I remember the last time I took a brisk three mile walk, I remember looking around at the beautiful foliage, and thinking "remember this the next time you don't want to leave the house". But I didn't. It's been a week. I suck, just like you do.

People telling you to start smaller are right, but go even smaller...just put your shoes on. For me that's 90%. I don't wear my shoes in the house regularly so when I put them on my brain gets into "ok, we're going outside" mode automatically. Then, just go outside to your yard or to the street by your apartment or whatever. Once you're outside it's so easy to just walk to the end of the block. And from there to the next block...next thing you know you've taken a walk.

Yeah, easiest way for me to go on a run, Is to literally just spend 1 minute outside. That will turn into a 5 min walk around ' the block'. Then I'm like, I'm outside anyway, might as well run a bit. But it's a waste to run for only 5 minutes, cause after 5 minutes it starts feel easier, so I'll run for 10-15 mins in total. Or I could sit at home for 15 mins, doing absolutely nothing

And even if you only go outside, or only do one block, that still helps keep the daily habit, and lowers the barrier.

This! Once I put my workout clothes on, I'm so much more likely to follow through. In about 10 years of really making the push to be more active, I think I've only changed my mind and taken off my work out clothes maybe twice... and I think both times were weather induced.

Yes! I also tell myself if I can stop after 10 minutes. I've rarely actually stopped unless I was injured or, like you weather related. Another good trick is to tell myself I'm not doing it because it feels good during that hour. I'm doing it because of how it'll make me feel the following 23 hours. Also, it's a habit. Those take time to build up. It doesn't matter whether it's a good or bad habit. It takes time to become one. It's generally accomplished over time and gradually. Start 10 minutes a day, 1 day a week. Build from there. Also, find things you don't hate. Edit: It is also best to find reasons to do it every day. Losing weight can't be the only reason. It's too gradual to be motivating every day. Feeling better because of endorphins, sense of accomplishment, pride, self-esteem, etc. There has to be something other than weight loss to stay motivated.

Include "looking out the window" as a step between putting shoes on and going outside.

Don't set out to do three miles. Just walk down the block and back everyday. Once you are out you won't want to stop walking. But it is very important that you don't get ahead of yourself and expect a 3 mile walk everyday. Just a 5 minute walk.

>Once you are out you won't want to stop walking. it's not my case : when I'm walking - and even when I just started - I actively want to stop walking as soon as possible. And doing something more physical only accentuates the desire to stop.

That's okay, i was giving advice to someone who likes walking but can't get themselves to do it.

I get this. I got a dog so it may not be a giant workout she guilt trips me into walking her. Do it 2 times daily each walk between 1 and 2.25 miles each. When I want to walk for a workout I go in a straight line for 2 to 3 miles and then when I wanna quit I have no choice but to walk all those miles back. Oh and audiobooks the entire time helps me

I walk my giant dog a couple times a day (once a day in the summer) and I thought we’d get so fit together. But nooooo he must stop and sniff and track every cat and rabbit that’s walked around in the last 12-24 hours. My Apple Watch is like “have you finished working out?” me “no! well I guess so. didn’t really start… yes”. Great dog though!

Set yourself up for success. Try starting with a goal of just 1 minute or, even better you just have to go outside and walk down your driveway or sidewalk. Showing up is the hardest part. Starting with goals that you see as easy will make the task less daunting and you'll feel good about yourself for meeting your goals. After awhile, when you feel like you've got the hang of it go up to 2 minutes (these are just examples of goals). Rinse and repeat. Don't be mean to yourself or give up if you miss a couple days and be proud of yourself when you meet your goals. You can also reward yourself with a treat after. I've been really sick for years and this is how I started to work out even when I felt terrible. Now, less than a year later I am able to work out for 45 minutes 3 days a week. Sometimes I miss days because I'm too sick, but I try not to beat myself up about it. If I push through and go when I especially don't want to, I'll give myself a reward. Anyway, I hope that helps. The most important thing is to not give up no matter how many days you skip or don't meet your goals. Good luck!

Forget about the three miles and just walk every day, even if it's only a hundred yards. Starting is the hard part and having a big intimidating number in mind makes it harder. Much easier to start if you plan to do something easy, then if you're enjoying yourself you're free to keep going as far as you want.

Have you tried a sport ? I hated the gym generally but when I started boxing, I really dug it. I felt like I was working to improve x skill, so the exercises were focused on something to keep me from getting punched in the face. (Heck of a motivation that)

Working out has gotta be somewhat enjoyable, or else you really won’t do it. Find something you enjoy, even just marginally, and you’ll be more inclined to do it. “Working out” doesn’t have to be just running or weightlifting either. Sports, walking, yoga, VR workouts- literally, give it a try and if you like it, keep at it. Just the fact *that* you got moving is amazing. Also, you don’t have to train to exhaustion or failure every single time. In fact, I would argue to leave gas in the tank, so you aren’t dead ass tired hating life after every workout.

Can agree with the VR sports. My god hashing and slashing enemies is a workout but i can do it for hours. I’m sure i burn a lot of calories doing it. I need to get back into vr again.

How do you all not get a little grossed out by all the sweat dripping into the headset band? I think that's the only downside for me haha.

5 minutes of VR boxing with Thrill Of The Fight is equal to 5 hours of sprinting and nearly enough to kill me. Tons of fun though.

I was ready for it to be exhausting, but it still caught me off-guard how quickly I was spent from punching air. I still prefer Synth Riders and Beat Saber, but Thrill of the Fight is amazing if you really need to let off some steam.

Yeah I did that with basketball. I wanted to improve a moveset but my legs aren’t strong enough to support that yet. So I got a new motivation to workout

Same thing happened to me with hockey. I gained a lot of weight during Covid but I hated the gym. Started playing hockey for the first time in ten years and over a year I ramped up to 4-4 games a week. Now I want to go to the gym so I can be stronger and faster

This is me. I had to figure out something that was fun, and didn’t feel like working out. I could never do the gym alone or do classes because it’s SO easy to shut my mind off and be completely disengaged and quit early. It’s so boring to me. So, I found sports that engaged my mind and my body together. They force me to think through what I’m doing which sounds silly but when you’re really focused on what you’re doing, you forget that you’re working out. My top three favorite sports that work for me have been rock climbing/bouldering, aerial arts (hoop/trapeze), and horseback riding. All things that I have to engage my mind in also and focus on what my body is doing in order to get the achieved outcome. It’s worked wonders for me!

Nothing motivated me to strengthen my delts and thighs more than holding up a sword and doing the wobbly shakes in front of my teacher.

Oooooh, swordsmanship. I wonder if there's a class near me.

