Excersie makes me feel great why can't I keep doing it?
March 22, 2023 5:22 PM Subscribe
How did you (someone who struggled to exercise consistently start exercising consistently?
Exercising makes me feel good but I have been struggling for basically my entire life to turn it into a real habit or do any kind of progressive training.
This isn't too surprising because in general I am a person who will fall into a routine (what I eat for breakfast for example) for a week to a few months but then always find myself changing things up. This is obviously fine for breakfast foods, but very frustrating with exercise because I lose whatever progress I've made and also can spiral into poor mental health until I get going again.
I've tried keeping track of things in notebooks but this never lasts. I think I may have downloaded an app once and didn't really use it (on preview I think it was habit judo).
Maybe I just need better discipline, but what I'm asking is are you a person like me who has struggled with this and then found a solution that works for you? What was it? Any tips and tricks?
In general I favor running/cycling + bodyweight work at home so ideally would like to hear answers that aren't join a gym, but if that is truly what has worked for you, then maybe it's what I need to hear.
Exercising makes me feel good but I have been struggling for basically my entire life to turn it into a real habit or do any kind of progressive training.
This isn't too surprising because in general I am a person who will fall into a routine (what I eat for breakfast for example) for a week to a few months but then always find myself changing things up. This is obviously fine for breakfast foods, but very frustrating with exercise because I lose whatever progress I've made and also can spiral into poor mental health until I get going again.
I've tried keeping track of things in notebooks but this never lasts. I think I may have downloaded an app once and didn't really use it (on preview I think it was habit judo).
Maybe I just need better discipline, but what I'm asking is are you a person like me who has struggled with this and then found a solution that works for you? What was it? Any tips and tricks?
In general I favor running/cycling + bodyweight work at home so ideally would like to hear answers that aren't join a gym, but if that is truly what has worked for you, then maybe it's what I need to hear.
- don't beat up on yourself.
- we begin again, now.
- therapist gave me this trick: not 'every day', but '3-7 days a week '. a range for success is rewarding imho.
posted by j_curiouser at 5:28 PM on March 22, 2023 [18 favorites]
- we begin again, now.
- therapist gave me this trick: not 'every day', but '3-7 days a week '. a range for success is rewarding imho.
posted by j_curiouser at 5:28 PM on March 22, 2023 [18 favorites]
I really didn't exercise regularly until I was about 40. But that changed when I started walking - not for distance, but for time (i.e. going on 30-min walks, 40-min walks.) It was so enjoyable, listening to music/podcasts, looking at nature, phone calls or meditative silence. I started routing large hills into my walks. It's a lifestyle thing for me now. I have to do it.
Also - I started lifting weights (which is incredible to me) about 5 years ago. I didn't want to kill myself - so I started very light and worked up to a comfortable, beneficial level. I slept better, looked better, felt better and so that has become a regular activity that I don't want to miss. I still lift weights if I'm not feeling that great - but I go light... at least I'm doing something.
posted by mrmarley at 5:33 PM on March 22, 2023 [13 favorites]
Also - I started lifting weights (which is incredible to me) about 5 years ago. I didn't want to kill myself - so I started very light and worked up to a comfortable, beneficial level. I slept better, looked better, felt better and so that has become a regular activity that I don't want to miss. I still lift weights if I'm not feeling that great - but I go light... at least I'm doing something.
posted by mrmarley at 5:33 PM on March 22, 2023 [13 favorites]
Got a dog
posted by aniola at 5:38 PM on March 22, 2023 [10 favorites]
posted by aniola at 5:38 PM on March 22, 2023 [10 favorites]
Oh and I bike and walk for transportation. That helps, too.
posted by aniola at 5:39 PM on March 22, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by aniola at 5:39 PM on March 22, 2023 [6 favorites]
I didn't start doing it consistently until I got a good home workout. My secret is...no showers until you workout. You can workout for 5 minutes but that seems like a waste so usually I get a good one hour workout in, take my shower, and go about my routine. You will start to mentally associate that grungy feeling with "I need to workout" instead of "I need to shower".
You never forget to shower, you will no longer forget to workout.
posted by Narrow Harbor at 5:42 PM on March 22, 2023 [8 favorites]
You never forget to shower, you will no longer forget to workout.
posted by Narrow Harbor at 5:42 PM on March 22, 2023 [8 favorites]
Yep, got a dog (then another dog, then another one). Now it's been 17 years of walking or hiking (I can't run, bad knee & back) at least a mile a day every single day without fail and usually many more.
Then later got the Peloton app (they have bodyweight classes too) and made a date to do one every day with my partner. Every day usually ends up meaning 3-4 days/week but that's still pretty good. If he bails, then I usually don't do it.
So the common thread here is doing it out of a sense of duty to another living being.
posted by HotToddy at 5:56 PM on March 22, 2023 [3 favorites]
Then later got the Peloton app (they have bodyweight classes too) and made a date to do one every day with my partner. Every day usually ends up meaning 3-4 days/week but that's still pretty good. If he bails, then I usually don't do it.
So the common thread here is doing it out of a sense of duty to another living being.
posted by HotToddy at 5:56 PM on March 22, 2023 [3 favorites]
(Your body is a dog. Treat it kindly. Take it for a walk. GOOD BODY! Now you can have a treat.)
Two things that have worked for me.
1. I belong to a capoeira group. The group trains regularly. We have kind of bonded through this activity and the social aspect helped bring me back regularly (these days I teach, which is another layer of obligation). Is there a form of exercise that's "sticky" for you in this way? Maybe a dance class, or a team sport, or another martial art?
2. Now I am a very regular exerciser I can feel in myself I get cranky without doing something physical most days. Can you kind of tune into that signal and use it as a motivator? Like, you feel a bit listless yet twitchy and something is wrong I KNOW I'LL GO FOR A BIKE RIDE
and relatedly, how broadly do you define exercise? I mean, if you run for a few months and then get bored with running, you can then take up table tennis, and then buy a kettlebell, and then start biking ... if you can go broader then there's no shame in switching up the modality for any given day.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:10 PM on March 22, 2023 [9 favorites]
Two things that have worked for me.
1. I belong to a capoeira group. The group trains regularly. We have kind of bonded through this activity and the social aspect helped bring me back regularly (these days I teach, which is another layer of obligation). Is there a form of exercise that's "sticky" for you in this way? Maybe a dance class, or a team sport, or another martial art?
2. Now I am a very regular exerciser I can feel in myself I get cranky without doing something physical most days. Can you kind of tune into that signal and use it as a motivator? Like, you feel a bit listless yet twitchy and something is wrong I KNOW I'LL GO FOR A BIKE RIDE
and relatedly, how broadly do you define exercise? I mean, if you run for a few months and then get bored with running, you can then take up table tennis, and then buy a kettlebell, and then start biking ... if you can go broader then there's no shame in switching up the modality for any given day.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:10 PM on March 22, 2023 [9 favorites]
My climbing gym changes things up for me by resetting the problems on the walls.
posted by deludingmyself at 6:22 PM on March 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 6:22 PM on March 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
Doing something where people expected me to be there, and then told me what to do was what worked for me. I couldn't self motivate to get to the gym and I couldn't manage to actually do much if I managed to get to the gym and then had to decide for myself what to do. The only thing that's worked for me is going somewhere where people are expecting me (which has looked like a number of different things from a circuit gym run by a friend, martial art classes, and a gym with small group classes) so all I need to do is show up when I said I would and then do what other people tell me to do.
posted by platypus of the universe at 6:27 PM on March 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by platypus of the universe at 6:27 PM on March 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
I can’t remember where/from whom I heard this tactic, but it was definitely from a regular person who was trying to build a habit, not a fitness bro or an influencer (this was way before that was a thing) and I thought it was so smart and effective (and simple!).
