how did you start to love exercise?

[ana0pera]

I want to start exercising regularly but am having a hard time finding motivation and time. I know it's good for me but I haven't found something that I like and that is easy. I think the initial pain/discomfort associated with starting exercise scares me off from things like running and yoga. I enjoy weight lifting to a certain extent but it requires equipment and/or going to the gym. I know that these are all excuses and I have to stop making excuses. Easier said than done.

 

I am curious though, for those of you on here that love to exercise, has this been a life-long love? How did it start? How did you find your exercising "niche" so to speak? When I was in Elementary school my mom had me sit out of gym class because she was afraid I would have an asthma attack. Note that I haven't had an asthma attack since I was like 2 and my school was right next to the hospital where she worked

 

Because of this exercising has always been a foreign concept to me, and even when I played sports in school it was things like golf that don't really require fitness. Growing up I liked baseball, hiking, and walking but I live in a horrible place for hiking (nature is hard to reach without a car, and i don't have a car) and I really want to partake in some more physically demanding activities to improve my overall fitness (cardiovascular health, muscle toning, etc). I have an amazing diet, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, raw vegan foods (not vegan though, but the only animal protein i consume is fish, eggs and dairy occasionally). Exercise is what's missing.

[Emilia]

It's amazing when you realise you are good at something. Is there anything in your experience so far that makes you think you have aptitude for certain types of exercise?

 

With enough work and repetition comes mental toughness too so discomfort stops bother you after a while, you might even start enjoying it too to a degree

 

It's generally the 'feel good/look good' thing that keeps it sustainable and if you can build it around a social activity that's even better

[sweetkiwi]

I have to trick myself into exercising. I hate going to the gym. I hate sweating.

 

But I do love nature and use that desire to be outdoors as a driving factor in my workouts. For instance this week I will have walked to the beach two times, and back, for a grand total of 30.5 kilometers. Not bad. Now when its summer I will be able to jump in the water and swim for a while, or run in the sand with my dog, or simply walk along the shore collecting shells.

 

And I love healthy food so as long as the house is stocked with it I'll be good.

[TheFinalWord]

I want to start exercising regularly but am having a hard time finding motivation and time. I know it's good for me but I haven't found something that I like and that is easy. I think the initial pain/discomfort associated with starting exercise scares me off from things like running and yoga. I enjoy weight lifting to a certain extent but it requires equipment and/or going to the gym. I know that these are all excuses and I have to stop making excuses. Easier said than done.

 

I am curious though, for those of you on here that love to exercise, has this been a life-long love? How did it start? How did you find your exercising "niche" so to speak? When I was in Elementary school my mom had me sit out of gym class because she was afraid I would have an asthma attack. Note that I haven't had an asthma attack since I was like 2 and my school was right next to the hospital where she worked

 

Because of this exercising has always been a foreign concept to me, and even when I played sports in school it was things like golf that don't really require fitness. Growing up I liked baseball, hiking, and walking but I live in a horrible place for hiking (nature is hard to reach without a car, and i don't have a car) and I really want to partake in some more physically demanding activities to improve my overall fitness (cardiovascular health, muscle toning, etc). I have an amazing diet, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, raw vegan foods (not vegan though, but the only animal protein i consume is fish, eggs and dairy occasionally). Exercise is what's missing.

 

For myself, as a boy I watched my dad and his buddy lift weights in our basement. I was always into watching them lift heavy weights When I turned 12 I did a set of barbell curls in our basement and I got a major bicep pump...I loved the feeling...

 

But I didn't get into weightlifting until I was 21

 

When you first start exercising, the motivation is largely extrinsic at first. In other words, external factors such as wanting to be more attractive, wanting to improve health status, etc. are primary motivators. As you begin to work out, overtime, the motivation becomes more intrinsic. Especially as your body adapts, and your body produces more endorphins in response to training. Endorphins are the "feel good" hormones, which people associate with runner's high. Exercise also burns up residual stress hormones such as cortisol. These factors impact your well-being and translate to internal motivation over time.

 

It's the difference between doing a job simply for a paycheck and a hobby, such as gardening, that you do for the internal satisfaction.

 

To get through this initial extrinsic phase, I have found that you need to make the "why to the what" connection. For example, you know what you want to do: "I really want to partake in some more physically demanding activities to improve my overall fitness", but you have to identify the "why" to create enduring change. This is the personal part of goal setting that you have to identify. The best "why to the what" connections contain powerful emotional elements, i.e. "I want to have better health so I can play with my grandchildren"

 

When you first start an exercise plan, you will probably have relapses. Relapse is usually the consequence of setting unrealistic goals or when the time frame for goal success was not sufficient. Relapse can also occur if why to what connections are not powerful enough (one of the main reasons New Year workout resolutions only last 1 month). During relapses, refrain from negative self-talk; “I never do anything right”…instead re-assess and revise your goals

 

To answer your other question, a lot of behavioral programming occurs in early years (2 to 8 years). If your parents did not role model and encourage physical activity when you were a child it often becomes more difficult to develop motivation as an adult. It is more difficult, but not at all impossible.

[Radu]

The house i'm babysitting atm is on a slope and the property is rather long.

So every now and then i take trips down and then up [about 125m each way], several times a day.

Where i live atm there is a bus that goes on the road, but if i miss that, i have to walk 1.5km to get another one; i always miss the buss both ways.

I also carry with me a manbag of about 10kg in weight, very nasty to move around.

 

A few days ago i realised i won't go to the gym, no matter how good it is because it's too far from home and it eats up too much time.

So i adapted a few things around the house for gym purposes.

Seems to be working so far.

[tman666]

I basically wanted to be Arnold Schwarzenegger back in high school. He was (and still is, to some extent) my idol. When I discovered that I could, in fact, put on muscle, I became hooked.

 

I used to hate going to the gym when I was first starting. I was on the track team, so we were expected to go in and lift. No training or programming guidance was given. "Training" basically consisted of a bunch of dudes trying to out do each other on bench press and squats. I hated how I was weaker than everyone else. I hated the smell. I hated that it took me a week to stop being sore from one workout.

 

Over time though, I sort of realized that I enjoyed being in the gym because my horrible, harpy of a girlfriend would never set foot in the there, it being a sweaty, bloody, loud, and filthy environment filled with a bunch of ogres.

 

By the time track was over, I had a new-found motivation to get my own gym membership. Guys like Arnold, Sylvester Stallone, and Jean Claude Van Damme were who I aspired to be like. They didn't take **** from anyone. They were fearsome.

 

Over time, my goals have changed considerably as I've gained more experience with both the physical and cultural aspects of the various facets of the fitness world, but I've always been consistently motivated by accomplishing the goals I've set for myself, whatever they may be.

 

Find what you like to do, and find out what motivates you, and stick to it. If you can find a passion and a fire for something, you'll be able to not only stick with it in the long term, but you'll find deeper meaning from it as you make your journey.

[PinkSapphire]

Honestly? I am addicted to the endorphins and happy/achieved feeling I get after doing any kind of physical activity. I also have chronic insomnia, so the only way I can sleep at all at night is if I wear myself out during the day.

 

Whenever I start to feel lonely or cranky or just fed up in general, I imagine how great I will after just a few minutes of activity adn that usually has me out the door either walking or running, or on the way to the gym for weight lifting or a more intense interval cardio workout. The "high" is the reward, and it delivers every.single.time. Yes!

 

At first, it just hurts, but after awhile you start to get those good feelings. Listening to music makes it wayyyy more fun, too.

[dichotomy]

Like a love for anything or anyone - it goes up and down. Mine started out for physical and mental health needs... and turned into a kind of love later.

 

I also enjoy parts that kind of made it into a hobby for me - beyond simply working out, I liked researching and looking into the latest sports science parts of it, reading books, watching DVD's, I also started establishing a home gym area in the basement, and that too has become enjoyable to expand/build up, buy new equipment, add qudio and TV systems, rearrange things. I recently suspended my membership to the gym as I have most everything I need at home now - except a hot tub (and thats on the list). I also like expanding into new types of fitness, I have been adding yoga to weights and running. Soon I hope to add martial arts.

