May I get some suggestions on how to start exercising? Motivation.

[Bertha Venation]

I need help getting motivated. There are reasons for exercising and I would like to hear them from outside my own head.

Suggestions? Ideas on how to get motivated?

Thanks!

PS I have been gaining weight in the last few months. I am afraid to get on the scales because I fear I've topped my all-time high. I have HBP, Hep C, type II diabetes, fatty liver. I have many reasons to exercise. I need some help getting started.

[Pacifist Patriot]

1. I've always found poking around a bees nest is a great way to start a running program.

Honestly?

For motivation, nothing beats an exercise buddy. I totally fall off the exercise wagon when my husband is traveling. When he's home we inspire each other to go for a walk, head to the Y, hop on our elliptical (one at a time of course).

Reasons?

I probably couldn't come up with any you haven't already thought of yourself.

Health benefits
Self-esteem

Pick an event in the future where you want to "wow" people with your fitness accomplishments. (For example, I just got invited to speak at my alma mater. I'm off to lose 10 pounds before the middle of January. Great! Right through the holiday season)

Good luck!

[LynneSin]

2. At this point just move

I'm like you - I need to exercize but hardly find any motivation.

I bought a Wii for the FIT and I hate the FIT - crappy thing that worried more about my balance then getting me in shape.

On a whim I bought "Just Dance" for Wii and I've been having fun with that. I do it for about 45 minutes a night, it's corny but for me it's a start.

[suninvited]

13. I was thinking about getting that

the Just Dance. Maybe I will now.

My grandson thinks it is hilarious when I dance around at all, he would probably be very entertained and I could get started on getting back in shape.

[LynneSin]

15. I had alot of fun with it - got the "Just Dance 2". It was easy to do

and it's not like Rock Star where if you suck you get boo'd off stage. I mean you get points if you follow things perfectly but I just had fun with it.

[semillama]

3. Start easy with something that doesn't take long and you can stick to.

Try a half-hour walk first thing in the morning, right after you brush your teeth and get dressed, but before breakfast. Do that three days a week, and then after you've done that a couple weeks, add in some basic bodyweight exercises on the days you aren't walking: Squats, pushups, lunges. Just get your body used to moving. From there, look at other exercise programs.


Alternately, you could go the other direction and look at a program like Body-for-life, which I've had some success with.

[MiddleFingerMom]

4. I'm in cardiac rehab right now and just had a GREAT class this week...

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...that gave me a much better understanding of my meds. And also how exercise affects the
mechanism that can lead/add to HBP and diabetes specifically.
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Weight off, obviously... is going to help your diabetes... but exercise dilates your blood
vessels, which will help naturally lower your BP.
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Lately, my BP has been JUST on the other side of the border of what's conidered "high" when
I get to my exercise session -- but is in the absolutely healthy midrange during and after
(though my heart rate rises -- but that is fleeting compared to the effects on my BP).
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At one point, I was FIFTY pounds heavier than I am now (20 of them lost during a bad period
of health, but the other 30 intentional). You forget how much easier EVERYFUCKINGTHING is
when you shed some excessive pounds.
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But that's longterm and shaky as a motivator... the BP is immediate -- and high BP is such
a harmful factor in virtually everything you've listed above.
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Brisk walking is an amazingly effective exercise -- and probably much better for you than
"better, faster" methods of weight loss.
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Music, or my favorite... a nature recording of a rainstorm during your walks (if you're by
yourself -- conversation, maybe out-of-breath conversation if you can find a buddy/group
with which to walk.
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It all comes/starts from within: "I can do this." "I WILL do this" "I am better than this."
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And you can. You will. You are.
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[mike_c]

5. Bertha....

Here's my story:

First, I had some health issues that emerged a decade or so ago which, combined with an increasingly sedentary life-style as I progressed through middle age, and an increasingly stressful job, led me to suddenly put on a LOT of weight. I topped out at 280 lbs a couple of years ago. My partner had similar experiences-- at least we were BOTH obese and unhealthy at the same time, LOL. Anyway, when we began planning for retirement-- another story altogether, probably without such a happy ending-- we looked at ourselves and said "This has to change." What's the point of retiring if all you can do is sit on the couch?

We joined a gym.

