what made you finally like to exercise?

I need some ideas of how I am going to get myself to like to exercise so that I will be able to maintain a lifetime of exercise.  I have learned to like to eat healthy foods and no longer crave fatty, greasy junk.  I'm hoping there is something that will trigger the same type of change for me with exercise. 

Fortunately, I have a body that responds very quickly to exercise and I am not trying to lose much weight (maybe 3 or 4 more pounds).  It's not that I don't see the results or understand the benefits.  It's not painful - its pretty boring though. 

Looking for success stories from those who used to dread exercise but found ways to incorporate it into their lifestyle long term. 

Thanks!

Try riding your bike places! I really love bike riding, I don't look at it as exercise, it is leisure for me... so, that's what got me going. Also, I play basketball, and that burns many, many calories, and it is fun too! Just finding something you can do for fun-not exercise- will make your goal successful. :]

I have tried everything.  I love kickboxing, pilates, running, and riding my bike.  Mix it up so that you dont get bored!  I also joined a circut gym (123 fit) it kicks my but and it only takes 30 minutes for those days when I dont feel like doing anything.  Everyone is different and you just need to find something you enjoy

Here's the secret:

mix exercise with pleasurable activities in which you do not indulge except for WHILE YOU ARE EXERCISING.

listen to great music - get a walkman, take brisk walks, pref. up mountain trails or on hilly sidewalks (flat land is ok, just make sure you're going fast.)  In winter, a great idea is to underdress for the cold - you'll know you're burning calories if you're exerting enough that you aren't cold - and when you get cold, that's the
"beep-signal" letting you know you're slacking.

listen to suspenseful book on tape - get a walkman

watch your favorite TV, but ONLY when on the eliptical or trampoline or whatvever you've got.

Did you find that it took a certain amount of time to retrain your brain to enjoy it too or will it always be a matter of fighting through all the excuse why I don't have time, energy etc. for the rest of my life?

I did CC for the first 12 weeks with the intent to retrain myself how to eat and lost 15 or so pounds. My idea is to use the next 12 weeks to retrain myself regarding exercise. Not a chore but an essential part of my day. I kind of want to know if the same elements of creating new habits apply or am I setting unrealistic expectations for myself.

milfred,

Your post came in as I was posting mine.  Your secret makes sense to me.  Yes- I would love to listen to books on tape.  I have 3 children and am a student myself so reading for pleasure has been "shelved" (I couldn't resist).  Incorporating listening to a good book would make my exercise time a place of refuge instead of just another chore on my list. 

Thank you.

Exercise became interesting to me when I incorporated sex into the mix.  I'd go into detail, but there're young'uns on this website.

It's a long gradual process. There are a lot of days I have trouble finding the motivation, but I know that I always feel better after a good hard workout.  Classes at the gym and a network of friends in a running club keep me accountable to others, and the social aspect helps immensely.  The post about finding something that you enjoy is really the key to sticking with it.

Take a class, of dance, aroebics, pilates etc....trying making friends with the people there...or get a suitable friend to be your exercise buddy, but get some one whos motivate to exercise and who will get you off your butt..

get really good music with lots of beats, and the more you sweat the better!

I found finding something I enjoy doing and listening to music I enjoy while doing it the best way to continue to work out.  When I wasn't able to take my long walks anymore I signed up for weight lifting classes at the local comm college and then a cardi  class then next semester.  I love the classes the instructors and made friends that makes working out even more fun and sort of adds to the accountability

i feel like (for most people) exercise is like explaining something to your four-year-old or organizing a family vacation or taking the dog for a walk. it's not necessarily something you LOVE and look forward to, but if you think about it the right way, it can be more enjoyable than torturous. it takes the same responsibility and discipline, but doesn't have to be boring.

so to answer your question, what made you like to exercise--i don't think i do "like" to exercise. i get a kick out of it and it's cool, but would i rather be sitting on a hammock drinking lemonade? you bet your bottom dollar. but exercise is a part of my life that means a whole lot to me. seeing my body change has been a riot. for me, it's not a hobby; it's a part of my life.

My main motivation is knowing how I'll feel afterwards. If I get off the treadmill sweating like a pig and feeling like I've run the bones out of my body I can just collapse on the floor and feel like I'm in heaven.

Can't do that every time but each exercise session gives a little 'high' that is enjoyable. I think about getting that mood boost and suddenly the treadmill/weights/jump rope/whatever doesn't seem quite so bad. 

Cellulite, what kind of sex?  I think the young'uns will survive if you post.  If there is a kind of sex that is and enjoyable way to burn calories and get fit, by all means, I want to know about it.

I think if you focus the same drive and determination that you used to start eating and enjoying healthy foods, you will also feel the same about exercise.  Don't think of it as a way to lose weight, since you state you don't have much to lose.  Think of it as the next stop to the healthy lifestyle that you've adopted.  You've tackled the hard part, eating better.  The exercising is the fun part!  When you feel the high from a great workout, you'll wonder why you didn't start sooner!  Best of luck to you.

Milfred and other interested parties- the book The Guide to Getting It On is a terrific book to look for ways to make your sex more aerobic. I find that combining a little more action during foreplay is easy even if you prefer your sex a little more tradition (trying to undo ropes is great but admittedly not for everyone).

