Trying to motivate myself to exercise

I hate exercise for the sake of exercise and IMO it's just another modern notion designed to separate us from our money.

I would much rather incorporate physical activity into my daily routine by doing something useful and or interesting.

My Stairmaster is a third-floor walkup and my free weights are laundry baskets and grocery sacks.

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"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt
 

What I had learned and experienced (with my health)during that time — goes beyond words. I felt phenomenal!
So I do know that type of training is the best. Working out reversed some health issues, and got me feeling better than I did 30 years ago. Our gym here will reopen in Jan.

In the meantime I have a treadmill, air bike, rebounder, weights, and resistance bands. I love to listen to good music or motivational tapes while running on the treadmill.

I’m just nowhere near what I used to do. I will build up to it, like I did when I 1st started.

Mel, I walk a bit around here. While the area is pretty here, it’s not what it used to be to be (safety-wise) walking alone, and there aren’t any good bike paths close by (that I know of). Though your thoughts are great. I will consider getting a bike and go to the park. I’ll start walking around here with a friend.

As far as affirmations—I get your point, Mel. I could say: working out 4x a week, with what I have available is the only way I’ll feel great!
 
I started walking vigorously for 30-45 minutes twice a day a couple of weeks ago and I'm feeling much better.

Yesterday, I had minor toe surgery and I'm not supposed to do any heavy walking for a week to ten days. Bummer. I was really in the groove there.

I'm leaving tomorrow for my mom's house again for a month or so and plan to get back into my exercise program there. It's so nice walking along the beach or back into the woods up there that I don't hate it as much as walking around and around and around my neighborhood. I'm not ready to go back to the gym yet.
 
I was using yard work all summer for exercise. I takes almost two hours to do the yard with a walk behind mower and bending and lifting besides. When grass cutting season is done it is weights and calisthenics in the basement with hilly walks a few times a week at the state park. A good intense workout improves mood and breathing noticeably. This year I intend to get some mud boots to hike some trails since they are mostly wet and muddy this time of year.
 
Mr. Ed said:
I suppose the best course of action is to create an exercise schedule. The truth of the matter is I am tired or so I think I am or some days I am too busy to exercise, or so I think I am. I’m interested in losing weight for obvious health reasons but for now I am thinking what’s the use.

A possible reason for this conundrum is seasonal depression that comes like clockwork entering into fall with cooler temperatures and limited daylight sunshine. This will pass as it always does, however, until that time comes I must busy myself in physical activity and positive thinking.
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Best thing I’ve found. Get a free pedometer app and try to walk 8000 or whatever steps per day and build out from there.
 
Day date with my wife. Ordered lunch takeout I had a barbecue bagel, wife had avocado spread bagel at courtyard table. Then hiked at Cayuga Nature Center. Need to walk more to build leg strength.
I stopped longterm walking over a year ago after an old foot injury resurfaced. If I take a prescribed pain medicine I can hike longer. Good to know this
 
Irwin said:
I've gotten a big gut in the past few months -- mainly due to overeating. Sometimes, my wife's cooking tastes so good, I just can't stop myself! :)

Overeating is also kind of a painkiller during these dark times, and I'm not just talking about the pandemic.

So I've been thinking about exercising... maybe just jogging in place for 20 minutes or so to burn off some calories.
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It's very common to experience weight gain due to life stressors, changes and this pandemic. The Covid 10-20, depending on who's reporting it is no joke.
 
I'mnotdeadyet said:
If you have the wherewithal, buy a rowing machine. You will lose weight, it's cardio, uses 83% of your muscles, and is low impact. You don't have to spend $1000 to get one that will work. I found a used one on CL for $80, works just fine. I would stay away from hydraulic models and look for magnetic resistance or air. I find it to be a lot of fun, it's become my go-to, even outpacing my real ride-around-outside bike, at least for the moment.
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I tried to weigh myself about a month ago, and, thank goodness, the digital scales would not work. A few weeks later, I worked up the courage to replace the battery and, praise the Lord, the scale still would not work. I tested the new battery to make sure it was okay, and it was, so I threw the scale away.

I'm taking all this as a sign from God to not worry about my weight. So I don't.
 