Now, I'll admit that I was worried about being the fattest, unhealthiest middle aged man there. I wasn't. In fact, most of the crowd reflects the general age distribution of our society, which means they're mostly about my age. Boomers. Most were in better shape than we were at the time, but I've since learned that there is a constant influx of new members in exactly the same position. My point is that there was no reason for embarrassment.

We started VERY slowly, mostly light cardio exercises, i.e. treadmills and eliptical trainers, for the first few weeks, then we transitioned to a mix of cardio and weight training. Frankly, while the cardio workouts probably promote general fitness better, I think the weight training is most beneficial for weight loss. Along the way, we started paying more attention to diet, too. Not dieting, per se, just portion control and good food. It was challenging, but if you start slow, you can do it.

We've been doing this for nearly two years now. We go to the gym 3-4 times weekly, sometimes together, other times not. At first, having a workout buddy was useful for generating motivation to get up and go, but after a while we both developed our own motives. I have lost 60 lbs-- I'm down to 220 and my goal is 190 (I'm a big guy). My partner has lost 50 lbs (she's actually doing even better than I am). More to the point, we both feel much better. I mean, I can't even begin to express how much better I feel, both generally-- all the time-- and after a good workout. Throw in a sauna afterward and I'm relaxed but energized all day.

The key is to not expect rapid results. You WILL feel changes in your body quickly, but sustained weight loss should be long and slow. We've been at this for nearly two years, and still have a ways to go. It becomes a lifestyle. It really works.

The payoff is more than just weight loss. Two years ago we went on our annual spring break camping trip in Saline Valley with some friends-- we've been doing something similar for years. My health was so bad that I spent the entire week sitting on a chair in camp, and required a cane to walk at all. Last year-- one year later-- I was able to hike again, albeit with some limitations. This year I'll be mountain biking and hiking, with no more limits than would be the case for most men my age.

[rurallib]

21. You will simply feel so much better

as I get older my exercise regime has gotten easier, but boy if I miss 2 days in a row I feel like crap and can't sleep.

My kids got me an exercise ball a couple years ago. I have developed a fairly tough routine I can do while watch TV. So I usuall watch some FSTV and exercise.

[Kali]

6. me too, Bertha

I was doing so well until the end of October/early November and now it got cold and I have really lost a lot of motivation.

BUT... I am determined to get back to it starting today (another freaking birthday and still at "way too fat") and I have in my mind how I got going earlier this year - MAKE yourself do whatever it is for 3 weeks, NO exceptions - that is how long it takes to become more of a habit than just a nasty chore - then you can evaluate what else to add or change. I started walking a tiny bit - 10-15 minutes and worked up to a couple of miles. It really made a difference after the 3 weeks and I would actually miss it if I had to skip a day - and I hate walking in general.

If you have access to a gym or someplace with an indoor pool, swimming would be MY choice of a daily exercise. God I wish I had one of those heated lap pools - getting some sun, swimming all winter would be FABULOUS to me.

Good luck, just go right now and huff for 10 minutes - walk around the block or up and down some stairs (OUCH, I know - the knees) then do it again tomorrow. Do it instead of a coffee break or like somebody said first thing in the morning so it will be over with, then you can start doing it again in the evenings for pleasure instead of just the "exercise chore"

[Lucinda]

7. Pop in some music and just dance :)

Then its fun and not a chore.

[snooper2]

8. First, right after you read this turn the freaking computer OFF

Next...Go outside and do something productive..

Clean out the gutters, clean out the garage,

Clean the flowerbeds so they are ready for spring planting...

Dig a couple holes for some new trees (perfect time of year to plant trees FYI)

Clean out a room in the house that looks like shit- empty it..decide on a paint color and get to work...

Detail your car..Detail your wifes car

Ever look in all your cabinets and pantries? Probably look like crap. Empty them of everthing. Clean, fresh coat of white paint. Properly re-organize everything. Including under the sink, under bathroom vanities...

Last time the ceiling fans got a good scrub? How about the windows? Take em' apart and clean.

Fuck it, start sanding/scraping on the house and paint it

Have a garden? design one and build raised beds. Hammer, nails, some old scrap wood. Need dirt, find high spots in the yard and you can level the yard and get dirt at the same time.