The trick the guy described was to lay your exercising clothes out, and your only commitment was to put them on.
If you really still don’t want to go for that run/walk, don’t. But, if you are willing to put the clothes on and get to the front door, then make that next micro decision - and if you really still didn’t want to do that run/walk, get in the car to hit the gym, you don’t.
If you make it out the door, your only commitment is to walk to around the block (or drive to the gym, or whatever).
So, you get the point, which is, once you are there, you’ll probably just take the stupid run/walk/bike, and even if you don’t kill it, walking one mile is better than not doing anything. If you can build the habit/commitment to putting your clothes/gear out, which is less daunting than thinking about the habit of doing the actual thing, maybe that works. I think the idea is that trying to establish a habit based on a set quantity (x miles, y minutes, etc.) is binary - you achieved it or you didn’t! - but a habit of putting on yoga pants and a hoodie seems pretty manageable!
I remember getting to the entrance of the gym floor in my workout clothes once, having dragged my ass their unwillingly, but following the “put your gear on” rule, looking around, and being like, “yeah, nope, not today,” and not feeling even a tiny bit bad, because of all the days that I put on the damn workout gear and walked 0.5 miles instead of not walking those 0.5 miles.
posted by Pax at 6:33 PM on March 22, 2023 [6 favorites]
The trick the guy described was to lay your exercising clothes out, and your only commitment was to put them on.
If you really still don’t want to go for that run/walk, don’t. But, if you are willing to put the clothes on and get to the front door, then make that next micro decision - and if you really still didn’t want to do that run/walk, get in the car to hit the gym, you don’t.
If you make it out the door, your only commitment is to walk to around the block (or drive to the gym, or whatever).
So, you get the point, which is, once you are there, you’ll probably just take the stupid run/walk/bike, and even if you don’t kill it, walking one mile is better than not doing anything. If you can build the habit/commitment to putting your clothes/gear out, which is less daunting than thinking about the habit of doing the actual thing, maybe that works. I think the idea is that trying to establish a habit based on a set quantity (x miles, y minutes, etc.) is binary - you achieved it or you didn’t! - but a habit of putting on yoga pants and a hoodie seems pretty manageable!
I remember getting to the entrance of the gym floor in my workout clothes once, having dragged my ass their unwillingly, but following the “put your gear on” rule, looking around, and being like, “yeah, nope, not today,” and not feeling even a tiny bit bad, because of all the days that I put on the damn workout gear and walked 0.5 miles instead of not walking those 0.5 miles.
posted by Pax at 6:33 PM on March 22, 2023 [6 favorites]
I used to run a lot but took uhhh… 10 years off and now I am not interested in spending time working out. I wanted to start biking to work to use my commute time to my office job as exercise time so to encourage myself I went out of my way to make it easier: put a lot of time into finding a more comfortable bike, found a place to shower and change at work and made it nice however I could, got appropriate clothes for various types of weathers and ways to carry work clothes and work stuff comfortably on my bike. I bike to work every day, full stop. If I don’t bike to work, I don’t get to work. (Ok realistically I have other options but they are not on the table unless there is an actual emergency and bad weather does not count because I have the correct clothes for whatever is bad about it). If there’s something not-great about anything surrounding my commute I will fix whatever it is. Still can’t stand biking without a destination but I am a hardass everyday bike commuter now. I am hoping this counts as working out
posted by crime online at 7:01 PM on March 22, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by crime online at 7:01 PM on March 22, 2023 [6 favorites]
I am exactly like you!
I got into running for a while, but always quit once I’d completed whatever 5K I’d been building up to. I think partly this was because I live in NYC and the weather (especially our disgusting summers) often necessitates running at the gym.
But…the gym is kind of boring and sucks? I’m sure there are people who enjoy going to a gym after work and watching tv while they do the elliptical or the treadmill or whatever, but modern life is tedious enough as it is.
I’m not someone who naturally gravitates to exercise or breaking a sweat, and it’s taken me a while to realize something that now seems kind of obvious…if I’m going to create an exercise habit that sticks, it needs to be something that (woah) I might actually enjoy and look forward to doing! For me this meant joining a boxing gym. It’s been (corny, I know) life-changing. I’m working out and actually learning a skill and (gasp!) getting better and better at that skill! I wish I’d started ten years ago.
Is there anything skill-based that you think might be fun to to try? It could be boxing, or fencing, or on preview from other good answers it could be capoeira or mountain climbing. Of course, this route involves showing up somewhere and looking like a total moron for a while (and wow did I look like a complete dork when I started going to boxing class!) and it will probably be a bigger financial investment, but it has immeasurably improved my relationship to exercise.
posted by cakelite at 7:46 PM on March 22, 2023 [3 favorites]
I got into running for a while, but always quit once I’d completed whatever 5K I’d been building up to. I think partly this was because I live in NYC and the weather (especially our disgusting summers) often necessitates running at the gym.
But…the gym is kind of boring and sucks? I’m sure there are people who enjoy going to a gym after work and watching tv while they do the elliptical or the treadmill or whatever, but modern life is tedious enough as it is.
I’m not someone who naturally gravitates to exercise or breaking a sweat, and it’s taken me a while to realize something that now seems kind of obvious…if I’m going to create an exercise habit that sticks, it needs to be something that (woah) I might actually enjoy and look forward to doing! For me this meant joining a boxing gym. It’s been (corny, I know) life-changing. I’m working out and actually learning a skill and (gasp!) getting better and better at that skill! I wish I’d started ten years ago.
Is there anything skill-based that you think might be fun to to try? It could be boxing, or fencing, or on preview from other good answers it could be capoeira or mountain climbing. Of course, this route involves showing up somewhere and looking like a total moron for a while (and wow did I look like a complete dork when I started going to boxing class!) and it will probably be a bigger financial investment, but it has immeasurably improved my relationship to exercise.
posted by cakelite at 7:46 PM on March 22, 2023 [3 favorites]
Twelve years or so ago I got a job in a fairly dense city with good cycling infrastructure, gave my car to my girlfriend, and didn't buy the parking garage pass. I've been cycling 6-14 miles per day four to six days per week since then, including periods of moderate disability (degenerative disc disease and a year-long bout of bad sciatica; I did so with the blessing of my doctor). Like crime online, if I can't get to work on a bike I'm not getting to work, though once I had to call in late because I was walking the last few miles, which sounds bad but is also a thing that has happened to me--more than once, in fact--in a car.
And at this point I can't imagine doing it differently, and I look forward to getting on a bike almost every day, with the exception of truly miserable weather. But to paraphrase Grant Peterson it's not a bad thing to be really cold on a bike from time to time. Eventually I won't be able to hack it physically, and at that point I figure I'll try to wring out a few more years by switching to a recumbent trike or e-bike (or recumbent e-trike).