Just thinking about sex helps when my motivation is lacking. Sometimes just thinking about how I will look naked now versus gaining ten-twenty pounds, my new investment in a few pieces of lingerie wasted. I  have found that creating fantasies while I am working out really helps keep the pace. Just picturing the scene is enough to propel my body forward, so much so that I really lose track of time.

Original Post by goingtocalifornia:

Try riding your bike places! I really love bike riding, I don't look at it as exercise, it is leisure for me... so, that's what got me going.

Bike riding has some added inducements: you can use your bike for commuting and errands. I know some folks who use bikes for everything (I'm not there yet). Plus, bike riding can be a pleasurable social experience. You'll find riding groups of every age and abiity. I've made many good friends on these rides. They're just fun and make me want to get out on my bike.

 

Vigorous exercise helps me keep depression at bay, without the need for antidepressants. Yeah, it's hard to get motivated to just do it, when you're feeling depressed. But afterwards - if I push myself enough to get that endorphin rush - I feel so wonderful and the effects last the rest of the day.

I think it also helps to understand what type of exerciser you are. Are you a social person? Then join a health club or take a class or find a walking/running partner, someone you can chat with. Personally, I prefer solo exercising so that 30 minutes or hour is my alone-time. I slap on my ipod and listen to music. I also know I need to get out of the house to do it - I don't have much luck exercising to DVDs at home and I know (from experience) I wouldn't use a treadmill if I had one in my house.

I will say that it takes about 6 weeks for an exercise habit to stick. So if you can just suck it up and commit to 6 weeks, it will get easier. It becomes addictive after that point. I personally recommend exercising every single day for those 6 weeks - gentle exercise, like walking - because I find if I skip one day it is easier to skip two and then three... After 6 weeks, you'll be addicted so you can add in rest days or go to an every-other-day schedule if you prefer.

I also recommend that for those first 6 weeks you exercise first thing in the morning: this is to ensure you don't make excuses and never get around to it. Wake up, throw on your fitness clothes, and do not take a shower until you've had your workout. Yes, it sucks... I'm not a morning person.... but tell yourself that you cannot do anything at all until you've exercised, and it'll reframe it in your mind, it'll become your priority.

After 6 weeks are up, you can switch around your schedule and exercise at whatever time of day you like... you'll be addicted and have a habit so it'll be less likely that you'll make excuses and skip it.

Edit for one more thing: get a calendar and give yourself a gold star or sticker or something for every day you exercise. I actually use my outlook calendar - I put in an appointment, labeled in green, on days I've exercised. It's motivating for some silly reason. And do give yourself a reward after you have exercised for 6 weeks: new sneakers, or something exercise-related.

Nothing original, but listening to fast, upbeat music makes my workouts fun. Also, at my gym, they have TV's on the ellipticals, so... :)

I also see a guy who goes to the gym everyday and reads the entire paper while on the stationary bike. Hey, double-tasking!

exercise sucks!  my motivation is that it is good for my heart  :D  and i also lose weight faster & without losing any muscle.

mostly, i just walk

Original Post by bpisciot:

Bike riding has some added inducements: you can use your bike for commuting and errands. I know some folks who use bikes for everything (I'm not there yet). Plus, bike riding can be a pleasurable social experience. You'll find riding groups of every age and abiity. I've made many good friends on these rides. They're just fun and make me want to get out on my bike.

I'm one of those people. I hate cars and I dislike our public transport. I use a city bike to get around the town (the old one even had a basket, very handy) and a mountain bike for pleasure trips into the nature.

If you take the morning/afternoon traffic into account, I actually get to college faster than I would with public transport and faster than even with a car since you can't really park in the city or it's ridiculously expensive.

I always hated gyms, they give me the impression of a fungus and bacteria-filled cans full of sweaty people.. Didn't mean to offend anyone, sorry, but I'm almost scared of them.

That's why I either do exercise at home (yoga, karate, hulla hoop, stepper, weights, rope jumping) or jog, ride my bike or play footbag. I alternate these as I feel. I like home exercising because it's inexpensive and you can do it any time of the day without having to get through traffic to the gym and back.

Footbag is a really fun sport. You get your whole body moving and you can do it in company or alone, working on all sorts of tricks. You also basically have no expenses with it.

I started running a few months ago, knowing I won't be able to ride bike in the nature when the days are so short, but I can always run in the evening. Some energic music does it and I always take a different path so I don't become bored too easily.

Original Post by tracyaudette:

I need some ideas of how I am going to get myself to like to exercise so that I will be able to maintain a lifetime of exercise. I have learned to like to eat healthy foods and no longer crave fatty, greasy junk. I'm hoping there is something that will trigger the same type of change for me with exercise.

Fortunately, I have a body that responds very quickly to exercise and I am not trying to lose much weight (maybe 3 or 4 more pounds). It's not that I don't see the results or understand the benefits. It's not painful - its pretty boring though.

Looking for success stories from those who used to dread exercise but found ways to incorporate it into their lifestyle long term.

Thanks!

 I just truly feel great after a nice run or a great lifting session, just need to glance in the mirror.