What do you enjoy about exercise

[iwantsunshine1]

I haven't exercised in years (bar walking) but I need to start and get healthy. As I don't enjoy it I find it such a chore and lack motivation. I have 2 young children so if I get time to myself I normally just want to relax and watch Netflix. What do you enjoy about exercise? How do you motivate yourself?

I don’t wait to be motivated (otherwise I’d hardly go) I just go, it’s something I have to do like going to the supermarket, I always enjoy it once I’m out

Yes I find it helps to set yourself up in a scenario to make sure you will go. Like book a morning class on a day off so while you are there you might as well hit the gym.

Or book a class that coincides with a lunch break.

Make a meal with left overs so you can go to work , hit the gym/or whatever work out you are doing safe in the knowledge that dinner is already made.

If I'm feeling particularly lazy I will make sure that I don't sit down on the sofa until I've done my run/home core work out. I sit on the floor instead so it removes the whole " I've just sat down and got comfy" thing.

Well I need so lose about seven stone so starting off slow, I am going to water aerobics at my local leisure centre, I go the four times a week that it is on and love it, the fact that you are in the water makes you feel like you're not exercising and the music is fun and you are being motivated by the instructor.
I also do a twenty minute Joe wicks workout twice a week, it's low impact for beginners and it's long so it doesn't feel like a chore.
I also use the fitness pal app to calculate what I eat as I measure it out and it totals your calories.
If I can do it anyone can.

Also eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. X

If I waited to want to exercise I never would. I do workout videos before DD gets up - I hate it, I will always hate it, but I know I need to stay fit as I get older. Forget about finding something you like and just treat it as a necessity like brushing your teeth.

Firstly I made it really nice, nice workout clothes, nice trainers, David Lloyd classes etc.

I found that I started looking forward to going rather than it just being a chore, now I feel so so much better when I've been, you just need to get over that initial bit!

I enjoy the feeling afterwards knowing l have done it.

I have to be the worst runner in the world. I regularly do a 2km circuit and walk half of it. But even that gives me quite the energised buzz! So, I'll keep at it, and maybe one day I'll be the second worst runner in the world 😆

I have been doing regular YouTube yoga (with Adriene) for a couple of years now, and it's nice to be able to admire muscles and firmness where they never were before. And my balance is definitely better, and it undoes all the perimenopausal stiffness and achiness nicely.

Not an option for you due to your restraints but swimming for me is like therapy. I usually do want to go but on the odd occasion where I’m on the fence all I have to do is remember how free I feel in the water and how fantastic I know I will feel once I’ve finished.
I’ve not always had my best swim (I mean in a slow swimmer but even I know when one hasn’t gone too well!) but I’ve never once regretted going.
So for me it’s about the guaranteed endorphins, I feel on top of the world after any swim and it’s the one activity I have stuck to solidly for coming up to a year now and I still look forward to going consistently.
over the years I have dipped in and out of spinning which I also love for the same reasons but there’s something more enticing about swimming. also with running but I can’t do that any more due to a dodgy hip (I’m in my 30’s ffs!).

I do

Netball - social, fun, fills my competitive side!
Spin classes at home - just totally zones me out and I love a good sing with the music and always feel better for it
Weights at home - not my favourite but I like lifting heavy

I do it all for my heart, lungs, bones and mental health. Am overweight but I want to be fit even if I'm fat!

Oh and outdoor swimming but I'm more of a paddler/dip/chat than actual swimming
Nice in hot weather, social, gets me into the countryside and water is like therapy to me

When I was shielding I drove to the beach and stood in the sea watching the sunset

Truly you are inspiring! 💪

I am a first time mum to a wonderful 14 month old and really struggling with exercise. Before having a baby the things that I would like about exercise were:
-it would make me feel better about myself
-i enjoyed listening to music and it was an excuse for nerdy me to listen to ravey music

I really struggle to find time and motivation nowadays though and when DC is asleep I just want a nap myself.

I gave up on the gym and any exercise which is just "exercise for the sake of exercise" and tried to find things I actually enjoy which also happen to be good exercise.

I ended up sticking with climbing, kayaking and horse riding - but there are loads of active activities you could try. I tend to find I'm more motivated to go and do something I actually enjoy, whereas the devil and all his minions couldn't have dragged me to the gym to mindlessly lift machines on a cold wet evening after a day's work.

Thanks everyone, if you were to actually know me in real life I doubt you would be so inspired, I went through an awful lot last year and hit rock bottom, I gave up on myself and am now about 3 stone overweight and only recently have managed to get to a place where I have pulled myself back out of it and started to exercise so I have a long way to go but I've started and kept it up so I am proud of that!