I also do other things for exercise but cycling provides a decent baseline of strength and cardiovascular fitness that lets me jump in without too many unpleasant preliminaries.
posted by pullayup at 9:00 PM on March 22, 2023
And at this point I can't imagine doing it differently, and I look forward to getting on a bike almost every day, with the exception of truly miserable weather. But to paraphrase Grant Peterson it's not a bad thing to be really cold on a bike from time to time. Eventually I won't be able to hack it physically, and at that point I figure I'll try to wring out a few more years by switching to a recumbent trike or e-bike (or recumbent e-trike).
I also do other things for exercise but cycling provides a decent baseline of strength and cardiovascular fitness that lets me jump in without too many unpleasant preliminaries.
posted by pullayup at 9:00 PM on March 22, 2023
An hour long daily walk did the trick for me.
I make time for it; I don't let myself get caught up with statistics (steps, distance, speed, time, records, etc); I don't create an elaborate schedule because it's simply every day rain or shine; I don't carry my smartphone (no music, podcasts, etc) nor even my pen and notebook; I walk the same safe, quiet route every day; I listen to my thoughts and feel my feelings without interrupting them or trying to interpret them; I walk at a comfortable pace in a natural rhythm; I don't beat myself up if I have to miss a day for injury or illness or dangerous weather, nor do I continue to use them as excuses after they've passed; I make sure I have the simple equipment needed (a broken-in pair of comfortable unfancy athletic shoes, unfancy clothing for all weathers, a windproof umbrella); when I first started, I didn't overdo it, I ramped up to my now standard hour long walk because that length just naturally fit me, then once it became routine I avoided the temptation to make it longer; I walk alone so that I don't have to coordinate schedules, be dependant on an other, or be distracted by talking, however I happily go on an additional walk with my partner as time permits because walking conversation is such a healthy pleasure and benefit to our relationship; I don't dwell on the corollary benefits such as my weight loss and improved physical and psychological health, because they are simply secondary benefits to the simple lucidity of my daily walk.
I'm 5 years in and look forward to it every day.
posted by fairmettle at 9:52 PM on March 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
I make time for it; I don't let myself get caught up with statistics (steps, distance, speed, time, records, etc); I don't create an elaborate schedule because it's simply every day rain or shine; I don't carry my smartphone (no music, podcasts, etc) nor even my pen and notebook; I walk the same safe, quiet route every day; I listen to my thoughts and feel my feelings without interrupting them or trying to interpret them; I walk at a comfortable pace in a natural rhythm; I don't beat myself up if I have to miss a day for injury or illness or dangerous weather, nor do I continue to use them as excuses after they've passed; I make sure I have the simple equipment needed (a broken-in pair of comfortable unfancy athletic shoes, unfancy clothing for all weathers, a windproof umbrella); when I first started, I didn't overdo it, I ramped up to my now standard hour long walk because that length just naturally fit me, then once it became routine I avoided the temptation to make it longer; I walk alone so that I don't have to coordinate schedules, be dependant on an other, or be distracted by talking, however I happily go on an additional walk with my partner as time permits because walking conversation is such a healthy pleasure and benefit to our relationship; I don't dwell on the corollary benefits such as my weight loss and improved physical and psychological health, because they are simply secondary benefits to the simple lucidity of my daily walk.
I'm 5 years in and look forward to it every day.
posted by fairmettle at 9:52 PM on March 22, 2023 [5 favorites]
Panic and fear. Sign yourself up for a race at longer distance than you are currently able to run (if you are not running now, try 5K, say). Don't overagonise about signing up. Then find a training schedule. The motivation to train is much stronger and consistent when there's something to train towards.
posted by moiraine at 10:05 PM on March 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by moiraine at 10:05 PM on March 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
A few things that have worked for me in building consistency:
-Working on my need to track everything. When I track my runs, I get discouraged when I have a setback or have to take time off because of life circumstances. This makes me not even want to start again. Deciding to not track and/or radically downshifting my goals has helped remove some of the pressure and stress.
-Changing my mindset from "exercise" to "movement." Exercise comes with a lot of baggage sometimes, and really, moving your body often and in varied ways is enough to promote wellness. I seek joyful movement whenever I can. Sometimes that does look like exercise (jogging or lifting weights because it makes me feel good), and sometimes it just looks like a walk around the block and some yoga stretches on the floor.
-Making my movement into recreation. I invite my friends on hikes, I joined a Facebook tennis group, and go indoor climbing with some awesome people, so my movement time becomes social time. When people aren't available or I'm doing a solo activity like lifting in the gym, I put on podcasts that I really enjoy and save for those times. And I try to turn my movement into lots of different hobbies that are just fun, and pick from one of those depending on what I feel like: swimming? skiing? going for a bike ride? pick up game of kickball? flailing around to Zumba YouTube videos in my living room? Invite a sense of play into your life in some capacity.
-And finally, redefining "consistency" itself. Listen, nothing in my life is perfectly consistent these days. Trying to maintain a general averaging-out-to-healthy lifestyle is the best I can do right now. Now, my tracking is that I keep a bubble calendar that I fill in if I had intentional movement that day, and try not to go too many days in a row without, but I also try not to stress if I do end up missing a day here or there, or even a week, as long as I get back to it as soon as I'm able. And being forgiving to myself for not being perfect is another way I work on wellness.
Hope that helps, and I love everyone else's answers here too!
posted by carlypennylane at 10:19 PM on March 22, 2023 [7 favorites]
-Working on my need to track everything. When I track my runs, I get discouraged when I have a setback or have to take time off because of life circumstances. This makes me not even want to start again. Deciding to not track and/or radically downshifting my goals has helped remove some of the pressure and stress.
-Changing my mindset from "exercise" to "movement." Exercise comes with a lot of baggage sometimes, and really, moving your body often and in varied ways is enough to promote wellness. I seek joyful movement whenever I can. Sometimes that does look like exercise (jogging or lifting weights because it makes me feel good), and sometimes it just looks like a walk around the block and some yoga stretches on the floor.
-Making my movement into recreation. I invite my friends on hikes, I joined a Facebook tennis group, and go indoor climbing with some awesome people, so my movement time becomes social time. When people aren't available or I'm doing a solo activity like lifting in the gym, I put on podcasts that I really enjoy and save for those times. And I try to turn my movement into lots of different hobbies that are just fun, and pick from one of those depending on what I feel like: swimming? skiing? going for a bike ride? pick up game of kickball? flailing around to Zumba YouTube videos in my living room? Invite a sense of play into your life in some capacity.
-And finally, redefining "consistency" itself. Listen, nothing in my life is perfectly consistent these days. Trying to maintain a general averaging-out-to-healthy lifestyle is the best I can do right now. Now, my tracking is that I keep a bubble calendar that I fill in if I had intentional movement that day, and try not to go too many days in a row without, but I also try not to stress if I do end up missing a day here or there, or even a week, as long as I get back to it as soon as I'm able. And being forgiving to myself for not being perfect is another way I work on wellness.
Hope that helps, and I love everyone else's answers here too!
posted by carlypennylane at 10:19 PM on March 22, 2023 [7 favorites]
What are your friction points? What don’t you like about each step of the process? For example, do you need better workout clothes or accessories, like a sweatband? Or more of them (so you don’t have to launder all the time)? Do you need to set an alarm reminder, or will you just ignore?
