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!!!

I go to the gym, play golf or walk everyday with the exception of some Sunday's. I have a walking buddy who I walk with at a local mall once a week and we walk and talk for 5 miles then have coffee. It is fun and doesn't really feel like exersize. I must say tho, since my surgery exersize is no longer a chore but something I look forward to, especially as I see the scale moving in the right direction!

@BLERDgirl I will try that out when I feel comfortable enough to be seen out in the public with a swimsuit on

It took me a while to find something that I would like. I began Taekwondo when I was 1 year into my diet (2012), I loved it. I was getting a good cardio workout, self defense moves, more flexible. I felt strong, mentally! I earned my black belt June 2013, completing a 5 hr (over 2 days) test. I would suggest martial arts to anyone! I miss it terribly!

After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, I quit and it took me about a year to find something to make me feel good again. I began RPM spin classes 3 times a week. I noticed how much more my heart health was, more when losing weight. I am able to recover from a level 5 heart rate so much faster than I could when I began.

I think it is all about trying different things and having the courage to do something you never would have done. I was scared to do spin, the idea that instructors would be militant made me nervous. Turns out the instructors are not all like that. Give it a shot!

@BLERDgirl I will try that out when I feel comfortable enough to be seen out in the public with a swimsuit on

Things I learned about pool exercise:

• It's really good for bad joints/arthritis, etc...
• The people at the gym don't really care about your size.

Get out of your head and do what's good for you! I have never been embarrassed or ashamed about who I am or what size I was. That's why I'm at the gym.

I hate working out, period. But I need to force myself to be more active. The first 50 pounds came off with NO EXERCISE WHATSOEVER! With that being said, I've now hit a wall. I'm still losing, but very very slowly. I know I need to start adding exercise into the equation, but I just don't have the time most days. I've been trying to incorporate walking into my lunch time at work, but most days I don't even take lunches due to the meetings and various other things I have to do for my job. It's stressful, cuz I know I need to exercise, but I'm still trying to make that a reality.

~*~Heather~*~

I hate working out, period. But I need to force myself to be more active. The first 50 pounds came off with NO EXERCISE WHATSOEVER! With that being said, I've now hit a wall. I'm still losing, but very very slowly. I know I need to start adding exercise into the equation, but I just don't have the time most days. I've been trying to incorporate walking into my lunch time at work, but most days I don't even take lunches due to the meetings and various other things I have to do for my job. It's stressful, cuz I know I need to exercise, but I'm still trying to make that a reality.

~*~Heather~*~

You are the type of person who might benefit from doing short 10 minute workouts in the morning and evening.

Otherwise you simply won't be able to workout. Youtube has loads of them and some cable On Demand features do as well. You could also buy videos on Amazon and the like.

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 don't exercise. I hate going to the gym or pretty much any repetitive, structured exercise program. I'm not a runner or biker. I tried to get into a routine riding my recumbent bike, but that only lasted a couple months. But I'm also not a couch potato. My job is active, the activities I choose to do are physical, taking care of my mini ranch is VERY physical. I log 12,000+ Fitbit steps on work days and easily closer to 20,000 and 50-100 "flights of stairs" on the weekends (I'm not actually walking stairs, it's just the ups and downs in the mountains that get recorded like this). I lift 60-80 pounds on a regular basis.

I've lost over 100% of my excess weight and kept it off with no exercise. I have excellent muscle tone and definition and minimal loose skin. But I have no doubt my daily lifestyle is probably the equivalent of many people's gym workout.

I started with walking. I use a heart rate monitor along with MapMyFitness (smartphone app) to keep track of all the calories I've burned. This is a huge motivator for me. If you have a newer smartphone the Polar H7 heart rate strap is great. Nothing better than adding a thousand calories (which I try not to use) to my daily allotment. After using it for 3 months I've ramped up to 5-days a week gym workouts. My favorite activities are swimming and elliptical (jogging minus impact). My wife is big into Zumba.

I keep hearing good things about mapmyfitness. I may give it a try.

Bleh the gym I hate it...but I go 4 times a week and do 90 mins of cardio and 50 mins of weights and then I do yoga at home and I swim at the gym twice a week LATE at night when no one is around. I'd rather chew glass then work this hard but if I don't then I have horrible fatigue and I stall out every other week when I don't. I have a fitbit and the fitbit scale cause it sync with myfitnesspal. I guess if I made a commitment to change I should just go all the way right? Still hate it but I need it!

Thank you all so very much for your replies! I'm scared, excited, and did I say scared???!!!! Lol but I know I have to get active! My kids are still young and need their mom, so I'm not only doing this for ME, but them also! It just gets a little overwhelming at times, as you ALL know I'm sure! But I am loving all the advice from this site! It really does help! ????

