Exercise Motivation Struggles

My problem is I just do not enjoy exercise. I grant that some level of exercise is probably healthy, but I just don't enjoy it. At all. Not long ago I made myself run 3 or 4 days a week, for about 4 months. I did build up my ability to go longer distances but it never made me feel any better. After running I never felt energized or more productive; I felt tired and wanted to go to bed. I had similar experiences with strength training, tennis, raquetball, cycling... I don't think you can fo

I run and I fast.I enjoy the benefit.The actual act of doing these things are antithetical of fun for me.I do them because they work. If I lose motivation in life, it's the first thing I stop and the hardest to start up again (been many years that I've worked on self improvement)Good on you that it feels that way to you. No, I will never feel that way. People are different.

If you hate exercising you might try focusing on something else and use it as a way to get better.Like I want to shoot in the 80s in golf, run a 7 minute mile or whatever. It helped me find a love for it because it was a way to “train for my goal” rather than an everyday slog.After about 4 weeks I started to look forward to it and really went down a rabbit hole optimizing workouts, sleep and food.It can be really fun!

Not a unique answer, I'm sure, but you cannot feel good without exercising. The challenge can be that you don't realize how out of shape you feel until you're not, and starting to exercise can and usually does feel worse than none at all. Ideally you'll come to enjoy it, but it's a part of the maintenance required for having a human body.

I believe there's a hockey stick there. I too had such experiences regarding exercises a few year back then, but after I decided to stick to it things started to improve, and now I do get more energetic even after rigorous workouts. I would theorizes that if you don't really exercise that regularly, exercise is indeed more a burden at first, and you need to work on it until it becomes 'profitable' one day.

Same. Still working on reducing body fat percentage (5'9", 230lbs, 32% body fat) but have been exercising twice a week with a personal trainer for over a year. Have put on quite a bit of muscle. Easily the strongest I've ever been and an in the best shape of my life.Exercise still sucks. I hate it, it's an awful experience. The only thing I feel during and after exercise is tired and sore. There is no glow, no feeling of being refreshed, energized, satisfied, or accomplish

My 2 cents (as a former gymnast and now omnivorously active person) is that many people see exercise as a chore or something they have to do. If you want to have the benefits of exercise in your life, you have to find a way to enjoy it. If running isn't for you, try a dance class. Try biking, or hiking, or Starting Strength, or one of those at home videos by Jillian Michaels or yoga or boxing. Keep trying things until you find something you actually like. Try going with friends, or joining

I tried it, (ten kilometer commute on a bicycle) and a month after I stopped it I was back to what I had been previously. Nothing gained.Now, this is just a personal anecdote, but I've noticed lot of exercises (lifting weights, cardio) have a learning curve and an "acquired taste" quality to them. I used to hate running on the treadmill when I was terribly unfit and could barely top out at 8-10 mins @6 mph, but once I slowly improved and could go for about 30 mins or so at a stretch, r

It's really hard to approach fitness as yet another obligation, unless you happen to have a laid back lifestyle. My advice: find some kind of exercise that you enjoy, don't stress about whether it's the optimal program. Use the time as a mental break from your day at the computer, or to get some energy in the morning or to unwind after work. Don't focus on results at first - then, after it becomes a habit, you can optimize.

I felt this way for a very long time and have made similar choices. I simply can't get myself to consistently go out on runs, or work out on gym machines. That said, out of sheer chance I discovered an enjoyment of powerlifting and swimming and I've been able to keep those up, and even look forward to doing them. Perhaps it's a matter of finding the exercise you can tolerate.