RingFit Adventure on discount (already had a Switch), despite some initial skepticism, has actually worked for my sibling and me more so than trying to decide and make ourselves do something each day with some free iPhone HIIT apps or YouTube videos, though those are good at-home options too.
It’s easy to pick up. I don’t have to leave my apartment and can do it in pj shirt/shorts and barefoot. I leave the system out as a visual cue.
I have the space (yoga mat and TV) for it, with A/C and next to kitchen to keep hydrated.
It tracks active workout time, so I can just go until around 30min most weekdays (sometimes do other things instead, sometimes skip totally).
It has a variety of new activities to alleviate boredom but not too much paralyzing choice since you progress along a course.
I can change difficulty settings and go at my own pace. There are different modes besides the main game as well.
It counts reps for me with some feedback on form, so I can just go with the flow.
I can listen to (audio drama) podcasts while doing it (also the only way I can tolerate rowing, and not even for that long — my mom watches shows and goes for longer).
There is some positive affirmation and I think a social element if you add game friends or something.
If we get a cheap non-Switch pilates ring, I could do it at the same time as my sibling (just following along even though not motion tracked) for companionship and motivation.
This is just a personal example. It doesn’t have to be RingFit. Do you like dancing? People like the Just Dance game. There’s also Fitness Boxing. Just some ideas; know it’s a cost to own these things, but there is a decent secondary market to buy used or sell if it’s not working for you.
Previously, joining a climbing gym during a promotion with my other sibling and buying some gear helped with consistency since it was fun and mentally stimulating, and we wanted to get value out of the membership. Had to go directly from office.
Before that, being on a sports team on a tournament schedule with set practice time every day and social dinner after helped with commitment.
I dislike running (or more like jogging for me), but finding a trail around a pond near my old house helped me get out a few times in the past, in addition to Zombies, Run!
Biking (after I learned as an adult) is better, and similarly finding an accessible trail and making minor upgrades like comfortable seat cover made me more likely to go for a spin.
Buying cheap balls and mapping out neighborhood parks with handball walls/courts helped us go out on summer evenings for a walk and quick casual game.
Planning an enjoyable city itinerary helps us get out for long walking days on the weekends. Guided soundwalks and random prompts helped us do shorter neighborhood walks on weeknights during pandemic WFH; sometimes I added a weighted backpack.
Agree about sense of play, like being really bad at tennis but still able to laugh with the fam sometimes after a silly rally in an occasional loosely scored game.
One of my barriers to habit is varying end times to my workday (and I’m really not a morning person), so I find it hard to establish a strong evening routine with dinner. When I work from home, I’m lucky to sometimes have more flexibility to fit in a session in between meetings.
When I slip, I try not to get too frustrated. There will be seasons of more or less consistency. Take advantage of when you do have the time and energy. You actually retain more progress than you think with muscle memory and body resilience. I have been rusty but then remember again and can see and feel the difference.
Even small exercise snacks or stretches can help get in some movement in to build the momentum and sort of smooth out the mental health a bit. They do matter, especially as the body ages, and I have accepted with neutrality that I’m not an extreme Physical 100 type, while I can admire.
Hope you find what works for you!
posted by eyeball at 10:32 PM on March 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
RingFit Adventure on discount (already had a Switch), despite some initial skepticism, has actually worked for my sibling and me more so than trying to decide and make ourselves do something each day with some free iPhone HIIT apps or YouTube videos, though those are good at-home options too.
It’s easy to pick up. I don’t have to leave my apartment and can do it in pj shirt/shorts and barefoot. I leave the system out as a visual cue.
I have the space (yoga mat and TV) for it, with A/C and next to kitchen to keep hydrated.
It tracks active workout time, so I can just go until around 30min most weekdays (sometimes do other things instead, sometimes skip totally).
It has a variety of new activities to alleviate boredom but not too much paralyzing choice since you progress along a course.
I can change difficulty settings and go at my own pace. There are different modes besides the main game as well.
It counts reps for me with some feedback on form, so I can just go with the flow.
I can listen to (audio drama) podcasts while doing it (also the only way I can tolerate rowing, and not even for that long — my mom watches shows and goes for longer).
There is some positive affirmation and I think a social element if you add game friends or something.
If we get a cheap non-Switch pilates ring, I could do it at the same time as my sibling (just following along even though not motion tracked) for companionship and motivation.
This is just a personal example. It doesn’t have to be RingFit. Do you like dancing? People like the Just Dance game. There’s also Fitness Boxing. Just some ideas; know it’s a cost to own these things, but there is a decent secondary market to buy used or sell if it’s not working for you.
Previously, joining a climbing gym during a promotion with my other sibling and buying some gear helped with consistency since it was fun and mentally stimulating, and we wanted to get value out of the membership. Had to go directly from office.
Before that, being on a sports team on a tournament schedule with set practice time every day and social dinner after helped with commitment.
I dislike running (or more like jogging for me), but finding a trail around a pond near my old house helped me get out a few times in the past, in addition to Zombies, Run!
Biking (after I learned as an adult) is better, and similarly finding an accessible trail and making minor upgrades like comfortable seat cover made me more likely to go for a spin.
Buying cheap balls and mapping out neighborhood parks with handball walls/courts helped us go out on summer evenings for a walk and quick casual game.
Planning an enjoyable city itinerary helps us get out for long walking days on the weekends. Guided soundwalks and random prompts helped us do shorter neighborhood walks on weeknights during pandemic WFH; sometimes I added a weighted backpack.
Agree about sense of play, like being really bad at tennis but still able to laugh with the fam sometimes after a silly rally in an occasional loosely scored game.
One of my barriers to habit is varying end times to my workday (and I’m really not a morning person), so I find it hard to establish a strong evening routine with dinner. When I work from home, I’m lucky to sometimes have more flexibility to fit in a session in between meetings.
When I slip, I try not to get too frustrated. There will be seasons of more or less consistency. Take advantage of when you do have the time and energy. You actually retain more progress than you think with muscle memory and body resilience. I have been rusty but then remember again and can see and feel the difference.
Even small exercise snacks or stretches can help get in some movement in to build the momentum and sort of smooth out the mental health a bit. They do matter, especially as the body ages, and I have accepted with neutrality that I’m not an extreme Physical 100 type, while I can admire.
Hope you find what works for you!
posted by eyeball at 10:32 PM on March 22, 2023 [2 favorites]
Couch to 5K was lifechanging for me. I first went through it in 2012, having always considered myself unathletic. After nine weeks, I was confidently, joyfully running 5K every other day. I've since been twice sidelined by life events (including a massive surgery) that took me out of the running routine for long periods. Each time I've used C25K to bounce back.
In my latter returns to it, in consultation with a physical therapist, I even extended the nine week C25K program to eighteen weeks, essentially duplicating each weeks' runs and giving my joints and muscles more time to adjust to the activity. That has been a huge help. The first time around, the relative quickness of C25K is what kept me motivated and routine—I felt carried along by the feeling of being aware at just how much capacity my body has when I give it succesive, incremental challenges. In hindisght, though, I don't need to keep repeating that discovery. I know it already. Instead, what keeps me motivated is doing what I know is making the routine something that is much less likely to result in an injury or a kind of soreness that feels unsustainable.