I'm like you, I don't think I'll EVER enjoy exercise. I came out of the womb preferring to curl up in the corner with a book, lol. It's important though, so I try to give myself a lot of options. I have a gym membership and always keep gym clothes in the car, I've got a couple of videos I like at home and some cheap weights I picked up at Five Below, and a Fitbit.

When I'm feeling particularly sloth-like and haven't done much for longer than I think is healthy, I'll try to set up a session with a trainer. Once I've sunk the money into it and they expect me to show up, I won't bail - sometimes that's enough to get the momentum going again.

Unless you have a truly active lifestyle, something beyond an office job or shuttling the kids around, we need to exercise. For most of us city folks that means we need to workout. I do traditional exercise, but I also enjoy finding the fun workouts. Check you local community center or Groupon for belly dancing, tap dancing, rock climbing, trampolining or any other outrageous thing you never imagined trying!You'll be surprised how much you can enjoy it. I don't want any of this to be drudgery for me.

Edited March 30, 201511 yr by BLERDgirl

I haven't started working out post-surgery yet, but I'm planning to start some light cardio this week (I'm four weeks post surgery).

My tips to make it more enjoyable:

-Don't put pressure on yourself. Keep things short if you need to - if 45 minutes cardio terrifies you, do 30 or 20 - chances are when you're there you'll keep on going - but the key is to remember you're in charge. Seeing exercise as an obligation is the first step to making sure it's not enjoyable.

-If you join a gym, take the time to get a tour and learn how to use all of the machines. There's nothing worse than wanting to use a machine but being too afraid of being embarrassed when you try and get it wrong. Getting a tour lets you know what your options are, then you can decide which machines you like using and which you don't.

-Pick a gym with a nice changing room. I know this sounds silly - but if your changing room is nice and warm, with comfortable showers, then you will have one less thing to cause you to avoid it.

-Think of the gym (or any exercise) as you time. If you have kids, where else can you shower for as long as you like and spend 30 minutes thinking about nothing other than yourself. Think of exercise as a luxury that you allow yourself - an indulgence rather than a chore.

-Pick a gym that will give you a permanent locker that you lock with your own padlock, and which will give you towels and shower gel etc. If going to the gym means carting around a full kit bag with shoes and a towel and toiletries, it becomes just another chore to get ready. If all you need to go to the gym is a t-shirt and shorts, and the rest is there waiting for you, it's much easier to just grab and go. Again, it's all about removing as many barriers as possible.

-Pick a gym that has some luxuries as well - a sauna or steam room or jacuzzi is a great reward for a workout and something to really look forward to.

-Most gyms have TVs on the equipment or big screens on the walls. Try to schedule your trips during the TV shows you like to watch. 30 minutes on the eliptical trainer might sound horrible, but being on the eliptical trainer for a single episode of your favourite sitcom is less daunting and something to distract you from the exercise if you're not someone who likes to get pumped and use energetic music.

-As others have said, explore the classes and find something you enjoy. Lots of gyms will allow you to do taster classes before you commit, so shop around.

-If body image is an issue for you, there are gyms that specialise in having an inclusive ethos where you'll feel less pressure to be the perfect gym bunny. It would be worth checking out which ones are closest to you.

-Speaking of close, pick a gym that is close to either your home or work. Don't pick a gym that requires you to break your commute to or from work, because it's too easy to say 'I'm too tired to stop here only to have to go home later - I'll just skip this one day'. If your gym is at the beginning or the end of your journey, it's easier to stick to your plans.

I know some of those tips mean picking a more expensive gym, but I promise you, if your gym isn't somewhere you want to go to, then picking a gym that doesn't have those little touches to appeal to you will make it much harder to keep going.

@@Casey235, Welcome to the forum!

You don’t have to exercise to lose weight and keep it off, but it sure helps. It’s not just about the calorie burn, although it does help to burn off a couple hundred extra calories each day. Exercise also helps you lose weight because it helps you stay focused on your goal. You can feel yourself getting stronger

And exercise isn’t just about the weight loss. It makes you feel good – proud, confident, and strong. And it puts you in a better mood and relaxes you. But you’ve probably heard all that before.

You don’t ever have to set foot in a gym. You can walk, hula hoop, dance, or do workout video. You can work out at home or in the park. Shoot hoops in your backyard or at the park. The point is, you can find something fun. It doesn’t matter what, as long as you’re moving. Even the gym can be fun, even if you don’t like the traditional treadmill, bike, or weights. Try a new exercise class – almost all of them can be modified to your own level of ability. Work out with a buddy. Whatever you do, make it fun. That’s the key. And don’t be afraid! Nobody cares if you look silly. We all start out as beginners.

Good luck on your journey, and it’s great that you’re thinking ahead so carefully.