Please Don't Make Me Work Out...

I started out well. I went to the gym every day. I was sore, and I complained, but I went. Well, then I cut back to 3 days per week. Then I said I'd go only on days when I ate more than I should (Which actually doesn't really happen often.. but with Easter and candy approaching, I'm sure it will.). And now, I don't go at all. I do the "basic" things like taking stairs instead of elevators, running up stairs instead of slowly walking them, and walking at a brisk pace at all times versus a slow pace. I did some math, and based on my average weekly calorie intakes and my body's expendeture when I do no activity (1800 calories), it turns out I'd have a deficit of around 5000-7000 calories per week. So around 1.5-2 lbs per week without exercise.

It's just that, well, I don't like to work out, lol. I never have. Running is absolute torture to me. I'd rather sit at the dentist office for 5 hours than go running. Plus, there's the old standby excuse, I don't have a lot of time to.

Is it okay for me to skip the gym and just watch what I eat? Like I said, by my low calorie food choices and small portions alone (I'm still within my basic calorie needs, I'm not starving), I would burn ATLEAST 4000 calories, and that's being very conservative. So I'd still be losing atleast 1 lb. per week with no exercise.

Does anyone else feel like I do? I know I know, exercise is good for you, it tones you more, blah blah blah.. I just know I would never ever permanently stick to it. So is it okay to not go to the gym as long as I'm not a couch potato?

You can lose weight without exercise... it'll be harder and you'll probably have more plateau's.  You won't be as fit as you'd be if you did 30-60 minutes of cardio a day....  But if you have good genes, you can also get by on this too.

Here's something that really shows what difference exercise makes.

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/2577 8.html

But you know what? The best exercise is the exercise that you actually do.  A gym membership does you NO good if you don't use it... Isn't there something active that you like to do?  Basketball?  Dancing?  Badminton?  Hula hooping?  Anything?

:)

(i used to have every excuse in the book to not exercise... no more!)

I don't mind doing stuff like basketball or dancing, but I don't have money to join a dance class, and 1. It's too cold to play a sport outside, and I don't know of a gym near me where I could do that.

Maybe I could get a work out DVD? Do those work?

Honestly, studies have shown that diet and exercise together don't make you lose more weight if your calorie deficit is the same.  However, (of course it isn't that simple!) exercise will help you get in better physical health- there are more benefits from exercise than just weight loss: heart and lung functioning increase with exercise, bones are strengthened with weight resistant exercise (which is particularly important for women in avoiding osteoperosis), and endorphins and other "feel-good" hormones and NT's are released when you exercise. 

So, to answer your question, if it is only for losing weight, then exercise is not something you have to have.  However, if you are looking to become more healthy overall, it is.  Our bodies simply were not meant to live in a sedentary lifestyle.

I'd look into alternative forms of exercise that aren't "working out", that you can afford. There's lots and lots of stuff out there -- some of it quite weird and great. (I have a friend whose "workout" is playing with an African drum-and-dance troupe -- rather than pay to drum and dance, she and her troupe get paid. And she's in amazing shape.)

I feel your pain. I can't stand "working out" either. I loathe running, and just looking at an elliptical makes me depressed. I get my exercise training in krav maga, which burns a bazillion calories and is incredibly fun as well as useful. I'd train if it made me gain weight, just because I enjoy it so much. Maybe you can find your krav equivalent.

Yes, there are workout DVDs, but you probably wouldn't like many of them because they are basically like going to the gym.  Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease video is a notorious exception ... I haven't tried that one yet myself.  But hey, whatever gets you moving, right?!

I agree with nomoreexcuses ... surely there are non-working out activities you can enjoy?  Look through some of the activities listed in the log here.  I was surprised (and delighted) that cooking counts.  So does housework.  Winter is tough if you're stuck inside, but that gives you even more reason to get out and enjoy the nice days in between by going for a hike or a bike ride.  If you live where it snows, consider giving cross-country skiing or snowshoeing a try (if your health permits) ... they're loads of fun!

