Hi everyone. I'm new here and 4 months post surgery. I know I really need to add some exercise to my days but I haven't found anything that I even remotely enjoy doing. I'm not ready to join a gym because I'm afraid I won't stick with it and really can't afford to pay for something I'm not using. Based on past experience, the expense has not been a motivator to keep going.

YEARS ago (mid-90s), I had been going to a gym and taking aerobics classes which I did enjoy. Since then, I have tried everything from dancing (terribly uncoordinated) to crossfit (too intense) to yoga (meh) but haven't found anything that I like enough to keep doing.

All that being said, does anyone have suggestions for possible exercises for someone who hates to exercise? I would prefer something I can do at home for now. Links or specific programs would be appreciated. Thanks! ?

On 9/17/2024 at 10:50 AM, Alfred_Wilkerson said:

It's tough when finding the right exercise routine feels like an uphill battle, especially with all the challenges you've mentioned. Since you enjoyed Water aerobics, maybe there's a chance to find a more affordable pool option, like community centers or local schools that sometimes offer off-peak access for non-members.

None of the schools in my area have pools nor are there any nearby community centers with one. The nearest is a private gym which is pricy as I mentioned before. I recently found out there was a new YMCA location near me but they're $67/month for an individual membership as well!

On 8/29/2024 at 12:01 AM, plankje4732@gmail.com said:

Get a walking pad off tik tok and a really good show to binge watch and walk. Start off 30 mins. Get up and walk throughout the day and try to get in 10,000 steps a day by narching me place during meetings or breaks. I’m in yhe same boat. Surgery was in April and I know I need to start strength training but have no motivation. Hope this helps

I have a treadmill already so a walking pad would be just another piece of equipment. I don't like TV so binging isn't something I do.

21 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

Do you live where an above ground pool would be feasible? You really don’t need anything big to do aerobics. Or even just use your stairs more. Everytime you need to go up or down just make a second trip. That way there is plenty of rest in between but it’s twice as much as you do now. It’s raining outside now and I literally just walked from one end of my house to the other back and forth for an hour to get my steps in. My husband thinks I’m a little nuts but that’s okay. I wish I had stairs in my house. That’s great for your backside I bet. ?

No, I live in a townhouse and my yard is the size of a postage stamp. The cost of a pool (and the additional insurance I would have to carry) would be prohibitive anyway. I have started making extra trips up and down the stairs but it doesn't make a dent in my step count. I've done 15 flights (up and down = 1 flight) and I still have less than 800 steps for the day.

1 hour ago, OndLei said:

No, I live in a townhouse and my yard is the size of a postage stamp. The cost of a pool (and the additional insurance I would have to carry) would be prohibitive anyway. I have started making extra trips up and down the stairs but it doesn't make a dent in my step count. I've done 15 flights (up and down = 1 flight) and I still have less than 800 steps for the day.

Yes but stair steps should burn more calories than flat normal steps. It’s not going to be a lot but it’s a start. My hope was that would motivate you to do a little more. I walked outside starting with only 15 minutes going really slow and now I’m up to 5-7 miles daily a little faster. I sweat horribly bad by the end of my street. I actually have craniofacial hyperhydrosis and after my walk I’m literally drenched my hair is saturated like I just got out of a pool. It’s disgusting and stopped me from exercising for years because I was so mortifying embarrassed but I just decided one day after my revision surgery that I’m doing this for my health and not anyone else and if someone thinks I’m gross then they can look away and I just did it. After I exercise I walk straight to the laundry room and strip then hop in shower before I even say hello to my hubby. Then I get my exercise clothes out of the dryer from the night before and just wear that if I don’t have to go anywhere. They are so comfy I just sleep in them and I’m ready to go the next day. I make dinner before I leave so hubby can eat if he wants and pop mine In the microwave once I’m all showered and changed. The day after I went the first time I woke up feeling so proud of myself and energized and each day after it has been easier and I have wanted to do more and more. It’s actually quite addicting.

Edited September 18, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

4 hours ago, OndLei said:

1. I just want to get more active to feel good. I don't want to lose muscle as I lose fat which is what I am sure is currently happening. I am sedentary all day while working from home. I do have a young niece and nephew that I would like to be able to do more with but just don't have the stamina now.