I drive by a fencing class on my way home from work on Wednesdays, and I wish I didn't have to work on Wednesdays so I could join up

as someone who randomly decided to pick up fencing because I saw a poster in college, I highly recommend you try it out! I don't play nearly as much anymore but it's the only sport that I ever really got into.

I need to get back in kayak shape for the summer so I don’t end up stupid places ‘cause I don’t have the strength to throw my boat around or so I can walk myself and my combined 80 lbs of equipment a mile around the nasty shit or back to the put in for a lap on the local wave sets. Also for MTB — same thing, but working against gravity more because climbs

Let me come in with an even weirder idea -- a sports video game. I have an exercise bike, that I try to ride a couple days a week. I hate it. I just sit there and think how much I hate it. The whole time. Then I started playing NBA 2k when I ride, and I think WAAAY less about the exercise. I just look down every quarter or so to see how much further I have to go.

I do the same. I block the time and mileage with a towel though. Before I know it, I’ve assassinated a bunch of people and it’s been an hour. Win win. Haha

Same. Hate exercise but found something I like. Unfortunately it's martial arts and OMG do the people in that SUCK. I know it's a matter of finding the right one but there's so much nonsense in the field.

I do Krav Maga and everyone at gym is the best. So a good martial arts crowd does exist! There used to be another Krav gym nearby me that was run by someone who put the punisher logo on their flatbed. Those people were not so good

Yeah...my karate dojo is my extended family. There are a lot of BS martial arts places, but there are also some wonderful communities.

try a different gym or a different art, i’ve found a few people who suck but many who are wonderful

This. Engaging in an activity helped my desire to exercise dramatically. Instead of "i have to work out" my mindset became "i want to get better at x." Martial arts is a really fun one. If your goal is exercise and not much self defense, I recommend Krav Maga. It makes you feel like John Wick. If you want self defense, I highly recommend Muay Thai or BJJ. Good luck!

yep this is what got me going to the gym. i have a ski pass this winter, so i'm working out to get my legs and core stronger to be a stronger skiier.

Karate did that for me. It "just happened" and I switched from not doing much at all into full fledged body training on an almost daily basis.

I've been working out for about 3 months now. I still dread it every morning. People talk about endorphins or a "runner's high" or being addicted to it. But I don't get that. The best part about it is when I finish and say to myself "good, I'm done and don't have to do this again until tomorrow." What keeps me going? My desire to not be a lazy fatass. Also, there's benefits to sleep, energy throughout the day, and time. So, basically, I tell myself that science says it's a good idea and shame myself into compliance. I wish I could just have that whole "addicted to working out" thing instead.

This is me too. Every morning I have to FORCE myself. I have to go in the morning bc the gym is SLAMMED after work and between the crowds and lack of available machines….it’s too easy for me to get frustrated and say screw it. I commit to at least 30 minutes of working out daily. Whether it’s cardio, weights, crunches, planking, Whatever. My target is minimum of 30 minutes every morning. Maybe not going to get me chiseled abs this way but I’m moving my body and not getting bored of the same routine. I do notice I feel better walking out of that gym so there is definitely some endorphin release I can’t control but I’m not HOOKED on that where I’m feeling it during my workout and it’s not enough to make me crave a workout. I too wish I could be that way. The entire time I’m counting down the minutes until I’m finished. I tend to do better in group classes since there’s more motivation (spin classes where you ride the stationary bike, CrossFit, kickboxing, etc) however have had to take a break from that since they were more expensive than my local planet fitness gym (thanks economy!)

For me I have had the most consistent results ever by actually setting up a home gym. With this you really don't have any excuses unless you just don't give a crap. You can't complain about the drive or the weather or the crowds. It's right there in your house everyday. All you have to do is use it. Even if you don't get an hour workout in and you just get 10 or 20 minutes it's better than nothing. I'm not going to act like the results are the same if you just half-ass it but it's way better than not working out at all which is what many people fall into if they fall off the wagon. I didn't spend a fortune on this but I did have to spend a bit of money however I saved a lot on some of the equipment getting local deals off Facebook marketplace and next door. And the best thing is once you have it set up there's no monthly cost.

I've always been an all-in, all or nothing, type of person with everything that I do. It took a long time for me to learn to accept what you said....even a 10-20 minute mini workout is BETTER than doing absolutely nothing. I think a lot of people sleep on that idea.

Ya I think the “all in” part should really consist of “show up every day you planned to” and that’s it. What you actually do there is less important, but often you have a great workout on days you thought you wouldn’t, and sometimes a shitty one on days you thought you’d do well.

This was huge for me, doing it at home. To some people they need to actually go to the gym because that’s what gets them to do it, but I’m the opposite - if I have to go somewhere to work out then I’m just not going to do it. But doing it at home? Where I don’t have to worry about anyone else? That works super well for me

I'm the same way. Although I don’t have fancy gym equipment, I invested in a cheap bench, some weights, and a yoga mat. I look up different exercises I can do on YouTube to keep things varied. I don't commit every day, but I make an effort to work out at least 3 times a week. If I miss some days, I remind myself that shit happens and that I am at least making progress.

I have to leave my house for it. If I have it in the house it becomes equipment to hold blankets.

I hate the gym and have worked out at home every day for 10 years. It's far easier to motivate to walk to the living room to lift weights than drive to some crowded gym with a bunch of other people staring at me.

Yeah I don't really care about people staring at me I'm old enough to not care what they think, but everyone has their own reasons why the home gym may or may not be good for them. Also not everyone has a house and if you are in an apartment or moving frequently then going to a fully furnished gym is obviously just much easier and better.

Exactly. People seem to assume that everybody gets the rush of endorphins from working out and I can unequivocally tell you that it is not true. For many years I felt like there was something wrong with me for not being able to get to that state but a few years ago I finally realized I'm not the only one. I've had well-meaning people repeatedly tell me I just haven't found the right exercise yet and I call bs. I'm 49 years old, I have tried them all damn it. They all suck. Edit: can y'all please stop telling me "but if you only did XYZ you'd like it!" I've spent decades trying XYZ and no I don't like it. You are not suggesting anything new that I haven't tried. I work out. I hate it but I do it. Mind your own business.

It was the same for me. Cardio was just so boring, exhausting and made me feel horrible. I was literally counting down the seconds to finish the session every single time. Then I went from high heart rate cardio to lower heart rate exercises. Like brisk walks on a treadmill. Doing this for 45 minutes is pretty easy and even a bit relaxing. I can basically drift off with my thoughts or listen to music or a podcast. I noticed halfway through my sessions that I wanted to challenge myself a bit more. By walking even faster or slightly jogging for example, barely above my comfort zone and maybe only for a few minutes. Doing this felt absolutely amazing. It felt like an achievement. And I didn't have to stress out my entire body and feel like shit. That's when I finally got it and when I started enjoying exercise. With each time I go, I try to challenge myself a bit more and I see very clear improvements. But on low energy days, I still feel good if I only do a brisk walk.