I truly believe in baby steps, and making one change at a time. This is a much more effective approach, then being an all-or-nothing type who tries to fix all bad habits at one time, fails at one, then gives up on all. (BTDT :-)

Perhaps for now it is simply enough of a challenge for you to change your eating habits and your diet? Well, then so be it!! Do the best you can with that one major life change, and don't worry about the rest just yet.  Don't be the all-or-nothing type. In fact, don't allow yourself to waste a second on feeling guilty for dropping out of the gym. It's counterproductive. Concentrate not on where you've "failed" your goals, but instead, on where you've succeeded! You're still dieting ... that's great!! You're building exercise into your every day activities - that's fabulous!! Do you know how hard changing those two things are?? They're incredibly hard!! Give yourself a big pat on the back.

There will probably come a time when you'll feel ready to tackle the exercise part. For many dieters, it seems that happens either when they hit a plateau, or get close to their goal weight and no longer have the weight coming off quite so fast. Or for some, it's when they realize they want to tone up so the hard-earned smaller size clothing fits better. Or when a lighter body simply makes it easier to move without pain to the knees. Or when a health crisis hits. Etc.

I actually started with the exercise first: a simple daily walking program. But it was more because I had quit smoking and needed  a way to deal with constant craves that were driving me batty. :-)

One change has led to another: first I quit smoking, prompted by a health crisis. Once that was under control, I started walking. From there, I took up yoga. Then I started running again. Then and only then, did I started dieting ... but in baby steps: first I watched what I was eating and ate healthier. Then I started calorie counting.  The last remaining hold out is taking up strength training again.

Like you, I *know* I should be doing it. I know it's good for me. Heck, I even used to *enjoy* going to the gym very much! But I figure everything happens - all in good time. Motivation is a funny thing, but one thing I've learned through the years is that for me it definetly doesn't come along with a big pile of "shoulds."

I agree with everyone else about looking for activities not at the gym.  I went ice skating this weekend (for the first time in 10 years!) and was thrilled at how great a work out it was!  You burn about 600 calories an hour doing it and I felt it the next day, believe me!  But lots of things burn more calories than you would suspect and are tons of fun at the same time! 

If you like to dance, there are some good dance work out videos out there, and just plain dancing around your house while you do everyday cleaning and stuff can burn extra calories!  Turn up the radio/ iPod and boogie!  If you have dogs, try going on a walk when you take them out instead of just going in the front yard and waiting for them to do their bus.  If you have a yard, plant a garden in the spring and work out there- even picking up a hobby like learning to play an instrument burns extra calories!  There are tons of alternatives to the gym!

During the period of time (about 4 months last summer) when I was able to go to the rehab center to work out 3 times a week, I stuck to it, but it never felt good.  I kept waiting for this feeling everybody tells me about - feeling really good after a workout - but it never happened.  Then I got sick again, so there went that effort. 

But I did do it anie.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday, every single week for 1 hour at a time.  And I did lose weight.  I wish I could do it again.

I suggest you check-out some exercise dvd's from the library. Borrowing from the library is a great way to sample many different programs, plus you can't beat the price! For cardio workouts, look to The Firm series.  Another excellent series are those by Cathe -- very challenging. Or try a beginner's yoga or pilates dvd.

Dumbbells are great (and inexpensive) for at-home upper body workouts.  Perhaps start with a 5lb set.  Also: squats, lunges, crunches, push-ups, leg lifts. You can do all this in front of the tv... and before you know it, you've gotten-in a great little workout.

Search on utube for fitness videos! They have 8-minute abs which is great, and various intensity-levels of aerobics.  There's also a few dance ones, but I didn't try those.  

I feel your pain, anie87. I'd rather eat glass than work out at a gym in front of all those skinny bodies, and I had to give up running because of knee problems. Even at home, calesthenics and weight-lifting bore me to death.

I do like walking, and I get at least 20 minutes every work day as part of my commute. I'd be up for a long walk every day, but the schedule and the weather don't always cooperate.

