What's Your Exercise Pleasure??

I'm curious about the types of exercise everyone is engaging in these days.  Do you go to a gym?  Walking, running, etc?  Workout videos?  Do you have your own exercise equipment?  Whatever your "mode" of exercise is -- let's see how many different things we can come up with!!

I'm also curious if anyone has a hard time getting started with exercise or can you just jump right in, stay consistent and love it...  If so, how much time do you spend on exercise per day/week??  If not, what can we do to help?

Personally, I have a Wii, along with the Wii Fit.  I have some videos - mostly yoga, which I love.  I also have a health rider and mini stepper -- all things that I love, but haven't been able to get myself into lately -- Well, maybe THAT could explain why I'm not losing weight right now, huh??  I do a lot of walking every day in my job, along with whatever other physical activity is required, but obviously that's not enough, huh??

I hate to sound like I'm making excuses, but to be perfectly honest ----- I worked out SO hard with absolutely NO weight loss before my thyroid issues were diagnosed and I just got so discouraged.  Now, I think I'm almost afraid to try again for fear of not making it........................I've also been dealing with some back issues, which I found out this morning are most likely kidney related and my doctor gave me 2 sheets of special exercises to do for that....well, it's doctor's orders so I can hardly ignore that, now can I?????

Oh Skailark --- I just realized that I need much more help than I thought I did......................HELP!!!  

[wonko]

I like to alternate jogging and walking on the treadmill.  I think this is one of my favorites because before I quit smoking and lost weight, it was impossible, lol.

I have workout videos but I prefer cardio machines.  I think that it is easier for me to mentally "get in the zone" when I don't need to worry about following the next step in a routine.  Stairmaster/elliptical/treadmill are a no-brainers, and the time goes by faster for me.

When I was working part-time, I could go to the fitness center at my apt. complex and pretty much have the place to myself.  But now that I'm working full days again, I need to compete with the masses and it's not going well!  There are not enough machines to meet demand.  I think I will buckle and pay to join a gym.  I'm discouraged now because I've mostly just done walking for the last few weeks, and I KNOW that is not good enough.  I want the next chapter in my life to be filled with successes, both professional and personal, so I've got to get out of this fitness slump!

[TrudieC]

I have a really hard time getting into exercise.  I do find that if I can get into a habit that I do enjoy it.  The chicken and the egg...  Having Lupus has made it more difficult but it is necessary for me to get moving as long as I don't tire myself out.

I get easily bored - at everything!  I really hate cardio - have an eliptical machine but struggle to stay on for 5 minutes at a time.  I do love weights but had sold my weight machine.  I did find it worked for me to do 5 minutes on eliptical and then 5 minutes on weights and back and forth.  I do plan on getting into it shortly.  My son's stuff is being stored in our spare room and he will soon be moving into our renovated basement - hopefully in another week.  

I will then have my eliptical back and will pull out my exercise ball and mat, start using my Yamuna ball rolling, have a small TV in there and will be able to do videos (want to try Tai Chi) and attach my WII Fit to it.  Can't wait!

I, too, need to get out of this fitness slump.  I am too quick to use my creative excuses.

[elaine1961]

I go to the gym daily. i love cardio work i alternate between walking jogging and running 1 minuet of each then repeat for 20 minuets, we also have a thing called a cross trainer (dont know what you call it) but that does arms and legs at the same time, i also do cardio tennis which keeps your heart rate at 85%, After i have done the class i feel like im about to die, but i feel fantastic and energised I love it. I also do aqua arobics twice a week.
I have tried yoga, tai chi and palatis but found them to slow for me, as my grandson says i have a need for speed, I do weights and ab crunchies as well although i dont enjoy these so much i know they need to be done,
What works for me is telling myself to do the things i dont like first then i can reward myself with an activity that i do like,
Good luck everyone

[Barb135]

Sounds like we're all kind of in the same boat -- but once I get started with something, I don't mind doing it!!  Like when I get home from work -- if I turn on the Wii Fit right away and get into it, I really enjoy it and feel much better when I'm finished, but if I do ANYTHING else first, then I can't bring myself to get started.  I also like my health rider, and again, once I get on it and get going I enjoy it -- just need a kick in the pants to get started, I guess and my hubby is NOT a help, because he constantly wants me to stop exercising to chat with him or he makes "rude" comments like "you better be careful or you're gonna throw something out of joint"  or "an old lady like you better be careful, you'll hurt yourself".  Well, he's got a bunch of them, but you get the idea and he just can't seem to understand when I get upset with him!!  Then some days, he's really good about it and he'll just go watch TV or get on the computer, etc and leave me alone -- I never know what mood he's going to be in ---  I know, that's not a good excuse and I'm trying to find a way around it or ignore it, but that's hard to do.  

