Exercuses: what sidetracks your exercise? Tips for overcoming exercuses?

[Laurie4b]

Yesterday I accidentally hit a "u" instead of an "i" in typing the word exercise and have been thinking about the concept of exercuses since.

 

I thought it would be fun and enlightening to share our most common exercuses and also any tips we have for ways to overcome particular exercuses. 

 

My most frequent exercuse is :"I'm too tired."

 

My tips: Plan workouts ahead of time for the week.  I plan for 1 rest day per week and am ok if a 2nd one creeps in. Planning to hike or something with someone else is helpful to me. I am more likely to do something I enjoy (like Zumba) if I'm tired and less likely to do something I just "tolerate."  Sometimes, I just tell myself that I am not too tired to change my clothes. Having done that, I head to the gym. There is nothing else to do at the gym so exercise happens!

 

What I am hitting against now: a combo of "It's too hot (to hike)," "I'm not a morning person and don't feel as good when I exercise in the morning as in the afternoon or evening (so can't beat the heat that way)," and except for Zumba, indoor cardio is boring. 

 

Any tips for the above set of exercuses are most welcome!

 

[J-rap]

The weather.  It's either way too hot, or way too cold, or it's raining or snowy or icy.

 

What helps me all the time is an exercise partner.  I've had a hard time finding one though!  

[Snickerdoodle]

Keeping a journal is the most important thing for me.   If I have to skip a line entry, it's not a good feeling.    My workouts are highly prescribed and goal oriented so this helps a lot with the journaling.

 

 

[VaKim]

It is just plain boring for the most part and I have to force myself to do it. Rather like taking a bath (I hate it, but definitely do it), brushing my teeth, washing my hair, etc. 

[cintinative]

I have had a lot better time with it now that I schedule my workouts. I use a calendar in the website and plan ahead what exercise I am going to do. I am a box checker so it is motivating. My other thing is that I have found I cannot have a monotonous routine. I need to do something different every day I work out.  I just get bored otherwise.

[regentrude]

Make it a daily/weekly routine and do it with another person. Unless it pours, DH and I always walk for an hour in the evenings. Unless it pours, we always hike on weekends. It is not something that needs to be planned or tackled specifically, it is simply how things are.

 

My Achilles heel is biking to work. It is easy to have the excuse that I am running late (I have to leave earlier by bike than by car) or that I want to wear a dress or that I have errands afterwards. The only way to combat this is to bike, unless it rains, as the default, so I don't give myself the opportunity to make a decision.

 

Also, do not do things you just "tolerate"; do things you enjoy. I will never stick to an exercise routing that I do "because it is good for me" - unless I actually enjoy it.

 

 

 

[Julie Smith]

I don't exercise.

I play. 

 

I dance. I do go to tap dancing weekly, because it is fun. :) I then help out with the west coast swing level 1 class because I'm at the dance studio already. I then take a west coast dancing class with my hubby because it is fun, and it's nice for the two of us to do something together. 

 

I run. My kids need a sport and my Eldest loves running club, so we all go. That way Youngest also gets his sport accomplished, and I'm around to make sure he doesn't get hit by a car. (It's just a run meetup group that meets at a running shoe store, so they aren't setup to keep an eye on children). I get to visit with other adults for a bit and we get invited to other events.

 

I swim. I take my boys swimming somewhat somewhat often since Youngest likes that a lot. 

 

I walk. This coming Monday I'm going to a walk with a friend so we can chat and visit. It is easy to go for a walk then do lunch. It's cheaper, and doesn't mean you have to go at a meal time. 

 

I play. This September my boys best friend is going to school. It will be a big change for my boys to not have him around as much. So I might end up putting them in gymnastics or something. But I would like to find a place where I can play on the fun equipment at the same time. If I have to pack everyone up, drive, (DRIVE! as in a car) for 8 minutes to get to the place, I am not going to sit in the stands picking my nose for an hour, I'll want to play to. 

 

I don't exercise. 

I work. 

