why is exercise so difficult and how am i supposed to keep this up
hello, i'm new here!!. i've just created this account after having a little breakdown on my new recumbent bike. i weigh 250 pounds and i want to lose at least 100 of those. i bought a recumbent bike and it's finally here and put together and i was so excited to begin working out, already setting goals for an hour each day. but it isn't that simple, i realize now. five minutes in i was already dying and i only made it to the ten minute mark before i had to get off and cry. i don't know how to continue exercising like this. i know it's going to get easier with more practice and i know it will always be difficult but my body will become accustomed to it, but knowing these things and making these things matter while i'm exercising are two very separate things. i sound like such a debbie downer. i really am excited to lose weight! i'm excited to feel better about myself and my body! but i don't know how to keep this inspiration and motivation when i feel my body screaming at me. how have you all coped with losing motivation? how do i keep my goals closer to mind than this?
Hi dino! You did 10 minutes on the recumbent bike first time? That's fantastic! When I had a recumbent bike, I could only do 5 minutes and that was pushing it! I just recently started doing the elliptical at the gym, and again, when I first did it, it was 5 minutes tops. So I got off, walked a few laps around the track, came back to it, and about killed myself doing 5 more minutes, lol! But you know, amazingly, the next day my 5-minute stints were a little easier! So break it up. Make an hour your goal and work up to it little by little. It's definitely not a starting point! I don't know if I'll ever get up to an hour on the elliptical, but I am up to 15 minutes at a time, so I do that twice. Don't get down on yourself! (The Debbie Downer reference made me laugh, by the way! ) You're doing great!
First, keep going. I remember my first run well at 230lbs. I ran for half a mile and was a sweaty mess. Almost killed me. But I kept going. Ran every day. And slowly got better. Now, 18 months or so on, I run 4 miles every day and do half marathons. So do it regularly for just one year and from being one of the worst people on the planet at doing the recumbent bike you will become one of the best. Quite amazing. But true.
Secondly, your diet will help you exercise. If you eat healthily not only will you lose weight which will make exercise easier but what you eat will affect your motivation to exercise. Since I switched to healthier foods, my body actually wants to exercise whereas before it did not. Lots of people I talk to seem to agree that their food choices also affect their desire to exercise.
Thirdly, use stuff to help you. Wear sweat bands. Have a towel at hand to wipe your sweat. Listen to music. Wear shoes and clothes that work. You can dress super light if you are doing this at home. Have a water bottle. Put the AC on high. Use all the tricks to make it comfortable. Which you will need to learn by keeping going.
I too think 10 min is pretty awesome for your first time! Next time, try to go a little longer or add a different exercise in. Like another poster said, maybe breaking it up might be helpful
If you feel nothing but dread, try something different! Maybe just a walk, or swimming, or basketball, or lifting weights. If you're going to be doing it at least couple times a week, you might as well try to find something you like.
Thank you so much, all of you. All of your replies are very kind and helpful. Anywhere is a good place to start, I just need to remember that and keep trying!!
Jacqui - your reply was very inspiring to me, thank you for sharing some of your experiences!!
Ten minutes is ten minutes! It's better than zero!
Can you put the bike in eyesight of a TV? Many people find they can get more out of themselves if they're distracted by a movie or show they like. Also, when you get to ten minutes, don't stop, just slow way down until you cool off, then speed back up. Drink water, and keep at it.
you will improve!! just keep at your 5 minutes... 5 minutes... or 10 minutes if you can do it. keep at it, before you know it you will be surviving 12 minutes... then 15 minutes. Your muscles will adjust and you will get stamina. even 5 minutes, good for you and your heart!
It feels bad because you set an unrealistic goal. Baby steps.
Start with five minutes, take a break, do some more. Get some music to make a playlist so that you can have some slower songs and faster songs (like in a spin class). Ease the tension, increase the tension. Just realize it's going to take awhile!
And to chart your progress, actually chart it! You'll be amazed at how fast you progress.
And, if you find you loathe the bike, sell it and find another activity you love. Simple as THAT!
