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How do you make exercise fun?
Posted by Jaybetee • 8/26/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: exercise
I have been lazy for a long time now, but recently kicked my butt back into gear and started running every night.
I found that after a few days of running on a treadmill it was getting boring. I made a really great playlist just for running. I hung up a mirror over the treadmill so I could talk myself up when I was getting tired and also to just make silly faces and make myself smile, which always provides a burst of energy.
I have found that just being a little silly, making faces at myself or taking a walk break where I do my "modeling" walk, my "rockstar" walk, or my "pimpin" walk definitely helps break up the monotony of running, makes me laugh and makes it a lot more fun.
Just wondering how you make exercise fun?
User Comments
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Run outside. Much more interesting than a treadmill.
I really enjoy exercising so I enjoy just doing it-
I used to run a lot...about 5 miles a day 4 or 5 times a week...and ran outside. But I haven't ran in a while and am pretty out of it. I think the treadmill is easier to get into especially bc it's easier on the ankles and knees. Plus it's like 100 degrees here every day!
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by not doing it.-
Lolita stole my answer -
I'm not buying it...I think i have a very good idea of what she does to make it fun
www.fitnessmagazine.com/health/sex/better-sex-guide/sex-positions-that-doub... -
well since i started my blog, i have lost 8 pounds without trying, so i can say that sex is the only exercise i'm getting
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good for you!
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dang! now she stole MY answer
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You don't...exercise isn't fun, it's boring and painful and mind numbing.
But you can make it more tolerable by watching TV while you run on the treadmill (or, in my case, the orbital thingy). A big screen TV, DVD player, remote, and big bottle of a cold drink within reach and, if you are lucky, you can get sufficiently stuck into a program or movie to forget that you are torturing your body and wasting time.-
I have to listen to music when I run. When I watch TV I tend to watch sports or something else I don't have to listen to.
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Music videos, then.
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Don't make it a "have to do" or a "should do." Do it when you feel like and vary what you do.-
I sure wish that would work for me.
If I were to think that way I wouldnt get out the door.
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we hike on the weekends. I'm not a fan of walking but we hit a different state park every weekend and walk while we enjoy the scenery.
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i'm eagerly awaiting the fall...or at least temps under 100...so that we can start doing more outside.
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Give yourself small challenges and compete against yourself.-
Good idea. When i ran outside I would always pick someone else and try to pass them at the track or in spinning class i would pick someone faster than me and try to match their pedal strokes for as long as possible...need to find good ways to compete with myself too. Distance goals would be good. Try to out do last weeks total this week, etc.
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Never thought about putting up a mirror, although when i lived with my parents i used to watch TV or a video on my ipod to help me keep going.-
@thegoodknife, go to krav maga -
On old spinning instructor who took me on as her project used to always put a mirror in front of me so I could watch and improve my form. I got used to having it there and now I find it quite useful because I can literally look myself in the eyes when I feel like quitting and say don't quit fat ass! Also, just making a funny face or finding some other way to make myself laugh or smile for a second really does provide an energy boost.
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@TonyB is Krav Maga difficult? I've been thinking about starting for awhile now. -
If TonyB can do...you can do it
Honestly though, he never stops talking about it and asks us everyday when we are going with him. I finally caved and said I'd go the first week in September. He said it's hard, but they encourage everyone to go at their own pace and since everyone is focusing on their own punching bag you don't feel bad if you take a rest bc no one really notices. So, I'll give it a try and hope I don't drop dead! -
@yourfindfit Krav Maga is the most amazing way to get into shape..... it's fun too!
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I have contraction orgasms when I do cardio...
....so yes, I'd say it's pretty fun.-
ok... huh? how so?
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iPod -
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Music is the best option for jogging exercise ,because of its type.Actually jogging is the best way to reduce that fat.Make that interesting and funny with doing some of these-
.Try to go beyond a treadmill.See the morning nature.Feel the healthy and fresh air.
.Use ipods will you run.Make steps faster according to the songs.
.Add friends to jogging group.
.Run with them,over them.beat them in the race.Make a happy workout-
Used to run with my girlfriend...hated it. She wanted to talk the whole time and I wanted to listen to music. I really can't run w/o music. Plus, I'm a guy and I often fart when i first start running. She'd always make comments about it to the point where i felt the need to hold them in. It is not easy to run when you have to fart. Finally i gave up and ran by myself again. I like the time alone to think...and fart! It's cleansing
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*imagines jbt jogging to tuba music*
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Ha ha ha JBT,you'd taken warm water early!.Anyway,its always restless running with girls.They talk about each n everything in the world.But take it as fact that let you to enjoy farting.Do it peacefully.No rushes n no pushes.Let her go in front of you.I don't think no girl ever try to talk with turned their body,because of the strain.