2. I don't like the exercises themselves. There's nothing I've found that I enjoy doing. I'm not a fan of getting hot and sweaty but I can deal with that. Boot camp classes are too aggressive. Spin classes require riding a bike which I didn't enjoy as a child. Zumba is dance and I don't do well with dance being uncoordinated. I don't have motivation to workout at home alone so classes have worked best for me in the past.

3. No one around here has "aerobics classes". They seem to have gone the way of the dodo bird and are extinct. I can find other types of classes but nothing like I used to take back in the 90s.

I hope these answer your questions!

Based on your responses, I'd say the biggest challenge you have is overcoming your expectation that exercise should be fun. Don't get me wrong, it certainly can be fun at times, but that most likely will never be your main motivation for exercise. Frankly sometimes it may even be decidedly "un fun", yet you still CAN do it if you find a way to overcome your "hate". Simply put, you need one or more things that will motivate you that are stronger than the distaste you feel.

Think about it: I bet you do a lot of things currently that you don't consider fun. You still do them because you know that not doing them will just make things worse. Activities like laundry, dishes, or brushing your teeth are likely some simple examples.

I can't tell you what those motivators to exercise will be for you. You have to find those yourself. What I will suggest is reading a book that might help: Atomic Habits by James Clear.

P.S. We don't call them "Aerobics Classes" anymore, so that may be why you're not finding anything? There should still be tons of Group Fitness Classes near you if you're looking for that type of structured class. Some that come to mind are Barre, Pilates, TRX, Yoga or any of the various Les Mills Classes like BodyPump, BodyAttack, etc.

Best of luck.

I hear you. I hate being sweaty & all flushed in the face with exercising. I never felt the euphoria that avid exercises say they feel. All I feel is oh God I’m exhausted & thank goodness that’s over. Ask any of my friends or family and they’ll tell you me and exercise don’t go together.

I used to enjoy yoga especially the stretches because it reminded me of the ballet classes I took when younger. So that’s what I started to do: a few yoga stretches. Then I got some resistance bands and googled a few things to do with those. I also added wall pushups & a few other things to increase flexibility and strengthening. As I described in an earlier post, I spread these out across my day 5 or so minutes at time. Or start by adding something while doing something else. Boiling the kettle stretch your quads. Cleaning your teeth do some deep knee bends or raise and lower your feet to work your ankles. Reheating your lunch do some wall pushups. You said you enjoyed aerobics. You’ll likely find some old aerobic videos on You tube & you could do a couple of routines (one song each) across the day.

Right from after my sleeve surgery I began by upping my every day routines yes like taking extra trips up & down my stairs to do chores. For example, this morning I went up & down my stairs twice to bring up a couple of bottles of water. Could have done it in one trip but got more out of doing two. I’m 4 days out from a hysterectomy so I’m a little restricted at the moment though I started doing some my exercises day 2 in hospital. Now I’m home, I’m starting my bands again.

4 hours ago, ShoppGirl said:

After I exercise I walk straight to the laundry room and strip then hop in shower before I even say hello to my hubby.

lol, same! get home after whatever activity i did, park the car in (or walk thu) the garage, walk into the laundry room, take off all my clothes, throw em i into the washer with any sweaty towels or hats, then walk upstairs buck naked to take a shower! i do this everyday (sometimes twice a day, ha!)

unlike others, i LOve to be all sweaty and tired and limber and light after exercising, i guess i experience that endorphin high, plus i feel so accomplished, if that makes sense, kinda rockstar-ish in a way. anybody feel this way too?

to the OP, i too didn't like exercise once upon a time...until i got GOOD at it and started seeing results. and the only way i got good at it was to keep doing it.

good luck! ❤️

While I have always been an avid exerciser (think everything from running, cycling, weight lifting, marital arts, HIIT, hiking ...etc.) I have always taken up a supplementary form of exercise that is fun and that I looked forward to.