I also think finding a time of day and a context that really feels right for you is essential. The factors that go into this equation don't always come intuitively, and you need to play around with them a bit. For instance, I always thought of myself as a night owl. After a lot of experience and trial and error, though, I am now a person who voluntarily goes to bed at 9:30 so I can get up at 5:30 to either run or, or my non-run days, to do yoga stuff and resistance band exercises. I do this while I'm still fasted, and I don't eat until after noon. It all seemed so weird when I was trying these things out (again, with input from a PT), but I was really and pleasantly surprised to experience just how much of a difference these details make for me. You can and should tinker with these things, too, no matter what path you take. If you can, consider a session with a trainer, physiotherapist, or someone else who fits into that "coaching" realm. It might just take off some of the pressure to feel like you know everything, or even enough, to confidently build up an exercise routine that keeps you out of gyms (and good lord I hate gyms and avoid them at all costs).
That said, a few months ago I tried some extremely beginner-level pilates at the recommendation of my doctor as an approach to addressing my new-to-me lower back pain. It's been really engaging and surprising to see how much it helps. Which itself has been a learning experience for me—getting a better understanding about how my body's status quo impacts my daily life is something I'd like to think I'd have done before my 40s, but here we are. I'm a late bloomer and just about to start taking yoga/pilates classes in person beause I know just how much my body feels better when I do things to strengthen both sides of my body and core so they're not at wildly different levels of flexibility and strength. So, again, if there's a way you can consider some sort of meeting with a coach-type person to get some targerted advice on the what-how-when-where, that might put some pep in your step while you watch problematic things resolve by degrees and slowly improve (instead of setting general fitness goals).
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:08 AM on March 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
In my latter returns to it, in consultation with a physical therapist, I even extended the nine week C25K program to eighteen weeks, essentially duplicating each weeks' runs and giving my joints and muscles more time to adjust to the activity. That has been a huge help. The first time around, the relative quickness of C25K is what kept me motivated and routine—I felt carried along by the feeling of being aware at just how much capacity my body has when I give it succesive, incremental challenges. In hindisght, though, I don't need to keep repeating that discovery. I know it already. Instead, what keeps me motivated is doing what I know is making the routine something that is much less likely to result in an injury or a kind of soreness that feels unsustainable.
I also think finding a time of day and a context that really feels right for you is essential. The factors that go into this equation don't always come intuitively, and you need to play around with them a bit. For instance, I always thought of myself as a night owl. After a lot of experience and trial and error, though, I am now a person who voluntarily goes to bed at 9:30 so I can get up at 5:30 to either run or, or my non-run days, to do yoga stuff and resistance band exercises. I do this while I'm still fasted, and I don't eat until after noon. It all seemed so weird when I was trying these things out (again, with input from a PT), but I was really and pleasantly surprised to experience just how much of a difference these details make for me. You can and should tinker with these things, too, no matter what path you take. If you can, consider a session with a trainer, physiotherapist, or someone else who fits into that "coaching" realm. It might just take off some of the pressure to feel like you know everything, or even enough, to confidently build up an exercise routine that keeps you out of gyms (and good lord I hate gyms and avoid them at all costs).
That said, a few months ago I tried some extremely beginner-level pilates at the recommendation of my doctor as an approach to addressing my new-to-me lower back pain. It's been really engaging and surprising to see how much it helps. Which itself has been a learning experience for me—getting a better understanding about how my body's status quo impacts my daily life is something I'd like to think I'd have done before my 40s, but here we are. I'm a late bloomer and just about to start taking yoga/pilates classes in person beause I know just how much my body feels better when I do things to strengthen both sides of my body and core so they're not at wildly different levels of flexibility and strength. So, again, if there's a way you can consider some sort of meeting with a coach-type person to get some targerted advice on the what-how-when-where, that might put some pep in your step while you watch problematic things resolve by degrees and slowly improve (instead of setting general fitness goals).
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:08 AM on March 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
These things have worked for me over the years, but I will admit I sometimes go months without "consistent" exercise. It's not usually zero though.
1. Train for a specific goal. A program e.g. Couch 2 5k is really helpful but it's also the goal and the improvements you can see over time that keeps it motivating.
2. Tell yourself you'll do it for 1 minute, and if you hate it after that it you can stop. Usually once I start, I'll continue but I've also very occasionally stopped (or more likely in my case just walked instead of trying run).
3. Be generous to yourself. If you miss a day, don't beat yourself up, just do your workout the next day or even the day after that. I try to run 3x/week but most weeks I only manage twice, or let's face it, once. Despite not making my stated goal, I still tell myself I'm exercising consistently. And I am!
posted by pianissimo at 3:35 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
1. Train for a specific goal. A program e.g. Couch 2 5k is really helpful but it's also the goal and the improvements you can see over time that keeps it motivating.
2. Tell yourself you'll do it for 1 minute, and if you hate it after that it you can stop. Usually once I start, I'll continue but I've also very occasionally stopped (or more likely in my case just walked instead of trying run).
3. Be generous to yourself. If you miss a day, don't beat yourself up, just do your workout the next day or even the day after that. I try to run 3x/week but most weeks I only manage twice, or let's face it, once. Despite not making my stated goal, I still tell myself I'm exercising consistently. And I am!
posted by pianissimo at 3:35 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
For me it is community. I joined a gym that has a really strong community around it. I joined a program they had that has a sort of cohort system for beginners which was great for this: you run through the program in 12 weeks or so, past members participate in subsequent programs to provide advice / help motivate the new people, that kind of thing. People know each other. Some of us get together every Saturday outside of the gym to go running. There's a lot of support and encouragement and it's made a world of difference for me.
(I was pretty surprised to find that this worked so well to me; I used to want to go and do my own thing. Of course, when I did that, I never actually went to the gym.)
This isn't to say to join a gym, but maybe find a group to exercise with.
posted by synecdoche at 3:51 AM on March 23, 2023
(I was pretty surprised to find that this worked so well to me; I used to want to go and do my own thing. Of course, when I did that, I never actually went to the gym.)
This isn't to say to join a gym, but maybe find a group to exercise with.
posted by synecdoche at 3:51 AM on March 23, 2023
About an hour ago, I went for my first run in a few months and I did it by doing exactly what Pax describes. Earlier this week, I made sure my running headphones were charged. Last night, I put my workout clothes in a place where I would see them when I got dressed this morning. This morning, it felt like a pretty easy step to just put the clothes on. And then once I had the clothes on, it felt like I might as well run.
In the long term, I've found that tracking certain health metrics and watching them improve when I run regularly helps me stay on track. And when I do fall off the wagon, watching them begin to decay motivates me to charge my headphones and lay out my running clothes! I have an Apple watch and I track my resting heart rate and my cardio fitness. If you wanted to go lower tech, you can track your resting heart rate with a stopwatch and a piece of paper.
posted by yankeefog at 3:57 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
In the long term, I've found that tracking certain health metrics and watching them improve when I run regularly helps me stay on track. And when I do fall off the wagon, watching them begin to decay motivates me to charge my headphones and lay out my running clothes! I have an Apple watch and I track my resting heart rate and my cardio fitness. If you wanted to go lower tech, you can track your resting heart rate with a stopwatch and a piece of paper.
posted by yankeefog at 3:57 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you can find a sociable (not competitive) running group near you, that can make a difference.
