so why don't people want to exercise?

[lph]

Lying on the sofa today after my 3rd ride today, post-stretch and shower, blissed out on endorphins and eating potato-and-leftovers-salad, and I got to thinking: how on earth do people who don't exercise regularly manage?

I don't mean to sound artfully clueless, but I just don't get it. I get so antsy and stressed out and unpleasant to be around if I don't my pulse rate elevated at regular intervals, but within 10 minutes of getting on my bike I'm feeling SO much happier. If I were told that for some reason I couldn't do any aerobic exercise it would seriously decrease my enjoyment of life. So how do people who just don't exercise manage to stay sane?

And how can they feel that exercise is a chore and a hassle, and something you just do if you want to lose weight? Sure, some days are more of a chore than others, but mostly I find it 90% enjoyable. Either my head just is put together differently, or, more likely, you get addicted and gradually cue your body to enjoy it and to notice all the positive effects.

Any ideas on this? The only time I really don't want to move my body more than necessary is when I'm mentally exhausted or sick.

[mimitabby]

doing nothing is just as strong a habit as what you are doing. bottom line we are creatures of habit.

My sister has more excuses for sitting around and getting arthritic and depressed than you do to keep exercising. She says that she's sure that when she feels bad (which is often) that it is worse to get up and even walk around and who knows her body better than she does.

and then instead of exercising, she can lose herself into a hundred other non-moving passtimes. It's just not that easy.

hey, what about me LPH, it took until i was 55 and losing my bones before i finally GOT THE MESSAGE!!! it's HARD to change a life of sloth!!!

[teigyr]

I think Mimi has it pegged.

Also, if you don't exercise you get tired. If you're tired, you don't want to exercise! If you do exercise, you get more energy though unless someone has experienced it, they don't think that way. Not to mention that even though sometimes exercise isn't always fun (there have been times I've cursed quietly about wind, hills, or heat!) the feeling afterward could never be created artificially. It's all worth it at that time :D

Actually what gets me is this -- we have people at work who complain that they can't lose weight and yet they don't exercise!! Or else they exercise once and say it did nothing and therefore didn't work. Aaarrrgh!

[MINIskirt]

well what gets me is that my DH is more than happy to be a gym rat. He'll go in there, put in his 45 minutes on the elliptical, lift some weights and be happy.

I hate the gym. I only go when necessary and would much rather be out enjoying the day! I've been going nuts today sitting here at work wishing I was out on my bike on this sunny day!! If I had to work out at the gym everyday, I probably wouldn't be fit either. If I'm outside, it's less about exercise and more about just playing outside. :)

[lph]

Yeah, well it's exactly because I find it more an enjoyable necessity like eating that I have trouble seeing the hard/easy/chore/fun way of looking at it.

But I sure am a creature of habit, so I guess I'm just firmly into habit mode. Habit mode can be real practical if you have good habits ;) Maybe that means that if I'm ever incapacitated for any period of time I'll go soundly into sloth habit...?

I have family who don't exercise at all, and it's not for any medical reasons. My father is very much an intellectual and I suspect he just feels that moving his body more than he has to is a waste of his valuable time :p But he seems quite happy living that way, so we obviously just feel the need for different things.

[Trek420]

lph wrote ..... Either my head just is put together differently, or, more likely, you get addicted and gradually cue your body to enjoy it and to notice all the positive effects."

I've spun this subject around with Knott and others.

We few we happy few (people who like to move aroun') whether tall short big thin from GF triathletes to people who do Pilattes ...whatever we do ....

I think we're different.

I think we're put together differently.

[smilingcat]

endorphine high is really addictive just as any strong drugs. Once you get into this mode, you can't sit around and DO NOTHING...

And yes we march to a different drummer than a couch potato (someone who prefers to lead a very sedentary lifestyle).

My younger sister is a marathon runner (almost qualified for Boston missed it by mere 2 minutes or so). She goes bonkers if she doesn't go out and run a fun 20 mile loop. And she does belong to a running club. I hate to run. I much prefer biking.

My parents think its really stupid to exercise. So they lead a very sedentary lifestyle. They think both my sister and I are out of our minds. I think my sis is out of her mind too 20 mile fun run?? :p

So yes we are different.
Shawn

[Kano]

Like Mimi said, it took YEARS to get it!

If you aren't an exerciser, when you start, it exhausts you. It exhausts you to the point where it's a WHOLE lot easier to say the hill with it and just quit! Last spring I started riding, and I thought I'd go out and ride on my own a bit each morning. Well, DH came home from work those days and said, come on, let's go for a ride! And I went.

To go from sloth to two a day rides (yeah, okay, so each was only five miles) was pretty much all I could do in those days. Like, it meant just sit and rest and drag myself to the kitchen for more water and some food now and then. What kept me doing it? I remembered going through it before, and knowing that if I could stick it out, I'd be okay.

And while I was riding, I liked it!

Now is the spring of my second season of biking, I didn't ride all winter, and I sure as heck didn't ride enough last summer, cuz I'm still a physical "wreck" -- out of shape and it's still easier to be a sloth than truly active, but I look forward to riding, I'm annoyed when the weather doesn't cooperate, and I'm starting to not care so much about the weather. Kind of like not waiting for the perfect snow to ski on.

Now, for many years, DH wouldn't walk anywhere just for the walk. There had to be a purpose to it. Like, when we were young, and pregnant, and I wanted a walk, we could only go out together if it was to go somewhere, like the restaurant a couple of blocks away (I think the last walk we took together was to the hospital the night we had our second child, again, just a couple of blocks) I'm pretty sure riding his bike for exercise is a CHORE for him, but he's decided that it's something he needs to do and he'll suffer through it.

I'm past CHORE, because I know the feeling, but it's still sometimes easier to pass it up!

It was pretty cool when it was HIM suggesting today's ride, even though that was only because he beat me to it! (he suggested "my" hill again, and I think he's feeling smug about that he can go up it and I can't yet)

Okay, so that was pretty round about, and maybe it didn't make what I was thinking when I started typing as clear as it could have, and maybe I could just delete all the extraneous, and spit out the point, but getting there is part of the point, in a way:

We who don't exercise, but then start, we have a pretty long row to hoe to get to the point where it's a Good Thing. I think we don't get to the end of the row.

Karen in Boise

[silver]

And how can they feel that exercise is a chore and a hassle, and something you just do if you want to lose weight? Sure, some days are more of a chore than others, but mostly I find it 90% enjoyable. Either my head just is put together differently, or, more likely, you get addicted and gradually cue your body to enjoy it and to notice all the positive effects.

Any ideas on this? The only time I really don't want to move my body more than necessary is when I'm mentally exhausted or sick.

Yes! i know how you feel! I feel exactly the same. and I want to exercise especially when I am mentally exhausted. i am sure that i am addicted to the endorphin high. I could easily have an exercise addition. I HAVE to exercise. It's like breathing to me.

[lauraelmore1033]

I started out my life as a non exerciser because I had asthma as a kid. This was in the days before thay had all the nifty inhalers and such to control it. Whenever I exerted myself, my bronchial tubes would clamp shut and I spent much of the time feeling like I was drowning. I wouldn't wish that feeling on my worst enemy and I went to great pains to avoid it. As an adult, I was put on inhalers and that helped alot. pregnancy helped also. The lamaze breathing techniques just seemed to help when my tubes would seize up, and also the experience of pushing past pain was helpful in putting the pain of exercise in perspective. If I could live through labor, I could live through an uncomfortable aerobics class. I'm in an active phase right now, but I know from my own history that it is easy to fall out of the habit of exercising--even though I am fully aware of how much I enjoy it now--and it is bloody difficult to get back into the habit when you have fallen off.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Like Mimi said, it took YEARS to get it!

If you aren't an exerciser, when you start, it exhausts you. It exhausts you to the point where it's a WHOLE lot easier to say the hill with it and just quit! Last spring I started riding, and I thought I'd go out and ride on my own a bit each morning.


Yes indeed. When I went for years without exercising, it was truly exhausting to exercise- exhausting in a very unpleasant yucky way. It's totally different from the GOOD exhausted feeling I get now from exercising or riding. Now if i'm puffing and burning my way up a steep hill, i feel wiped out at the top but it feels GOOD all over my body, and good for hours afterwards. I used to feel draggy and stiff just getting out of bed every morning. The last thing I wanted to do is exercise and feel even MORE tired. Now I bounce right out of bed feeling great every morning and can't wait to go for a ride.

[teigyr]

Bouncing out of bed is such a foreign concept to me! If I did a hard ride the day before, I'm stiff and sore but it's in a good way. If I just did a spin class or a easy ride, I might be perky but that is a few hours after waking up and it's definitely after caffeine! Waking up energetic is just not me.

While I don't exercise only for weight loss, I have to admit that muscle feels far better than mush.

There are some days it's easier to exercise than others. I have a rule with myself though for those questionable days, I tell myself that after half an hour, I can quit. I never have yet because I have too much fun once I'm out!

[Aggie_Ama]

The excuses amaze me. I have worked with so many people who say they can't work out because they have bad knees. You ask them what injury they had and they just say nothing. Or you ask them if they have tried the many low impact options (elliptical, walking, biking) and they find some reason for that as well. And these are co-workers in my age group (25-30). :rolleyes:

I myself was a lazy kid. I am clumsy and horrible at team sports, so I usually stayed in or bowled. Bowling is an exercise but it definitely isn't cardio. I was an excuses person, then I watched my Pawpaw suffer with congestive heart failure and diabetes for the last 14 years of his life. He was sad and tired all the time. I didn't want to be like that. My life as an active person started wiht 1/4 mile at a time on the treadmill. After I was regularly running 3+ miles outside I started cycling. Now I am pretty sure there are few things I couldn't do if I just tried- maybe nothing! I am starting back running after a few months of not doing it and I am already enjoying the benefits on how it is keeping my alert and energetic.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Bouncing out of bed is such a foreign concept to me! If I did a hard ride the day before, I'm stiff and sore but it's in a good way. If I just did a spin class or a easy ride, I might be perky but that is a few hours after waking up and it's definitely after caffeine! Waking up energetic is just not me.


I remember bouncing out of bed energized and feeling good as a kid. That went away when i grew up. For decades. Now I've noticed it since I've been biking and walking almost every day. It was a totally unexpected bonus- to notice I am bouncing out of bed like a kid again in the morning. Of course, getting enough sleep is essential to that. I get better sleep than I used to when I stayed up late watching tv at night. (ugh)
No more stiff, old feeling in the mornings like I was so used to for so many years. Amazing. -But I still do need my caffeine in the morning! ;)

[han-grrl]

The fact is, most people DON'T want to HAVE to exercise. Most of my clients, HATE exercise. They don't like sweating, they don't like HAVING to do it, they just don't like it. Most likely because of negative experiences as a kid, face it most high school "sport" experiences have often been less than positive (i know it wasn't great for me!)

I have a theory, it isn't for lack of MOTIVATION. Motivation is the reason to be motivated. I can give you PLENTY of reasons including reducing the risk of most diseases, being able to move more easily, reduce aches etc.

I think its because people lack COMMITMENT. That is much much harder to work on. Commitment is the PROMISE to do something. Most people just do not want to set aside time to move their bodies. It seems over whelming because of schedules, or a lot of them just don't know what to do.

That is why I have started two new programs with my clients - one is 30 minute workout sessions (ok, not something new to training in general but something new for me to offer clients), and a new workout "series" based on 3 ten minute workouts a day.

For strength, unless you are training for something very specific, really you don't NEED to spend that much time in the gym. My own strength workouts take 20 minutes. Many people spend more time, because they actually enjoy it, and that's ok! Also, for cardio, again, if clients are training for mtb, or a 5 km run or the MS Bike Tour, then they need to be able to do those things for that length of time. But the person who hates exercise, will likely not be signing upfor the next charity run soon. So short bouts throughout the day are well, short, and really very very effective. In fact I have found several studies for example http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=2327335&dopt=Abstract
that show this.

The other thing to consider is the viscious circle. We feel too tired to exercise, but then we don't exercise, so we feel more tired. When we are able to break that cycle, we notice that we feel MORE energy when we exercise. In fact a recent Newsweek explained how exercise is like taking Ritalin and Prozac!

Then there is the whole concept of self talk. We can talk ourselves OUT of anything. Most of us don't realize how much we do it (myself included). So step 1 of this is to recognize it, then figure out how to deal with it (which can be as simple as committing to breaking the cycle and going for it!)

Anyway, this is getting long, which must mean my coffee is setting in nicely ;)
Have a great and wonderful day!

Hannah

PS great topic! I love reading everyone's replies!

