I know that exercise is one of the keys to weight loss but what can you do if you just hate it, have no motivation for it or body aches to much to do it???

I haven't done much more than walking and little jogging and that works.

Garner up every bit of willpower you can and get out the door.

Walk around the block. After a while you will actually enjoy it. You'll meet neighbors you never knew you had. You see things that you never noticed driving by in a hurry to get home.

When you are comfortable with that, walk a little further.

Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further from work or the store.

Walking is an amazing thing and almost everybody does it every day.

You don't have to love it--you just have to do it.

You don't need a punishing regimen to see results. I'm a walker--I walk long, and I walk fast, but I didn't start out that way. As I've lost weight and gotten better-conditioned, it's just happened.

You can't use body aches as an excuse. The body needs to move; it hurts when it does not. Will you get sore? You might. But that doesn't last forever.

I let pain keep me from exercise for too long. I have 5 herniated disks and sacroiliac joint disease. I have a bum knee and a bum shoulder.

When I started exercising routinely 4 years ago, I found out something startling: using those body parts didn't make anything worse. And more surprisingly, I felt better.

Not everyone ends up loving exercise. But it's one of those things, like brushing your teeth, or emptying the litter box, or taking the garbage to the curb on Thursdays. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT.

You don't have to love it--you just have to do it.

Not everyone ends up loving exercise. But it's one of those things, like brushing your teeth, or emptying the litter box, or taking the garbage to the curb on Thursdays. YOU JUST HAVE TO DO IT.

My favorite BetsyB advice EVER!

My doc encourages exercise, but understands that in the beginning you may not want to. He said after you lose 40-50 lbs you'll want to start doing more. I think he's right!

The thing that motivates me the most is visualizing saggy, hanging skin! It will help tone your muscles AND help get the weight off!

zeniada....i hated it too! but I knew I HAD to do it. so I did it. I started walking one mile 3x a week and afte awhile that got easy so I increase it to more...and more and more...so now 9 months after I started I walk 4 miles 3x a week. well then I wanted to do something fun so I tried out zumba...just went once a week and loved it so much I go 3x a week...know what motivates me to go? the changes in my body! my hips and abs and thighs are getting smaller cuz I'm losing weight, but they are getting very nicely shaped cuz I'm exercising. well then hubby got P90X and I decided I needed to do it for my arms and back areas. soooo I went from never ever exercising to going 6 days a week of cardio and 3 days a week of weights (yes, 3 days a week I work out for 2 hours!) and my body is really showing the hard work (even thoug I have technically 40 more lbs to lose....my goal is a size 8 pant....i think i'll reach that before weight goal)

you can do it! sart small and you may actually surprise yourself :thumbup:

I got Wii fit and I really like it. I know some people can't afford that but it was on my Christmas list last year and 4 people in the family pulled together and got it for me <3

I hate to exercise. I really do. But I know I HAVE to. That is why I got a personal trainer. I pay him to train me. Therefore, I HAVE to go to the gym. I got a gym membership but that means nothing if I don't use it. If I get my fat 260 pound butt on a treadmill and run a mile, anyone can!

You need to find something you like. I know you may think that may not happen, I thought that.

I joined a Wellness center where I take water aerobics and dance movement (similar to zumba). I can also workout on the machines but that is not my favorite.

My sister and her husband took ballroom dancing classes for their exercise.

I used to LOVE Square Dancing and would do it again, even obese, if I had an interested partner.

If I had access to a pool, Water exercises or even just swimming would be my choice. I don't have one and neither does my community.. so that's out.

At the beginning I just walked. A little bit further every day. I was eventually walking a mile a day. Then I started using a gym because the rains made it difficult to walk outside.

I now take several different classes. I've made friends there at the gym and it's fun to go talk to them all and moan and groan together as we workout.

Yoga is another method of exercise that might appeal to you.

Just keep trying different things, and try to keep a more positive outlook. If you keep telling yourself you "hate" something, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I tell myself.. I don't like the process (exercise) very much but I LOVE the results. :thumbup:

And you may find that as you become more proficient, more graceful, stronger that you don't hate exercise as much as you did.

:thumbup:

Thanks All for the Encouragement!!! I'm gonna get off my butt and start moving! :thumbup:

Thanks for all of your encouraging words! I too am going to get off the counch and get moving.

Here's a couch to 5K plan:

Cool Running | The Couch-to-5K ® Running Plan

It's a bit ambitious for ME.. I'd have to have a slower start, I think. But really I haven't tried it. I might be in better shape than I think as I have recently gotten to where I can do almost 40 minutes straight of step aerobics 2x week.. using the higher step. :biggrin: (started off with no step at all...6 or 7 months ago)

I started Couch to 5K using a Nike Plus sensor and my iphone. I loved it. Within four weeks, I was able to run three intervals of eight minutes each... This was at 250 pounds and being an actual couch potato at the start.

I ended up giving up on it because I developed a little clicking noise in my knee and decided that once I get some of this weight off, I will take it up again.

The Couch to 5k is motivating and you see progress on a daily basis. Sure, you have to push yourself at times but you are building up stamina every time you run.

It was a great program. You can also get free podcasts from iTunes if you have a iPod.

Best wishes!

Find something that you LOVE:wub:

I hate the whole gym thing and wasn't fond of walking... I bought an eliptical - still sitting in my family room gathering dust.

Decided I had to find something to get my butt going and decided to take swimming lessons. I've always wanted to learn and decided to give it a try. I've met great people (very encouraging) through the classes. As a result, I was lured into taking boxing with a fellow classmate and we're having a ball.

All this said, I found the key was finding something that I really enjoyed doing and have increased my activities as a result.

Something as simple as gardening is a good start.