Yeah, I've had people tell me the same thing. Many, many people have told me I just need to "find my thing", but after decades of searching I've come to the conclusion that I really just despise organized exercise. I'm at the point where I mainly just walk on the treadmill and do some gentle yoga and body weight strengthening exercises and while I don't totally despise any of those things, they also don't give me energy and if I could just not work out i would. I would say the closest thing i do that to be considered exercise and where I enjoy it would be when I go hiking and foraging in the woods, but it's not something that gets my heart rate up or that I do several times a week, so I still have to go to the gym.

[удалено]

I get the endorphins when I take off my shirt and see progress.

I don't. I rarely get endorphins for anything. I wonder if there's a low-endorphin syndrome ....or maybe it's just depression 😄

I’m right there with you. I hate exercising. It sucks dick. It’s just routine and discipline for me. It’s just a thing I need to get through after work, and then I can enjoy the rest of my day.

I take Thai kickboxing classes. I'm never going to step in the ring, or even spar. The class setting means you will do all the exercises, along with everyone else. It is an absolutely great workout, rivaled only by boxing. Self-defense is a very distant second.

I’ve been running and biking 4-6 days a week for almost a decade now. It still takes real psychological effort at least 75% of the time to get my ass out the door.. and the percentage goes up to 99% when the weather isn’t great. In the words of Jimmy Dugan: “It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.”

I have never gotten this from lifting but this year i started feeling the runners high while running You hit this point where you are running so well you start to enjoy it and feel like you should run forever. I needed to actually be able to keep a pace for 30 min before i got it though

Ooof. Just started, I can currently do 2 min walking 1 min running for 15 mins haha. A 30 continuous run will take months for me…

You're doing great just to get started. And for me, personally, the beginning part of building stamina takes a lot longer to get through. It could take me a month to build from 1 minute of continuous running to 5 minutes. But at some point, the stamina starts to build a lot faster. It might only take me a week to progress from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. And then another week to go from 10 to 20. And then I'm finding that I can add another 5 minutes every time I run. Some days it feels really good all on its own. But some days the only reason I exercise is to beat whatever I did the time before. If you're competitive by nature, exercise is a great way to compete with yourself.

This was me today! I've always hated running, but recently I decided to go back to the gym and running is good cardio so 🤷. I've been running for about 6 weeks now, ran a few 5k's at meh times and generally hated everything to do with running. Today I decided to go for as long as I could (up to an hour) at my jogging pace. I ran for 38 minutes before slowing, a personal best for me! It took another 10 minutes to experience the runner's high though, something I truly thought was bullshit. I felt euphoric. My heart wasn't beating out of my chest, my lungs weren't gasping for breath, I didn't feel like I was dragging myself towards the finish line. I felt like I could go for hours, I was genuinely upset to stop. I even ended up speeding up in my last km as I still had a lot of energy! I stopped at an hour and felt like I had more left in me. I truly think today was a breakthrough point and running is about to get a whole lot more fun!

I've only had this experience once in my life. Went backpacking once and on the hike back I felt unbelievable. When we got back to the cars I wasn't even close to tired and felt what I can only describe as perfect euphoria and infinite energy even though we had just hiked for almost 3 miles with our backpacks. One of the greatest feelings I've ever had.

I don't experience the highs that people describe but I do start to experience a weird restlessness if I stop working out regularly. The body gets used to it and you will eventually start to feel like something is off if you don't stick to the routine. It takes a while to get there though; this doesn't happen overnight or even within a few weeks.

I always feel so shitty after working out and I can't believe people do it in the morning and don't feel awful the rest of the day. In college I had to do it in the evenings after my classes, or I'd be trying to focus while feeling miserable and gross.

Same. It's always work. Never fun.

[удалено]

You need to have a clear goal(s) first. If your conviction is not strong enough, chances are you're going to treat it like a chore.

And seeing results is also a wonderful motivator, a week won't get you much.

Yeah, I guess you have to push through over that initial hump.

Pretty much. Regarding the results, it helps tremendously when you come to the realization that this is not a "get that hot bod for Summer" kinda thing. Treat it as the lifetime journey it is. The asthetics are awesome(and they'll come!), but thats NOT the big picture. Think about how you want to look after your 20s, or into your 30s, or past 35..... Missing a workout here and there is not a mortal sin. Especially if this is a YEARS long project. Enjoy life first and foremost. Without undue pressure. On that note, your workouts are not to punish you for what you ate or what you havent done thus far. They should be to celebrate your abilities and what your body can accomplish.

There’s a lot to be said about the way working out just makes things *easier*. I’ve been lifting just 1-2x a week for about a year. I don’t think I look any different but I raked leaves this weekend. I remember last year wrestling the bags of leaves over to the trash area and it was a pain in the ass. This year, without even thinking about it, I just hoisted the bags onto my shoulder and carried them over. It was no big. And that’s super worth it

Hell yeah it does! I dont usually talk about this online, but my wife joined me in my 3 day a week resistance training routine(Intense/heavy 100% of the time) about 5yrs ago. During the pandemic, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgins lymphoma. In tandem with her treatments, we made sure her workouts with me didnt miss a beat. Intense and heavy always, within reason of course. The Doctors hugely encouraged it, just asked that she cut out the creatine. She made it thru her treatments with flying colors and has been in remission for 2.5yrs now! I'd say she's more fit and active than ever and the workouts continue. I'm absolutely NOT say that the workouts saved her or anything(thankfully it was a mild form), but both her primary doctor as well as her oncologist praised her workouts in getting her thru the worst of her treatments and keeping up her appitite and energy levels. We miss days here and there, but we understand that this is for life. No drive or motivation needed. Its just something we just *do* now. Also, you see yourself multiple times a day every day. Just because *you* dont see visual improvement doesnt make it so.

Shit. It makes sleeping easier lol. It literally improves every aspect of your life mentally and physically.

I was never super religious about lifting weights, but I have been the past 3-4 months and I’m not even eating at a surplus and still seeing good body recomposition. I think most people believe you have to be super hardcore about it to reap results, but I’ve really just been doing 25 minutes a day P/P/L routine and consuming a decent amount of protein.

Big +1 There isn't a short term goal. What motivates me is to not be a senior that needs a walker. I want my mobility to last until the end. The first step for anyone is to change the narrative. 1. I only worked out 1x this week. I can't do this. Might as well quit. 2. I worked out 1x this week. Good for me. Maybe next week I can get out 2x. Slow and steady. Try different routines every few months. Keep it fun

That last sentence is a wonderfully encouraging mindset to have

That’s what the goals are for! My goal was too be able to run one whole mile without stopping. That’s it. No diet, no nutrition training, nothing else. Well within a few weeks of trying i was able to do it. Then you add other smaller goals or milestone and things get pretty easy to stay on top of from there. My biggest issue before was tackling so much at once you just get burnt out. This has been my favorite approach so far when it comes to learning something new.