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"Just wondering how you make exercise fun?"
Variety. Avoid doing anything repetitiously as that leads to boredom real fast. Listening to the same playlist on your iPod when you exercise can add to the boredom. Cross-train, mix it up as much as possible. Kinetically speaking, cross-training is better for your joints and muscles than anything repetitive.
When you first get back into exercising (or start exercising), it is really uncomfortable and hard. It gets easier as you do it more regularly. I'm like DB. I exercise all thet time and I love movement.
Find what you enjoy with movement and do that to help motivate yourself to get going.-
I used to love it and it was remembering that feeling and hating feeling lazy that is getting me back into it. I think tapping into that love of feeling good and healthy is the key. I've been running every day for the past few days and each day I feel better, happier and healthier than the day before.
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That's awesome. Keep celebrating and focussing on the successes. Really try to avoid the traps of "I'm too tired today" or "I should be able to go farther by now" or "Look how fast that kid beside me is running"...etc.
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I almost gave in last night. it was about 10:30 pm by the time I put my son to sleep and cleaned up from dinner, but I just threw on my sneakers and put in a quick two miles. I'll tell you what, I'm glad I did because I went to bed feeling great and woke up feeling great...a little sore, but great.
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Involving friends is always a good idea. When I work out with friends, we usually take turns in choosing the program for different days. When we do jump ropes we take turns or see who quits first. Loser buys lunch. Stuff like that makes it pretty cool and takes out the monotony from exercising.
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i have never had workout buddies that lasted but i do love spinning classes because of the group atmosphere and the little races, etc some people build into the class.
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I walked by one of those spinning classes and was scared to go in. They go fast!
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yeah, but usually they turn the lights down and every class I have been in has a mix of beginners and veterans. No one really pays attention to how fast you're going and no one has any idea how high you have your resistance. So if you're tired either slow down or just reduce your resistance to keep up. It doesn't take too long to get into it and once you start you build up pretty quickly.
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You could mix and match, I sometimes simply try something new whilst at gym...or walk to gym .. saying that I have not been to the gym for aweek now.. I guess sometimes we just need to kick start our motivation..:) -
By reading tips on Stay-Fit Bug dotcom... seriously -
cool I will check it out fo sho!
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;-)
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I wear Chinese love eggs and nipple clamps on all 24 of my pendulous lavender nipples.-
Work it baby.
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Work out with a partner.
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I have been excercising for so many years that I don't think about doing it, but I enjoy all of it while I'm doing it, and if I don't go to the gym at least once a day, I miss it almost immediately. Yoga, swimming, weightlifting, crunches, rowing, biking. I'm as addicted to it as I am to eating and sleeping. And I enjoy the gym for social contact. The cross-section of interesting people is amazing. -
I run on my treadmill which I have in my patio. Both me and passers by have great fun. -
pay someone else to do it for you ;-)-
that made me laugh...I wish
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I almost always use different things for exercise. I switch it between my Wii Fit/balance board enabled games, treadmill, outside adventures, hiking, swimming, jogging, fitness videos, and DDR!-
what is DDR?
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Do exercise challenges for charity?
I did the moonwalk in June (26.2 miles of plod) and am now planning to run in 5km Santa Dash in December.
Which means that I have done a shit load more exercise than last year, nothing regular though.
Although I think the fun will be people laughing at me.-
they're laughing with you, not at you!
I should sign up for a 5K. I'm already back to running 2 miles in just a few days/ What's 5k? Like 3.5 miles or so? I'm sure I can get to that point very quickly.
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Walking 25 miles a day will get you in shape quick. If you do not eat at least 4000 calories a day wile walking that much your body will eat you alive! I can eat as much as I want when on this walk! Walking across America is fun, it is a experience of a lifetime. Sell you house, car, stuff, wife (joking), and get out on the road and explore America one step at a time.
Escape the 10x10 cubicle and explore the unexplored!-
That's kinda what this family did...http://www.surfwisefilm.com/
Just watched it last night. Very interesting family and worth a watch. might check out the book by "Doc," the guy the movie focused on. his book is called "Surfing and Health," (www.alohadoc.com/home.htm).
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I turn on my daughters playskool dance cam so I can see myself infront of the tv - sit her on my shoulders and go right ahead with doing squats. I'll then get her to sit on my shoulders while I do press ups - and then sit her on my tummy and clap hands with her each time I raise during a sit up. She's also the right size to bench press. And the best thing about it is that she has fun while I work out.