 

I hike. I do pretty much all errands on foot because it is nice and stress free. Traffic is never a problem, you bump into people you know, and you can literally stop and smell the flowers. These errands can include things with a heavy load such as library runs, and grocery shopping so I have walking poles to take the weight off my back since my bag can end up weighing over 50 pounds. 

 

I work. I am the main person in charge of keeping this house clean and in repair. 

 

I don't exercise.

I live. 

 

I move. Our house is also set up for motion, we have an exercise bike in the kitchen/computer room. The living room has another piece of exercise equipment. Our main hallway has a chinup bar, that can also have a swing hung from it. When the boys are swinging and you want to get from one side of the house to the other you have to time it just right and run the gauntlet. Half our chairs are exercise balls. Our beds are on the floor so you got to get up off the floor every day...

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Julie Smith

[cintinative]

one more thing--for awhile I was trying to run. I discovered two things--I really only like it outside (inside is sooo boring on the treadmill) and I don't particularly like exercising outside in extreme temps or pouring rain/ice. So my workouts are largely inside, and that gives me less excuses to cancel because of weather.  

[Pink and Green Mom]

I am, to be honest, pretty lazy about a lot of things.  A procrastinator I guess.  But for some reason, not with exercise.  The motivator for me is how great I feel after working out.  I don't want to miss out.

 

I use Cathe Friedrich DVDs (I subscribe to her on demand service and have access to all her DVDs that way).  She puts out a monthly rotation with a different focus each month:  strength gains, endurance, fat loss, etc.  I follow whatever rotation she posts for the month to prevent boredom or doing the same thing day after day.  I am also a big "box checker" so when I print out the monthly rotation I get a lot of satisfaction from crossing each day off.

[Laurie4b]

one more thing--for awhile I was trying to run. I discovered two things--I really only like it outside (inside is sooo boring on the treadmill) and I don't particularly like exercising outside in extreme temps or pouring rain/ice. So my workouts are largely inside, and that gives me less excuses to cancel because of weather.  

 

We are a lot alike. 

 

So what do you do inside?  My Zumba instructor used to teach 3x/wk. Because of other stuff going on, she dropped down to 1 x/wk. I haven't found a substitute yet. 

 

I LOVE to exercise outside.... but only in spring and fall. 

[Laurie4b]

Make it a daily/weekly routine and do it with another person. Unless it pours, DH and I always walk for an hour in the evenings. Unless it pours, we always hike on weekends. It is not something that needs to be planned or tackled specifically, it is simply how things are.

 

My Achilles heel is biking to work. It is easy to have the excuse that I am running late (I have to leave earlier by bike than by car) or that I want to wear a dress or that I have errands afterwards. The only way to combat this is to bike, unless it rains, as the default, so I don't give myself the opportunity to make a decision.

 

Also, do not do things you just "tolerate"; do things you enjoy. I will never stick to an exercise routing that I do "because it is good for me" - unless I actually enjoy it.

 

Dh is beginning to exercise, but I don't push when he has an exercuse instead just get happy when he does because I want to keep him coming back for more.

 

I don't feel safe hiking by myself except on one trail here, so I always need to find a hiking partner. That can be an impediment at times. 

 

I actually do stick to things that I just "tolerate" because they are good for me because health is very important and real to me (as someone mentioned above, stuff like brushing teeth or flossing isn't fun either), but do prefer to find fun things. I think that's a good general practice. My "tolerate" things are indoor cardio other than dance and weight lifting. What I do like is how I feel afterwards! 

[Truscifi]

I only do things I enjoy for exercise. Yoga, kickboxing, martial arts, swimming. I sometimes hike with a friend or the kids. I teach some martial arts classes. I also take scheduled classes that are my "me time". I am friends with several people I take classes with which helps keep it fun. And keeps me accountable - they are expecting me to be there!

 

I ocassionally miss a class because I'm overscheduled or tired. I think that would happen a lot more often if it wasn't something I enjoy.