Got shrubs? They probably need some pruning. Don't have a hedger? Do it the old school way with some good clippers..

[Chan790]

9. That's great advice but...

the weather here (Metro DC. Roughly the same area BV is in) is currently in the high-30s/low-40s, lightly-raining and windy with a wind-chill that if I had to guess is in low-30s/high-20s. I'd advise not going outside...I had to walk to the supermarket and it took me longer to get warm than it did to walk there and back, a distance of maybe a .25mi. (I idiotically wore a hoodie that is soaked.)

It's a good laundry day, especially if there are stairs involved. Also, yes, pantries always seem to need cleaning.

[Sweet Freedom]

10. Be sure to do something you like.

I HATE exercising, but I love dancing and being girly. I used to Tango and take Jazz classes, but both of those options fell through. Now, (don't laugh) I take a chair dancing class for my legs and arms and (don't laugh) bellydancing for my abs and hips. I have a total blast, so I keep doing it. (I also do the Wii dance, but I'm more disciplined with a scheduled class.)

Anyway, you obviously might love something completely different--skiing, hiking, rumba, yoga, biking--whatever, just start small and set reasonable goals. Good luck!

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. Getting Started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0YCoEu9KyE

[AngryAmish]

12. I was tired of looking fat

Plus I was down to my "fat guy" pants. So I started last Friday and already lost three pounds. ONly 12 more to go!


Motivation for you? It feels good. Just get the old heart pumping for an hour gives you a buzz after.

[AngryOldDem]

14. Just make up your mind to do it.

Set aside a time when you can do something -- walk, get on an exercise bike, get to the gym, whatever. Put your favorite tunes on an iPod, and you'll be surprised how fast the time goes. Vary your routine so you don't get bored. Start with maybe 15 minutes or so a day or every other day, and increase that as you feel stronger. And you DO feel better after some exercise.

But setting your mind to doing it, and keeping to a schedule, is your first step. Been there, done that. Good luck.

[wickerwoman]

16. I really like The Biggest Loser.

OK, it's kind of a tacky reality show and they spend a lot of time beeping on scales, but the trainers are great and it does get you motivated. I do crunches during the commercial breaks and almost always go for a long walk afterwards. You can watch back seasons various places on the internets. The Australian version of the Biggest Loser is on Youtube.

Other than that, find something you really enjoy and make some time for it. Try something totally new- dancing, swimming, rollerblading, kendo, whatever. Keep mixing it up so you don't get bored.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. It's easiest for me to exercise when I take a class

It's social, and there's peer pressure to show up. I used to do Jazzercize back in the 1980s, but my knees will no longer take high-impact activities for more than about 10 minutes at a time, so I do deep water aerobics and plan to start a weight training class after I get over this cold.

If you can't afford to join a gym, see if your local school district or community recreation center offers exercise classes.

[cwydro]

18. I love to exercise.

I love to run, but that is not everyone's cup of tea I know.

Getting on a bicycle is easy though and you can just ride around the neighborhood if you want. Do you like to swim? That is a fun exercise.

Walking is boring where I live (on a one mile by one mile island) lol, but if you look at it as exploring and find new places to walk, it can be fun.

Gardening is fantastic exercise and another fave of mine.

If nothing else, park as far as you can from any store where you shop. Those extra steps add up. Never ever take an elevator. Take the stairs.

[applegrove]

19. You need to start with a CD player with head phones. Then you run until you get very tired and then

you walk. You run/walk for 2 miles. You do that every day and one day soon you realize you have just run two miles. Which is awesome.

[Bertha Venation]

20. Thank you to everyone for your encouragement and suggestions.

:bounce:

[AngryOldDem]

22. Good luck, stick to it, don't get discouraged...

...and celebrate all the little victories you'll see once you get started!

[sarge43]

23. Get a full length mirror, put it some place private,

strip, stand in front of it, scream, recover, scream again, then find an exercise you'll stick to. Every week repeat until you can see yourself and say, "Lookin' good babe."

[applegrove]

24. Get the best of madonna albums because there is a beat to most of her songs.

[Dr Morbius]

25. Some motivational thoughts:

Afraid to get on the scales? That's unacceptable as a reason for delay, and I think you know it. Being free means not having to live in fear; allowing fear to prevent you from moving in what you know to be the proper direction... that just won't cut it. Not at all.