SO -- now that I've admitted that I really do NOT have a good excuse, does anyone have any ideas that can give a "kick start"??  I'm totally open to suggestions, keeping in mind that I get up at 3:30 am in order to be at work by 6:00 am; therefore, I'm in bed by 7:00 or 7:30 pm -- so exercising in the evening after my work day is very difficult, yet doing it in the morning when I have the most energy is out of the question because I just can't get up any earlier than 3:30 am.

Well, I'm AT work and now it's time to START working...........hope everyone has a great day.........

[peekawho]

What kick started me into walking was obviously making the commitment to do the 3Day breast cancer walk.

I'm not really an exercise buff, and physical problems have kept  me from many more strenuous exercising....but walking is something everyone can do, and benefit from.

Many people say "I walk a lot in my job" or "I walk a lot in my daily life"....but its really not the same as walking for long stretches as a deliberate form of exercise.
As a nurse, I CERTAINLY walk a lot in my job, but I was still sore the first time I walked 6 miles on a training walk!  
When you walk at home or on the job, you will walk, stop, walk, stop, walk, stop, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing...its very broken up.  When you set out to deliberately WALK, you don't have that.  You walk continuously.  Its very different.

From the time I got the clearance from my doctor to start training again (back issues), until the start of the 3day, I lost 15 pounds simply by walking.  I did little other exercise.
I would make 2 or 3 long walks of 8-12 miles, and 2-3 shorter walks of 3 miles, every week.  Without fail.  There were a couple of longer 15-16 milers thrown in on my days off, but not many.
Kept my calorie level pretty much the same, around 1400-1500 cals a day.  sometimes a big "unhealthy" snack on longer walking days!

-------------------
Point being that I have developed a love of long distance walking, by making a commitment and following through.  You can make a similar commitment to going to the gym--set short term and long term goals, and schedule it in, making it as important as everything else in your life.

You can do it!

[Lonelymom]

I really enjoyed riding my bike in the evenings after dinner or before. It really allowed me to let go of any stresses in the day, I was tired and slept much better, and it was "my time" which as a Mom of three small children I don't get very often. I can't even go potty without hearing, MOM MOM MOM where are you? what are you doing? LOL

I haven't been able to do this since hubby is in Oklahoma and I have no one to watch kids. I have been walking though since that is all my cardiologist will allow me to do for atleast another week and that is fun (I guess) don't see me sticking to it.

I also enjoy doing my Tae Bo and will be looking forward to getting back to it!!

Sorry that didn't sound to positive of a post. Exercise isn't easy for me with 3 kids in tow but I will keep my head up and keep tracking forward!!! :-)

Oh Yeah I also  take the stairs at work instead of the elevator.

[Barb135]

I love to walk -- and I'd agree with peekawho, except that I don't have any safe place to walk for 3-5 miles at a stretch, let alone 8-12 miles.  The most I can do safely is about 1 to 1.5 miles without going around in circles - like walking a track or something equivalent.........If you can do long continuous walks, it's great, but studies have shown that shorter walks are just as healthful as the long ones.   You can break them up into 10 minute sessions if you need to, just to get them in.  That goes for any kind of exercise.

A lot of us don't have the time to walk long distances every day or even every week. Again, I'm going to say -- I get up at 3:30 am, get ready for work, make the commute, etc -- by the time I get done with my work day and get home 12 hours later, I don't have a lot of energy to do a lot of exercise --  I think my schedule might come pretty close to a lot of others and with only weekends off, which have to be spent cleaning, doing laundry, yard work, etc --- sorry, I can't apologize for not getting in a lot of "formal exercise", even though I know I need to do it -- I have to figure out the TIME for it.........guess I could spend less time on MH.......

[peekawho]

I work, too.  Fulltime.  I have to make time to do it, whether I feel like it or not.     That's why having a committment, a goal such as completing the 3Day was so helpful.  I knew I had to do it, plain and simple, sleep or no sleep!

[Barb135]

I admire your determination and hope that when I get some more of my medical issues worked out, etc that I might be able to get back into a routine again.  Right now, "life" keeps getting in the way of doing anything consistently.  Not that I'm a couch potato by any means, but there's no way I can go without my sleep. My job consists of a lot of driving, along with the physical work and I already have times when it's definitely a challenge -- I'd hate to think of falling asleep at the wheel and hurting someone.  

Considering that part of my medical issues were caused by pushing myself *too hard for too long*, I'm not willing to go that route again.  