 

While I do enjoy the appearance changes (and occasional compliment) as mentioned there was the health and functioning issues i was dealing with before hand. As a middle aged guy and parent to two kids, I love now that I can now handle nearly any activity, and almost any movement, with ease and discomfort. For Example - there is a joy in being able to squat with my butt nearly to floor and have my 45lb kid jump on for piggy back ride - and me rise to stand without the need to grab a hold of anything - THAT reminds me why I love working out.

Edited March 6, 2013 by dichotomy

[Esoteric Elf]

I am curious though, for those of you on here that love to exercise, has this been a life-long love? How did it start? How did you find your exercising "niche" so to speak? When I was in Elementary school my mom had me sit out of gym class because she was afraid I would have an asthma attack. Note that I haven't had an asthma attack since I was like 2 and my school was right next to the hospital where she worked

When I walked into a gym for the first time as a sophomore in high school, I was a stick-thin boy, nervous enough to pee in his pants from seeing all the big weights and equally big guys. The smell of rubber and iron cowed me into silence. However, there was something bigger that I wanted: girls. Somehow girls were drawn to these muscle-bound meatheads, and I wanted this draw. Forcing myself to take a lifting class, I soon found the increase in power pleasantly measurable and constantly so. Days and days of working out increased my muscle mass and strength, giving me not only motivation for power but motivation for more. I purchased my own weight sets and equipment and haven't looked back since. I am a weight-lifting fanatic or sorts. The smell of rubber and iron now is a turn on and gets my blood and respiration rate up like an athlete before a crowning competition. The smell of locker rooms, once strange and unpleasant, once I returned following a 5-year hiatus, was plesant to smell, oddly enough. If it has any association with strength and power, this man is on it. Just watching strongmen contests is enough to make the desire to lift and get stronger rise within me.

 

I also have the pleasure of judging at lifting meets, so seeing new lifters come up to the bar and compete for the first time is a joy. As they breathe in preparation for the lift, I find myself breathing in sync with them.

 

Sorry, I kind of rambled: lifting and strengh is something I am passionate about. Long story short, I didn't get any girls, but I got weights. A trade-off of sorts.

[TheFinalWord]

Guys like Arnold, Sylvester Stallone, and Jean Claude Van Damme were who I aspired to be like.

 

These scenes inspired me

 

Jean-Claude Van Damme: Bloodsport Training (1988) - YouTube

 

[Emilia]

I like active people, those that motive themselves to achieve something, who want to learn new skills or get stronger or have a healthy competitive streak. Those that have a playful side to them, who enjoy challenges and are physical.

 

I've found I got drawn to active and committed people gradually as I started enjoying being fit more (I strength train, run, box and sail) and felt that I could hold my own more. After a while it wasn't just about fighting the flab or keeping my figure but spending my spare time with likeminded folks. I like watching boxers because I know how physically and mentally tough that sport is and I admire those that can fight for the full 12 rounds.

 

Pushing and bettering yourself regardless what your goal is are character building traits I think. I have a lot of respect for people that are committed and consistent.

[USMCHokie]

The best motivation for the vast majority of people is looking better. Once you see noticeable results, you'll have a tough time stopping.

[tman666]

The best motivation for the vast majority of people is looking better. Once you see noticeable results, you'll have a tough time stopping.

 

Whoa! Where'd you come from?

[tman666]

These scenes inspired me

 

Jean-Claude Van Damme: Bloodsport Training (1988) - YouTube

 

 

Training montages are the best! Hahaha.

[USMCHokie]

Whoa! Where'd you come from?

 

That's what she said...?

[tman666]

That's what she said...?

 

He shoots... He scores!!

[Forever Learning]

OP, like in anything, just start small in baby steps and work your way up. It's soo worth it. Good luck.

[emmalynro]

I have never been overweight or particularly out of shape, but I wasn't always devoted to exercise. At one point I became obsessed as I struggled with an eating disorder; frankly, that's not any better than not exercising at all.

 

What got me to love exercise in a truly healthy way was cross-training. The first time I went I looked at the workout on the board and thought "there's no way I can do this". I'm 5'1" and 110 pounds, so the idea of lifting huge weights and climbing big obstacles seemed ridiculous to me. But I began to love it! Even when I did poorly, I was still so totally amazed with myself every time I finished. The surge of adrenaline and self-esteem made every session a treat. And by keeping a journal I could track my progress: I could see myself getting stronger, faster, better.