[lph]

In fact a recent Newsweek explained how exercise is like taking Ritalin and Prozac!


uh, riiight. That sounded embarrassingly correct....

Not that taking Prozac is anything to be embarrassed about, but other people do seem to go normally through the day without blowing up at somebody, even without a bike ride or two under their belt.

Well - I guess being addicted to biking is better than most other addictions! :D

[silver]

uh, riiight. That sounded embarrassingly correct....

Not that taking Prozac is anything to be embarrassed about, but other people do seem to go normally through the day without blowing up at somebody, even without a bike ride or two under their belt.

Well - I guess being addicted to biking is better than most other addictions! :D

I do take anti depressants. My psychologist says that 30 to 45 minutes of exercise a day 4 to 5 times a week is equal to a dose of anti-depressant. now I've been taking anti-depressants for years and have a fairly complicated case and I don't feel that I would ever be able to go without the anti-depressants, but I feel like I can take less because of the exercise.

I feel like that exercise is part of my whole depression treatment plan. It includes my meds, my regular visits to my counselor and doctor, healthy eating, exercise, adequate sleep. If any one of these things is neglected, I feel at risk.

[Deborajen]

It's so true that exercise makes you "bad" tired after you've been sedentary for a long time; and then after you've exercised more regularly, it makes you "good" tired. But one more thing that goes into the mix, maybe not as much but it still has an effect, is goals. When I first started becoming more active in my late 30's, I wanted to train for a 5K fun run and also bike a century. At the time, I told myself I didn't care how I did, I just wanted to finish somewhere in the middle. After training awhile and looking at people's finish times for events on websites, I saw that I wasn't going to be in the middle - I'd be behind that - towards the back. It was discouraging to think that after lots of training and hard work, I'd still be in the back.

Now, after being more active for awhile, it's fun and it feels good. The endorphins feel good, having energy feels good, and being tired after exercising feels good. Most importantly, it's a habit and a long-term change. But when first getting started, "why bother if I don't get ______ result?" can be a big obstacle.

Deb

[IntenseRide]

Here's a great excuse.

I have a sweet friend (I really do love her) who said she would have to get a whole new wardrobe to exercise! She also doesn't want to appear like she needs to exercise (which blows my mind)! I've mentioned exchanging the word 'exercise' with 'sport' because here in Minnesota winter provides so many options. I have snowshoes, cross-country skiis and I still bike in the winter, even when the temperature drops to zero (off-road in the snow with spiked tires and lights). Personally, I also think that people like to cocoon and nest when it gets dark and cold out and that turns into a lifelong habit.

[Pax]

Then there are those of us who are/were life-long hard core athletes who have sustained enough cumulative injuries that exercise is an elusive thing that hinges on what injury has flared up that day (4 knee surgeries/torn rotator cuffs/assorted other broken bones and torn ligaments). :(

[mimitabby]

I know someone else who has to take antidepressants if they don't exercise.
I think a fully active body is one of the best cures for depression. Further,
i think depression is by and large a by product of our non-movement lifestyle.

[run it, ride it]

It's true that excercise and depression are often tied together, but do remember that excercise is not a cure-all.

I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder--while excercise makes me feel good in the summer when my moods are functioning 'normally,' it does nothing for my mood in the winter--and I am very active in the winter. I was in denial about my depression for years because I did not want to be pigeonholed as 'responsible' for my depression for not doing all the activities that used to give me pleasure. So I just kept up doing everything even though it did nothing for me. I was fit, always out of the house, got great grades in school--but underneath all that I was still a mess of paranoia, anxiety and depression.

Only medication and light therapy have made any sort of difference for my SAD.

[Jenn]

Not to be rude, but in my opinion they are just LAZY negating those who have valid medical issues. Both my parents were marathon runners and so I grew up around exercise. I gained ALOT of weight after my divorce when I was 24 and was about 250lbs of pure yech. After the divorce I moved in with my best friend and decided this is it, I'm getting my arse in shape!
I'd get up and be at the gym or out running EVERYDAY, (gotta look good when you are trolling for men) but really it was for me, I felt good.
But, EVERY morning, I'd try to get her to come with me but she just would rather sit on the couch, smoke her cigarette and drink her diet pepsi. To this day, she does the same, and now that she's had 2 children she's pushing 280lbs, and it's not muscle ladies. Anyway, her Dr took off her OBCP because of her weight and b/p and she was pissed. She said of course my b/p was up I had to WALK ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE parking lot. I love her, but it's pathetic to me. Take some pride in yourself, your body and your appearance.
Her 5 year old daughter asked when we were with them this weekend if she was going to have another baby and how come her tummy wasn't as flat as mine. I thought that might motivate her NOT, she said she'll just smoke more.
Sorry, to go on, but I have very little tolerance for people that will not even take a half an hour walk a day, ANYBODY can do at least that. :cool:
Even though my daughter is only 14 months old, she's in the jogger twice a day and as soon as we get the trailer she's gonna be biking with us so she knows exercise is a BIG part of life.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