I empathize with your post. It's not easy to start. But I never, ever wish I hadn't run/worked out. That is what gets me to start sometimes. And it is okay to start off slow. Just keep doing it. Great job on your first work out!
I agree with berryblondeboys about baby steps. Also, if it feels like it is killing you and too much and you hate it, you are quickly going to find reasons to stop and your new bike and best intentions will both gather dust. Start small.
Week 1: 5 minutes a day
Week 2: 6 minutes a day (sounds like a small increment, but it is 20% more!)
Week 3: 7.5 minutes a day
Week 4: 10 minutes a day
That way, you are setting yourself up for success. In one month, you will be regularly doing 10 minutes a day, feeling accomplished, and not hating it (maybe a little at first, but that will ease...).
Then, month two, work your way up to 15 minutes, incorporate 5 minutes of stretching.
I can totally relate. I, too, had very bad thoughts and feelings about exercise for most of my life. Here's some of the highlights that I repeated over and over to myself:
Exercise exhausts me,
I feel worse after doing it.
I'm so out of shape it's pathetic, nothing will ever change
This is the most boring thing I've ever done, shoot me now!
I'm sweaty and overheated.
I hate this.
It won't do a bit of good because I can't do enough to count and will never improve.
I would rather eat nothing but dirt than actually go for a walk.
And anytime my husband forced me out the door I would clump around the neighborhood like a recalcitrant teenager, pouting for most of the time.
I mean, I was not a happy camper when the words "exercise" and "me" were said in the same sentence. It always felt bad….
….But then, we moved to an area of great beauty with lots of amazing views and a ton of interesting paths to walk and I was out because it was so pretty and exciting to explore. All of a sudden I wasn't going to "exercise", I was going out to get some fresh air and see the sights. And before I knew it, I had some basic conditioning so that walking up and down hills didn't even wind me much. I never thought I'd be someone who looked forward to extended walking!
I guess my advice would be to pair the recumbent bike (if that is your best option) with something you really look forward to--like maybe a show you only watch when you exercise, or that podcast that the entire country seemed to get into (the murder mystery…sorry don't know the name of it) Something very enjoyable and special.
If you can't find something to make you want to do it, it's gonna be a tough experience where you will have to use incredible strength of will to get through enough of it so that it starts to feel better. My experience is that most of us are not very good at sticking with things that we find mentally and emotionally negative.
If someone with my poor outlook can learn to love being active, anyone can. Really. Keep working the problem!
Jean
I can totally relate. I, too, had very bad thoughts and feelings about exercise for most of my life. Here's some of the highlights that I repeated over and over to myself:
Exercise exhausts me,
I feel worse after doing it.
I'm so out of shape it's pathetic, nothing will ever change
This is the most boring thing I've ever done, shoot me now!
I'm sweaty and overheated.
I hate this.
It won't do a bit of good because I can't do enough to count and will never improve.
I would rather eat nothing but dirt than actually go for a walk.
And anytime my husband forced me out the door I would clump around the neighborhood like a recalcitrant teenager, pouting for most of the time.
I mean, I was not a happy camper when the words "exercise" and "me" were said in the same sentence. It always felt bad….
….But then, we moved to an area of great beauty with lots of amazing views and a ton of interesting paths to walk and I was out because it was so pretty and exciting to explore. All of a sudden I wasn't going to "exercise", I was going out to get some fresh air and see the sights. And before I knew it, I had some basic conditioning so that walking up and down hills didn't even wind me much. I never thought I'd be someone who looked forward to extended walking!
I guess my advice would be to pair the recumbent bike (if that is your best option) with something you really look forward to--like maybe a show you only watch when you exercise, or that podcast that the entire country seemed to get into (the murder mystery…sorry don't know the name of it) Something very enjoyable and special.
If you can't find something to make you want to do it, it's gonna be a tough experience where you will have to use incredible strength of will to get through enough of it so that it starts to feel better. My experience is that most of us are not very good at sticking with things that we find mentally and emotionally negative.
If someone with my poor outlook can learn to love being active, anyone can. Really. Keep working the problem!
Jean
This is so true. Exercise does not need to be torture. It can be enjoyable and it can be found in so many places and in so many ways.