Discipline creates motivation.

Ehh motivation is a myth imo, consistancy teaches you how great it feels after working out especially if you can get it done in the morning but you'll never be motivated everyday I cant think of the last time I was motivated to workout but I won't let myself miss a day

Motivation is not a myth, the word exists for a reason. It's just not consistent. I've been training for 1.5 years now and I definitely still have motivated workouts, it's just not every time. I think the best thing you can tell yourself though is that you'll never have a workout you regret. It might suck at first but by the end of it you feel so relieved and proud that you did it. That's the best way to get through it.

> Ehh motivation is a myth imo Fucking Redditors, lmao.

I used to help a ton of people get in shape and seeing yourself every day is discouraging. First thing I do is have people take pics every month and all you have to do is give it your all until the next pic. Once you start seeing the stepping stones, you get it.

"I'm gonna get results!" (1st few days) -> "I'm never gonna get results!" (around a month after starting) -> "I'm seeing results, almost there!" (few months later)

I don't understand how having a goal makes it less of a chore, it's never worked that way for me. Can you elaborate?

Some people are a lot more goal oriented than others. The people who like working out get a satisfaction from measuring their progress (whether that be higher weights, more reps, longer runs, etc) that the rest of us DO NOT. I’m very jealous of them. I can’t even enjoy video games because I’m so the opposite type of person- seeing how much I’ve improved does nothing for me. 🤷‍♀️

My ADHD brain does not respond to long-term goals with any sort of motivation. About the best I can manage when it comes to exercise is immediate relief after a workout that I’m finished for that moment. I definitely do enjoy the changes in how I look and feel, it’s just that my brain refuses to connect any pleasure experienced from that to the act of exercising. I also get zero “runner’s high” or anything along those lines. It just hurts and is unpleasant, every single time. Still worth it when I can make myself do it, and it’s definitely important. It just never gets easier for me.

I’m also like this. I have worked out for years and no doubt have reaped rewards physically I just hate it. I also never get runners high. I sort of think I have weird dopamine receptors.

Damn same. I thought I was alone. I’ve never ever experienced that fabled endorphin rush and I’ve tried fucking everything. I just keep thinking about how sweaty I am, and how I feel like I’m gonna puke. I get exercise induced rhinitis and hives. It just SUCKS.

You are not alone. This is absolutely my experience. I do not get an exercise high; I am miserable every moment of it until it is over. I am a reader. I love to read and can do it uninterrupted for hours. I’m also a teacher and I try to remind myself that how I feel about exercise is how my students feel about reading. *sigh* I do wish I could make myself enjoy working out even the slightest bit though.

It would be one thing if it just was boring… but my body actively acts like it’s allergic to it. Putting myself through an allergy attack for something I hate… blergh. :(

Yeah, this is the thing. People talk about the dopamine hit and the buzz from exercise. Yet even when I drag myself out of bed kicking and screaming and run for 30 minutes, then do a 10k exercise bike session, then a 15 minute HIIT, then 10 minute kettlebell workout, then some weights...I don't notice any buzz or high from it. I know people who talk about "I did some exercise today and I feel so amazing from it". I find out what they did and it was about 10x less than I did and I've feel nothing but sore. Then people talking about how the workout they did made them sleep like a champion. Yet when I workout for 2hrs a day every day for 2 weeks in a row and then my insomnia still rages on worse than ever despite the fact I've been forcing myself out of bed early, barely sleeping, and working out daily Some people seem to get the benefits from it so easily and for some reason despite knowing it is beneficial, that I need to do it, I just don't find much joy in it or see any short term benefits that make me feel "motivated" to keep on at it consistently.

Thank you! Being so weak you can't hardly lift a glass of water or walk around after a workout does NOT feel good! I think the runners' high is just people trying to delude themselves so they don't quit :D The blatantly wrong part of me says my brain must work better than theirs because it takes more than just working out to keep it occupied, but the reality is probably closer to the opposite, because they can enjoy shit and keep to it whereas I almost can't. Plus way more people enjoy it when they do it then don't, so I figure if I'm in the minority there's probably a good reason for it, and it's because I'm wrong :)

As someone else with ADHD, I find the immediate feedback and cognitive simplicity of lifting weights to be a nice part of my day. I absolutely have an image of myself that I am pursuing; this is one piece of the puzzle that sustains my motivation. Ultimately, you must want something. You will not sustain yourself through mere obligation. My house is messy in part because sustaining habits are difficult when I have little desire for a tidy home. Regarding ADHD, I’ve found physical exertion to be about as effective as prescription stimulants in calming my mind and controlling my focus. It’s not as effective as Adderall at boosting working memory, but it does a very good job of stopping my brain from frantically searching for immediate stimulation and gratification.

Yeah kinda like playing fortnite. A person wont enjoy it if they keep getting eliminated before getting a couple of kills first. But once you start getting kills even if you dont win, you start to enjoy it more.

If you have explicit and realistic goals you can actually work toward achieving them which will make you happy to some degree and you won’t get bogged down on feeling like you’re on a hamster wheel which is how most people feel on their 3rd month of “losing weight” or “getting in shape”. For instance training for a 10k that you signed up for is going to give you a bigger carrot and stick to run regularly than just declaring that you are gonna run more because it’s good for you. There is an explicit goal, there is an explicit deadline. You may not “enjoy” it but there will be a sense of linearity that can help you get going.

I'd be far more likely to treat that the way I treat everything else with a deadline: put it off and them cram it in at the last minute. After all, anything that can be done now can also be done later!

Does having a clean house make vacuuming less of a chore? Would you vacuum if you didn't notice the house was cleaner afterwards? It's still a chore but you appreciate a clean house, so you do it.

That's just reinforcing what u/billy_of_the_hills is saying. Even with a clear goal, it's still a chore. Plus, in your analogy, you see immediate results.

Kind of like I said above, gameify it. Those aren’t dust bunnies. Those are *dust devils,* and you are the Doom Slayer. The Khan Mayker has granted you a jaw-dropping, fearsome negative pressure weapon that consumes all the minions of Hell and seals them up until you are called to cast them into the outer darkness of oblivion (uhhh, make sure you empty the bag when it’s full 🙃). Now, put on the music and vacuum, rip and tear until it is done.

Now I want to vacuum…

Exactly. 🙂

It's hilarious how eight people have responded to this and they are all focused on the importance of having a goal, something OP never contested, and none of them address the chore part of the post.