It really does mentally help so much exercising! I even hated running when I was younger but it's a good way to just clear the head, and it's keeping my aging doggy in good health too! My favourite is to swim though, I work term time only which is a massive bonus so in the holidays we'll try and swim every week sometimes twice if possible as it's something me and all the children enjoy doing together!

Forgot to mention that my PMS vanished when I took up exercising seriously, also my mental health improved, and my eating was a lot healthier.

I started back exercising after a long hiatus.. started in Jan so approaching 6 months.

Benefits to me:
I feel better, I am fitter. I get the endorphin rush after a run or a hiit session.
I know if I keep it up I will be stronger in old age and less prone to age related illnesses (I'm 54).
I can now run 10k where before Christmas my heart would be pounding in my head after running for a train.
Feeling better about myself transcends into all other areas of my life, I am eating more healthily, I am more confident. I am a better role model to my teen daughters. I have way more energy.

Envious of people who get the endorphins! I never have.

@user2037272727273 the fact that you pulled yourself out of a dark place makes it even more inspiring!

I love this thread and I will come back to it whenever I feel like giving up. I am off to the living room now to do Bodyfit by Amy 💪

nope, not something I have ever had either! But I do like that kinda smug sense of well being you get after you have finished exercising. I always just feel very proud of myself and like Im living my best life.

Most of what I do is at home though. I have an exercise bike, rebounder and mini stepper that I use throughout the week....and I always have Netflix on and have several shows lined up to watch.
Also I weight train 3 times a week and pilates 2 times a week (again at home with YT and handweights).
Then there is running which is a new one and I go 3 times a week, just for half an hour. Its great if you can get outside, it always seems to really improve my mood and mental health just getting out in the fresh air.

Basically I do 20-30mins moderate intensity exercise 3 times a day, 5 days a week!😀

When it stops.

I also like that it helps my mood, my mobility and keeps a few chronic issues under control (back etc.) I like the social aspect too.

I motivate myself by getting into exercise gear first thing and trying to do it as early as possible. My many 'internal excuses' about why I'm too busy, tired, achy get told to shut up and get on with it. I try to do rather than think. (this works for all the things I hate doing)

I like the outcomes of being fit which makes life easier. I like being healthy and strong.

I favour exercise out of the house. I like the fresh air and getting into nature from running and open water swimming. I also do an outoor bootcamp.

In the house, I keep sessions short to about 15 mins because I get bored easily. The house is also not a good environment for too much leaping around and getting sweaty so I keep it to yoga, strength and gentle aerobics.

I enjoy using my body, feeling looser and energised from it. If I don't exercise, I stop sleeping and get very twitchy.

I run, It makes me feel much better, and I practice yoga which helps with suppleness.

If I'm struggling to find the motivation, I change into running gear but tell myself I'm only going for a walk. Once I'm out (and get to a flat bit 😀) I'll break into a jog, get warmed up, and then I can generally run 5k.

Hi OP. I love everything about exercise.

When my children were tiny, I used to do jillian Michaels when the children were playing during the day. Also we had a council gym that had a creche so I'd leave the children in the creche while I swam or did a class.

Then I started running before my husband left for work, so I'd go out at 6am for half an hour.

This led to longer runs, a personal trainer.

And now I do weights in my garage, pilates and yoga via YouTube and a lot of walking.

I don’t enjoy anything about it atm. After a long illness I am so unfit and everything is hard/hurts.

I’m starting Caroline Girvan’s beginner series on the app today, have bought the weights. Doesn’t seem too onerous to start with 30 mins three times a week for six weeks. I do have a gym membership and am planning on booking personal training after CG’s six weeks. All I do at the gym is walk fast on the treadmill for 45 mins (inside as I don’t want to walk alone atm in case I feel unwell).

I’ve had apple fitness since it was launched but find it so hard to navigate and have never found anything I like.

I used to be super fit so this is all new for me. No idea what I’ll enjoy, my previous sport is unachievable for me right now.

My plan is CG on her schedule, home yoga and brisk gym walking. Hopefully I’ll feel a bit more fit by September.

I think the secret is finding exercise that you enjoy. I cannot get motivated in the house. Find it hard to even do my physio exercises but I play netball, tennis, Padel, boxercise and some weights classes. I know I should really be doing more stretching and yoga but I find it dull and can't bring myself to do it. I'm a tad competitive so anything along those lines does it for me. 🤣

I absolutely bloody hate exercising- I have to force myself 3 times a week, I have tried it all clubbercize, zumba, the gym etc.. I have settled with swimming x once a week (I do an hour without stopping - slowly!!), aqua zumba or aqua hit class and an hour in the gym doing weights (following the gym instructors programme).

I also dog walk every day! which I don’t mins so much 😀.

I am following your thread 😀 as I have no motivation and just go because I should!