It's the difference between standing alone at home thinking "Oh God, I've got to go out running but I could also just stay here and nobody would be any the wiser", and "I told Michael and Jean and all my other running buddies that I'd be there this week, and they're expecting me. Also, if I don't show up, I won't find out how Jean's date went and they'll all be a week ahead of me on C25K, and that new guy is really funny, he always makes me laugh, which is nice." etc.
posted by penguin pie at 4:12 AM on March 23, 2023
It's the difference between standing alone at home thinking "Oh God, I've got to go out running but I could also just stay here and nobody would be any the wiser", and "I told Michael and Jean and all my other running buddies that I'd be there this week, and they're expecting me. Also, if I don't show up, I won't find out how Jean's date went and they'll all be a week ahead of me on C25K, and that new guy is really funny, he always makes me laugh, which is nice." etc.
posted by penguin pie at 4:12 AM on March 23, 2023
I'm a born couch potato, but I have inexplicably managed to maintain a regular exercise routine since the start of the pandemic. After my company switched to remote work three years ago, I bought an exercise bike, a TV stand, a monitor, and an Amazon Firestick. I set up the TV in front of the bike, and I watch movies and TV shows while I ride. I was doing the bike every day for a while, but that was unsustainable, so now I exercise every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. I still dislike these exercise sessions, but the TV makes it tolerable.
I also added some running into the mix, and I do a few 5K races every summer. I'm slow, but I finish the race, and my times have been improving each time I do a race.
No one is more surprised than I am over how I've succeeded in doing this for three years.
posted by alex1965 at 4:27 AM on March 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
I also added some running into the mix, and I do a few 5K races every summer. I'm slow, but I finish the race, and my times have been improving each time I do a race.
No one is more surprised than I am over how I've succeeded in doing this for three years.
posted by alex1965 at 4:27 AM on March 23, 2023 [2 favorites]
Here's what I did to become more consistent, when I realized last autumn that I really, really needed to make some changes:
* Decided some workout = better than no workout.
* Bought an Apple Watch + Apple Fitness! I had a Fitbit, and it just didn't work for me. Something about the Apple Watch does. And also: the range of short-to-long, easy-to-hard workouts available on Apple Fitness has really worked for me. The data is useful, too.
* I weigh myself almost daily. Scales don't work for everyone, but it has indeed kept me honest, as part of my goal is weight loss.
* I use resistance bands and do bodyweight stuff. The bands aren't as straightforward as free weights, but I'm less likely to injure myself, and it solved the quandary of figuring out what kind/if/where to get a real home weight setup.
* I have tried to build in one walk every weekend. Not a "just for exercise" walk, but a pleasurable walk somewhere with new/different things to look at while I walk.
* Finally, I have decided what "consistently" means for me. I have determined minimal/standard/excellent ranges of activity--which has been very helpful on very busy work weeks, etc., so that I can in good conscience say "it's a busy week, but I hit my minimum."
Good luck!
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:25 AM on March 23, 2023 [4 favorites]
* Decided some workout = better than no workout.
* Bought an Apple Watch + Apple Fitness! I had a Fitbit, and it just didn't work for me. Something about the Apple Watch does. And also: the range of short-to-long, easy-to-hard workouts available on Apple Fitness has really worked for me. The data is useful, too.
* I weigh myself almost daily. Scales don't work for everyone, but it has indeed kept me honest, as part of my goal is weight loss.
* I use resistance bands and do bodyweight stuff. The bands aren't as straightforward as free weights, but I'm less likely to injure myself, and it solved the quandary of figuring out what kind/if/where to get a real home weight setup.
* I have tried to build in one walk every weekend. Not a "just for exercise" walk, but a pleasurable walk somewhere with new/different things to look at while I walk.
* Finally, I have decided what "consistently" means for me. I have determined minimal/standard/excellent ranges of activity--which has been very helpful on very busy work weeks, etc., so that I can in good conscience say "it's a busy week, but I hit my minimum."
Good luck!
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:25 AM on March 23, 2023 [4 favorites]
I struggle with this intensely. And am struggling with it right now. However I have managed this in the past.
The only times in my life I have been able to stick to an exercise regime have been when all possible obstacles have been removed from the process.
So:
- Back when I worked in an office with a gym right beside it, I went to the gym every other day. It was right there!
- Another time I received as a gift a number of paid bodyweight sessions with a personal trainer who came to my house.
- During the coronavirus lockdown, I signed up to live Zoom yoga classes which, again, I could do in my house.
There are physical activities that I genuinely enjoy much more than the gym, bodyweight stuff and yoga, but are simply not that accessible to me - e.g. I love swimming and walking through nature, but there are no swimming pools nearby, nor is there much in the way of beautiful natural scenery.
Of course I could make the extra effort but I know myself and I know I won't. It's as simple as that. There are other things I'd rather do, and I get demotivated fast if something is a hassle. So the only times in my life that I have consistently exercised have been when I have found something that is as hassle-free as possible.
It's all very individual, but in the event that you are like me, I would work on identifying a form of exercise that you can do with as little hassle as possible, so that you don't even have to think about it.
posted by unicorn chaser at 5:28 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
The only times in my life I have been able to stick to an exercise regime have been when all possible obstacles have been removed from the process.
So:
- Back when I worked in an office with a gym right beside it, I went to the gym every other day. It was right there!
- Another time I received as a gift a number of paid bodyweight sessions with a personal trainer who came to my house.
- During the coronavirus lockdown, I signed up to live Zoom yoga classes which, again, I could do in my house.
There are physical activities that I genuinely enjoy much more than the gym, bodyweight stuff and yoga, but are simply not that accessible to me - e.g. I love swimming and walking through nature, but there are no swimming pools nearby, nor is there much in the way of beautiful natural scenery.
Of course I could make the extra effort but I know myself and I know I won't. It's as simple as that. There are other things I'd rather do, and I get demotivated fast if something is a hassle. So the only times in my life that I have consistently exercised have been when I have found something that is as hassle-free as possible.
It's all very individual, but in the event that you are like me, I would work on identifying a form of exercise that you can do with as little hassle as possible, so that you don't even have to think about it.
posted by unicorn chaser at 5:28 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Stop thinking of "exercise" as one activity. Instead, work with your brain and personality (not against them) to do one kind of exercise for a couple or weeks until you decide to switch it up. Just like you do with breakfast. So go jogging for 2 weeks. Did that get boring? Work on upper body weight lifting for a week. Tired of that? Go biking or hiking. Weather is not good? Get a 2 week trial pass at a gym or yoga studio, or try a workout video series at home. This way you'll cycle through all your muscles and get cardio in, and your whole body will get stronger over time.
The only thing you need to commit to is setting aside some time almost every day (not every day! That's not sustainable!). It can be a different time every day, but as long as you spend a minute to mentally set aside time at night for the *next* day or two, you should be able to stick to it and to look forward to new exercise activities.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 6:09 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
The only thing you need to commit to is setting aside some time almost every day (not every day! That's not sustainable!). It can be a different time every day, but as long as you spend a minute to mentally set aside time at night for the *next* day or two, you should be able to stick to it and to look forward to new exercise activities.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 6:09 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Just going to share my experience in case it helps:
Pre-pandemic, the only exercise routine I was able to maintain long-term was joining a CrossFit gym. I stuck with it for ~4 years, going anywhere from 2-6 days a week.
