How do you make exercising... fun?

Wild Vulpix

Wild Vulpix

New member
I've tried again and again to implement exercising into my daily life. But each and every time, I slip out of it. Each time, it's due to boredom. They say you should make exercising fun to keep at it, and I've tried, but unsuccessfully. I've tried listening to music, or even playing sudoku to make the hour go by. (The latter worked pretty well. But trying to concentrate on boxes and write things down surely takes some of the intensity away from the workout?) I hear it gets more enjoyable after a while, but I haven't been able to get to that point. Other things I enjoy doing, such as ice skating, are pretty costly. No to mention I live in Massachusetts, so doing just about anything outdoors in this season is impossible :(

So did any of you guys have this problem either? What did you do to overcome it? Did you work your way up, or jump in with both feet? Any regrets or suggestions?
 
I started with the Wii Fit. The 'game' mentality made it easier to stick with - It wasn't like work, I was trying to unlock new things etc.

Then I decided that weight lifting would be good... so I got a gym membership... Then I hit on a schedule and dammit, this is gym night, that's how it goes.

Ice skating... I used to love ice skating - I wonder if it's more or less expensive than a gym membership ;)

If you're not looking at heavy weights, the Wii Fit isn't a bad option. You can do strength and cardio, and the Wii Fit Plus has all of the 'old' exercises from the Wii Fit plus lets you program in a plan.

Don't know how much this helps, although I do find lifting weights more 'fun' than it used to be, but it's still not the same as reading a good book or going to play mini-golf or something ;)
 
In my experience, unless someone is very internally motivated, the experience JJ shares is optimal. Find something that you truly do feel is fun... I don't care if it's following a belly dancing DVD, wrestling your kids, or what. Just make it fun.

If you do it long enough you'll typically venture out into other areas of exercise that are more structured.

In the beginning though, without that structured mentality, exercise is going to feel like nothing more than a job.
 
I don't have the Wii Fit, but I do play DDR a lot as cardio, and I find that fun. When I do my workout DVD's, I try and 'beat the instructor' sometimes, like if he/she is doing 10 reps of something, I"ll do 12. I'll make it a competition or a game myself.

Fact is... if you can make it fun, do it. If you can't, you still have the option of trying other things. But the most important part is that the majority of people don't like exercise because it's hard to get attached to. What's going to matter is if it's worth it to you. If the answer's yes, then there you go ^_^
 
I like to read, while I am on my exercise equiptment, but it's often hard to fully concentrate, so I often get some of those gossip grocery store magazines and flip threw them just for mindless fun to make the time go by.
 
For me... and mind you this is the first serious attempt at doing thing that's looking good, and I'm only a small week into it, but... for me, podcasts on the mp3 player or discman or whatever have been a savior. I've found a bunch of good podcasts that supply me with at least 1 hour of daily interesting stuff to listen to, and I have at it while my mind is busy figuring out what those people in my ears are going on about.

This might be a geekdom thing but for me it actually helps a lot to have something that genuinely fascinates me (like for instance the amazing quackcast, reasonable doubts or anything dan carlin makes) that I can focus on. Then suddenly I've been on the elliptical hell machine for 30 minutes at 80-90% of what I'm guessing is my heart rate and I'm exhausted and huffing and puffing and sweating like there is no tomorrow.. but I didn't really spend much time thinking "omg.. when is this crap gonna be over".

so yeah.. podcasts! that is my secret tip. And audiobooks I guess would work too. Something that really makes you think works best for me.
 
When I exercise, I imagine I'm somewhere else doing something else. I have one hell of an imagination.

other than that, group activities help. Once I get a bit healthier and lighter wher eI can tolerate exercise more, I'm going back to martial arts.
 
Big D said:
When I exercise, I imagine I'm somewhere else doing something else. I have one hell of an imagination.
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This too, just thinking about summer, I just moved to a new city and I'm picturing all these new roads to take my bike down, as soon as the salt is gone.

And music, I cant workout for more than 5 minutes with out music!
 
I can't wait to get my treadmill. I think that being able to watch any TV channel I want in the comfort of my home while running will make things go by really fast.
Another thing that I LOVE is Step Arobics. I used to go once a week every week but of course the next years schedule was completely different and did not allow me to make the class I wanted to.
 
You know, I was thinking on this topic a bit more, and depending on your personality and mentality, your workout doesn't always have to be 'fun'. That's one thing I've been doing with my workouts as of late and I find I don't focus and concentrate on them near as much nor take them as seriously. it somewhat flies in the face of my medicine theory (if it tastes bad it has to be good for you), fo rsome things, it may hold true that it sometimes has to suck to be worth it.
 