Buckeye said:
I tried to weigh myself about a month ago, and, thank goodness, the digital scales would not work. A few weeks later, I worked up the courage to replace the battery and, praise the Lord, the scale still would not work. I tested the new battery to make sure it was okay, and it was, so I threw the scale away.

I'm taking all this as a sign from God to not worry about my weight. So I don't.
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That made me laugh 😂. I don’t use a scale, I use my clothes which don’t come with batteries so I cant throw them away 😡. Seeing as I am a weather whimp, I am currently walking in our apartment underground parking garage. Getting in 10,000 steps requires 40 trips around the garage...40!!! So I’ve broken it down to 20 laps in the morning and 20 in the evening. I know every car in that garage. I know who parks correctly and who parks sloppy. I know who needs new tires, who works and approx what time they get home. I’ve met some people I didn’t know before...guess I should put that in the plus column. It is boring as can possibly be, but I swear I just CANNOT continue to sit in that apartment all winter!!! I ate myself through the first year of covid and now I’m even bored with eating...good thing say the blue jeans. So we’ll see if this works. I’m motivated and stubborn enough to keep at it just to find out 😂
 
Kathleen’s Place said:
That made me laugh 😂. I don’t use a scale, I use my clothes which don’t come with batteries so I cant throw them away 😡. Seeing as I am a weather whimp, I am currently walking in our apartment underground parking garage. Getting in 10,000 steps requires 40 trips around the garage...40!!! So I’ve broken it down to 20 laps in the morning and 20 in the evening. I know every car in that garage. I know who parks correctly and who parks sloppy. I know who needs new tires, who works and approx what time they get home. I’ve met some people I didn’t know before...guess I should put that in the plus column. It is boring as can possibly be, but I swear I just CANNOT continue to sit in that apartment all winter!!! I ate myself through the first year of covid and now I’m even bored with eating...good thing say the blue jeans. So we’ll see if this works. I’m motivated and stubborn enough to keep at it just to find out 😂
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I am doing my 12 to 15 thousand steps mostly around and round in my house. I walk every 15 minutes. If the weather is nearly tolerable I’ll take about a 4000 step walk outside. Its just exhausting, and gives a whole new definition to stepping out, 😂.
 
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Aneeda72 said:
I am doing my 12 to 15 thousand steps mostly around and round in my house. I walk every 15 minutes. If the weather is nearly tolerable I’ll take about a 4000 step walk outside. Its just exhausting, a d gives a whole new definition to stepping out, 😂.
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When you finally get that puppy, you’ll get LOTS of steps!!!! 😂. Too bad we don’t live near one another. I would happily offer to take her/him on walks. More fun with a dog 💕
 
Here is the Canadian Air Force 5BX Plan that has been around a long time. It was designed to take 11 minutes a day (not counting the walking) and, with the exception of the walking, could be done between bunks in a barracks:

https://campbellmgold.co.uk/archive_health/5bx_cmg.pdf

It provides charts for each exercise for various age groups well up into most of us here. The PDF is free. I found the original booklet at a garage sale or used book store for 50 cents years ago. It is a good plan and it gets you very gradually to your target levels, rather than being the stereotypical military fitness PT program. It is certainly much less expensive than joining a health club, considering the PDF is free and the exercises require no equipment except your own body.

Tony
 
Kathleen’s Place said:
When you finally get that puppy, you’ll get LOTS of steps!!!! 😂. Too bad we don’t live near one another. I would happily offer to take her/him on walks. More fun with a dog 💕
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We could walk the puppy together, masked up, social distancing, and getting our steps. Around and round the block 😂.

Exactly, it will be not more fun, but fun cause it’s not fun now. This is what my husband does not understand-walking alone is a bummer and I feel that I look like a pathetic old bat of a woman. Even when Bella is full grown I will be able to control her where the bigger dogs became too much for me.

Also, it’s like Christmas in January as we don’t buy each other any presents-long story. I am ordering all this stuff for puppy and packages come almost every day, so much fun and exciting even though I know what’s in the packages.

Plus it is a hopeful decision, I think. As in I will/we will not die of the virus cause we have a puppy to raise. 🤣
 
The big question, if people are responsible for their actions should we not also have the right and privilege to do with as we will with life and body?
 
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