I don't know what to do. I'll go on the treadmill or the elliptical at home for ten minutes, and that's all i can take before i get SO bored or tired. I end up giving up. And the days that I actually stick with it for a half hour, I'll do it one day and then stop for a month and then do it again a month later. It's terrible. I don't understand how everyone of all ages are supposed to "fit in 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week." It's SO hard! And on top of it, those are the people who are just trying to stay healthy! So what about the rest of us who are actually trying to lose weight with exercise? Are we supposed to run for an HOUR every day? I just don't get it.
I really need someone who was once in my boat to help me.
So just do 10 min for now. No biggie. Keep it up and then add an extra 5 min when ready. If you need something more structured Mark Fenton's 90 day walking
starts building at 5-10 min and cranks it up slowly over the days/weeks with little checklist places to tick off as you complete it.
There really isn't a need to beat yourself up over your beginning point. How can you progress in your journey if the very first thing you do is throw some big mental/emotional obstacle in the way?
Have you tried listening to music, a podcast, a book, etc? I get really bored on the treadmill if I don't have anything to listen to. With music or a book on my ipod, I can go for ages. I can fight tired, I can not endure bored.
why dont you try breaking it up into segments? like do 10 mins in the morning, 10 mins before or after dinner, and 10 mins before you go to bed? doesnt have to be too overwhelmingly intense, but stuff that gets you moving around, i figure if little bites of food add up in calories, then burning them little by by would add up also! lol
Are you maybe pushing yourself too hard too quickly? I know when I used to make myself run I would be out of breath and get really bad stitches in my side and I couldn't understand why people enjoyed it so I'd just stop and go back to walking and then get bored.
What I didn't realize was that my body wasn't ready for running yet and I needed to retrain it. So now I'm doing the couch to 5k plan and it made a HUGE difference. I can actually run 3 minute intervals now (after walking about for about 5 min) and I'm barely tired after and I've only been doing it for 4 weeks.
Exercise is fun to me now because I'm working towards a goal and seeing progress and actually being able to run when I never thought I would has been very exciting and motivating
Don't give up!
Last edited by cookiemonster26; 06-28-2010 at 04:09 AM.
I couldn't physically do more than 15 min when I started, so what I did is started at that, then increased it by five minutes every three work outs or so.
You'll get the strength, but you can't get it unless you try and push for it. Keep going and you'll see the difference. Soon you will be proud of yourself because of what you CAN do!
Do 10 min a day until you can do more, if you get bored, listen to music or watch tv. I used to watch tv before my elliptical broke, it kept me entertained.
I'm the same on the treadmill. I do 20 minutes and I'm bored out of my mind (and I have my ipod on).
Sometimes watching TV helps, but sometimes it doesn't. Haha. Depends on how in the mood for it I am. I usually run sprints in that case. Run as fast for the entire as you can for one minute. Walk a minute. Do that for the entire session. I find that because you're running fast you have to focus a lot more and that makes the time go faster.
Another option is running outside. I'd pick outside over the treadmill any day. I know it's uncomfortable for some people to do that, but if you give it a few tries you might find that once you get into it you aren't as aware of the people 'watching you".
I've been there trust me. Before I started working out everyday (or almost everyday) I'd go with the boyfriend and do like 10 minutes and be like yaaaa I don't want to do this anymore.
Skip to now and while I still don't look forward to do an hour and a half of cardio a day, I push through it because I want to lose weight. If your getting bored just keep telling yourself, I want to fit into those jeans, I wan't to go down a shirt size and if I get off now that won't happen. I also find that I bring my iPod, iPhone and a magazine to the gym with me. They have magazines there too so it helps. If I start getting bored listening to music, I start playing on my phone, if I get bored with that, I start reading a magazine. Anything to make me not look at the clock on the machine and be like OMG I only ran for 10 seconds? The more involved and busy you get with NOT looking at the clock, you'll be amazed at how time flies.
Can you go for a walk or do something outside. I don't like the indoor machines because of the boredom. (Although, if you are really working yourself out you are too focused to be bored).
When I first started, (or when I just don't feel like owrking out) I trick myself. I'll tell myself that I'll go for a 10 min walk, but really I'll leave the house and walk away from the house for 10 mins. There - I've just forced myself into a 20 min walk. And after 10 mins if I'm feeling ok, I'll tell myself, go for another 5 or 10 even. But Its putting me that much further away from the house that I then have to turn around and walk back. (you can do this at the park or walking trail or wherever.
I do the same with biking. But by getting outside you have a change of scenery. I bring my ipod and cranke the tunes, taking in the scene and make the best of it.
In the gym, if I'm limited to the machines I will either suffer thru a 30 min run on the treadmill, but with that, I break it into sprints where I go all out for a run as fast as I can and then back off to the walk.
Last week's workout was onthe rowing maching. Row for 1000 meters, then get on the floor and do 50 situps, then back on the rowing maching for another 1000 meters and then back to the floor for 50 situps again. Did that 3 times. Breaking it up like that helped break the time and boredome up. For that 1000 meters its all out force. Get the heart rate up as high as you can stand it and push yourself to go the distance and get it overwith. Thne to the floor for situps where again, you are pushing yourself to just get them done and over with.
It boils down to a mental game and little mini challenges to get thru the exercises sometimes, but it really works
I had a really hard time when I first started on the treadmill, too. Go for shorter bursts & consider mixing in some other exercise that you enjoy (a DVD, hand weights, pilates, yoga, whatever you like). I was consistent with the cardio 3x/week, and upped my time each week. By mixing in some strength training, you'll continue to get stronger & see faster results on your elliptical/treadmill - plus, if you don't love the cardio workouts (I do not), it is a nice break .
Good luck to you! Keep at it - you WILL see improvements.
My suggestion is to go ahead and do the 10 minutes, then get off and do some strength training, or yoga, and then try to get on for 10 more minutes. After all is said and done, you'll have worked out for 30 minutes.
I also like the suggestion of breaking it up into segments throughout the day. 30 minutes of exercise is 30 minutes of exercise, after all.
I had the same problem and still do if I've been away from it for a while. I got myself a good headset and I talk on the phone.
I chat away with a good friend and those first 5, then 10 minutes are gone iin no time.
then I just keep talking and sometimes end up on longer just to finish a conversation.
Last year when I was really consisitent I finally had to stop talking on the phone becasue I needed to work out harder and I was ready for it. It had become fun.
Good Luck!!
And I agree with everyone else that also just doing 10 minutes is great.
I'll be honest, it sorta sounds like you just don't want to do it. Maybe walking/jogging isn't for you. It's good to find something you like. Do you like to swim? Rollerblade? Play a sport? Hike in the woods?
I agree that it's a mental thing you need to overcome. Sometimes it is hard for me to do the treadmill - but I break it into segements. Like I am going to do 10 minutes and or so many laps or miles and then go a little more. Mix it up with incline and speed!!
I'll be honest, it sorta sounds like you just don't want to do it. Maybe walking/jogging isn't for you. It's good to find something you like. Do you like to swim? Rollerblade? Play a sport? Hike in the woods?
Before I started running I would dance around in my apartment like an idiot because I like dancing and I was too scared of what people would think of me if I was running, so I got judging looks from my pets instead of people outside.
I still dance a few days a week in addition to running on days that I have more energy or if it's too hot to run during the day.
Once you find something you really enjoy doing exercising isn't something you HAVE to do it's something you WANT to do
Last edited by cookiemonster26; 06-29-2010 at 05:29 PM.
I work out for ten minutes and then stop....
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