Getting REgular with exercise? tips ? please!

[max]

How on earth do you get regular, doing it daily, with exercises?

I just don't like doing this stuff.

Any tips much appreciated. I need the help!

[Pbarrow]

Been there, it's tough to make a habit. Hire a trainer to kick your rear 2x week for one month. Your body will get hooked and then feel weird when you don't work out. I coerced my doubles partner to do it this winter and he thanks me often. Kind of hard to swallow the cost, but ask yourself how much would a pay to be in great shape and feel awesome on the court? Worth of few hundred bucks?

[Bartelby]

Yes, fitness is best done in a social context. So hire a trainer or try to get someone to exercise with.

And, yes, once you reach a certain level your body will enjoy further training.

[fuzz nation]

First thought might be to throw the no-pain-no-gain mantra right out the window. If we want to exercise on a regular basis, I think it's important to include components of a general routine that we can live with over the long haul. At least starting out, it's rarely productive to try for much of any intensity when long term fitness is what we're after.

I love to ride my bicycle for endurance as well as happy knees, etc. I do it mostly because it's fun. Running is something that I have to suffer through and my legs take enough pounding on the courts, so I only run enough to get my legs ready for the start of a spring season of coaching high school kids. Riding the bike doesn't wear on me, so I stick with it.

A variety of different things can also be much less boring. Whenever I have access to a swimming pool, I like to turn in some laps, but I doubt I'd want to get in the water every single day.

Lifting is a tricky issue. I think it's important, but I don't think I need to push huge loads around like I did back in my warrior years - I'm 47 now. If I keep after basic exercises that work most of my "pieces-parts" from the waist up, I know that I'm better off that just letting them rust (and sustain more injuries). I never injure myself with lifting if I stick to lower weights and more repetitions, but I also don't need to make a huge commitment to a gym.

It's usually easy to find a piece of floor to do a few pushups, etc. If I have a few things I like to include in a "routine", it's easy for me to alternate between bigger and smaller exercises. After a couple sets of pushups, I might stand with a heavy bar at my waist and do some wrist curls to work my forearms a bit. That smaller exercise gives me recovery time after those pushups. Overall, that alternation can let me do a lot in only 25-30 minutes, so it's easier to fit a routine into the day.

Especially when I'm "lifting" more vigorously, I get my best recovery and progress from those sessions if I have two days off between lifting days. That not-too-heavy frequency can be one more thing that helps with the scheduling - all of these things need to be doable so that we can keep it up over weeks, months, who knows... And listen to yourself. If you feel "off", it could be that you need to restock on some rest or maybe just get a good walk into your day.

[OHBH]

Work out first thing in the morning to get out of the way. For an incentive, tell yourself you can't go online, check the news, tv, e-mail etc until the workout is done.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by OHBH

Work out first thing in the morning to get out of the way. For an incentive, tell yourself you can't go online, check the news, tv, e-mail etc until the workout is done.

I like this approach. Reward system. I do something similar when it comes to food, especially junk. I tell myself if I eat these fruits and veggies first, later I can get a slice of pizza.

As for exercise, it's a matter of perspective. I treat exercise like a MUST DO, like brushing teeth or washing dishes. It just has to be done.

[user92626]

Good topic. It's also a big problem that I'm wrestling with, too. I just don't get how I could put in regular exercise though I really want to lose a few pounds. 30 minutes on treadmill feels like eternity.

Like someone said, work out needs to be social. Better yet social and competitive. I'm still looking for a partner who could go to a gym with me and sort of compete with me on endurance.

I can ride bike with my friend but I kinda fear the whole potency problem thing! Without this issue roadbike biking is really really excellent in all aspects!

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by max

How on earth do you get regular, doing it daily, with exercises?

I just don't like doing this stuff.

Any tips much appreciated. I need the help!

The easiest way to get regular exercise is do it first thing in the morning. If you normally get up at 8, get up at 7.

Done and done.

[Sumo]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

The easiest way to get regular exercise is do it first thing in the morning. If you normally get up at 8, get up at 7.

Done and done.

The hardest thing in the world is getting up at 7 when you could sleep till 8.

[nyc]

early bird gets the worm.

[user92626]

Originally Posted by Sumo

The hardest thing in the world is getting up at 7 when you could sleep till 8.

Precisely!

Instead of one hurdle, you now have two!


I think the trick is to have an incentive or a prize that makes you feel your effort is all worth it. This is why I don't understand how people like Oprah couldn't lose weight. Virtually all models, actresses and actors more or less reach their desired weight. I don't believe their will is more superb than us!

[the hack]

Originally Posted by max

How on earth do you get regular, doing it daily, with exercises?

I just don't like doing this stuff.

Any tips much appreciated. I need the help!

there are so many types of exercise. all can be good for you.the best exercise imo is the one you like to do. as long as you say you don't like to do it, you probably won't. try to find something you enjoy doing.

[goober]

Originally Posted by user92626

Precisely!

Instead of one hurdle, you now have two!


I think the trick is to have an incentive or a prize that makes you feel your effort is all worth it. This is why I don't understand how people like Oprah couldn't lose weight. Virtually all models, actresses and actors more or less reach their desired weight. I don't believe their will is more superb than us!

models, actors and actresses depend on their looks for their livelihood. Very different motivation compared to your average Joe or Jane. Also it helps immensely if you have no regular 8-5 job, you have personal trainers and nutritionists or cooks doing everything for you.

[goober]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

The easiest way to get regular exercise is do it first thing in the morning. If you normally get up at 8, get up at 7.

Done and done.

I get up at 5:30 am. I don't see myself getting up at 4:30 am unless I plan on going to bed every night at 8:30- 9 pm

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

The easiest way to get regular exercise is do it first thing in the morning. If you normally get up at 8, get up at 7.

Done and done.

I thought the easiest way to "get regular" was to eat lots & lots of fiber...

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by Sumo

The hardest thing in the world is getting up at 7 when you could sleep till 8.

The hardest thing in the world is waking up in the morning and seeing yourself getting fatter because you don't exercise.