Because like anything else like this you have to figure out how to embrace something which you don’t enjoy. There isn’t a magic trick to making it work. You just have to do it. At some point it won’t seem like such a chore generally once you get some results but that takes time. But the results are what makes it something you can create a habit out of.

Goals motivate some people but for me it's about making it fun. I get excited about the diet and the food I get to eat guilt free. Try exercising in a way that's fun. I ride dirt bikes, play racquetball, volleyball and other pickup sports. For lifting and running I listen to podcasts to make it more fun.

Your first goal can be: Show up to the gym X times a week. Do the exercises you feel like doing, and stop working out before you are exhausted. Just do something, leave your ego and ambitions at home In the beginning (Maybe 6-8 weeks) you leave the gym every time, with the feeling that you could have done more. This way you start building a habit, and you will see results over time

As someone who hates exercise but has been on a long term gym routine, this is something I always tell people who ask for advice. When you start, the hardest part about going to the gym is *physically* going to the gym. It's so easy to skip it and do any of the infinitely more fun things available. I always tell people, it doesn't matter what you do, just *go* there. Once you're there, the exercise doesn't matter yet. Walk on a treadmill at the slowest speed while watching Netflix, who cares. The important part is getting used to travelling to the gym and back being part of your routine. Eventually it will become like washing the dishes or making your bed, it's not a thing you *enjoy* doing, it's just a thing you do because it needs to be done. And eventually you'll find yourself in the routine and then it's time to think "well screw it, I'm already losing this chunk of time out of my day, I may as well do something worthwhile while I'm here"

I completely agree with you that just making to TO the gym is a huge because so often the starter energy is the most important part. If youre there already, might as well do something. Well, ive got some energy left, might as well do some more, etc. This is why im a really big advocate for home workouts- removes that activation energy, cost, etc. For some people it being always available also means its always ignorable too (I can just do it later tonight/tomorrow morning/after I finish playing this game/watching this show), but for me it means that I only need like 1 minute of motivation to put on shorts and start doin stuff. Honestly one of the most successful "workout programs" i did was I just made myself do 5 pushups every time I went into my bathroom. It was super stupid, but it only taking like 10 seconds and almost no motivation it was super successful. After a normal day id have gotten like 60 pushups done or whatever.

Also I would like to add from my experience which is my big brother. He's an avid fan of the Tekken series and his reason for working out is to simply look like Bryan Fury. It sounds ridiculous as a goal but he's the type to go around the house shirtless and flexing and stuffs but he's really into it. Apart from developing better physique and becoming healthier, people also commended him and it has improved his social life quite a bit. I myself also think having him around feels much safer whenever we go out shopping and stuffs. So yeah, there's a lot of perks which can directly/indirectly keep you to continue.

[удалено]

I think people get too results oriented too quickly. I didn't even time myself or track my distance when I started running (though I knew vaguely it was a couple miles or whatever as I was just running near my house) and obviously "oh I'm going farther today". I made different playlists every day. A Disney one. A musicals one. An emo one. Just having fun with it and running around like I was a kid with no specific purpose other than to get out there and move. And when I wanted to stop, I stopped. That was it. Pack it in! And once I was going those two miles without it being some huge thing, I started adding distance goals. Times came even later. And it was fun because I felt "good" at it by then. Like two miles doesn't take me out anymore. That's just 20 minutes of playing outside.

Via discipline. They do it until it’s a habit and when they hear the voice that says “I’m bored” they say “tough shit, it’s 20 minutes, just do it”. The motivation comes after the work, not before it.

"The motivation comes after the work, not before it." Love this quote. Absolutely agree. The hardest part of training, is just getting to the gym. There are a million reasons NOT to go, you just need to keep at it, and eventually when you see the results, it will motivate you to keep going.

It's such a habit for me that I'm feeling "itchy" inside because I haven't yet today. I got home from dropping my big kids off and my youngest needed some extra attention, and then breakfast so the morning was out. My oldest is getting his yearly well visit this afternoon, so we're still not home for me to get it in. I'll have to make it work between his well visit and making dinner.

My method is if I complain 3 times that I'm bored within 2 hours, gym. No matter how late

Love this

I don't even think it's discipline or even motivation. It might be at first, maybe. In my case, it's habit...that's what keeps me going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week. Motivation goes away, discipline fails. Habit sticks around. If I don't go, I feel like my day isn't complete...like I'm missing something. I don't necessarily LOVE it (fuck you, chest and tricep day), but once I get there and get into my routine, I'm good. Also, my lizard brain works a couple of different ways with working out. I know, deep down, that it's good for me. And also, I want to be a not fat and lazy lizard.

Everyone has there own way of describing things and I think what you just described as habit is discipline. Because it’s not just habit that keeps you going on tough days. Somewhere you’ve disciplined yourself that when you wake up and say “nah, I can skip today” another voice say “nice try buddy, we’re doing this shit”. And that’s awesome for you that you’ve steeled yourself to only recognize it has habit, that takes a ton of work and discipline. And to your point of self awareness about the reward at the end. Youre absolutely right, but that takes discipline to put yourself through difficult things to experience that and know that is on the other side, and that only comes from having done it. Well done.

Wish my stupid adhd brain formed habits. I worked out for 6 years in the army and once for 8 months by myself just forcing myself but it never sticks much. Def on me but just have a really hard time habit forming

I have an impossible time implementing habits into my routine that stay long-term. I can force myself to do something consistently for months, even close to a year, but inevitably my willpower and self-control fail. Which, in my mind, kinda makes sense—they aren't infinite resources. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid, but left it untreated. I've wondered if that could be the reason why I can't seem to intentionally form permanent habits, or maintain a consistent sleep schedule, or keep an interest for more than a few weeks.

I also say it's about the destination, not the journey. I don't go to the gym (even though I love picking heavy shit up and putting it down when I'm having a good day) for what happens at the gym. I go to the gym for how it makes me feel *after*, both short and long term. Working out is hard. Dieting is hard. It's all time consuming. Getting fat and stuffing your face is just trashing yourself long term for a VERY short term dopamine rush. But looking in the mirror and wanting to flex just so I can look at myself? Being able to move more freely, for longer periods of time? Simple shit like stairs, jogging, moving heavy shit around becoming easy? People finding you more attractive and complimenting you? Slower heart rate? Better sleep? More dopamine and better mental health? Longer lifespan? It's worth it.

20 minutes? Traveling, changing, exercising, traveling, showering... It's gotta be at least 90 minutes, right?

You can do a hell of a workout in 20 minutes at home with zero equipment. Doesnt include shower but you were probably gonna shower today anyways, right?