A few years ago I played tennis twice a week, then hiking, then taekwondo (reached the blue belt then had a very bad ankle injury that cause a lot of my weight gain), now I do Pilates twice a week in addition to my gym routine and these two sessions are the highlight of my week.

Once you find something you enjoy be it tennis, padel, hiking, cycling, swimming or even walking it will be easier to build on that routine and do the things you don't so much enjoy (like weight lifting for example). It is also always good if you have a group you can exercise with (or play certain sports with) or a gym buddy. I also made sure to build a gym studio in my new house and that has been wonderous, I wake up early and workout and don't need to worry about the commute or how to shower and do my hair before work, so a set of dumbbells and a bench at your home can do wonders (if you have that option).

I was always asked by friends and family why I am so adamant and a freak about my exercise regimen and if I get bored or sick of it, and my answer is I do it more for my mental wellbeing than for my physical appearance. Nothing comes close to that post workout feeling, it is literal therapy to me. I love to challenge myself and I love to work hard and feel like I've earned it, and I feel sluggish and not great on days I don't workout. Once you commit to a sort of movement daily, it will become a healthy addiction and the feeling that that brings is euphoric, if I say so myself. Just make sure you start easy and build on that.

Edited September 19, 20241 yr by Lilia_90

6 hours ago, Arabesque said:

. I’m 4 days out from a hysterectomy so I’m a little restricted at the moment

Snap, almost ! I have had my ovaries and a huge cyst removed this week. For some reason they left them 28 years ago when I had my hysterectomy. I now have a new belly scar and have lost my belly button. I have gotten to my own target weight at last. I wonder if its the missing belly button, the cyst or the deplorable hospital food that accounts for the big weight drop. Hope you are feeling more like yourself today, I am, even though I am walking around hugging my tummy like I am about to loose my insides.

9 hours ago, SpartanMaker said:

Based on your responses, I'd say the biggest challenge you have is overcoming your expectation that exercise should be fun. Don't get me wrong, it certainly can be fun at times, but that most likely will never be your main motivation for exercise. Frankly sometimes it may even be decidedly "un fun", yet you still CAN do it if you find a way to overcome your "hate". Simply put, you need one or more things that will motivate you that are stronger than the distaste you feel.

Think about it: I bet you do a lot of things currently that you don't consider fun. You still do them because you know that not doing them will just make things worse. Activities like laundry, dishes, or brushing your teeth are likely some simple examples.

I can't tell you what those motivators to exercise will be for you. You have to find those yourself. What I will suggest is reading a book that might help: Atomic Habits by James Clear.

P.S. We don't call them "Aerobics Classes" anymore, so that may be why you're not finding anything? There should still be tons of Group Fitness Classes near you if you're looking for that type of structured class. Some that come to mind are Barre, Pilates, TRX, Yoga or any of the various Les Mills Classes like BodyPump, BodyAttack, etc.

Best of luck.

One thing that helped motivate me to get started with at least 15 minutes a day was the physicians assistant said at one of my support group meetings before my surgery that just exercising 90 minutes a week which you can spread out over six days at 15 minutes each (which is 25 when you include your warm-up and cool down if it’s more than walking) But just that decreases your risk of “all-cause mortality” by 15%. The PA and surgeon agreed that no surgery, no pill, nothing else they can prescribe you is going to have such a phenomenal impact

So exercise is pretty darn beneficial. I mean, I know for myself I was scared of a 2% risk of complications from the surgery that may or may not even actually kill me, but they’re giving me a 15% decrease of chances of mortality, that’s pretty huge just to dedicate less than a half hour of your day to walking around a little bit. And a brisk walk is all it takes for me to achieve the heart rate they’re speaking about because it doesn’t have to be full on high intensity, just raising it a bit.

I’m not sure if it will be as profound for you but I heard that before my surgery and six weeks later it’s still ringing around in my mind as I’m exercising. I’m thinking wow you know weight loss aside, this is really a good thing that I’m doing for my health. After I got started, though I wanted to do more and more, but my goal is to do my 15 minutes, no matter what and that is my only expectation for myself at this point.

