Passive Views On Exercise?

Konvictz

Full Member
Ive noticed many people are reluctant to do exercise to help them lose weight - just wondering if its to do with them having not enough time or they are happy with the amount they are losing without exercise.

personally I have found that exercise is absolutely essential for my regime.

when i first started i tried to diet as well as exercise - i failed both of them. dieting i done for a week or so and then i couldn't take it, because if your friends are eating junk food, you need to do it. not only that i enjoy the taste of so much food, i cant not have it. not only that i also work in a food place, so i am surrounded by food non stop.

exercise at the beginning was hard, although i enjoy sports, it wasnt something i could do in a regular basis. also i didnt know exactly what exercise to do or how much i needed to do.

but in the last few months i decided i was going to give exercise a go again. and i started doing something called tabatta intervals (google it if you want to know more).

because it is such an intense exercise, i really struggled at first, found it very difficult. but i kept at it and noticed my fitness levels dramatically increase every time i done a session.

i do a little weight lifting as well to keep that metabolism going.

not only that i have not been dieting in any way and i have to say my fat levels either stay the same or decrease every week, which is nice.

because this exercise interval only lasts 4 minutes (excluding time taken to warm up and warm down), its very quick and requires very little time for being so effective. i last much longer, feel less tired after exercise, feel stronger overall, i have become so much faster and can continue this speed for a longer time. i used to feel sick after workouts when i first started interval training, but now i just catch my breath and no muscle pains or injuries.

and now i have to do my sessions otherwise i dont feel right. progress is now really fast i feel fitter every time i do it.

and it is possible to find the time. i am a busy person with uni and part time work, yet i find the same. i have to do it in order to look and feel good.

so from my experience i would greatly encourage cardio exercise for fat loss. it should give your weight loss regime a huge boost. and the benefits that your body will receive physically as well.
 
i used to hate exercise at school, i did anything to get out of it. every week i had an excuse for not taking part, and i always "forgot" my swimming cossie.
only when my sis in law guilt tripped me into trying a class with her that i started to like it. first class i did was body attack, although it was very very hard i enjoyed it, it wasnt a chore and boring like i imagined!

i gave everything a go that was avalible and have now found alot i like :)
 
Hi Konvictz, fair play to you for persevering and building up your fitness. In the past month or so I have been going out for an hour's walk at our local forest park with Dad and the dogs and whilst the big hill almost winded me at the start (a smoker and asthmatic as well as overweight!) I was thinking on saturday that my fitness level must have improved a wee bit despite smoking as I am finding it easier and quite enjoyable. (shock! Horror!) lol.
 
The weirdest thing is I used to love things that at the time, I didn't consider exercise. Even when I was heavier than most at school/college, I enjoyed tennis and netball most of all, but I also used to skate and cycle a lot, as well as walking absolutely everywhere. Looking back, I'm sure it was all that activity that stopped me from becoming heavier much earlier than I did.

I am currently trying to walk more and introduce weight/strength training. I think for me it's not so much that I don't want to do it as it is that I do want to....so much....but my body hurts in ways it never used to doing so little, and it's frustrating. That coupled with the fear that people are watching "that fat woman". I know it shouldn't matter, but it's soooo hard to ignore...
 
I enjoy having done exercise when I've done it.
Oh yeah, I count down the minutes on my Rosemary Conley DVD (it has a clock at the bottom of the screen to tell you how long you have left), and I have to give myself a kick up the bum to actually go out for a walk, but when I DO exercise, I feel a lot better for having done it.

I find it also helps me measure my fitness a bit, as well. For example, when I started, I could hardly do 10 minutes continuously from the DVD workout (it's 30 minutes long). Now I can last about 20 minutes on it before I get tired.

I can't diet constantly... I don't think I could stand it. So I cut out snacks, make more sensible choices, make portions smaller, and exercise instead. I find I need balance... I'm not an all or nothing person. (Though fair play to people who find that that works for them.)
 
This Elusive excercise 'bug' I have never found. I wish it wasn't so hard to get to that stage. Seriously saying 'Why dont you like excercise?' is like saying

'Why dont you like struggling to breathe, feeling physically unwell, extremely uncomfortable, in slight pain, with a nagging sense of shame guilt and embarrasment as a totally optional activity every day of your life?'

I get that its not like that forever but starting is hard- you just feel so terrible. Like...the worst hangover of your life x50 - and its so easy to decide not to do - after all why would you? You dont even get instant results!

lol I do realise all the pro's im in the medical profession and am just playing devils advocate - how the hell do you guys get past this initial hurdle? Is there some way of getting a bit fitter without people seeing you or feeling like you might *actually* die?
 
Elementhia, maybe try an activity you can do at home? Like an aerobic step or a cross trainer.

I had to start with walking...not many options at my size; exercise equipment costs a fortune, most of them have a max capacity of 150kg, I am NOT going swimming just yet... (I'm still unsure as to why public pools have a "viewing" window????? That is all kinds of weird, not just for big people either!)

I tried the gym thing, which worked for me for a while (there was a women's only section that used to be completely empty during the day, so I could work out without people staring), but I've since moved and the nearest gym to me now requires a considerable drive.

I find if it's readily available, I'll do it. I'd rather huff and puff and get sweaty in my house, hence the strength/weight training. I plan on getting a cross trainer or bike once I lose a bit more. It hurts to start, but I promised myself 5 minutes of movement a day to begin with won't kill me. It hurts for the first week or so, and you definitely feel it when you wake up. I like to think it's my body's way of "waking up" after years of relative inactivity.
 
well shucks you've put me to shame! If you can do it, I can do it!!! But it is torrrtureee....

I know exactly what you mean about the viewing window, totally weird!!!! I miss swimming so much :( i used to love it as a kid but I turn down sunny beach holidays now because I know there is skimpy clothing (god forbid swimming) involved...

I think ipod+techno+dancing like an idiot for 20 minutes every day in a private room in my house with close doors and shut curtains might be the way forward for me tbh. Might *even* convince myself I enjoy it!

Anyhoo thanks for the response - wish you all the best and well done for coming so far as you have already with your fitness.

Lets just do it this time k? :DDD
 
Despite being a skinny kid, I have always been rubbish at sports, and so as well as the physical unpleasantness described so well by Elementhia, every time i put a pair of trainer on I get all emotional and upset as i remember th torture of school PE lessons. I have high self-esteem and i just can't voluntarily make myself that sad.

however, i wish i did like it. I have tried: lots of different activities, lots of times, lots and lots of years. Firstly: it's so boring. where does my brain get stimulated? secondly: I feel bad before i do it, I feel bad while i'm doing it, and I feel utterly dreadful after i've done it - and very much like eating chips. what happened to these endorphins i've been promised? Next - why must gym clothes be so ugly and unflattering? where are the polkadots and the full skirts? why do sports bras in larger sizes insist on creating a monoboob?

Basically, i could give you excuses til the cows come home.

But. I am pledged to go to a zumba class this half term. I know i should be fitter. I want to be someone that likes exercise. I will keep trying.


ps - last time i tried, i went to an 'all fitness levels' bootcamp thing on clapham common. i cried all the way home and couldn't walk properly for a week.
 
Hi there, interesting thread. I do think that it's useful to try and find something that gives you SOME sort of pleasure while you are doing it and not all some future hopeful benefit.

For me I've discovered that dancing is mine - moving to music may be hard work but just makes me happy:D the endorphins after a zumba class do give me high now too (took a few classes). When i couldnt bear to be in a class then wii fit and dancemats were a great help at home

So everyone needs something - why not explore:
Walking the dog
Fresh air
The view
Save money instead of car/bus
Going with a friend
Something silly (i do belly dancing!)

In addition you may find your diet helps or hinders so take into account. I couldnt do anything the first 2 weeks of atkins while withdrawing from sugar but now have much more energy than when i used to eat carbs. On hols i had to find a local zumba class just to keep me going as i had such itchy feet.

So maybe - instead of "i dont exercise" try " i havent yet found the right exercise"
Good luck:D
 
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