[redsquirrel]

my period, lol.  No, really. At this stage in my life my periods are sort of a thing, they never were before. And missing a couple days can throw me off entirely.  I have to really work hard to ensure that I don't take two or three days off and forget to get back to it.

 

weather. Living in the NE we all have to find creative ways to make movement happen in the cold months.  It can be well below zero  or wet or whatever for weeks at a time. Of course now it is edging into 80% humidity and I don't have air conditioning. So, you know, too hot, too cold, too wet, too humid.  I'm just a delicate little flower, lol

 

I give myself permission to just do whatever I want to do. If I feel like walking, I walk. If I feel like running, I run. If I want to get on my nordic track for an hour every day for the entire winter but then never touch it again for the rest of the year, that's ok too. Right now I am liking Tracy Anderson workouts. I look like a fool, but it's challenging and I look forward to it. Before that, it was Barre workouts. I have a huge collection. And lately DH and I have taken to having a nice long walk in the evenings.  We go quickly, so it feels like exercise, and we go up the big hills, but it's still fun to hang out together.

[kiana]

I lift. It's not my favorite but I don't hate it and I really like the results. Sometimes "I'm too tired" gets to me. So I tell myself that I'm only going to do my arch-nemesis exercise (whichever one I'm struggling with the most) and then if I'm still tired I can quit. Usually when I make it through that I feel that I can continue. If not, well, at least I made it through whichever one needed the most work.

[Wabi Sabi]

I have limitations due to a physical deformity. I have to limit walking and can't run, so that means that limits the things I can do from home without special equipment. I'm starting PT soon though and am hopeful that they will help me find something I can do more easily at home. 

I'm tired. 

I work a lot of hours. 

 

Exercise for exercise's sake is my idea of torture, but due to my physical limiations I have a hard time getting enough activity just through daily life.  
 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Wabi Sabi

[SparklyUnicorn]

I love the idea of "playing".  Unfortunately, my idea of a fun thing to play is cards so....

 

My main excuse is that I find exercise hideously boring.

 

 

[happypamama]

The weather.  It's either way too hot, or way too cold, or it's raining or snowy or icy.

 

Weather, for sure!  Coupled with busy.  If I get to bed too late because I have so much going on in the evenings, I don't get up early enough to get out to run before it's too hot, and then the evenings are so busy that it's hard to get time in then to run.

[Carol in Cal.]

I loaded a fitness app with a step counter onto my cell phone.  It's surprising how much I look at that.  I pace when I'm on the phone now, to up my step count, for instance.  I walk just a little more every time I get up and move, and it adds up.  Is it exercise?  Well, not in the classical sense of the word, but yes, it's something.

 

Also, I visited an exercise specialize that my doctor referred me to, who gave me an exercise prescription--specific ideas for what types of exercise would be most helpful and least likely to exacerbate my bursitis.  That has been extremely helpful in avoiding injuries, which have been my bugaboo in the past.

 

Lastly, I have been taking a Restorative Dance class that is rooted in the Alexander Technique, and that has improved my overall body awareness and physical health more than I would have thought.  I'll probably do another series in the fall.  And I also have visited a Directional Nonforce Chiropractor, and learned that a lot of my stiffness, that exercise seemed to make a lot worse, is actually cancellable with gentle adjustments--something I still find counterintuitive but which has been really nice!

[SparklyUnicorn]

Weather is another HUGE one.

 

 

[Laurie4b]

I have limitations due to a physical deformity. I have to limit walking and can't run, so that means that limits the things I can do from home without special equipment. I'm starting PT soon though and am hopeful that they will help me find something I can do more easily at home. 

 

I'm tired. 

 

I work a lot of hours. 

 

Exercise for exercise's sake is my idea of torture, but due to my physical limiations I have a hard time getting enough activity just through daily life.  

 

 

I hope you get some good ideas from our PT!  PTs are my favorite medical professional! 

[wendy not in HI]

Laziness which then leads to "no time to go" that's my biggest exercuse (cute word!) I actually enjoy running, and in the past I was really a dedicated runner for years, but we moved and it was easy to not run and I got heavy and running was hard and.... But I'm on a pretty good exercise streak right now.