 

Exercise has become a necessary indulgence. It's purely for me, it's MY time to spend alone without headphones or texting or other nonsense. It's the reason why I'm excited for the gym every day and I go out of my mind on my days off.

[FitChick]

I think I read somewhere that if you do something for 21 days straight, it becomes a habit. For me, I just found that my body craved some sort of movement and by trial and error I found what worked for me and what I enjoyed doing. If you don't like it, you won't do it. It doesn't have to be hitting the gym. Could be biking, dancing, fencing lessons.

[ana0pera]

thanks for all of the replies, everyone! the responses are extremely motivating

 

Once I get into the gym I enjoy it but there is a high activation energy to get me there... the biggest obstacle I have to overcome is actually walking/biking/shuttling there. It's about a 20 minute walk and there are some days--many days--that I just don't want to make it, either early in the morning or after lab. I try going around lunch time and that is usually okay unless I have meetings. And recently there've been a lot of afternoon activities.

 

But we have basketball courts near my house and I remember enjoying basketball when I was younger, just free throwing. On a whim I bought a yoga mat and a basketball yesterday and last night I started playing--it was surprisingly enjoyable!!! I am sure I looked like a fool running the full length of the court by myself but fortunately it was dark outside so no one could see me I might go play again tonight but unfortunately it's a bit rainy and cold-so maybe I will try out the yoga mat instead

[Emilia]

 

Once I get into the gym I enjoy it but there is a high activation energy to get me there...

 

What motivates me after sitting at work all day and having to kill 2 hours on top of that before my sparring sessions start (ie when I really really couldn't be bothered to drag my way to the gym) is coffee.

 

Caffeine gets you in the mood. Try it. Some athletes take it in tablet form, I drink it as coffee.

[Mumbles]

My motivation is simple and hedonistic. To have sex, the sweaty blood pumping, lose your mind kind, I need to be strong and fit. Its not just about cardio either, I need to be physically strong else I run out of juice. I'm not into the rough stuff, but I like to be really physical in bed.

 

Likewise, I'm attracted to girls who are fit enough to not just lie back in bed and take it - they have to be strong and fit enough to really get physical.

[Dragonfruit]

I work out because I feel better when I keep myself together. I like to do a combination of walking and jogging (5 miles a day) and whenever I get off it for awhile I hate it because it's hard. But I love having done it. And after I'm back on the kick of it again, I crave it and I'm cranky if I can't go that day for some reason. The iPod helps, too. I also like to dance. I like to exercise to music.

Edited March 9, 2013 by Dragonfruit

[Sunshinegrl]

I was a cheerleader and softball player in high school and have always had a natural ability for sports.

 

But in recent years my motivation came when i found out my husband had an affair and continued it even after I knew about it. I turned to running to help regain my self esteem, let out hurt, and literally run away from my pain.

 

I'm always coming up with little personal fitness challenges and I get a high when I achieve them.

 

Most recently, I worked my way up to lunging a whole mile in one session. I hurt for a week, but man, it was awesome to be able to do it! Right now, I am in love with squatting and progressively lifting heavier weights. I'm also working on a goal of doing Tyson squats with a deck of cards. I haven't made it to 52 cards yet but i have completed 32.

 

Its just a great feeling. The little personal challenges keep it interesting. And my ass keeps getting hotter and hotter.

[neveragain34]

I am 34 years old and never loved exercise until I started CrossFit last year! The first few weeks were brutal, but the feeling you have after pushing yourself to complete each workout is amazing! It eventually becomes addicting and you feel terrible when you DON'T go. The workouts are also short, yet instense. You begin to see results right away. The comradery of the people you work out with is also amazing; everyone pushes each other. I have made so many new friends and have never felt better about myself or been more confident (Not only because of CF and looking good now, but because of the mental benefits of any exercise you decide to do).

 

You should give it a try! A lot of CF gyms offer a lighter version of CF for women (no barbells), but just as good. Both know how to target certain areas of your body.

 

Good luck!