Walking the dog is what keeps me from slacking off. Actually it's more running now than walking. He's always there expecting to go out in the morning before I leave for work and in the evening when I get home. He doesn't let me forget. Both of us enjoy the outing, and he is in much better condition as well. If it rains I take an umbrella, and if it's cold I put on my long underwear and wrap a scarf around my face.
 
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I do classes... I've had a gym membership in the past and I was pretty good at keeping up going, but I took up step aerobics a few months ago and have found it more motivating than anything else I've ever done, exercise wise.

I work harder than I would have in the gym because I dont want to look bad next to the other people there, and because it's a once-a-week thing I always go; I know that if I dont, I know I can't for another week.

It's become an enjoyable thing, something I take the time to do each week for myself. (with my busy schedule, and running a house, there's not much I can say that about!)

Other than that I do workout dvds, which I find fun because they're dance-style ones with exactly my type of music. :)
 
Wild Vulpix said:
I've tried again and again to implement exercising into my daily life. But each and every time, I slip out of it. Each time, it's due to boredom. They say you should make exercising fun to keep at it, and I've tried, but unsuccessfully. I've tried listening to music, or even playing sudoku to make the hour go by. (The latter worked pretty well. But trying to concentrate on boxes and write things down surely takes some of the intensity away from the workout?) I hear it gets more enjoyable after a while, but I haven't been able to get to that point. Other things I enjoy doing, such as ice skating, are pretty costly. No to mention I live in Massachusetts, so doing just about anything outdoors in this season is impossible :(

So did any of you guys have this problem either? What did you do to overcome it? Did you work your way up, or jump in with both feet? Any regrets or suggestions?
Click to expand...

I am going to answer this one!! I found that boxing and kickboxing KICKS ARSE!!! I love it, it is a great workout and the only workout for cardio that is that I find enjoyable. Of course I am aggressive by nature and that helps but if a customer pisses me off or anyone for that matter I can go and take that boxing or kickboxing class and take my aggressions out there. I have become a more stable individual LOL!!

Then there is the weight lifing, I am also very competitive so when my trainer plays his mind tricks if I am having a moment of Tracy can not do it, he tells me that his other client (who I am friends with) did it and she did this much for this many it kicks that competitivness in and I do it!! Plus I love my new muscles in my arms and legs that I am getting!!

For me when I start seeing results it makes me like working out and makes me work even harder!!!
 
I find that reading a book while doing cardio really helps pass the time (I'm a bookworm thoguh so that may not work for some people). I also really enjoy walking my dogs or taking them to dog park and running around with them. Going on walks is also fun. Sometimes if I don't feel like doing a full on workout, I'll go and just walk around somewhere (the beach, the mall, whatever suits my mood). Really, you just need to find what works for you.
 
mooniestar said:
I don't have the Wii Fit, but I do play DDR a lot as cardio, and I find that fun. ^_^
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I also play DDR first thing in the morning as i find that way i get it done and out of the way... i find when i plan on exercising in the evening "something always comes up".....
 
Wild Vulpix said:
I've tried listening to music, or even playing sudoku to make the hour go by.
Click to expand...

You do an hour of your workout? Do you mean your cardio routine?

I find, for me, that I'm pretty entertained and focused when I'm lifting weights, but it is during cardio that I go nuts of boredom. I wouldn't be happy doing an hour of cardio, so knowing me, I'd break that hour up by dividing it among other days (3 days of 20 minutes of cardio instead of 1 day of 1 hour), but mostly, I break all of my workouts up during the week.

My basic outline is Full Body Workouts MWF and cardio stuff T and TH, and since I play soccer on Sunday, that is my bonus for cardio--though it doesn't go on every week, that is why I don't count it as set in stone. So, I'll do a steady state cardio routine maybe only once a week (like go running for 20-25 minutes) but the other cardio day I'll do 20-25 minutes of intervals: 2 minute run, 1 minute walk, or 30/30, etc. The interval part keeps me focused because I have to stop and start continuously. And, when I play soccer, that is about 1.5-2 hrs of stop and go running. Some days I do HIIT sprints, but I get butterflies in my stomach before doing them, so I don't do them that often ;-)

On my FBW days, I change it up by either doing a DVD/iTunes download (lately I've been doing Fitness TV's Fit and Fabulous in 10 and it really kicks my whole body in 10 minutes), doing free weights while we watch a show, or I've pulled out pages of Fitness Magazine that have total body workouts and I happen to like those alot. So, I usually switch between those, and depending on other external factors, such as if I'm short on time, I determine which would make the most sense. On nights when my husband wants to watch our shows and I haven't worked out yet, I tell him give me 10 minutes and I do my 10 minute workout.

