When you force yourself to exercise...

  • it's SOOOO hard to do it. Like SOOOOO hard, but you feel just as good afterwards as if you actually were looking forward to a workout.

    I am a morning person, so it's never good when a workout can only be squeezed in at the end of the day (like today and several times these past few weeks). But... despite it taking me FOREVER to get going, I feel great now! I even did more of the toning stuff at the end even though it's a cardio day.

    But, I really do feel like this little logo/image I created eons ago for my blog (and it was my screen name ages ago for a fitness site the FIRST time I tried to lose weight).



    I wish it weren't so hard to get going though... Even though I KNOW I'll feel great afterward, it doesn't seem to help in DOING it at all. Why is that?
  • Hahaha, Melissa, I woke up at 10:30-11am and it took me til 6:00pm to make it to the gym. I had absolutely nothing to do today, no reason for me not to go earlier. I just couldn't get my butt out of the recliner! And I felt exactly the same way you did after your workout.

    What it boils down to for me is I have a lazy streak and I'm a procrastinator and pretty much every reason in the book is the reason why I don't get "motivated". Somehow humans got the idea that physical activity is a chore, and we're conditioned to think that chores are boring and not fun so we don't want to do them, despite knowing that the result will always be positive. The bottom line is we just have to get off our butts and do it, and when you think about it, even if it takes you all day like it did me to get the motivation, at least you DID go and you didn't let the "I don't want to" disease get in the way. And besides, who cares what time you go as long as you go?
  • Yap,
    The most important thing is that you must go, after going, it does not matter what you do, at least you will do something which will make you feel better . Initially it may be difficult to do the first exercise, but forcing yourself to do them will yield fruits after you get used to them.
  • Ugh I feel like I don't want to work out pretty much everyday lately. In the beginning I actually looked foward to it, knowing the result. Now I just do it and count like every minute. I have to lie to myself. I tell myself oh I need to hit an even number of calories burned to get off, then when I reach an even number I tell myself I have to hit the end of whatever minute it is. It's funny when I near the end I don't want to stop. I don't know that I feel great after just accomplished. I tend to wait until after 9pm because I can procrastinate too. Today I actually did my workout at 3 only because I was gonna split it into 2 workouts but pushed all the way through. I wish I could go into it with a more positive perspective, but I guess I will take the will of just being able to do it.
  • I wish I could work out in the mornings... have to get to work too early.

    But yes, so often I want to turn my car towards home at the end of the day but am always so glad when I force myself off to the pool!! It is worth it, and I feel much better when I get home and have had in my workout!
  • Must be the time of year because I usually love working out but... ugh.... lately it's a chore!! This week I went to the gym only once and talked myself out of not going the 2 other times and I haven't gone for a good run or a walk for that matter in weeks ... So, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one in this rut... but next week it's back to the gym and today my daughter and I are going for a walk... It's only -11c/12f no wind and sunny, as compared to -20c/-4f with a windchill of -40c/-40f ... It's been a crazy week weather wise around here!
  • Right now I have the opposite "problem".

    I have a head cold and the ONLY thing that makes that snot move is exercise so I just want to quit my job and stay at the gym until this head cold goes away. Of course, yoga is out of the question. Downward facing waterfall!
  • Quote: Right now I have the opposite "problem".

    I have a head cold and the ONLY thing that makes that snot move is exercise so I just want to quit my job and stay at the gym until this head cold goes away. Of course, yoga is out of the question. Downward facing waterfall!
    Hahaha! That made me LOL!

    I definitely have days like that! I have pushed myself through it and feel so good after! I have gone 25 days straight of exercising every day. I "almost" didn't the other day, but my friend texted me and reminded me how good I will feel once I do it.

    I know intially the reward of "feeling good after" doesn't motivate me, but about 10 minutes in, I already start getting that "feel good" sensation and it motivates me to continue.

    I really do not know why that is~
  • I always, ALWAYS hear about people feeling soo great after they work out, but I have to say that has pretty much never happened to me! For a long time I thought, "maybe that only happens to runners," but now I run regularly. Still nothing! Same for lifting weights. I force myself to work out the same way that I force myself to brush my teeth (not that brushing my teeth is a struggle though lol).

    Anyway, I don't use feeling good during (or post) workout as a motivation because I can't basically. The upside is I've found the most tolerable kinds of exercise for me, or there would be a 0% chance of me doing them. I get through it with some books on tape, podcasts, and songs I like. But overall I would never exercise again in my entire life if I didn't need to.