 

Here are some things that are helping me this week:

 

Having an exercise streak is really motivating - I have a goal check off chart where I am tracking a few things, and it feels good to know I have exercised 4 days in a row.  That makes me want to go five...

 

Last night I wore my exercise wear to bed.  I just needed to put on my sports bra and my shoes and head outside.  

 

Heading outside.  Sometimes I will tell myself that i'm just going to go on a walk.  Once I start walking, I'm probably going to enjoy it and then suddenly I'm running.

 

I just got a fitbit for Mother's Day.  I've never had one and I have really really wanted one for a few years, but just couldn't spend the money on it.  My kids were so sweet and bought it for me for mother's day! They have never done anything like that before.  It is sad to see how little I walk in my regular daily life.  If I don't go for a run, I might not get over 5000 steps in... My fitbit also gives me a little nudge to remind me to get 250 steps in each hour. So if I've been sitting at the computer for a while, it will remind me to get up and go for a walk.  I love that!

 

In the past, having a running buddy was really motivating.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

I know, yet another excuse, but this is truly a problem for me.  I would like to take more walks, but I would prefer not to walk alone.  However, when my husband walks with me, he walks so much faster than I can.  I'd have to run to keep up with his regular pace.  He is quite a bit taller so that is probably part of it.  This then puts me in a very bad mood.  So now I avoid taking walks with him at all. 

 

 

[Laurie4b]

I know, yet another excuse, but this is truly a problem for me.  I would like to take more walks, but I would prefer not to walk alone.  However, when my husband walks with me, he walks so much faster than I can.  I'd have to run to keep up with his regular pace.  He is quite a bit taller so that is probably part of it.  This then puts me in a very bad mood.  So now I avoid taking walks with him at all. 

 

That's a hard one. We have the opposite problem: I am Mz. Quickpace and Dh meanders. His legs are quite a bit longer than mine, though, so he can pick up his pace. It would be much harder if things  were reversed. And like you, due to some life experiences, there are few places I feel safe walking alone. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

That's a hard one. We have the opposite problem: I am Mz. Quickpace and Dh meanders. His legs are quite a bit longer than mine, though, so he can pick up his pace. It would be much harder if things  were reversed. And like you, due to some life experiences, there are few places I feel safe walking alone. 

 

The crazy thing is I don't meander at all.  I truly am walking as fast as I can. 

 

For the longest time I felt like he was trying to walk away on purpose.  This especially made me mad when the kids would go with us because I was the one stuck paying attention to them not running into the road and stuff.  So I just stopped walking anywhere with him.  Now that's not an issue (with the kids), but hell I might as well walk by myself under the circumstances. 

[hornblower]

I pay for my Zumba classes in advance & I don't like to waste money. So instead of paying drop in fees for Zumba, I commit & pay for my classes ahead of time.  

I do 5/week right now & they're all scheduled on our calendar so everyone knows when I have class & when I don't. It would be odd for me not to go as it's up there on the calendars with everyone else's other responsibilities.  You don't cut physics class and I don't skip Zumba ...

I have dogs so I walk 2-3 / day with them but for the last couple years I've always had at least one senior dog so our walks are more leisurely rambles than walks. I can no longer count the 1-2 hours as exercise (hence I had to ramp up my Zumba. When the dogs were young & we were power walking or walk/jogging I counted that towards my exercise goals...) 

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by hornblower

[kiana]

I pay for my Zumba classes in advance & I don't like to waste money. So instead of paying drop in fees for Zumba, I commit & pay for my classes ahead of time. 

 

 

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is frequently motivated by "I paid for this, I better use it!"

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh yeah.  As much as I hate gyms, I am motivated by the fact I paid for it.  Also, if I manage to get myself there I don't come up with excuses. I'm there...nothing else to do there...might as well exercise.

 

I haven't been to a gym in awhile though.

 

 

[Mom-ninja.]