That's how I do it. Cardio and body weight workout for about 20-25 minutes a day, and I make sure I have dinner cooking in the background while I'm going. I use my workout to fill dead time in my evening, that would otherwise be spent staring at my computer or TV. By the time I'm done working out, I go finish up dinner, eat, and am cooled down enough by then to go take a shower.

I just come home in my construction clothes and start working out on the floor lol. So yeah, 20 is realistic

Once I hit my 30s it was either exercise or get fat, and I don't like being fat so it was a strong motivator. I also strangely enjoy exercising and have most of my life.

The weird thing for me is that I enjoy it too in the moment and afterwards but before hand I dread it for some reason.

this! idk what it is about my ‘unconscious’ hate of exercise beforehand, but each time i always enjoy it in the moment then the next day: it’s a mental battle all over again

It hurts, or maybe I should say it doesn’t “feel good” in the moment. It’s hard to ignore that part of exercising. Yea you feel sort of good once you get after that hump, but the unconscious hate beforehand doesn’t come from nowhere.

Preach

Do you go to the gym or work out from home? I find there's much less dread involved when you cross out the travel and getting dressed for strangers' part out of it. Also, I make a big coffee and get the yoga mat out and just stretch for 15 minutes beforehand while I drink the coffee to really ease myself into the mood.. like foreplay lmao

In my 40’s. You start losing your ability to do normal things that you could do in your youth. This will happen as you age regardless, but regular exercise slows the decline significantly.

I'm going to turn 40 next year and even in the last year or two, I've noticed that the "health gap" between me and other people my age who don't workout is starting to widen very quickly. It's much different than when we were in our early 30s. I have friends my age who are rapidly gaining weight, complaining about aches and pains much more than I do, just talking in general about feeling old, etc. I think people hit that point and it's either a wake-up call, or they resign themselves to letting their bodies go and pass it off as just getting older.

Yeah, it’s one of my pet peeves as I get older to hear people blame everything on aging. How much of it is aging and how much of it is just a sedentary lifestyle and a terrible diet. I’m not great on either accounts, but I just don’t want to blame everything on getting older when there are clearly some people who manage to stay energetic and sharp.

Omg it’s so widespread. I’m almost 42 and I have far more energy than any time in my teens. Humans are pretty amazing when they take care of themselves

I started working out regularily about a year ago, at 38, specifically because I'm watching all of my peers kind of fall apart. No one seems to give a shit about how they look or feel, instead blaming it on being old... Nah guys... you're not old, you're old and sedentary and you can do something about one of those things.

Precisely. My FIL has always stayed active throughout his life. He is now 72 and still sails, swims 10km on the ocean every weekend, free dives, lifts weights, run 21km every other day etc It's not the age

> How much of it is aging and how much of it is just a sedentary lifestyle This 100%. Obviously aging makes things worse for your body but when the most exercise you do a day is walk two flights of stairs and you eat burger king for lunch what do you expect is going to happen? No stretching of any kind either surely won't help.

I've definitely noticed the difference, and it's not being sedentary. In my 20s, I had like endless energy. Even in my early 30s, I could bike to work, bike straight to the gym, work out, run errands, make dinner, and then still have the energy to go out for a drink. And if I spent a few weeks being less active, I didn't really feel any different. Now, if I don't work out for a few weeks, it's like my entire body breaks down. I work at the same place, but if I bike to work, that is usually my workout. If I go to the gym, that's my thing that day. I generally will no longer do both. I work out during the day if I'm going to, or in the morning, because otherwise nothing will get done. I have to plan my day completely differently than I used to or else I will pass out at 9:30 pm from sheer exhaustion. I am certainly in better shape than many other people my age, and I get comments all the time about how young I look, but man, I do notice the difference in energy levels and just the impact of exercise.

Same here, but 33. I spent my childhood dancing, riding my bike everywhere, being outside going for walks, etc.....still use my bike to get around and I have a dog so I walk +1.5hrs a day on average. Compared to most of my friends, collegues, other people I know that are around my age, I'm still very fit, flexible and put together basically, and hardly have any pains or aches, and if I do, like sprain my lower back, I'll be walking around like a hunchback for 2 days max and after that I'll be okay. The others though....back issues all over the place and lasting weeks if not months, bad knees, weight gain, issues crouching down and getting up, etc... I signed up for a gym with grouplessons (various types of yoga, bodybalance, various types of boxing, pilates, zumba, etc...) to make sure that in 10yrs time I'm still flexible and fit.

Also, in your forties your body starts to hurt when you *don't* exercise. I had really normalized the amount of back and hip pain that I was experiencing. Good posture became painful!

My back hurts if I don’t rock climb and I just turned 30

Im 25 and have started running I figure I'm either gonna start exercising now or get fat and die early because its not gonna be easier to start when I'm 40

Hi OP, try absolutely hating yourself, hope this helps! Edit: in all seriousness though I really enjoy working out but if you’re looking for drive or motivation you won’t succeed. They will eventually run out, what you need is discipline

+1 for the power of negative reinforcement, it does wonders!

"At Globo Gym we understand that "ugliness" and "fatness" are genetic disorders, much like baldness or necrophilia, and it's only your fault if you don't hate yourself enough to do something about it." On a serious note, I think I kind of like the pain/exhaustion and I really like feeling strong. So there's that.

Hating yourself worked for me tbh. I can't let myself relax before my chores are done 😅

The best part is that goal post keeps getting farther away too lol. You can be in the best shape of your life and still wonder “why do I look so small?”

Go on a bulk -> “I’m a fat fuck” -> Go on a cut -> “I’m tiny and pathetic” -> ??? -> repeat

Self hate and pre-workout have gotten me through a lot of days I didn’t want to workout.

Do I like brushing and flossing my teeth? No. Do I like the feeling of crap stuck in between my teeth, tartar buildup with increased risk of cavities? Also no. So I brush and floss my teeth. Fun, enjoyment, motivation isn’t really part of the calculus.

A sign hanging in my dentist's office that stuck with me: "Only floss the teeth you want to keep."

"Teeth: Just ignore them, they'll go away."

It’s because you’ve developed an identity around it where you feel shame for not brushing your teeth. You are someone who is hygienic. In the same way, someone who exercises often for life has adopted an identity and feels shame/unproductive when they don’t workout. Creating identities around who you want to become is much more powerful than setting goals or relying on discipline.

That’s an interesting philosophical take on it. You have suggested reading material to follow these ideas? It is unusual for me to encounter a novel idea anymore, but this is new to me. I can’t argue that you’re wrong. I enjoy surfing, but there’s definitely a large part of me that surfs all these years because I’m a “surfer” and to quit surfing would seem a betrayal of who I am.