For the last 3 years, I was unable to maintain any consistent exercise routine due to reasons.
I recently started working out with Gym Bungerz, a fully virtual CF gym. I've been consistently attending the classes via Zoom 6 days a week for about a month now, and its hitting all my buttons:
- peer pressure / group format
- someone else doing the programming
- exercises i enjoy (mostly)
The coach is awesome and the other members are friendly and supportive. I'm pretty confident that this will stick!
posted by mmtaylor at 7:31 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Pre-pandemic, the only exercise routine I was able to maintain long-term was joining a CrossFit gym. I stuck with it for ~4 years, going anywhere from 2-6 days a week.
For the last 3 years, I was unable to maintain any consistent exercise routine due to reasons.
I recently started working out with Gym Bungerz, a fully virtual CF gym. I've been consistently attending the classes via Zoom 6 days a week for about a month now, and its hitting all my buttons:
- peer pressure / group format
- someone else doing the programming
- exercises i enjoy (mostly)
The coach is awesome and the other members are friendly and supportive. I'm pretty confident that this will stick!
posted by mmtaylor at 7:31 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
What worked for me was making it really easy to start a session, and encouraging myself to consider any session, no matter how short, as a very good thing. There are often times when meeting my exercise bike goals for the day is laughable, as I am too damn sick. But it counts if I sit on the bike and with my eyes closed pedal for a bit. The bike is between my work area and the bathroom and the kitchen. So if I am healthy I can do a kilometer on the bike every time I get up to pee or to make tea; if I am dead sick I can sit on the bike and move my feet vaguely - BOTH levels of exercise count for me.
I do the same thing with dumbbells. They get put on the foot of my bed when I make my bed in the morning. I have to walk past them to get to the bathroom or the kitchen. Just ONE lift counts, five is perfectly alright too. Three sets of ten reps is not better than just one wobbly lift. If I were to get really, really sick, I'd count touching the weights and not picking them up, or getting on the bike without putting my feet on the pedals. For me the trick is to detour long enough to attempt it as I go through my usual necessary tasks.
I also do stretches, posture, and balance exercises the same way, but without equipment. I now have the habit of straightening up whenever I walk past the flat bit of wall that I use for a backboard to make sure my spine is as straight as I can make it.
The key part of this is how very little effort it is. My bike is in the way. I have to walk around it. It's almost as easy to get on it. My dumbbells are in the easiest place in my room to reach, and if I am up to making my bed, get picked up at least twice a day, once to put them on the bed and once to take them off again.
The other thing to look at is that the experience of exercising needs to be pleasant. Jock types go on and on about how gooood it feels. Bullpoop. For a great many people exercise mainly feels crappy. It must be nice to be someone who gets a mild high from moving instead of merely ending up feeling tired and uncomfortable and out of breath. So one very important thing is to look at how you feel when you are exercising and check if you actually ARE enjoying it. If you are not, you will be training yourself to dread exercising. If you are the kind of person who doesn't get a high from meeting goals and it's too hot today for the exercise to feel good, you are not practicing good mental health and good self care if you "just do it." You're much more likely to have the motivation to do it again the next day if you put on a damp t-shirt and point a fan at yourself on the exercise bike, or if simply drape a soggy towel over your shoulders and keep wiping off with it.
So you look at your exercise conditions and you modify them so it does feel good, and avoid toughing it out. This is one reason why so many people put on music to exercise to. For a lot of people it can change a work out which is drudgery to something that is fun. Check how you feel when you exercise on a day when you had trouble motivating yourself to start. Be mindful. Maybe you have a bad time because you end up ruminating, or because you are uncomfortable.
There's any number of people with exercise induced asthma who don't realise that they hate exercising because on the rare occasion when they do they start to suffocate. If there is no barking and coughing they have no idea it could be shortness of breath, and eventually decide that they are actually someone lazy and without any self control, and hate exercise all the more. But if someone who has exercise induced asthma doses themself hard with Ventolin before they begin - until they get mild Ventolin shakes - they sometimes find that exercise feels fantastic. They are so used to being hypoxic and slowing down when they blood oxygen level drops that they have no idea how fun it is to break into a sprint- and keep going, loping along easily.
It's the same thing with some people who are fully absorbed in mental work until they start exercising. They get bored, or they get anxious, or the intrusive thoughts flood in when they have nothing to think about other than watching the number change on the meter, or counting reps. Check what your thoughts are while you are exercising and if they are grim, or sad, listen to a podcast, or get a body double and chat away with them - gasping every so slightly - while you do your exercise. Or combine exercise with something that does feel fun. Like when you lie down to sleep, this is your valuable thinking time. Plot a novel, plan menus, review your French verbs, take a nostalgia trip through your old neighbourhood imagining each quarter k on your bike is one block between your old home and your elementary school.
Finally, consider if exercise feels awkward. Sometimes we are doing it woodenly and self consciously. Look at people who are intent on a goal as they do strenuous work - someone chopping wood, or someone hastily running things under cover before it rains. They lean into their work in a way that people exercising often don't. You see the same thing when you compare kids running as they play with adults running for health. The adults are upright and stiff and put their heels down. The kids lean forward into their run and put much more of their weight on the balls of their feet. They run open mouthed laughing. Adults are much too dignified to gape. When you exercise can you get into that feeling, the one where the body moves in the purpose of a goal? If you can figure that out it's a whole lot more fun.
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:23 AM on March 23, 2023 [4 favorites]
I do the same thing with dumbbells. They get put on the foot of my bed when I make my bed in the morning. I have to walk past them to get to the bathroom or the kitchen. Just ONE lift counts, five is perfectly alright too. Three sets of ten reps is not better than just one wobbly lift. If I were to get really, really sick, I'd count touching the weights and not picking them up, or getting on the bike without putting my feet on the pedals. For me the trick is to detour long enough to attempt it as I go through my usual necessary tasks.
I also do stretches, posture, and balance exercises the same way, but without equipment. I now have the habit of straightening up whenever I walk past the flat bit of wall that I use for a backboard to make sure my spine is as straight as I can make it.
The key part of this is how very little effort it is. My bike is in the way. I have to walk around it. It's almost as easy to get on it. My dumbbells are in the easiest place in my room to reach, and if I am up to making my bed, get picked up at least twice a day, once to put them on the bed and once to take them off again.
The other thing to look at is that the experience of exercising needs to be pleasant. Jock types go on and on about how gooood it feels. Bullpoop. For a great many people exercise mainly feels crappy. It must be nice to be someone who gets a mild high from moving instead of merely ending up feeling tired and uncomfortable and out of breath. So one very important thing is to look at how you feel when you are exercising and check if you actually ARE enjoying it. If you are not, you will be training yourself to dread exercising. If you are the kind of person who doesn't get a high from meeting goals and it's too hot today for the exercise to feel good, you are not practicing good mental health and good self care if you "just do it." You're much more likely to have the motivation to do it again the next day if you put on a damp t-shirt and point a fan at yourself on the exercise bike, or if simply drape a soggy towel over your shoulders and keep wiping off with it.
So you look at your exercise conditions and you modify them so it does feel good, and avoid toughing it out. This is one reason why so many people put on music to exercise to. For a lot of people it can change a work out which is drudgery to something that is fun. Check how you feel when you exercise on a day when you had trouble motivating yourself to start. Be mindful. Maybe you have a bad time because you end up ruminating, or because you are uncomfortable.
There's any number of people with exercise induced asthma who don't realise that they hate exercising because on the rare occasion when they do they start to suffocate. If there is no barking and coughing they have no idea it could be shortness of breath, and eventually decide that they are actually someone lazy and without any self control, and hate exercise all the more. But if someone who has exercise induced asthma doses themself hard with Ventolin before they begin - until they get mild Ventolin shakes - they sometimes find that exercise feels fantastic. They are so used to being hypoxic and slowing down when they blood oxygen level drops that they have no idea how fun it is to break into a sprint- and keep going, loping along easily.
It's the same thing with some people who are fully absorbed in mental work until they start exercising. They get bored, or they get anxious, or the intrusive thoughts flood in when they have nothing to think about other than watching the number change on the meter, or counting reps. Check what your thoughts are while you are exercising and if they are grim, or sad, listen to a podcast, or get a body double and chat away with them - gasping every so slightly - while you do your exercise. Or combine exercise with something that does feel fun. Like when you lie down to sleep, this is your valuable thinking time. Plot a novel, plan menus, review your French verbs, take a nostalgia trip through your old neighbourhood imagining each quarter k on your bike is one block between your old home and your elementary school.
Finally, consider if exercise feels awkward. Sometimes we are doing it woodenly and self consciously. Look at people who are intent on a goal as they do strenuous work - someone chopping wood, or someone hastily running things under cover before it rains. They lean into their work in a way that people exercising often don't. You see the same thing when you compare kids running as they play with adults running for health. The adults are upright and stiff and put their heels down. The kids lean forward into their run and put much more of their weight on the balls of their feet. They run open mouthed laughing. Adults are much too dignified to gape. When you exercise can you get into that feeling, the one where the body moves in the purpose of a goal? If you can figure that out it's a whole lot more fun.
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:23 AM on March 23, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm a big believer that you have to know exactly what does and doesn't motivate you when it comes to exercising & staying fit. So, what motivates you to exercise? What is a motivation killer for you? What is it about being at home, and doing the exercise you do, that you feel you can stick with? Write them all down. Assess how you can increase the things that do motivate you, and decrease/remove the things that kill your motivation.
For me, and I'm being honest here: Working out in a weight room alongside super strong people is motivating to me. It's not exactly competition that I'm feeling. I'm not trying to match other lifters. More like I have something to prove. I'm a cis woman, now in my 50s. I used to be a power lifter. Then I was too ambitious and injured myself. I've had many cycles of starting and stopping and starting again. The biggest motivation killer for me is working out alone. Covid brought that home for me: I bought a Peloton knockoff and attended exactly 2 Peloton classes before re-realizing oh yeah, I hate working out alone.
I'm also a big believer in having a plan for a certain amount of time and then changing it up slightly, say every 1-2 months, so I don't lose interest. I write my plan down in my notes on my phone--which I have with me anyway because I'm listening to Spotify during my workout. I have a different plan for each day of the week that I lift. I mostly stick to the plan but I'll change it if, say, there are no benches available or if the pull-up assist machine is broken again. On those days I don't lose my motivation, because I can swap in another exercise from one of the other days. Because my plan always includes at least 2 push, 2 pull, and the rest all posterior chain work, there's always something I can swap in so I don't lose momentum. Then every 6 weeks or so, I tweak the plans or change them entirely. And I'm always working toward something, like n many unassisted pull-ups.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 10:06 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
For me, and I'm being honest here: Working out in a weight room alongside super strong people is motivating to me. It's not exactly competition that I'm feeling. I'm not trying to match other lifters. More like I have something to prove. I'm a cis woman, now in my 50s. I used to be a power lifter. Then I was too ambitious and injured myself. I've had many cycles of starting and stopping and starting again. The biggest motivation killer for me is working out alone. Covid brought that home for me: I bought a Peloton knockoff and attended exactly 2 Peloton classes before re-realizing oh yeah, I hate working out alone.
I'm also a big believer in having a plan for a certain amount of time and then changing it up slightly, say every 1-2 months, so I don't lose interest. I write my plan down in my notes on my phone--which I have with me anyway because I'm listening to Spotify during my workout. I have a different plan for each day of the week that I lift. I mostly stick to the plan but I'll change it if, say, there are no benches available or if the pull-up assist machine is broken again. On those days I don't lose my motivation, because I can swap in another exercise from one of the other days. Because my plan always includes at least 2 push, 2 pull, and the rest all posterior chain work, there's always something I can swap in so I don't lose momentum. Then every 6 weeks or so, I tweak the plans or change them entirely. And I'm always working toward something, like n many unassisted pull-ups.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 10:06 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
For me it's a combination of 3 things:
1. Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure
2. Small-group video class with a trainer
3. 1:1 or small group videocalls working out with a YouTube video -- pre-scheduled videocalls with a few friends, where we work out together while simultaneously watching a YouTube exercise video (Whereby.com and Jitsi Meet both make it easy to start a free meeting and to watch a YouTube video together, ad-free)
posted by brainwane at 11:11 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
1. Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure
2. Small-group video class with a trainer
3. 1:1 or small group videocalls working out with a YouTube video -- pre-scheduled videocalls with a few friends, where we work out together while simultaneously watching a YouTube exercise video (Whereby.com and Jitsi Meet both make it easy to start a free meeting and to watch a YouTube video together, ad-free)
posted by brainwane at 11:11 AM on March 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
So I made a resultion this year to do a 5K every month. So far I'm 3/3. My goal is always to finish, plain and simple. I'm happy if I decrease my time. But as long as I finish, I' satisfied.
Dance class. I danced growing up. About 18 months ago, I found a studio run by a woman who I danced with when we were little. I started going to class there and now I'm doing 2 classes a week.
Fitbit: I upped my goal to 11,000 steps a day. And M-F I almost always hit that. I also try to get the minimum 250 steps an hour so I can complete that goal.
When the weather is miserable, YouTube exercise or dance videos. And failing that, I bought Sweatin to the Oldies from Amazon and put that on
posted by kathrynm at 6:45 PM on March 23, 2023
Dance class. I danced growing up. About 18 months ago, I found a studio run by a woman who I danced with when we were little. I started going to class there and now I'm doing 2 classes a week.
Fitbit: I upped my goal to 11,000 steps a day. And M-F I almost always hit that. I also try to get the minimum 250 steps an hour so I can complete that goal.
When the weather is miserable, YouTube exercise or dance videos. And failing that, I bought Sweatin to the Oldies from Amazon and put that on
posted by kathrynm at 6:45 PM on March 23, 2023
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If for whatever reason you can't do that (I can only do it occasionally), you might try to simulate it by having someone you talk about your runs with. Like if you're both training for something or whatever, the motivation to keep the other person in the loop might be helpful. You can make this an "accountability partner," but it can also be something lighter if the negative motivation around letting people down would be counterproductive.
posted by grobstein at 5:27 PM on March 22, 2023 [2 favorites]