I highly recommend Hot Sweaty Mama

[MEmama]

DH and I have taken up the sports that DS loves, and getting our little Energizer Bunny out the door to exercise/play is never a challenge. DH took up running and I finally fell in love with road cycling (instead of just meandering) so now those are family activities we do almost daily.

 

We used to do a fair bit of hiking but after DS got Lyme we are less inclined now. Cycling gets us out (our rural roads are really quiet) mostly without the worry of ticks. We mountain bike quite a bit as well, though we have to be more mindful of course.

 

Walking is something I enjoy alone. It's pretty much the only time I get to listen to music and I generally get a lot of thinking done. DH and I always walk after dinner as well, and take several walks on weekends when he's home.

 

When the weather is bad I resort to videos. I really love kettle bells and the medicine ball, but have to force myself to get started. Still, I find them fun and effective if not as satisfying as a long hard ride. In the winter we ski and snowshoe all season.

 

Mostly, some kind of exercise is just built in to our everyday routines and things we like to do together as a family.

[Shellydon]

I hate it. Seriously hate it. When I finally force myself to exercise, I will often cry throughout. I would rather go get a root canal, that is way easier.

[Carol in Cal.]

For me the most hard thing is starting.

I don't know that I have a cure for it.

I think getting a standing computer desk would probably help a lot.  I do spend more witless hours on the computer than I'd care to admit.

[hornblower]

I hate it. Seriously hate it. When I finally force myself to exercise, I will often cry throughout. I would rather go get a root canal, that is way easier.

 

Do you like to dance? 

[Soror]

Exuses- my erratic health, time, money

 

Strategies-

-pre-schedule exercise during my best hrs of the day

- Go even of I"m feeling bad and do the best I can

- prioritize movement- I decided this year we were doing daily walks, regardless of what gets cut

- do things I enjoy

- keep motivated talking to friends IRL and online

- change things up

- build a lifestyle around being active

-make goals

-work really hard to prioritize my health using whatever means I can to make sure I have the energy and trying to be forgiving of myself when i can't do as much

[Laurie4b]

The crazy thing is I don't meander at all.  I truly am walking as fast as I can. 

 

For the longest time I felt like he was trying to walk away on purpose.  This especially made me mad when the kids would go with us because I was the one stuck paying attention to them not running into the road and stuff.  So I just stopped walking anywhere with him.  Now that's not an issue (with the kids), but hell I might as well walk by myself under the circumstances. 

 

Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to imply that *you* meandered, just explaining how someone with long legs can go more slowly than someone with short legs (our family!) 

[wendy not in HI]

Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to imply that *you* meandered, just explaining how someone with long legs can go more slowly than someone with short legs (our family!) 

 

This is my experience, too.  My dh is almost a foot taller than me, but he is the sloooooowest walker.  Sometimes I wonder how he can walk that slow and stay upright (like if you are riding a bike too slow, you will fall over - that's the image I get in my head when we are walking together.)  It kills me.  And having walked with friends, I know that I am not the fastest walker around...  

 

We also can't run together, as he is a much faster runner than me.  I'm more of a jogger.  He likes to sprint and walk.  And even his slow run is faster than me (even though he rarely runs).  That drives me crazy too.  How can someone who never exercises be better at it??  No fair! 

 

All that to say - it's hard to find the right walking/jogging buddy!  My daughter wanted to start running last summer, so we jogged together a few times.  She would have to walk and would say "slow down, wait for me, I haven't run in a year..." then like a week later, she was suddenly running too fast for me and didn't want to go with me any more!  So mean!!  I've been meaning to put a want ad in my local facebook group: slow jogger mom looking for a friend who "runs" an 11:00 mile with hopes of improving.  

[Shellydon]

Do you like to dance? 

 

No.  I am the poster child of clumsy. 

[Matryoshka]

I need to have other people to keep me accountable.  I used to do Pilates for years but then my life got too hectic when the kids hit high school and all had to be ferried in different directions multiple times a day.  I told myself I'd just do the Pilates at home - after so many years, I'd memorized the entire routine, but apparently I have NO willpower if I can find an exercuse (love that term!) And then I put on weight because in the little down time I had I kept snacking (probably to reward myself for having to be the taxi and not do anything I really wanted to do).

