I absolutely loathe exercise and have never stuck with it for a long period of time in the past. Does everyone exercise?

And was it hard to find a plan and stick to it?

I'm more terrified of that than not eating!!!

No I have yet to step foot in the gym but I was just discussing it with my husband and I want (scratch that, need) to start next week.

I do. I work out 5 - 6 days a week. I don't lose if I don't. Besides I actually feel better when I work out. I do Water aerobics, kettle ball, ride my bike and walking.

I joined the gym since my husband retired in January and I need something to do besides entertain him......but I do agree that I loose weight when I exercise and it is great for stress. I go there when I'm feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, emotions etc. I find that exercising really does clear my mind and reduce my anxiety level.

Try different things until you find something you like. That will help you stick to it.

If you start, find something you like to do so you actually enjoy it so you stick with it. Do you like to swim? Take Water aerobics! Bike? Hike? Those are good options if the gym isn't your thing.

I used to roll my eyes at people who said they "enjoyed" exercise. Now that I have been doing it steadily for the last few months, I am becoming one of those people! It's hard to get motivated to do it sometimes, but I NEVER regret it when I do, and miss it when I don't. I honestly used to be like you....I LOATHED exercise!

Once I got over the initial fear, I found that I liked exercise. I go to the gym 4-6X a week. It makes me feel strong and NORMAL. All my life I felt like an outsider - listening to people talk about exercising and doing active things and knowing that I really couldn't (or at least I thought i couldn't). Now I can tell my colleagues at work that I have to get going, because I want to get to the gym before they close. It's a good feeling mentally and physically.

We got in the car and used the odometer to measure 1, 2, and 3 mile treks around the neighborhood. We have started walking in the evenings. We have been walking 3 miles most evenings but sometimes I want to circle around and add another mile to it. It is convenient and free, so I find it easy to incorporate for now.

One of the easiest things I ever did for toning was to buy a little pair of 5lb barbells. I keep them in the living room under the edge of the couch and any time I find myself sitting on my butt watching TV I get them and do butterflies and exercises for my arm and pec muscles. I can actually tell a difference in my upper arms, biceps, and shoulders from doing this. I have several different sets of exercises I do, and do multiple reps.

Now that the weather is improving I love getting outside to walk and or ride my bike. The ymca/gym's offer so many classes now days that you are sure to find something fun- like Zumba, line dancing, yoga, tai chi, the list goes on and on...............

I would say to try water aerobics! You get into it what you put into it..you can always use heavier weights in the water or go at a quicker pace. It doesn't really feel like exercise to me because it is so fun and I see results very quickly from it!

I don't like any of those things now, except walking! I could get used to a good neighborhood walk probably! And I know it will make me feel better! Thank you for all of your responses and encouragement!

I guess I am just having last minute jitters!!! ????

Casey235 - I'm almost a year out from surgery and one thing I wish I would have done differently is bought a Fitbit soon after. Similar to you, walking is really the only "exercise" that appealed to me. The fitbit motivates me on days I'm feeling lazy. If I look down and see I have completed 8,287 steps today, I'm likely to put my shoes on and go outside and complete the rest to reach my 10,000 step goal for the day! I have fitbit friends I compete with in daily and weekly challenges. It motivates me to be active when I see my friends are moving and I know they can see I'm NOT moving! I have always been active (I love to hike) but honesty I haven't exercised with much consistently since surgery. I was able to reach my goal weight with mostly diet modification alone but I also didn't have that much to lose compared to many on these boards. While it is quite possible to lose weight without exercising, it will be very difficult to maintain the weight loss long term without incorporating some type of exercise routine. The earlier on you can make this part of your lifestyle, the better. The key is to find something you love and stick with it. For me, I don't think I will ever be a gym rat. I have always loved walking. And lately my walking has turned into jogging. And maybe one day it will turn into running......

I agree using an activity tracker is good because it's a constant reminder to move more. You want to hit that daily goal. I just upped mine to 12,000 steps.

I would say to try Water aerobics! You get into it what you put into it..you can always use heavier weights in the water or go at a quicker pace. It doesn't really feel like exercise to me because it is so fun and I see results very quickly from it!

My gym had water weights that you can crew the caps off and add water to to make them even heavier. I LOVE water aerobics. Either I am completely obtuse or my gym is just a really good mix of all body types and fitness levels. I never feel out of place there.

I also bought a waterproof iPod shuffle and come early and walk the pool for 30 - 40 minutes. It's done wonders for my knees.

Edited March 28, 201511 yr by BLERDgirl

I don't like any of those things now, except walking! I could get used to a good neighborhood walk probably! And I know it will make me feel better! Thank you for all of your responses and encouragement!

I guess I am just having last minute jitters!!!

Commit to 1hour 1 day a week. Promise yourself you will do that for 30 days. At the end of 30 days add 1 more day. That's all I did. As I got stronger I found I wanted to do more because I enjoyed it but when it was just 1 or 2 days it was because I needed it. Once you start to enjoy it, you start to look for activities to do. I dusted off a 10 year old bike and paid to get a tune up. I'm not gonna be some touring cyclist, but when it's nice I enjoy riding outside. I found a place that has drop in African Dance classes. I was dripping with sweat at the end, but it was fun! I may take the class once a month. Best part is it's a drop in class so there's no pressure to go.

I have pretty bad knees and all i can manage at the moment is walking, i dont think ill ever be a gym type of person. I walk outdoors as well as on my treadmill on days when its miserable outside. I received a fitbit for Christmas and i absolutely love it. It motivates me to get up and go for a walk. Theres a few threads on here where people have added one another as fitbit friends, if you end up getting one also, join in, we would all love you and anyone else who wants to join us to join in on the fun! Its honestly a wonderful non invasive motivational tool to help you get your fitness on track. Always have to remember, go at your own pace and take it one step at a time

Edited March 28, 201511 yr by VSGmary

@@VSGmary - Walking in the pool and even Water aerobics would be even easier on your knees than walking on concrete or the treadmill. It's super low impact and the water makes you feel weightless while you are working out those muscles. I have arthritis in both knees and my ortho recommended it.