Some of my best weight loss months and strength gaining months were months I did extensive gardening and landscaping in my yard. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I burned a ton of calories and I have a beautiful garden/pathway to enjoy because of those efforts.
I HATE treadmill and bikes at home. HATE IT. I would never, ever exercise again if that was my only choice, but taking walks, taking fitness classes, even videos in front of the tV where I "feel" I'm part of the class is enough. For my husband? He loves to swim laps and totally gets into it. Me? OMG no way would I enjoy that!
Exercise doesn't have to be what you consider exercise. If you have the means, playing "Kinect" or "Wii" games can be exercise. I like the Just Dance games because even though I probably look silly, they are fun. Like tossing a ball with someone? Exercise. Walking? Yup, that's right, exercise. We all know this, but tend to forget after a while.
You need to learn the concept of "NEAT". Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. Your chores and things like that burn calories, not much, but they do.
I do regular exercise. The Leslie Sansone Walk At Home videos are great because she doesn't make you feel ashamed if you can't do what she does. She says, "If you can't move your arms, then just put them down. Don't you ever feel ashamed. Just keep walking." I started at half a mile doing her vids, and gradually increased to doing 4 mile walks and 3 mile intervals. Interval training is good because I tell myself, it's only 30 seconds, I can do this, whereas, if it's five minutes of jogging, it seems impossible. You can do a little bit of exercise more than once a day. Four ten minute sessions seems more doable than one 40 minute session and you still get a benefit because you're moving, and before, you were not moving.
We're looking for improvement, not perfection. In the beginning of my journey, I didn't cut out any foods. I just ate less of the less nutritious ones. I added movement, vegetables, fruits, and water slowly, in small manageable changes. I gradually took sugar out of my coffee, starting at 6 teaspoons to no sugar in my coffee other than the sugar in my liquid creamer. I still eat and drink less nutritious stuff, just less often. You can do this. Don't count yourself out before giving yourself a chance. Be kind to yourself. You are stronger than you know.
Hi there, welcome and congratulations on starting your journey!
Obviously lots of great advice here, but wanted to chime in to tell you that it won't be torture forever! I got Zumba DVDs for Christmas in 2010 and started doing them at home a week or so later - I could only do the "short" workouts when I started, maybe 10-15 minutes? But I kept at it and by the end of February of 2011, I joined the YMCA and was doing every Zumba class I could find and loved it. It made me feel strong, capable and confident and I made some wonderful new friends who had the same struggles as me.
In fact, it opened up a world of other classes and activities and I started taking any and every class I could find - kickboxing, yoga, pilates, spin, cardio strength, athletic conditioning...and lots of others. Some I hated, but some I really liked and now, I have lots of activities to choose from.
Honestly, it is sometimes still torture, but as others have said, workouts almost always make me feel great afterwards (even when I have to force myself to do it). And, I find that I'm just a lot more active in general - I really do park far away from the doors when I go shopping, I really do take the stairs instead of the elevator - all those "little things" really do add up in the end.
Do you listen to music? For me exercise is so much better when I'm blasting my favorite energizing songs.
Not every form of exercise is enjoyable for everyone. I hate treadmills, I hop on every once in a while to see how my fitness is doing from everything else I do to check improvement, otherwise, I spin and I strength train. Everyone's different, you may hate bikes but find you love dancing. I'm with the others in starting for short intervals , add some music and maybe try some other things.
why is exercise so difficult and how am i supposed to keep this up
You did 10 minutes on the recumbent bike first time? That's fantastic! 
When I had a recumbent bike, I could only do 5 minutes and that was pushing it! I just recently started doing the elliptical at the gym, and again, when I first did it, it was 5 minutes tops. So I got off, walked a few laps around the track, came back to it, and about killed myself doing 5 more minutes, lol! But you know, amazingly, the next day my 5-minute stints were a little easier! So break it up. Make an hour your goal and work up to it little by little. It's definitely not a starting point! I don't know if I'll ever get up to an hour on the elliptical, but I am up to 15 minutes at a time, so I do that twice. Don't get down on yourself! (The Debbie Downer reference made me laugh, by the way! 
) You're doing great! 