 

Finally one has a license!  And their classes have stopped for the year, so my time is finally freeing up.  Last summer I took up rowing, and I just started again.  I really love it, I love how it makes me feel, both during and after.  I still always feel like I'm too tired to go, lol, but if I don't I'm leaving a bunch of other people in the lurch - got to fill the boat!  And I'm always sooo happy while I'm there, so I do it. :)

 

Now to figure out what to do all winter.  Last winter I swore I would do stuff at home, but I've just got to admit that's never going to work.  Have to find another Pilates class, or something else...  I just have to admit that I need outside accountability, and I'm never going to 'save' money by doing it at home.  :glare:   Nope, that just leaves me fat and flabby...

[kiana]

Now to figure out what to do all winter.  Last winter I swore I would do stuff at home, but I've just got to admit that's never going to work.  Have to find another Pilates class, or something else...  I just have to admit that I need outside accountability, and I'm never going to 'save' money by doing it at home.  :glare:   Nope, that just leaves me fat and flabby...

 

Yeah, I am sooooo bad about doing anything other than a very brief bodyweight training set at home. Seriously, about five exercises is the max. I see people talk about doing yoga with videos but I always get distracted by kitten videos when I try that.

[Julie Smith]

I'm 5 foot 7, my Dh is 6 foot 2. Often when we walk together he will ask if i'm in a hurry for some reason. I just remind him that is my natural walking pace and I'm not hurrying, and then I slow it down. I don't mind slowing it down, I just sometimes need to be reminded to. 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

Yeah, I am sooooo bad about doing anything other than a very brief bodyweight training set at home. Seriously, about five exercises is the max. I see people talk about doing yoga with videos but I always get distracted by kitten videos when I try that.

I am just the opposite.

To me, having to dress up, drive to a gym, drive home, shower, and go about my day is sheer overwhelm.  If I didn't sweat it would be different, but I do and then I feel bad until I bathe, so really the only way for me to exercise is first thing in the morning at home or outside nearby, before I bathe in the first place.  Otherwise it takes too long and I never seem to actually do it.

 

Exercise that I have stuck with at home:

"Strong Women Stay Young"--this is a book that teaches proper form free weight exercises.  I had to stop when I went back to working fulltime, but might start again.  This was not aerobic but I coupled it with Couch Potato to 5K outside, and got both.  There is some question whether weight lifting causes blood vessel and/or pressure problems in your eyes, both of which I have a family history of, so I'm a little bit leery of this.

 

Exercise biking while reading a book--the book cuts the sheer boredom.  Once I got bursitis this was no longer healthy for me though, but I did it regularly for a long time.  A treadmill wouldn't have worked because there would be no way to prop up the book.

 

An older HealthRider--the kind that has a smooth, rowing machine-like action, coupled with watching videos on Amazon Prime.  That is better for bursitis, because your legs work together rather than in opposition.  It was great, I got so much more flexible than before, and it's been a fairly permanent shift.  I hurt my knees doing a stretch video and had to take a break from this but plan to return to it in August or so.

 

Exercise that I have stuck with outside:

Weekly hiking club with young children--We met Fridays after school hours, drove for 20-30 minutes, and hiked until dark.  This was fun and a great entry level exercise for me because it was so slow for the elementary school aged kids.

 

Couch Potato to 5K:  I LOVED this.  I got totally hooked on the endorphins.  I had not realized that you could validly get exercise in jogging/walking intervals.  That changed my whole view of aerobics.  And since I have asthma, the idea that I could slow down and catch my breath without making the whole operation meaningless/useless was fantastic.  There is a park near my home with a packed dirt track that is 1/2 mile around, and I would go over there about every other day.  But once I got bursitis I couldn't do this anymore.

