Dare I admit? I have a strong dislike for exercising or working out (which ever you like to call it). I hear some people say how much they love it and I just don’t get it. I just don’t see the thrill in lifting weights, doing cardio, or core toning exercises. I get bored. I have mentioned before that I am not so coordinated, much less graceful. My family likes to recall how I could never manage to get from one end of our house to the other without bumping into something/some one or tripping over any given object that had been in the same place for years. I still discover bruises that I must have gotten from bumping something. In sports, I usually provided the comic relief (for both teams), although I will maintain that I still got the job done. This is just an explanation of why I prefer not to go to the gym with others.
I do however love to be active. Give me a sidewalk to shovel, some water to pack to horses or a garden to weed and I will get to it. Even in the really cold weather, I bundle up the girls and go for a walk. However, it only snows every so often, I don’t have a horse, and the ground is too covered in snow even for weeds. And short walks like I can do with the girls in the cold don’t cut it. So I have to work out for a couple of reasons.
Yes, I want to be fit and healthy but even more specifically I have really bad posture. It is an inherited thing and I have slouched since I was little. My back is naturally rounded and I think that I look a lot shorter than I actually am. My family has always tried to help me, my dad’s hand gently pressing the middle of my back, my mom’s quiet “stand straight” or my sister’s humorously dramatic large eyes and pulling back her shoulders. It has always helped a lot but still the issue is that my core just needs to be stronger. I also get terribly sore, restless legs at night because my muscles tighten up. And basic activity has never helped these things. So, I watch a video and do exercises. I feel great after and now that I have gotten consistent again, I am stronger, have more energy, my posture is greatly improved and I sleep better. It is so worth the effort. Yet I still find it hard to find motivation. I still get bored. I have to set goals for myself with rewards at each goal met.
What I am wondering is…for those of you who love working out for working out sake, what is it that you love? Do you have suggestions on how to make it easier to find the motivation? On how to keep from getting bored? I would love to hear any thoughts.
Confessions of a Young Mama 
I enjoy strength training because I feel a difference in my body when I do it. However I hate cardio. Seriously despise it. Not only does it make me sweaty but it is boring. The solution for me has been a workout partner. Her and I get together at her house and while one does cardio the other does weights, then we switch. We talk and share our successes. Our goals are different (hers is to gain weight, mine is to lose waist) but we motivate each other to actually do it. We learn new strength exercises and share them with each other. It is too easy for me to put it off until tomorrow if I am alone but when a friend is depending on me to show up I’ll do it.
I hear ya, that is why it worked so well to do it with my mom because now though Dan encourages me, I have only myself to motivate myself.
We recently purchesed a used treadmill and it’s helped me out so much in working out. Right now I am working through watching the Little House on the Prairie series. I only allow myself to watch it when i am on the treadmill, that way it gives me something to look forward to when i am working out, but also it keeps me from dying of boredom and makes the time go faster. I mainly just do cardo because that’s what i need, i lift my boys all day long (65 pounds, 35 pounds and 37 pounds!) so i get a good workout from that! Anyway.. that’s what i do. Sometimes you just have to push through it, on the days i have to just push through it I think about how little ammout of time out of my day it is to stay healthy and to be happy and i know that i’ll feel better once i’ve gotten it done. Maybe listen to some worship music, or a sermon or something while you are working out. That helps time to go by faster also.
…but you’re only like 5’4″ or so, right? 😉
sorry, no exercise tips. i rely on my metabolism to keep me from getting overweight. heaven help me if that ever fails 🙂
:)funny….
Unfortunately, I can’t rely on my metabolism for my reasons for needing to workout:) so I just keep hoping that someday I will just LOVE it so much that I will just HAVE to do it!! Is that so much to ask?:)
Wish I could help you, but I’m the same as you: I hate it! The only time I’m remotely committed to it is when I have a class or a personal trainer (definitely can’t afford the latter, and can only afford the former if I give up on my crafts budget, which I am SO not into doing). Even then, it’s about the commitment, not for the love of the workout.
I HAVE, however, been using the Xbox Kinect workout materials, but for me it’s really more because of the fun gaming aspect than the workout that I can keep at it.
Here’s my tip: just find more excuses to do active things. Consider a trudge in the snow with the little ones your cardio and playing airplane with them your toning exercise 😉
I find I am the opposite of you! I would be way more motivated to work out if I had a regular group to go with. But I also LOVE my outdoor time with my kids, although, it is alot more enticing to go out in summer, but my theory is “if the sun is out, so are we!”….sorry I wasn’t more helpful…if you ever need someone to walk with, drop me a line!
i must say, the only exercise i have ever really loved is circuit training…i need the variety or i get super bored and nearly lose my mind 🙂 sean is awesome @ jumping on his exercise bike and going forever, i’ve tried and it makes me crazy! i go to curves with jennie and LOVE using my wii fit @ home…fun and a good workout all at once. you are welcome to come over and wii fit at my house anytime! 🙂
I may take you up on that….only if you promise not to laugh:)
i would NEVER! i am not all that coordinated either : ) we can wii box too! really good exercise and it takes very little coordination, just wing your arms around like a maniac and that pretty much does it!