mid to high 30s as a minimum from next month through till at least the end of September so that will have to stop soon.

Team sports are 100% out, swimming likewise because I’m not confident enough to be in public in a swimsuit. I tried a barre/Pilates class and liked it, but after a few months some other women at the class were really awful to me when I had to make some modifications and I was so embarrassed I haven’t been back.

Anyone else overcome a hatred of exercise and found something they enjoy?

What about weights? You don't have to lift heavy heavy weights but there's not as much being "puffed" out and more feeling strong.

Dancing?

@foodiefil Thanks, I definitely need to do something resistance-y but I’m worried about fitness too. Don’t I need to get puffed out to benefit cardiovascular things? Sorry if I’m asking daft questions, I genuinely have no clue. Sports have been something I’ve actively avoided forever! How would I get started with weights, I suppose I could get some for home use?

Thanks @tuliplily. I’m horribly uncoordinated but I enjoy dancing if no one is there to witness it! 😂

Start with tins or full bottles of water and find some YouTube workouts? Figure out if you like it first. I do HIIT/Jo Wicks style classes and walk a lot and do some running. Even if I burn the same amount of calories in a run as I do in a class on the days I do classes my overall calorie burn is higher because in HIIT classes I'm using weights and using more muscles.

I have all the same issues as you. I love my rebounder (mini-trampoline) and also just do a lot of exercise DVDs/You tube at home. I enjoy aerobics, dancing, Zumba etc, as long as there is no one around to laugh at me.

Thank you, both! Looks like YouTube will be my friend here! At least then I can try out a few things in the privacy of my own home and without shelling out any money. I wish I wasn’t so self conscious but 30+ years of not having an athletic bone in your body have led to general negative feelings about exercise! 😂

I wish I was one of those people who really loved to do physical activity.

I'm sorry some people were not nice to you in class. Perhaps find another barre class if you enjoyed it. A good class will be supportive

How about tennis? Or climbing?

Also if you liked pilates and the people were awful, why not try elsewhere or videos at home?

I’ve just bought a rowing machine. Can set up my ipad and slog away while watching tv or netflix.

It’s working for me. I’ve joined a fb group which does “challenges” so you get certificates for doing 5k/day for a month, for example, which gives me goals.

The rower is actually reasonably portable so I can do it outside in nice weather. If you get an air resistance one the fan blows a great big breeze in your face too :)

Try Walk with Rik. He's on You Tube . I really like the Boxercise he does but he does a lot of walking and dancing ones as well . Also he does talk to you like you're a twat, which I find a lot of the other online classes do

Doesn't talk I meant to say

Weight lifting or kickboxing?
I find you don't realise how much exercise you're actually doing during any martial arts based workouts, which is great for me!

@honeybuns007 It’s mostly because of where I live. Lots of very wealthy yummy mummies who are just eye wateringly spiteful to each other! I’m happy enough to exercise alone but it would be nice to find a class with nice normal people in it!

Boxercise?
I used to love doing that.

I bought a weighted hula hoop I am loving it!! It's got 1kg in it and I'm up to 7 minutes a day currently at first I couldn't keep it up but now it's going well, it's a full on workout too as my Apple Watch goes crazy as my heart rate gets as high as if I go running! Plus it's really fun

I hated sports at school too (although quite enjoyed badminton actually), but I am quite active now. I have to do a variety as I get bored easily. So at the moment, I've got access to the Peloton app (I've got a generic spin bike and treadmill at home, plus they do other types of classes, including strength, yoga, walking, barre, Pilates etc etc), I see a PT fortnightly, mainly weights/HIIT kind of stuff, I do a bit of jogging (I've done and graduated C25k several times, and now can usually comfortably knock out a slow 4-5k without training in between), a yoga class weekly, and lots of walking (and pre-COVID, my PT used to hold a weekly circuits class, but that's not been held now since pre-March 2020).

In the past, I tried things like Zumba, which was quite fun, the Shred DVD (only 20 mins, BUT hard. Fast results, but I found it a bit repetitive so lost interest), Yoga with Adrienne (lovely - I always try to do her 30 days of yoga programmes every January), Fitness Blender (great selection of free workout videos that can be filtered down by length, exertion level, muscles to be worked, equipment etc etc, excellent site).

I find I need to feel 'good enough' before going to a class, although actually, I've realised that going to classes, it's not easy for anyone, despite their fitness, as a good class allows you to pick your level to work at. I'm sorry people were horrible to you, I've never known classes to be anything but supportive, I'd hope it's an unusual experience.

Is there anyone you could go to a class with? That's always helped me keep going, and gives me someone to chat to.

Pole fitness did it for me. Before that there was nothing I stuck with. (I don't do pole dancing as I'm not into the sexy moves and heels etc and I have no coordination but I love the fitness class I go to where we climb and learn different holds, hang upside down.. It's really a lot of fun.

Came to say pole fitness too! I used to do it, was never very confident but I enjoyed it and the difference it made to my shape was astounding. If I had the space to have one at home I absolutely would have.

Are you in a country with Parkrun OP? I absolutely love it and have missed it so much through the last year. Ours (Jersey) started again last week and I almost cried crossing the start line. Lots of people, all speeds, all abilities, all ages and shapes, no judgement.

Rowing machine at home plus podcast on good headphones. Like walking, the movement is mindless - no skill no counting so just put on a good story & get on with it.

Can you get up early and walk before it gets too hot? You might not be able to walk for as long as you've been used to, but no need to stop altogether.

Another saying pole fitness!! It's great fun and even if, (like me), you're not that confident with the more scary moves, the conditioning exercises will increase your fitness levels no end. Pole also has a very supportive and welcoming community - my classes have all shapes, sizes and ages in them, (I'm currently the oldest at 47!).

Anything to do with horses and ponies will have you fit in no time, even if you just do the mucking out

I currently enjoy les Mills classes e.g. body combat, body pump, body attack. There's modifications you can make to take out the impact so they are suitable for all fitness levels. Think YouTube has the Invincible series for combat which takes you up to a full class gradually.

I know you said no to swimming, but have you considered open water swimming? It is much more interesting than swimming lengths in a pool and the climate of the country you live in would be ideally suited to it.
You could always get a rash vest and surf leggings to wear if you don't feel confident in a costume.