• Sailor Moon@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    edit-2
    5 days ago

    I like to watch shows/videos while I workout. Made a rule that I can only watch certain things while I’m exercising. I look forward to watching those things and ‘tricked’ myself into being excited about the exercise, too! Also I feel much better after I’ve exercised, so I really look forward to that post-exercise feeling.

  • dan1101@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    5 days ago

    I like to walk, I pick nice places with good/interesting scenery. It’s good mentally too, helps me unwind and work out problems and come up with new ideas.

  • volvoxvsmarla @lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    11
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    6 days ago

    I got a kid but not a car. Just walking to the kindergarten and back twice a day is movement. We spend a lot of time outdoors at playgrounds or parks and I have to do all the grocery shopping by bike or walking. I don’t do other physical exercise admittedly, but this kid is a fitness machine. We be running, playing, I need to lift her, carry her, carry her stuff, clean up, wrestle - for real having a kid made me the most physically fit and active I’ve ever been.

    When I was younger I liked to dance. Trying to lose weight I’d just put headphones on in my room and dance for hours. A friend of mine actually lost a crapton of weight this way, think obese to normal weight.

    Also, making a kid (and training for it and reenacting it) is great exercise.

  • FrustratedArtist@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    6 days ago

    Find sports that you actually enjoy - try out different things. In my case:

    • Cardio: running fucking sucks, swimming is boring as shit. Cycling, on the other hand, is pretty fun. Feels like flying when everything aligns.
    • Strength: lifting weights at the gym is doable, but boring. Climbing? Hell yeah, give me more routes where I have to tie myself into a knot while pulling up all my weight with my fingertips.

    It can be an exact opposite of it for you. Or you’ll find out that team sports are the bees knees because support from other people is what you’ve been missing.

    • gt5@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      6 days ago

      I used to hate running until one day something clicked in my brain. I just ran my second half marathon last week. One thing I learned was that of your dying from running, you’re probably going too fast and should just slow down.

      My PT told me that the best exercise is the one that you can do consistently

    • lemmy_outta_here@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      6 days ago

      Combining fun with short-term goals is what works for me. I started playing squash 10 years ago and I love it. I play 3 times a week and that takes care of most of my cardio. Now when I lift weights or do extra cardio, it is because I want to beat that guy from league, move up a division, etc. Open ended reasons like health or beauty were never enough motivation for me.

      • axEl7fB5@lemmy.cafe
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        6 days ago

        I want to beat that guy from league

        Kinda same here. I want to argue with people. You know those people who promote their bs but you can’t disprove it since the others call you skinny or not strong enough.

  • MushuChupacabra@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    24
    ·
    7 days ago

    By doing physical activity that’s intrinsically rewarding.

    If you enjoy bike riding, go ride your bike, and don’t even bother thinking about it as exercise. Enjoy, and get into it.

    The fitness part is just a side effect.

  • Mothra@mander.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    7 days ago

    I used to hate exercise. Then, I pushed myself to do it regularly and the benefits surpassed the negative side of it by a lot. For instance, almost all my chronic pain issues are gone, so I’m saving a couple hundreds yearly on healthcare. I also feel better physically (I can move better, I have better endurance) if I’m exercising regularly compared to when I’m not. Because, let’s face it, I don’t like it, so every now and then I stop for reasons and getting into it back again is very difficult. But it’s always worth it.

    • Panda@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      7 days ago

      I was going to say exactly this. When I have to take a break from exercising and need to get back to it it’s not easy, but I remind myself of all the benefits that come with exercising and how much better it made me feel and that gives me the motivation to get started again. The easiest way for me to force myself to exercise on a day I really don’t feel motivated to do it (or I’ve been out of it for a while) is by putting on my sport outfit and readying whatever I need for my exercises, telling myself I can still change my mind and not do it whenever I want. But by the time I got changed and everything is ready I think “I might as well just do it”.

      And it just really takes that one time to fully remind myself of how good it feels afterwards and it gives me the motivation to keep going. Sometimes I’ll end up enjoying it so much I can’t wait for my next exercise session and no, it’s not the actual exercising myself I enjoy, but how I feel afterwards.

  • shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    edit-2
    7 days ago

    I started lifting for self improvement and quickly got hooked on progression and getting stronger. It didn’t take long to become a habit and now it’s the thing I most look forward to after a long day of work. With no more than three hours per week you can completely transform yourself…

    • severalkittens@ani.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      7 days ago

      Lift heavy things! If you keep lifting them then you can lift even heavier things!

      No joke, this is my favorite aspect too. It gets to a point where you start to enjoy the soreness.

      • cattywampas@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        edit-2
        7 days ago

        It’s IRL character advancement. That’s the trick if you’re into RPGs. Sometimes you gotta grind for that XP.

        • shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          7 days ago

          A lot of the fitness apps have tracking for weightlifting. You get a little badge or animation when you hit a new max… I think there’s a missed opportunity here for a weightlifting RPG like walkscape is for walking…

      • shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        edit-2
        7 days ago

        Yes and then tracking, in great detail, exactly how heavy the things were and how much heavier they were than last time. Just incredible stuff

  • Truffle@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    edit-2
    6 days ago

    Try different things until you find something that feels good even as an idea. Think about things you like doing and how you like them. For me, I dislike team sports and being surrounded by people in a gym setting. I like doing things on my own, preferably at home while not talking to anyone. I first start thinking about maybe enjoying a spooky story podcast while walking so I start thinking about the temperature and the things I like watching while I’m out, etc. Same for weight lifting, pilates and yoga (Those are my cyclical workouts. I get bored easily) I hype myself up in my head first and then use the “do it for five minutes” method.

    I have NEVER said “Well I wish I didn’t come to yoga. This class sucked” “That lifting routine was a total waste of time. Not doing it again”

    Also, having cute/neat stuff for it helps, just beware of spending habits. Did I need to buy green yoga blocks? No Do they make me Happy everytime I look how they are the exact same shade as my pothos? Yes they do.

    • xorollo@leminal.space
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      5 days ago

      I second this comment. Podcast suggestions? I loved:

      • We’re alive
      • The walk
      • The Magnus archives
      • Truffle@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        5 days ago

        Oh nice selection you got there!

        I like Mr Ballen’s early stuff, Raven reads, some Mr. Nightmare here and there, Coffeehouse crime is another favorite.

        In spanish I like Relatos de la Noche and La voz que lo cuenta todo.

  • Pika_nyan@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    6 days ago

    Dance

    Dance

    REVOLUTION!!

    (That rhythm game with the arrows on the screen and ground that you stomp on)

  • Creativity@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    11
    ·
    7 days ago

    Hiking. I don’t try to climb mountains,just get out and move. The fact I have to watch my footing and have a chance of seeing (or at least hearing) wildlife helps distract from the fact exercising sucks.

    I use mental tricks as well. I had to bribe myself to get started. “Look there’s a trail near that takeout place you like, if you hike you can get takeout!” If I run out of breath due to uphill terrain, I’m not stopping because I can’t keep going, it’s clearly to look at this neat bird/bug/plant. If I have an off day and need to turn back early, I remind myself that I’ve already won by getting off the couch.