As far as the weather being a factor, it is cold here, but not as cold as where you are I'm sure. Still, the track I run at is up on a mountain here so it is ice-cold and windy, another reason I only spend 20 or so minutes up there aside from warm up and cool down LOL I can brave the cold for a few minutes before I'm warmed up. But, my soccer days aren't ever a problem because I just love playing soccer and don't care about the temperature.

Essentially, I've had luck with keeping exercise interesting by not pigeon-holing myself into a "routine" aside from switching between cardio and lifting days... having several different ways to carry out my goal for the day gives me choice and flexibility, and doesn't make my workouts tedious. And, the DVDs/downloads have been awesome for the winter since it keeps me out of the cold. My other thoughts would be a workout partner, music and changing up the scenery (where you exercise).

Good luck finding your groove!
 
Ever tryed playing the Wii Fit? Or just any game on the Wii. I don't have one but I was at a friends house the other day and we were playing some boxing game. I had a blast and when I woke up the next morning I was sore all over. I was really surprised at the workout I got just hanging out in my friends living room.
 
I used to have that exact problem, I get bored easily and if something bores me I will nto want to go back and after a few weeks of forcing myself, I will quit. This has happened with about 50 mio hobbies during my childhood (I played violin, flute, piano, sang, did karate, kickboxing, jazz dance, tap dance, acting, horseback riding, gymnastics, stilting (yes wandering around on stilts!), art, story writing, mathletes... all of those for between minimally 6 months to a year and maximally 5 or 6 years, quit all of them because none of them were my thing and they ended up boring me).
When I first started working out I started with just walking a bit more, getting off the bus a stop earlier, walking down the steps instead of the elevator, walking if it would be just 15 minutes instead of waiting for the bus for 11 minutes and then taking the 5 minute bus ride (gaining a minute who'd have thunk). Then I started in the gym and it bored me, I hated all the machine and I was ok with swimming for about 20 minutes then I got bored there too.
Things that helped:
1.) having a gym buddy, she talked to me during the workout and I am also a bit competitive so I would try to be better than her or go for longer or burn more calories.
2.) having a goal in mind, I wanted to go snowboarding and needed to be physcially fit for it, so I would go and do it thinking: I need to do this to get in shape for snowboarding, I will be better at it, I will be in less pain. Later I signed on to a 5 k for breast cancer and that motivated me quite a bit. I went running in the park in that time, and even though I was never a fan of running it was fun, I'd listen to my Ipod and just run at my own pace for about 30 minutes or for 5 k (which took me about 45 minutes).
3.) in the gym to have something to watch. Once I figured out which channels they had on in the gym I would go at the time "Friends" was on. I can watch Friends every day and never get bored of it (I have the ten season DVD set! And still if it is on on TV I will watch it...). I could do 30 minutes while watching friends without a problem.
4.) once I was sufficiently in shape, I started doing a class I liked. For me it was really important not to be the fattest person in the class, so I could not bring myself to do dance classes at 165 pounds when everyone else was 110. I have selfesteem issues, and thought everyone would be watching and judging me (which is probably wrong, because we now have a 200+ pound girl in one of my classes and other than notice when she does something well I am so concentrated on doing well myself that I have no time to watch and judge other people and everyone else is in the same boat).

Two years ago I was the unfittest person ever, I was that person who needs her inhaler when she runs 2 minutes to the bus, I was the girl who gets winded going up 5 steps. Today I take 4 high level dance classes for 90 minutes each and I am in the first row! And I love my classes, I am sad when I can't go, I miss them and the people in them so I think I have finally broken out of it, out of the hating to work out thing, because I have found something, finally, that I am really passionate about.
My boyfriend was a fat child and he is now skinny but he still takes care of his body a lot, he used to go to the gym and tried a lot of stuff too before he found out his passion is to swim. He now swims 3 k every day, he is quite good at fly swimming which he had never even tried before.

So my best advice would be, find YOUR thing, maybe it is rock climbing, maybe it is hiking, a martial art or a ballet class, maybe it is playing the Wii, or a water aerobics class, or watching the biggest loser while you run on a treadmill. Whatever works for you and when you feel you WANT to the workout instead of that you HAVE to do the workout, you are there. But it takes some experimenting to find what works for you, don't be afraid to do some hit or miss trials. They will all get you to your work out.
Camy
 
I have basic cable, so I don't get to partake in a lot of those TV shows everyone talks about like True Blood or Big Love or Dexter, etc. I use netflix to request seasons of them, and use the treadmill for one episode per day, monday through thursday. It makes my treadmill time go by super fast, and I honestly can't wait to hop on the next day to pick up where the DVD left off. But my main rule is ONE EPISODE per day, and ONLY when on the treadmill. I've tried with movies, but films need to be seen in their entirety to really "get" them. hour long episodes are perfect for a little stretch, some walking/jogging at an incline, and a finishing stretch.
 
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