I'm wondering about that "Dance Dance Revolution" game. Anybody have experience with that? Looks like a lot of fun and some vigorous exercise you could have at home, in private.

I hate working out as well.  I will say though that you said you often have a deficit of 5000-7000 calories a week without exercise.  Burning 1800 calories a day, you'd have to have over 700 calorie deficits per day.  I don't really know how that's possible, so I was just curious.

Dance Dance Revolution is what got me hooked.  Now I do walking, workout DVDs, and I'm probably going to buy an exercise bike (the recumbent kind).

I would do DDR every day, but I know I need a variety of activities.

:)

You don't have to exercise to lose weight, but if you want to keep it off permanently exercise is important logically and statistically speaking.

You don't have to go to a gym to exercise, just find activities that you enjoy like biking, hiking, swimming, walking, tennis, badminton, golf etc...  Try to incorporate those things into your everyday life.

You wouldn't have asked if it didn't worry you about NOT working out.  I was in the same boat...lost all sorts of scale weight and fit back into teeny tiny little clothes and the world seemed wonderful!  But then there is the dreaded skin!  The loose, never worked out when losing, flaps of skin, stretch marks and puckering that I never thought about.  Toning is flat out the best part of weight loss.  I used to think..."wow...I sure am hot...IN CLOTHES"!

I discovered the alternative to high impact, bounce around and sweat, strenuous excercise.  Pilates...but Mat Pilates.  Think about toning great abs, tightening that loose stuff that flaps in the wind, and really feeling it from head to toe without having to jump around.  I love laying down and working different areas of focus vs. the full body cardio that wears you out all over and you can't move the next day.  Watch those Windsor Pilates infomercials or even an off brand from your local video store.  They DO work...me and my flabby skin now have great "almost" 6-pack abs.  3-5 times a week and only 30 minutes each.   

When I first started my weight loss, I was excersizing excessively. I was doing heavy workouts for about an hour every day. In the first week I lost 10 lbs (which isnt healthy). After that I slowed down on my excersize and now Im pretty much down to not excersizing at all except for the things you said like stairs. Ive found that even when Im not excersizing i lose weight its just not as much. Ive been losing 1-2 lbs per week instead of the 10 that I was. But honestly, 10 lbs a week is way too much to lose anyways. So, as long as your eating healthy, and eating/drinking things to help your metabolism and give you nutrients you should be good.

Yeah I just cut down on eating and Ive lost about 20lbs.  I would like to tone too... But I'm way too shy to work out infront of all those other people...  Just call me peoplephobic.

I dunno. I reached my goal, I look good in a bathing suit. I feel better, I look better. But I know I could do better. I just have the list of excuses and no motivation.

Blah blah blah!

I also hate exercising, getting all nasty and sweaty.  I prefer pilates and yoga.  It's weird, but yoga makes me feel confident, like a ballerina :)  I guess because it's the only physical activity or "sport" that I'm good at.  (I was the kid who got picked last in gym class).  Both activities do raise my pulse and can give me a light sweat.  Some of the pilates moves are painful at first, so take it really easy when you first start.  However, I'm suprised that you can only burn 250 cal/hour doing pilates.  I can be exhausted after doing them!  Yoga burns even less, according to Calorie Count!

I have the same problem...I am horrible about going to the gym and I can always find some reason not to go.

sooo, I take a Jazz Dance classes at the local community college. The price is more than reasonable for what you are getting ($60.00 for three months of classes twice a week and that includes the parking pass I had to buy). I always make sure to make friends with the teacher and people in class because then it is easier to go since I know someone is expecting me :)

It is a great work out, fun, and I was happy to find that many of the other students are normal- plus sized and very supportive.

Just an idea for people looking for alternatives to traditional gyms...community colleges tend to have a TON of options!

Try the YMCA, not just for the exercise equipment and classes but my Y has adult basketball leagues, men and women's, Co-ed volleyball (which I am doing now even though I stink I have a great time!) walking groups, etc. Also look into your local high school for dance, b-ball, volleyball, karate, etc. They are both reasonable and Y's have a sliding scale usually if you qualify.