Advice!

[PessimisticOptimist]

Can someone please comment some motivation (try not to bodyshame please) so I exercise? Gyms are closed and I need motivation to challenge myself and workout till my body hurts. Thanks.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Hello and welcome, PessimisticOptimist 😊

If it's weight loss you're after, what you eat is far more important than exercise. Any motivation comes from within, but you will find plenty of support and information here.

You'll find everything you need about the forum in our Pinned Posts healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... including a Welcome message, the Daily Diary and the current weigh in: a good place to start is by joining a weekly weigh in on the day of your choice, and using the Daily Diary, where members share their meal plans.

Take your time exploring. This gives you a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true and, along with Pinned Posts, will show you how things work. I hope you'll become an active member and we will see you joining in around the forum 😊

PS the app doesn’t give access to all parts of the forum so we advise everyone to get rid of the app and log on to the full website using the browser on their phone

[PessimisticOptimist in reply to BridgeGirl]

Here's the thing. I'm a picky eater. I don't eat a lot or have a range. I need to fix that. We also don't have a lot of variety because can't afford. I need simple, affordable meal preps

[SofaJockey]

ok, so you exercise. That's great and healthy.

What's your exercise of choice? Is it workout style exercise as you reference gyms? Have you considered other types of exercise outside of gyms?

I hated doing workouts so I started walking, then running (Couch to 5k) but I'm sure there are other sorts of exercise.

If you don't enjoy the exercise or can't self-motivate yourself to do the exercise, perhaps change the type of exercise to one you do like. 😄

[PessimisticOptimist in reply to SofaJockey]

Treadmill, cycle, dancing, regular workout. Cycling like the machine and regular bicycle

[PessimisticOptimist in reply to SofaJockey]

I've just stopped doing it a lot. I need motivation to continue with that

[SofaJockey in reply to PessimisticOptimist]

Motivation can be found in enjoyment of the thing itself or in an outcome that the thing may bring (for example weight-loss or fitness). I guess it falls to you to choose, one or other or neither. 🤔

[mangosam]

Hey so what I do is I exercise when I wake up even if that’s 10 minutes after I wake up I can’t eat till I’ve worked out it’s great because you feel fantastic and you’ve gotten it over and done with I do home workouts. I also run three times a week at night

[Surreychica_1 in reply to mangosam]

That is what I do

[Surreychica_1]

Why not walk and do nature watch. There is a lot out there to see, Birds and insects etc. So many animals. Look for them and also plants and trees. Become a nature watcher as you walk even in the towns and cities there are plenty to see. Learn the names of the trees and the plants in peoples garden. Get an exercise book and write down all what you see and all the time you are using up calories and losing weight.

[PessimisticOptimist in reply to Surreychica_1]

I live in the middle of the polluted city, so no chance of nature

[PessimisticOptimist in reply to Surreychica_1]

Temperature is like 50°C here. I can't stay out too long either, it's unsafe too. People drive recklessly around here

[Surreychica_1 in reply to PessimisticOptimist]

50 degrees. Oh my god. No surprised you cannot get motivated. Hopefully you have air con!!

[Subtle_badger]

For motivation, two tricks I can think of:

1) get it into your routine. There are a few suggestions above. For me, the trick was giving up my car, so even if I don't feel like exercising, I still have places I need to go. Now with CV19, I don't even use public transport. That might not work in your city, but the sounds of it.

2) set yourself a measurable goal. Truth be told, I am trying this, and haven't succeeded yet. But... I will! My goal is to complete a single bodyweight chin up. A lot of muscles involved to make that happen,and all the ones I don't use walking.

[trewollack]

Hi Optimist, I share your distaste for exercise. In my long ago youth I was the games captain of everything. I think is is the social side that attracted me. I still like tennis now it's available again. Maybe you need an exercise buddy - that ought to be possible now, or some friend you can challenge to do a local walk for longer or quicker. You are not alone!!!. How about 'Ramblers' or are there walking groups where you live? Look online with your postcode. Usually they have different grades so you can pick one for your current pace and progress to more challenging walks. These groups are faitly cheap - or set up your own! Good luck and let us know how you are getting on.

[Quilter449]

I know a really good on line exercise class by Gina Sherwood, Uk Get Active. You can have a weeks trial before signing up. There are 20 classes a week of varying difficulty and you can take as many as you want for £22.50 subscription. (I’m not doing a selling job! It’s the classes I have been doing. Lovely lady and very encouraging for us couch potatoes).

[annabella71 Visitor]

Do you like yoga? That's what has kept me going in the last few months. There are lots of free classes on YouTube. I personally like Fightmaster Yoga, but there are loads of others. Yoga doesn't offer the highest calorie burn but if you do it several times a week it will definitely work, combined with healthy eating. Hope this helps!

[Lytham 3 stone]

Hi, joining our weigh in might help with motivation? Here's the link, I hope to see you there! x

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...