 

What I will do next:

I plan to go back to the Health Rider and to Classical Stretch videos (but not as vigorously) once my knees are all better.  In the meantime, I am taking a Restorative Dance class from an Alexander teacher--it is awesome and I'm carrying the experience into my everyday life, to good effect.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[BooksandBoys]

The kids. I can't leave them in the house as I go outside to run. I can't run circle around them in the park because the youngest either attaches hinself to me or wanders. I can't push the stroller without getting hurt (it's lame. I've tried the real jogging strollers with no success). I can't exercise in the house when youngest is awake because he clings or tantrums. Husband works A Lot so can't stay with them as often as I'd like, unless I'm up at 4:30am. Not happening...my younger two still wake me up in hr night several times a week. So, that leaves youngest' snap time (which ha giving up...ahhhhhh!). I am usually very good snit working out when he's asleep, but if I get overtired or over busy, it's very easy for me to talk myself out of that afternoon time slot. The best pattern of exercise I've had since having kids was when I had a gym membership and worked 12-8s. Since my son was already in bed when I got off work, I felt no guilt about heading straight to the gym most evenings. It was awesome.

 

My best method for combatting the exercuses (great term, OP) is stickers on my calendar each day I exercise. I really like streaks, and even when I miss a day, the visual of how much I've done that month helps me stay motivated.

[kiana]

My best method for combatting the exercuses (great term, OP) is stickers on my calendar each day I exercise. I really like streaks, and even when I miss a day, the visual of how much I've done that month helps me stay motivated.

 

Stickers worked great for me when I was in K and they work great now. I have a list of 10 things I need for my 'didn't fail adulting' sticker and if I get 7/10 (C is passing!) I get a sticker :)

[Laurie4b]

Stickers worked great for me when I was in K and they work great now. I have a list of 10 things I need for my 'didn't fail adulting' sticker and if I get 7/10 (C is passing!) I get a sticker :)

 

That is so funny! I love the "Didn't fail adulting" goal! :lol:   Glad it's effective for you! 

[teachermom2834]

Safety.

 

I want to get out to walk. Then I start thinking how isolated my neighborhood is or how secluded parts of the town walking trail are. My mind starts wandering to all the things that can go wrong. Bad guys/dogs/ injury and too far to get home/ kids need me but I am miles away.

 

Sounds pretty neurotic but I have talked myself out of walks many days. Sometimes even once I am out on the trail :(

[6packofun]

It's being tired for me, too!  I do a lot of self pep talk, I guess.  I remind myself, sometimes out loud, how GOOD that hot tub or shower feels after a workout with slightly sore muscles.  I really do love that feeling, but when you feel achy and bleaaahhh *before* it is tough to get motivated.  The "prize" for me afterwards is that bodily feeling of accomplishment!  I treasure the downtime for my brain, too, when it comes to working out.  I seriously don't think about much of anything and it's wonderful.  LOL

[Laurie4b]

Safety.

 

I want to get out to walk. Then I start thinking how isolated my neighborhood is or how secluded parts of the town walking trail are. My mind starts wandering to all the things that can go wrong. Bad guys/dogs/ injury and too far to get home/ kids need me but I am miles away.

 

Sounds pretty neurotic but I have talked myself out of walks many days. Sometimes even once I am out on the trail :(

 

Not neurotic at all, imo. I've had experiences in the past that led me to decide that it is not safe  I think that is reasonable. So I always find someone to go with me. 

[cintinative]

We are a lot alike. 

 

So what do you do inside?  My Zumba instructor used to teach 3x/wk. Because of other stuff going on, she dropped down to 1 x/wk. I haven't found a substitute yet. 

 

I LOVE to exercise outside.... but only in spring and fall. 

 

I have been doing stuff on Fitnessblender.com   It's free, and you can add stuff to a calendar (and check it off when you are done!) and they have hundreds of workouts. Anything from five minutes to 90 minutes.  They have pilates, jump rope, HIIT, strength training, etc.  It's no frills--there is no music or anything, but I like the instruction. They don't yell at you, and they are good at describing proper form.  I have never been this consistent with working out before, and I love that.  I attribute it to being able to mix it up when I want.

