Doing OK but can't motivate myself to ... - Weight Loss Support

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Doing OK but can't motivate myself to exercise.

Emjkitty profile image
19 Replies

This morning was my weight in after week 4 and total loss is now 12lbs. I did start to eat healthily about 1 week before I found the nhs plan so really its been 5 weeks. Anyway, finding it fairly easy to stick to but I'm concerned about exercise. In the past, I've hit the gym, taken up running or swam at least 60 lengths 3 times a week but the reality is that once I get down to a comfortable weight, I stop the exercise, the old eating habits creep back in and up goes the weight. Not rocket science! Now I'm enjoying the plan a I'm shifting weight without the hard graft so I know this will work. What bothers me is that I can quite happily go out walking but there is no point me putting myself through hard slog if it's a massive chore and I don't enjoy it because it won't last. Any one got any suggestions on how to up the activity without having to go running or to the gym please? Is simply walking enough? Love to know what other people that dont love exercise are doing.

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Emjkitty profile image
Emjkitty
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19 Replies
Keep_on_going profile image
Keep_on_going

I think sixty lengths of a pool is a lot! You are doing it with the goal of losing weight rather than for fun. Find something you enjoy doing and do a reasonable amount- that way you'll be more likely to keep it up after you've lost the weight

henry2015 profile image
henry2015 in reply to Keep_on_going

any other ideas if u dont know how to swim then

Keep_on_going profile image
Keep_on_going in reply to henry2015

Walking, running, yoga, weights, cycling, the list is endless.

henry2015 profile image
henry2015 in reply to Keep_on_going

did walking

Prin profile image
Prin

You have to find something you like, try as many fitness classes as you can, with as many instructors as you can, I like Zumba! A girl at work who used to be a larger lady tried everything and ended up doing polefit ( yes pole dancing!) if you can find a like minded friend it's easier to get motivated as you can spur each other on. If I didn't excersise I would have to curtail my eating, so it's a bit of a trade off

Emjkitty profile image
Emjkitty in reply to Prin

Thanks Prin. Good to think of it as a food trade off. Hmmmm pole dancing..... 😊

Primrose3 profile image
Primrose3

If it helps, the only exercise I get is through walking (albeit a lot of miles) three days a week. I detest the gym and just won't go swimming only in the summer. Having trouble 'downstairs' prevents any running, skipping, mad exercise or dancing so walking will suffice. It's seen me through the last few months even if slowly, and I enjoy it too.

Find what you enjoy and it will be fine.

Good luck.

Primrose 😊

Emjkitty profile image
Emjkitty

Thanks Primrose 3. Glad to hear walking works for you. I enjoy a good long walk so think I will plan some longer routes x

saltseakate profile image
saltseakate

Hi Emjkitty. I think you've got the answer right there. You enjoy walking and do it. Surely that is enough. (For some reason you feel pressured to do much more, to completely re-vamp your lifestyle. Why?) You walk everyday, making it a routine, just as you do with your lighter meals. Perhaps you might ask yourself why you need to exercise more than you already do.

During the summer months I swim everyday 30-40 minutes and join a gym. It becomes a kind of "work-to-be-done" however, and the day is eaten up by the physical fitness routine. Which doesn't leave much time for my "true" occupation.

Find that walking - about 6 -10 kms everyday keeps my blood pressure and cholesterol level down within low-normal values. I do keep the 1400 calorie diet 5 days a week. But love to eat. Ah well, we can't have everything. As long as we have our health though, isn't that the point of it all?

2bFabnfit profile image
2bFabnfit

I do walk at home dvd's with booster cables(leslie sansone)

I aim to do 5 x a week in reality I do at least 3. I do a 3 mile walk which takes 45 mins inc warm up cool down. I mile with the cables.

I like it as it tones whilst walking. It has created sleek lean muscle.

I do it straight out of bed and then breakfast,shower and go to work.

The beauty of it is no extra travel time/shower etc it fits easily in my day. But you do need to be motivated to get out of bed!

Set available on eBay

Emjkitty profile image
Emjkitty in reply to 2bFabnfit

Never heard of booster cables so will check them out! Nothing beats some fresh air though.

2bFabnfit profile image
2bFabnfit in reply to Emjkitty

I love walking outdoors too and park and stride. Take the stairs. Build exercise in to my day.

The dvds are more targeted and not weather dependant

Portlandprincess profile image
Portlandprincess

I think anything you enjoy is enough! Walking and walking with friends is, for you more fun than the isolation of the swimming pool....whatever you do be happy then it will be part of life.

Windswept1 profile image
Windswept1

Walking is fine, especially of you up your speed and factor in some hills. I run, well I say run, but its a slow jog, not any faster than my walking pace, but it does allow me to eat more. I used the 12 week plan to lose weight and its the exercise that keeps it off, but you need to find something that isn't a chore. Good luck.

Dave1000 profile image
Dave10001 stone

Hi Kitty

I am also like you, in the past I have suffered in exactly the same way, really focuses and become for a short while a dedicated gym bunny. But like most things it becomes either boring, a chore or hard to continue, particularly if you have nobody to share it with who is also dedicated and prepared to stick to it. Walking is fine, and a much under rated exercise. However the key as in anything is to find something you enjoy. My choice was cycling. Hard at first, better shared, but only on occasions, and easy to fit in even with the busiest lifestyles. You can exercise going to work, to the shops, pop out for ten minutes or four hours, do Ito on holiday and you don't have to join the dedicated Lycra brigade, you can just enjoy more of the scenery whilst getting a great dose of fresh air and some fantastic exercise. Whatever you choose to do make sure you enjoy it. Give it a little time, as any new exercise hurts at first, but if it doesn't suit you, move on and find something else. Good luck and well done with the weight loss.

Dave x

Netty-123 profile image
Netty-123

Walking is great. find a local safe place to walk and stick to it. try and find some hills, stairs, even walking up a long high path. if you walk every day, you will notice it. Give it a go this week. I know you will feel great.

Classes are a great way of trying lots of different things till you find one you love. Plus once you've been going for a while you'll know people there and will look forward to catching up with them each week. It holds you accountable because people notice if you're not there but it can also be really sociable. There are loads of different ones out there so give a few a go and see what you like? I do a kettlebell class and kickboxing and love them both but there are many that are less intense if that's not your thing. Good luck with it. I'm the opposite to you I think, I find doing the exercise easy but I struggle to get my food under control!

Max_Moove profile image
Max_Moove

Hi, for myself I found that being curious about what worked before, maybe when I was a child, helped me find exercises that I can actually be passionate about. Here is something I wrote about this: mymotivaction.co.uk/find-wh...

Lilaclady24 profile image
Lilaclady24Restart Sept 2023

I do low impact aerobics. I also lie to myself! The Video I watch is one hour long but I often tell myself that I’ll just do 15 minutes. Invariably, I end up doing 30 mins. Sometimes, I even finish the entire hour. This subterfuge works quite well for me. I also walk of course!

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