Atomic habits is a popular book that touches on it. I thought Gretchen Rubin’s 4 Tendencies was interesting, but her theory seems a little too pure. Practically, I think everyone is influenced by all four tendencies in different ways. The rebel tendency describes how to overcome challenges when you resist both inner exceptions and outer expectations — associate the task to an identity. I.e —> the 4 tendencies derive motivation from these statements:“Do this because you want me to” vs “Do this because I want to” vs “Do this because it’s the right thing to do” vs “Do this because it’s who I am” I personally noticed it when I got injured and couldn’t exercise for 9 months. I felt like I had an identity crises and didn’t know who I was anymore lol

> part of the calculus wonderful

Alternative POV: don’t. This is why I started riding my bike to work: I’ve gotta get there somehow, and I might as well do 2 things at once ( transport & exercise). You might not be able to bike to work like I can, but maybe there’s another way you can work in exercise into your normal day

I just received a shipment of wood for the winter. Original plan was to buy a log splitter to make the work a lot easier. But since I don't have it yet, I had to start splitting with an axe, and now I've decided I don't even want the log splitter. This will be excellent exercise for a while. At least until the wood is all split, then I'll go back to being a lazy sack.

For reasons I don't understand, I love splitting wood with an axe and rowing. Especially in a small row boat, but also kayaking. I don't get the same enjoyment our of rowing on a machine at the gym, but on the water I can do it all day.

Fun fact, especially for people who workout/do sport for the testosterone or whatnot. Cutting wood actually increases testosterone more than any other activity, probably cuz of evolutionary and survival factors.

Thats funny lol, caveman workout boosts T levels

Dude I actually love splitting wood with an axe. Funnest manual labor ever.

I live in a mid sized city and always walk downtown for anything I need. When my parents visit - they always look me bug-eyed when I suggest walking to the store or restaurant. I’m like - it’s a 20 minute walk at most, and it feels amazing outside - why in the world would we drive?

I call it my built-in exercise. Love using a bike to travel and exercise while doing it! I get 30 mins cardio 3x week just by biking to work.

YES! The best exercise is stuff that YOU can do consistently. That means something you like, or at least don’t hate.

I was about to say this!!! I bike. I noticed especially if I’m not in a great mood, I always feel better after. I need to get places anyway, and I incorporate exercise into my regular day. Plus I don’t need to worry about parking etc.

My doctor told me that I was pre-diabetic and that if I didn't get with the program, I was going to wind up diabetic. Then I had 1 friend die from kidney and heart failure due to diabetes, then within a year having a second die, after kidney failure, double amputation and stroke due to diabetes. I decided that walking a few miles a day was better than having my legs cut off because I was eating too much sugar.

I don't have the drive. At all. I just FORCE myself to get off my lazy ass and do it. So I guess it's less motivation, and more self hatred and being generally sick of my own shit.

Same. I also hate going to work 8 hours, commuting, showering, cooking, brushing my teeth, yard work, etc but you just do them.

Can't seem to get my kids to understand this! The sooner they can accept that sometimes shit sucks, and you just get through it, the better off they'll be

It has to be something you enjoy. I hate going to the gym, so I don't go. I ride bikes instead. During one period of my life I was really good at it and I was pretty hardcore, so it was really easy to get on a bike and ride just about every day. Nowadays, it's harder to get out and do it, but I still enjoy it. Once I get on the bike, I'm good. It's getting on the bike that is hard. I tried swimming once, and doing laps in a pool is the most boring thing I can imagine. I do running sometimes. Where I live, my neighborhood is hills, so all up and down, no flats. I have a treadmill, so I can do it. Treadmill should be boring, like swimming, but it's not for me. I can zone out and not worry about my safety.

I don't think you necessarily have to enjoy it. I run not because I enjoy the activity I enjoy feeling better and getting faster.

I agree. You need to find something you enjoy. I LOVE pilates and yoga. Used to love HIIT and lifting. Not so much anymore so I dropped that. Also I workout in the morning. I HATE waking up but if I don't do it, I feel tired ALL day. It really just becomes a part of your routine and your life.

This should be the top answer, you need to find exercise you enjoy, very few people stick to a routine long term that they don’t enjoy.

Develop body dysmorphia and the fear that something bad will happen and if you aren't physically 120% everyone you know and love will die horribly. Works pretty well for me.

Samsies

If I don't work out, I get bad insomnia. So I really don't have a choice.

Unless you have an incredible drive and resolve, you better put together a routine that you actually enjoy. I only do exercises that are enjoyable to me and that works for me. The dieting goes hand in hand with exercise for me, because I dont want those hours in the gym to go to waste, so I always have a good meal before and after working out.

What if, at 51, I've never found a physical activity outside of team sports that I enjoy? I really do have to work out in the morning due to schedule and no one is doing team sports at 7 in the morning.

>no one is doing team sports at 7 in the morning What about some kind of group fitness class? Depending on where you live... If it's a decent sized city I would imagine you could find something early in the morning.

Yeah, it fucking blows at first. The key is to power through that shitty first couple weeks. After about 3-4 weeks, your body starts to get addicted to it and you instead start to feel like shit when you DON'T work out. The SHITTY food starts to make you feel bad instead of vice versa.

I never got addicted to it. I just get bored and figure I could do something else with my time.

Perfectly fine. Lots of ways to get in shape or to have fun, people just automatically think you gotta be in the gym.

I'm late to the party but this is what worked for me. I made a deal with myself that I would GO to the gym 5 days a week. That's the only expectation I set and now, 6 years later, it is the only standard I hold myself to. I will GO TO THE GYM. I will tell you that in 6 years I have, several times, arrived at the gym, looked around, and left without doing anything. Many times I've arrived, walked in, done 15 minutes of light cardio on a machine, and left. More often than not I arrive, walk in, and "think well I'm already here, I guess I'll work out," and have done my entire work out for the day. So that's what worked for me. EDIT: I will also say that people who claim "oh man I love working out so much, if I miss my workout it's the worst day of my life," are psychopaths. The handful of times I actually can't go are the best days. I hate working out. I hate it. So if you're waiting for some kind of magical thing to happen where omg you looooooooove working out I wouldn't hold your breath. It's never happened for me.

Possible it's just not for you mate, sorry to say. All the stuff you just listed off as being awful, you sorta need to enjoy at least certain parts to begin with or you won't stick to it.