 

I have a bunch of workouts saved in my favorites, but I find I do better when I choose ahead of time what I am going to do and put it in my calendar. 

 

Currently, I do arm strength workouts (free weights) Sunday and Thursday. Monday and Friday I do leg strength workouts (free weights). Tuesday I do a HIIT/Abs workout and Saturday I usually run with a group of ladies or in my subdivision or on the "dreadmill"  I have to modify some of the leg exercises because lunges are super bad for my knees. Squats are okay most of the time. So instead of lunges I use ankle weights and do leg lifts, etc. 

 

I personally really like Tabata style workouts. Some people hate them because you are repeating the same exercise eight times, but I enjoy the challenge of them.  Also it gives me a good amount of time to focus on form.  

[cintinative]

Safety.

 

I want to get out to walk. Then I start thinking how isolated my neighborhood is or how secluded parts of the town walking trail are. My mind starts wandering to all the things that can go wrong. Bad guys/dogs/ injury and too far to get home/ kids need me but I am miles away.

 

Sounds pretty neurotic but I have talked myself out of walks many days. Sometimes even once I am out on the trail :(

 

It's not neurotic. I once was supposed to meet someone for a run on a bike trail (think wooded and isolated) and it was super SUPER foggy and my friend did not show. Someone was sitting in the parking lot in a truck with their lights on for what seemed like an eternity and I just thought--I am going to get abducted.  I was so freaked. I ran 1/2 mile this way of the parking lot and a 1/2 mile the other way a couple of times and called it a day. On the plus side, I ran faster than normal.  =)

 

I don't mind running in my sub if it is in the morning or during the day--I feel pretty safe.  

 

I had an experience in college that really made me feel unsafe in certain places by myself and I have never shook that feeling. So I know what you mean.

[lllll]

Bugs.  I hate fighting mosquitoes and gnats and ticks when I'm outside.  So what I did was find places more in town where there are hardly any bugs.  For the bug season, that means dh and I drive 5 minutes to a big, empty parking lot every evening before sundown.  It's not as boring as I thought it would be.  There's a groundhog who lives on the hill.  And there was a baby hawk whose Mama was teaching it to fly for a week or so.  And a lot of different birds to watch.  And the different trees.  And dh, of course. 

 

My dh used to walk really fast, too, like others said.  Very annoying.  So I began walking with my dc before he got home and let him walk with the kids who didn't mind running or riding bikes to keep up with him.  Now that the kids are gone and dh's old knee injury is acting up, the playing field has been leveled and we walk more the same pace.  Sometimes I even walk faster then he does.  Like tonight.  I was walking faster than he was, swatting him on the rear with my flyswatter that I take to brush the bugs away, telling him to 'Speed it up!'.  lol   He laughed and said his knee was hurting, so I slowed down for him.  Stuff like that makes it more interesting.  And once the bugs have died out a little, we'll go back to walking in the neighborhood here.  And I can walk alone here because there are always people walking their dogs, all day long.

 

I enjoy shoveling snow, too.  And walking in snow.  I have ice cleats to keep from slipping and hurting myself.  I love the snow.  :)

 

I also ride an exercise bike indoors.  That would be boring if I didn't have a thing to hold my book so I can read as I ride.  I usually do some of my Bible reading that way.  And I put the bike so I can see out a window with a nice view.  And, while I'm riding the bike, I do my hand exerciser.  Kind of killing several birds with one stone - seems to help.

 

   

[SemiSweet]

I second the fitness blender workouts. All the videos are free but you can pay for a program. My last 8 week program lasted 11 weeks but that included my own runs, spin days, and a two week break for a back issue. The videos are no frill. They're normal people and they're good about explaining what's going on. I'm not losing weight, but I'm more fit and firm than I have been in a long time. I actually like working out though and rarely have to talk myself into it. I tend to injure myself when I get too zealous and have to work to talk myself out of it,