Edited September 19, 20241 yr by ShoppGirl

15 hours ago, OndLei said:

None of the schools in my area have pools nor are there any nearby community centers with one. The nearest is a private gym which is pricy as I mentioned before. I recently found out there was a new YMCA location near me but they're $67/month for an individual membership as well!

If I remember correctly, the YMCA is quite a bit cheaper if you can swing the yearly fee.

8 hours ago, ms.sss said:

lol, same! get home after whatever activity i did, park the car in (or walk thu) the garage, walk into the laundry room, take off all my clothes, throw em i into the washer with any sweaty towels or hats, then walk upstairs buck naked to take a shower! i do this everyday (sometimes twice a day, ha!)

unlike others, i LOve to be all sweaty and tired and limber and light after exercising, i guess i experience that endorphin high, plus i feel so accomplished, if that makes sense, kinda rockstar-ish in a way. anybody feel this way too?

to the OP, i too didn't like exercise once upon a time...until i got GOOD at it and started seeing results. and the only way i got good at it was to keep doing it.

good luck! ❤️

Weird question for you, after you exercise and you hop in the shower do you shampoo your hair every time or do you just rinse it really well? I know it’s not good to shampoo it every day but like I said, mine gets pretty sweaty and gross. I’ve been just rinsing it every other day like really really well though and shampooing it in between, but I wanted to ask my dermatologist if that was OK for my scalp and I forgot.

1 hour ago, ShoppGirl said:

One thing that helped motivate me to get started with at least 15 minutes a day was the physicians assistant said at one of my support group meetings before my surgery that just exercising 90 minutes a week which you can spread out over six days at 15 minutes each (which is 25 when you include your warm-up and cool down if it’s more than walking) But just that decreases your risk of “all-cause mortality” by 15%. The PA and surgeon agreed that no surgery, no pill, nothing else they can prescribe you is going to have such a phenomenal impact

This is so true and the effect gets even greater the more you exercise! I linked some studies below for those of you that are interested. The first one is particularly interesting to me because it had over 750k participants in the study. If you follow exercise science at all, you'll know this is almost unpresidented. Many studies are on just a handful of people (mostly college age male athletes), so a study with this many participants is really compelling. Here's the most important part:

Quote

The risk for least fit individuals (20th percentile) was 4-fold higher (...) compared with extremely fit individuals.

Said differently, people that are not fit are 4 times more likely to die of any cause vs those in the most fit category.

Note that it's not just cardiovascular risk, but all risk. This includes things like cancer, kidney disease, respiratory diseases, and even accidents. While it's not entirely clear why fitness impacts survival rates for seemingly unrelated causes, I suspect it has to do with the fact that the fitter you are, the more likely your body can recover from injury and illness.

• Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Mortality Risk Across the Spectra of Age, Race, and Sex (Journal of the American College of Cardiology)
• Physical Fitness and All-Cause Mortality: A Prospective Study of Healthy Men and Women (JAMA Network)
• Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing (JAMA Network Open)

9 hours ago, ms.sss said:

unlike others, i LOve to be all sweaty and tired and limber and light after exercising, i guess i experience that endorphin high, plus i feel so accomplished, if that makes sense, kinda rockstar-ish in a way. anybody feel this way too?

Me! I love that feeling of accomplishment, especially after doing something hard. It truly is addictive (in a good way).

1 hour ago, ShoppGirl said:

Weird question for you, after you exercise and you hop in the shower do you Shampoo your hair every time or do you just rinse it really well? I know it’s not good to shampoo it every day but like I said, mine gets pretty sweaty and gross. I’ve been just rinsing it every other day like really really well though and shampooing it in between, but I wanted to ask my dermatologist if that was OK for my scalp and I forgot.

i "co-wash" (wash hair with conditioner and rinse well) at every shower (then apply leave on conditioner after shower).

i wash with volumizing shampoo maybe every 3-4 days. and i'll use clarifying shampoo maybe every 2-3 months (usually just before i henna my hair)

this works for me as i have relatively healthy scalp and hair.

someone with hair that leans oily may find extended co-washing makes their hair look limp and more oily. and someone with a flaky scalp may find the flake build up from not shampooing get kinda ick. in which case maybe shampoo more often?