There is no one single reason people don't exercise. And exercise is not a cure-all for depression.
Sometimes you just can't distill multi-level issues into a single neat and tidy solution.

[KnottedYet]

I don't exercise. I hate exercise. Don't ask me to exercise, cuz I won't.

But I will ride my bike and go for a walk and jog a little and kayak and play with triathlons and hike and geocache and...

Hand me some weights. Nope. Point me to the eliptical or the treadmill. Nope. I just can't sustain the interest. I don't feel the love.

I need to go kayaking so I can strenthen my shoulder, cuz I'm sure as shootin' not sticking to the exercises I need to do to fix it. (I've done 'em maybe twice. and I know better!)

Maybe it's a matter of finding the activity that someone can fall in love with?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Unfortunately most non-active people look at things like walking, biking, hiking, tennis, etc....as exercise, not as activities. For them watching tv is a major "activity".

[IFjane]

For them watching tv is a major "activity".


Lisa, don't forget driving to McDonalds (the drive-thru, that is)!

Oh boy, I'm on a roll. See the "what do you say when non-cyclists ask how much your bike cost" thread... I must need an attitude adjustment. :D

[mimitabby]

Knot: here's what did it for me. (Again the book plug) "Younger next year" said
"approach exercise as if it was your job. do you work one week and then take 3 months off?, no, you go into work every day unless you feel really sick"

Something in that statement clicked for me. Was my body that much less worthy than my wallet? I have missed one gym day since I started. Some days I do a little more, some days I do a little less, but I have made it a part of my routine.
When DH wants us to leave early to go out of town, (twice already) I take off work an hour earlier and get my workout in.

I never thought I'd be lifting weights, and i don't LOVE it, but what I do love
is discovering my biceps are growing and competing with myself. When I went in there I was lifting 2.5 lb and 5 pound weights and now I am up to 12.5 pound weights!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I never thought I'd be lifting weights, and i don't LOVE it, but what I do love
is discovering my biceps are growing and competing with myself. When I went in there I was lifting 2.5 lb and 5 pound weights and now I am up to 12.5 pound weights!

Mimi, I want to see a picture when you can lift your husband Raleighdon's bike up over your head....with him on it! :D :D

[mimitabby]

oh Come on Lisa! i might get to be able to lift his bike, but I'm never going to be strong enough to lift him over my head unless I'm under water!

[Python]

well what gets me is that my DH is more than happy to be a gym rat. He'll go in there, put in his 45 minutes on the elliptical, lift some weights and be happy.

I hate the gym. I only go when necessary and would much rather be out enjoying the day! I've been going nuts today sitting here at work wishing I was out on my bike on this sunny day!! If I had to work out at the gym everyday, I probably wouldn't be fit either. If I'm outside, it's less about exercise and more about just playing outside. :)

My hubby will quite happily sit on the bikes at a gym, but for some reason refuses to get a bike. I've gone to the gym with him a few times but, frankly, I was bored out of my skull. Sitting on a bike in the gym, going nowhere, no nice scenery, nothing. Definitely not for me. Hubby had a major heart attack 3 years ago and did say he was scared he'd have another heart attack in the middle of nowhere if he went cycling. I said that can happen to absolutely anyone, anywhere, so why worry about something that may or may not happen. He is overweight which he really shouldn't be and I think if he took up cycling he'd lose weight quite quickly and steadily. I said to him that you're not pedalling all the time so cycling can be paced to what you feel comfortable with. I have suggested he might try an electric bike - pedal on the flat and slight gradients and if it gets too much, switch over to electric. I'm working on him and if I know him, eventually, he'll catch the cycling bug from me and get a bike;)