Then there is also chucking her in the pram and going for a run.
I do this because I neither have the time or the money at the moment to go to the gym and feel the need to do something. -
It's my experience that my ability to enjoy any fitness program when I am are out of shape is situated between my ears. Unless or until I choose to make the enjoyment decision there, and become my own motivator and cheerleader, then any and all artificial props are nothing but temporary pacifiers like the empty plastic teats that babies suck on.
Indoors I prefer three kinds of exercise, dancing, aerobics and yoga and all of them make me smile. Outdoors I choose to walk, hike and run without any plugin pacifiers because then I can be one with nature. I can be connected, fully aware of the sights and sounds and truly enjoy myself to the fullest. I tried plugging pacifiers into my ears but I wasn't making a nature connection and it was no fun at all. -
Jay. Glad to hear your back on the program. Good for you brother. I know you feel ten times better and your brain is a little sharper for doing it. Your body thanks you too. I spend more time outdoors exercising when I can. Nature and activity is far more interesting to observe and makes the time pass much more quickly. Albeit, my Ipod definitely is the master tool to help focus, pass the time and push a little harder. Another strategy that has worked well for myself and others is to create variety in your program. Instead of just plodding away the mileage at a set pace. Try varying your program by doing interval training. For instance, warm up with 3 min. of walking/jogging then do 30sec. to 1 min. at about 75% of your max speed. Then slow down and jog or walk for 30 sec-1min. Repeat this process for 10 intervals or more if your passionate. You could also try the Tabata Protocal. Check my blog for a post about it and effective strategies to follow. I won't link drop here. You could get massive results in less time(15-20min.) In addition, you should try circuit training that incorporates dynamic strength exercise while also including an aerobic aspect.(if you want more info. let me know) This will facilitate the cardiovascular conditioning while also serving to build up strength and muscle mass. This will improve your body-fat ratio and allow you to burn more calories while at rest. So in effect your going to get calorie burning and fat reduction benefit even long after your done working out. Finally, remember that your body experiences a conditioning effect so if you get to a comfort zone and do the same thing day in and day out at the same speed and nothing else, then your going to plateau and not get the results you want. Just like the saying goes "Variety is the spice of life". Well, it is also the spice of achieving the best conditioning & health benefits. Good luck my friend. If you want any other advice to help you in your program, Let me know. ( BTW - I am 42 and 6% bodyfat, can run a sub 6 min. mile and can do 22-25 comando pullups. Been in the fitness / wellness industry 20+ yrs) -
dance dance dance..move your body to the beat..you'll sweat all your fats out
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enjoy it.... -
Jay. Time ran out on my post but I wanted to add a few points of interest that may help you in your pursuits. There is a great running blog from an ultra runner, W Cooper(kinda reminds me of Dean Karnazes - Book - Ultramarathon Man:Confessions of an All Night Runner, a great read BTW)His blog- An Ultra Runners Blog -http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/an-ultra-runners-blog could offer you some inspiration. I personally am also a fan of Shaun's blog- www.blogcatalog.com/blog/stay-fit-bug here is a good post with tips since your just getting started working out again www.stayfitbug.com/?p=751 or since you love the treadmill here is a great way to pass the time from Ian - www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/just-a-guy-thing-mens-lifestyle-magazine.html Turn on the TV and watch the "Get The Girl Naked" reality tv game show. www.justaguything.com/get-the-girl-naked-is-one-awesome-game-show/
Hope that helps. P.S.- I am waived of all responsibility for accidents that may occur while watching the game show.-
TCI...thanks for all of the great information. I have made a note of the links and will check them out when I have a minute. Thanks again.
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I was gonna say what d said. Run outside,but sense he said that I'm gonna say find somebody to go with you. Maybe that would be fun.
I go running every morning,but I LOVE the me time.-
Holly, I'm like you. Although I do like group fitness classes, when it comes to running I enjoy the alone time. I think things out really tune into myself and just decompress a bit.
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I try not to think too hard about the routine of it, for one. I'm up a little before 5 each morning so I can get workout time in.
Initially, it was challenging rolling out of bed to put on exercise clothes and workout in my basement. But now it's a routine.
I try to mix up the activities I do each day-- I have a selection of workout videos-- and choose what I want to do by mood. (Or if I'm really tired, using The Force.) -
I watched a program on TV that said having sex burns more calories than any other exercise.
I get some exercise while I'm on the comp sitting on a yoga ball. Great for posture and the muscles. Other than that I walk almost every where I go.
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