[wonko]

Barb, I think you are on the right path and prioritizing wisely.  As you know, I often found myself not well enough to prioritize my weight and fitness level.  Now that I'm (hopefully!) through the worst of it, I feel so tremendously better that looking back I really appreciate how overwhelming my health problems were, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

It's ok to go into "survival mode" when that's what your body dictates.  I know that our culture puts a lot of emphasis on being busy non-stop, and we we idolize those who don't miss a beat despite obstacles.  I felt like a failure for giving up my full time hours and canceling professional commitments and falling behind on EVERYTHING in my life.  Despite good intentions to smile though it all, I hit my wall and no amount of "sticktoitiveness" or positive thinking could get me out of bed, and THAT IS OK.  It's what my body needed to heal.  Beating myself up over it only made me more miserable during what was already the most emotionally challenging time of my life.

Your commitment to coming here and sharing your experiences and offering advice speaks volumes to your integrity and personal strength.  Keep up the great work.

[twehner5]

I've been following this post as a "stalker/walker/stepper" (as in step aerobics).

I see, from the outside, looking in, a few sides.  I see Peek wanting to encourage those not doing ANYTHING that something as simple as WALKING can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD (please tell me that's what I'm seeing!).  She's right.  My cousin in FL has her mother who had a stroke living with her.  The mother can be SO annoying, so my cousin has to step out for a mental health break now and again.  All she can do is one (1) mile at a time, because she can't leave her mother unattended for long.  In less than a year, my cousin lost 3 pants sizes!  That's ALL she did was walk, because that's ALL she had time and/or energy TO do...

I see Barb hanging on for dear life with an IMPOSSIBLE schedule to do SOMETHING to GET and to STAY healthy.  Barb has been SO FAITHFUL on here to help and to encourage...  Wonko said it best:  "Your commitment to coming here and sharing your experiences and offering advice speaks volumes to your integrity and personal strength.  Keep up the great work."  Wonko really has a way with words...I love reading her posts.

Wonko has also been quite a trooper, myself having been here for the past year, just not much the last 2 -3 months.  I just jump for joy to hear that she's doing better!  

I think that the bottom line for sticking to ANY exercise is to:

1)  FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE
2)  DO IT CONSISTENTLY
3)  DO IT AT LEAST 4 DAYS/WEEK, NO MATTER WHAT!!!
4)  CALL SKAILARK A NAME - THEN YOU'LL HAVE A CHALLENGE ON YOUR HANDS

Don't wait till you feel like it.  Tell yourself that you ARE doing it, and then STOP thinking about it!  JUST DO IT!  If you think about it, you'll talk yourself out of it.  

[wonko]

Well said!  I do come from an emotional place on this topic, but you've really cut through and summed things up nicely.

[Barb135]

Well, leave it to twehner to be "miss practicality"..................and you are right -- if we always wait until we "feel like it", most likely nothing will ever get done -- it's too easy to put it on the back burner and just let it "simmer" until the pot goes dry.......I don't intend to do that, although I still can't muster what it takes to engage in a formal exercise plan every day.......and especially now, since it's been determined that the leak in my heart valve is apparently worse and my blood pressure has been sky high for the past few weeks --- not to mention the urinary infection that has my back aching to no end.......

Excuses??  Yes, and no.........in spite of EVERYTHING, I did mow lawn this morning, with a push mower and felt like I made a great accomplishment, but by the time I was done, I was totally pooped -- in fact, I didn't really finish it all; hubby made me quit because I was getting too hot, only I don't realize what's happening until it's too late..............Anyway, after some work in the house, running errands, etc AND a nap --- I *did* take the dogs for a walk this afternoon --- anyone walk a beagle on a regular basis??? ........that's a work out all by itself.................lol

BUT -- I must admit that my doctor gave me some exercises, the other day, to do for my back, that I have not done and need to get working on.  

Wonko, thanks a lot for your kind comments -- you've been "through it" physically also, and I'm so happy that it looks like you are coming out on top.  I think sometimes, though, we only look at the physical impact of things and don't take into account the emotional/mental toll it takes on us.........that's something that I try to understand when someone tells me they "can't exercise", because I've "been there, done that".  

But -- I have to wonder if I smell a challenge coming on?? What name should I call Skailark??

[Skailark]

Ha ha ha... You are going to call me names now eh? Well...Come Up with a name you think is funny but guess wot you are never going to get a chance to call me by that name! You know why? Coz i don't think you lot have the courage nor the audacity even to start a challenge!

Well..chicken legs are chicken legs! wot else can i say?