It's better to be armed with the truth; this is something you probably keep in mind while voting so why not at all times? You have diabetes and don't monitor your weight? Ignorance isn't bliss, it's downright dangerous! Knock this foolishness off immediately!

So get an exercise buddy, a pal who will work out with you or simply hire a personal trainer if you have the means.

[kwassa]

26. Motivation? It will keep you alive longer. Much longer.

The benefits of exercise are endless, now that I am back into it. I feel so much better.

I am a runner again after a 15 year break. This is due to a heart attack last January. I was completely shocked, as I have no risk factors for heart disease. I have it, anyways.

Exercise raises the good cholesterol level, which helps rid the body of bad cholesterol. My good cholesterol is way up, bad cholesterol way down, and I have also lost 25 pounds, which makes everything in life much easier. I feel great.

You need to find a form of exercise that YOU enjoy, and find people to do it with. All exercise is good exercise, really.

[XemaSab]

27. Start by eating healthy for a few days

Your motivation to be active will improve.

Also, is there somewhere nearby that you can walk to, like the coffee shop or the library? :shrug:

[pitohui]

28. i think you get motivated by finding an activity you like

almost all of the birdwatchers i know are active, maybe they're not all perfectly skinny but they are motivated to keep walking and to maintain enough mobility to get up and down a few hills, because you never know what rare bird is lurking over there

both of my parents have been big on walking (and other exercise) lifelong, even tho they don't know the birds, they just like to be in the outdoors

but most people i know who genuinely like to exercise and make it a part of their day, it's because they are doing something like or getting condition for something they like, it can be birdwatching, it can be a marathon, doesn't really matter, there's some reason to be doing the exercise, you're not just a hamster on a wheel which can't inspire any intelligent person for long

find something you like to do that's active and view the exercise as training for it, that's my opinion

i have exercised almost every day since i was 10, i really don't feel right if i'm not able to!

i assume w. your conditions, your docs have suggested walking or swimming, to me, swimming is a pain, you get wet, but for some people it really takes them out of their day and gives them a new outlook on life

pretty much depends on what YOU enjoy

also some people find that precious 30 minutes or 45 minutes alone or whatever really becomes important to them, if you like to just walk and observe and not be observed, that might work for you

others need the peer pressure of classes, gyms, etc. but that totally doesn't work for me, makes me self conscious and spoils the enjoyment of the exercise but again that is SO individual

[MrMickeysMom]

29. If you can, do it first thing in am...

Then, there's no excuse... the rest of the day is yours to enjoy. You've done a half hour - DONE! What a way to make yourself feel you've accomplished. You will also think clearer for the rest of the day.

Tips:

warm up your limbs for about 2 minutes, walk, stairs, lifting, etc.

work out to music, low impact or step aerobics can be done right in your own home, nobody sees

get some bar bell weights for increasing muscle, that will help you burn more cal's - even at rest

Do this at least 3 times a week, but if you can do 3 aerobics at least, that's greatest!

Drink a bunch of water, just splash it with cranberry juice.

Smile... :-)

[K8-EEE]

30. I absolutely LOVE hooping!!

It really has jumpstarted my metabolism and it's FUN! My friend lost 30 pounds in 3 months hooping every day. It's not like a hula hoop, it's a weighted (2 lb) hoop that makes it easier to keep up the momentum. I have 20 minute music sets on my I-pod so usually I do 1 40 minute in the a.m. and 20 minutes in the evening. Repeating: IT'S FUN! Here's some motivation for you:

http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/07/21/whats-new-in-hooping/

[intheflow]

31. Get a dog but not a dog door.

Walk for an hour a day at a good clip (half hour in the morning, half hour at night). I lost about 40 pounds that way. Walking at the fast pace is the key.

[HipChick]

32. BF just lost 45lbs

his motivation was a heart attack...ended up having a triple by-pass..I've nursing him back to health..

[tigereye]

33. walk every day - just make it a habit before work or after

Pick some music you like (shouldn't be hard for you!)and get to it. Do it for Mrs. V and all those you love. Think about the fact that they want to keep you around for a good long while!

good luck! :hi: