How do I enjoy exercise?

Do you enjoy smear tests? Do you enjoy brushing your teeth or going to the dentist? There is no need to enjoy exercise- it’s just something we do to keep healthy.

I hate exercise and it hurts (sometimes a lot) as I have arthritis but I do it because it is good for me. Plus I like what it does for my body. I don’t think I have ever looked forward to exercising.

No one if they are honest enjoys going to the gym. I mean there are 1000 other things Id like to do. On rare occasions do I get there and think wow I am loving this class. I mean I love the after feeling of endorphins and I love the strength if gives my muscles and I am grateful for bwing able to turn up and have it all provided. It is more enjoyable if you can chat to people before the class, and if the instructor has a nice vibe about them, or plays music you like. So in short its finding what you do like about it and focusing on that.

Also like you picking the classes you like most or hate least! I also trick my mind with variety. It gets a bit more enjoyable the fitter you get. I set mini challenges in my head.* *why do I do it? You lose lung function every year you age and I want to be fit and healthy in old age, prevention is the best thing. I will be healthier when I am older because I trained consistently.

Yeah I think if you aren't someone who naturally enjoys exercise you just have to accept that. There isn't a magic pill. Just see it as 30 mins of your day that is necessary for your health. Like taking a tablet. I think the main thing is not to negotiate with yourself about it. Just do it.

The gym is far from the only form of exercise.

Do you enjoy being competitive?
Are you social or do you want alone time?
Do you prefer being outdoors or indoors?
Do you enjoy adventure? Wildnerness places?
Do you like being around water?
Do you like a bit of adrenaline?

I see exercise as medicine. If I do it, I’ll feel better. Some days I look forward to it, most days I’m pretty meh about it but I know if I do it I’ll feel great and saintly afterwards. If I stay in the sofa I know I’ll regret it.
You never regret exercise but you’ll always regret not doing it. I just repeat that to myself.

That's not true in my experience. I'm not lying, I absolutely love it. It's my favourite thing to do. I am excited every single time. And I know I'm not alone in that as I have had conversations with other women that feel the same. However that doesn't go for all exercise at all. I am hugely unmotivated for pretty much all physical exercise except lifting. Which is why I think experimenting and finding what you do love is so important. Before I found lifting I too would have been utterly bemused if anyone said they liked it going to the gym. But it's absolutely true.

gym membership is for a year so I can't just not go

I only manage to go swimming so often because I ruddy paid for it in advance. I'll be damned if I don't get my money's worth.

Is there anything with a competitive element you might enjoy? Even if that’s just competing against yourself?

I used to love running as you can easily monitor your own progress and see if you can go further or faster.

Currently I am enjoying Zumba because I’m horribly uncoordinated and my aim is to get through a track without screwing up the moves.

Both very different kinds of exercise but the common factor is I’ve got a motivation that isn’t just “getting fit”.

I think I might enjoy strength training for a similar reason.

I go swimming and I enjoy that - its partly the jacuzzi, steam room, sauna as well but I like counting the lengths and getting to 100. Also I can forget about cancer, child issues in there or at least discuss them with DH in private. DH and I also go together and its alone time for us. I also choose a private less busy pool, warmer as well. In summer lidos are great. Canoeing I also love, scenery. I used to love aerobics when younger, music I think. I hate walking, cycling, running, its about finding the exercise you enjoy and sometimes its the setting as well, like walking I enjoy if there's wildlife and its remote. Cycling I have trouble balancing and running makes me feel ill. Gym not a huge fan of, find them a bit intimidating and dull and busy. Outside swimming can be great as well if warm enough. Love a heated outdoor pool with views or sea somewhere nice or waterparks.

Though a big motivator for me is I had cancer and its says chances of it going to stage 4 are reduced 50% if exercise 3 to 5 hours a week. I also have much better mental health after swimming, do about a mile 3 times a week when I can. I can't take anti-depressants with cancer drugs or hrt so its the only option.

I am also competitive and enjoy swimming faster than men. Especially the men who come in and try to take your swimming spot.

Exercise is fucking miserable and it always means unpleasant contact with other people. Celebs are thin because they can afford home gyms! When I was younger I used to force myself to exercise so I’d look attractive, but now I’m a 40 something mum no amount of exercise is going to make me look attractive, so why torture myself?

@Speermint cos feeling strong feels sooooo good? Might not do it for you but I'm posting it just in case, as it changed my whole way of thinking when I realised exercise didn't have to be about being attractive or skinny. I don't care about feeling attractive cos I think I'm awesome, cos I feel strong.

Have you tried just running outside?

If you live cycling you may also like running

I saw your post and was just wondering how you got on? Have you captured the motivation?

How do you get to work and get around? Could you cycle most of your journeys instead of just doing long rides for the sake of it?

I hate exercise too, but I cycle everywhere and it’s brilliant for just working exercise into my normal life. Walking the school run, then cycling to work/shops is my main bit of exercise in the week. I work weekends at the moment but I’m looking forward to getting out for hikes again soon as that’s my other exercise thing that I actually enjoy.

It’s about finding something you love. I love fitness classes at the gym. Discovered it while at university and now doing Les Mills at home (gym classes don’t fit my timetable). I agree with the poster that if you can find time to go to the gym already, then take your bike out and cycle instead? Use an app like strava maybe?

Hi again,

Thanks for the update. It’s fascinating to read your experience and the other answers to the question, ‘Is it possible to become someone who enjoys exercise and does it because they want to and not because they have to?’, is YES. And, yes, you can change your mindset around exercise.

The evidence around enjoyment of exercise is interesting. We’re all basically feeling machines that think and our emotional response before, during and after exercise drives our long-term behaviour.

Here’s an explanation in two graphs (below). Your fitness capacity goes from ‘chilling in front of Netflix’ (rest) to ‘sprinting to catch last bus’ (all out). As you can see in the first graph, this person has a smaller capacity (length of bottom line) and their personal thresholds (aerobic and anaerobic) are lower. This means that the number of activities they can enjoy is much lower than the person in the second graph. Evidence shows people uniformly enjoy activities below the first threshold (green line), there’s a 50/50 chance they’ll enjoy activities between the green and black lines. Once you go above the second vertical line (black) people uniformly don’t enjoy these activities/exercise.

Hope I haven’t lost you! The trick is to work out where your personal first threshold is (green line) and to build fitness by working at an intensity just below this line. This means doing activities below the line and walking/running/biking at an intensity close to the green line. This keeps the intensity enjoyable. As you get fitter, the green line pushes to the right and the range of activities you enjoy will expand.

If interested, I can expand and tell you how to work out where your green aerobic threshold is and how to work out what to try. Just didn’t want to make this too long!

Some things you could try instead of the gym given what you write that you like:

• Get an indoor bike trainer and try a game like Zwift
• Do hiking or walking round your local area with a weighted backpack
• Try activities like indoor climbing to build strength instead of the gym

Finally, remember that the goal is to find activities you truly enjoy. This way, exercise becomes something you look forward to rather than a chore you feel you have to do. Feel free to reach out if you need more specific guidance on identifying your personal thresholds or if you have any other questions!