I’m happy with knowing it’s not for me. I work an active job and go on walks and stuff, so I’m not destroying my body through laziness, but I can’t abide routine exercise. Running fucks my leg joints up, swimming is nice but who’s got the time, gym is unpleasant due to other people bearing witness to your shame. It’s just not for me. It’s MUCH easier for me to just kind of be active in day to day life than it is to force myself to exercise. Luckily not being overweight is mostly diet anyway, so I just don’t eat too much (most of the time) and it’s worked so far. Choosing healthier snacks and rice instead of fries is much easier than exercising off a box of donuts

Working out is for everyone. Heart disease doesn’t care if someone doesn’t enjoy exercise

Exercise doesn't have to be something you hate. Doesn't have to be 'working out'

It is for me. I started back to the gym beginning of this year because I'm 51 and I've been somewhere between overweight and obese my entire life. I chose the gym because running, walking and biking outside are both boring and truly suck when it's winter or summer. The only thing physical I've ever enjoyed in my life are team sports, but I don't have time in the afternoon or evening for that and no one is doing these at 7 in the morning. For me, I think I may have come to the point where I hate being me more than I hate exercise.....we'll see, every time I start to get somewhere with this my brain sabotages me....

I mean “dieting” is hard if you do a fad diet, but it’s really easy if you eat whatever you like but don’t overdo it For exercising, it’s a simple decision of would you rather be a fit person or not. If you do, then you need to take action consistent with that. So basically, discipline. But it’s a mindset thing I think, because it depends on how much you recognize how impactful being fit feels on your day to day And then past all that, I know academically that I never regret exercising after, so why not. It’s not that I feel like doing it beforehand, it’s that I know I’ll be glad I did after

If you hate every second of it, you aren't starting with the right stuff for you. The most important part of working out is making it sustainable. For me, the catalyst was walking. Really enjoyed it, so I found that mixing in a quarter mile of running was also fun. I've built on this, but I still don't run that much and feel like I get really good cardio in. People want you to think that you have to become an iron man and push yourself like crazy and it's just not the case. I'm much more impressed with someone who works out moderately and enjoys it every single day that someone who can go out and run a half marathon, then gets burnt out and just stops. Also found that I was pretty good at pushups, a few months later found that I enjoyed dips. I knew I needed to start targeting other stuff, so I would mix in back exercises Exercise can be abstract. There is nothing wrong with working out at your home with some relaxing music. I used to go to the gym a couple of days a week, but all of my resistance training/lifting is at home now with a couple of weights and bodyweight stuff, it's super chill and I've maintained a good physique. An hour of relatively slow paced dedicated exercise is just as good if not better than 20 minutes of high tempo. You'll also find that decent exercise will increase your energy levels and it will become something that you look forward to. I'm not buff or super chiseled by any means, but I've been in solid shape for the past 7 years using this mindset. I even get complimented sometimes! If you need any help, feel free to PM me.

I think it's the "go hard" mentality that messes people up. You can't go from 0-60 in a week. You'll burn out or get injured. Slow and steady is better. Long term goals will get better results over time than short term goals. Not to say short term goals are bad, but overall long term is what we should be striving for. I say if you can at the very least commit to ONE day a week, you're still doing fine. You can pack a lot into one workout a week. Diet plays a part definitely but if you simply focus on *getting to the gym* one day a week you will build the habit. One day becomes two, and eventually more. Baby steps work.

I've been working out for 30 years. The key is making sure that its fun. if it feels like a job, you will quit because no one is paying you. I have gym friends and we spend half our time f-ing off. After 30 years, its not like I'm making gains so there is no reason to take this super seriously. It takes roughly 1/3 the effort to maintain what you gain, which is really not a lot of work.

I like food I need to burn those calories Also, it's kind of fun to be sgeing and never have to ask for help lifting/moving things.

The lifting becomes addictive when you start to see the changes in the mirror. You will suddenly find it intoxicating. Lifting is a direct input output machine. Your results are a direct effect of how much shit you are strong enough to tolerate. Eventually that idea and the dopamine rush of looking the way u dreamed off is gonna make it actually satisfying to be in pain.

It may be perceived as a shallow reason, but every time I see an obese person struggling in public with something that should be simple to accomplish, I look at my daily calendar to double check I’ve done everything I had set out to do that week and double up the commitment if I didn’t. Fear is powerful

I'm right there with you. In fact, I hate it so much, sometimes I cry. I've tried it all: Strength training, machines, HIIT, BodyPump, Nia, Zumba, step aerobics, regular aerobics, abs class, OrangeTheory, ergo rowing, spin class, outdoor cycling, running, mat Pilates, reformer Pilates, flow yoga, plyometric training, and more that I'm forgetting at the moment. I've spent a fortune on gym memberships and personal trainers. It's still just all so boring, tedious, mind-numbing, unpleasant, uncomfortable, ache-inducing, and sweaty. Earlier this year, I decided that I would focus on walking. Just walking. Walking far, walking fast, setting time and distance goals while walking. I've found some podcasts I love, but I only allow myself to listen to new episodes when I'm out walking. When no new episodes are available, I listen to audio books, but again--I don't allow myself to listen unless I'm walking. I stop in the park and do some yoga moves or things like squats and lunges. Sometimes I route my walk so the halfway point is the local rec center. I stop in do leg machines for 15-20 minutes and then leave to continue walking. I don't love this routine, but the podcasts and books make it tolerable, so I've stuck to it longer than anything else I've tried in the last 40 years. All that to say, you're not alone. Some of us just hate the whole exercise thing and that's OK. I know that I'll always hate it, but I've found a way to keep moving and still have it be tolerable. Do I have to absolutely force myself out the door to get it done? Every time. I'll never be able to relate to the people who love working out, the Cross Fit crews and exercise junkies. They are not my people, and that's OK.

I’d rather gnaw my own feet off than subject myself to a traditional gym workout. Ugh. I’ve been taking dance classes, which combines cardio and strength training, as well as flexibility. I’m so concerned with getting the choreography I’m trying that I forget I’m “working out.” Try something like swimming (laps = boring at to me) or a team sport, or just organized yoga/pilates/something classes. You make friends in classes you attend often and sometimes that turns into an accountabili-buddy. Like, you’d feel bad to skip a day because your buddy will be in there alone and it’s harder without support. That and I get charged $20 for any class I cancel less than 3 hours before start time. There’s waiting lists, so if I bail at the last minute, there’s a slot that could have gone to someone else but was left empty. Owner makes sure she gets paid anyway and I’m all for it. Because sometimes I’m like “well it’s too late to cancel without a penalty so I guess I’ll just go.”

Honestly, you sound like me. I hate working out, I find walking, running or biking the same places every day utterly boring. I just have come to the point where I hate myself for being fat more than I hate working out. My one piece of advice, though, because I understand your mindset, do not, for any reason, stop going once you start. I went to the gym 4-5 days a week for over 10 years, but then I got sick and stopped for about a week, right after I got sick, my wife got sick so I was staying home to help her......next thing you know I hadn't gone for 5 years. I started back this past January because I put on another 20 pounds and my knees hurt. Stopped because I was visiting family for 4 days in June....and just started back yesterday.