I was in your place two years ago: rather lazy and unused to exercise, especially exercise of the regular kind. To me, the key to forming exercising routines and learning to like the regularity was paying for the privilege. Spending money on monthly gym membership forced me to regularly go to the gym. I know that this doesn't work for everybody but I hate wasting my money, so I had just the motivation I needed to start going and learn to exercise regularly. Then I've started to like it and nowadays I feel strange without my dose of exercise.
If you don't want to go for the gym route, you should figure out what activities you enjoy. You've mentioned running, so I'm guessing that's something you liked to do in the past? Personally, I'm not too fond of running and it'd not too kind on my body, so I usually opt for biking or swimming. My advice would be: pick something that you like (tennis, golf, swimming, yoga - the possibilities are endless) that's not strenuous to you physically. Enjoying the exercise has always been very important for me.
Regarding exercising with other people, I'd say it depends on the level of comfort you have with them and - for me at least - how in shape they are. Tbh, I found exercising with fit people very demotivating; I'm very competitive by nature and when I couldn't see any realistic way to bridge the gap, the difference in fitness levels was pretty discouraging.
Oh, paying won't help me. When I pay and have setbacks, I judge myself (I imagine other people noticing I'm not going, and I feel self-conscious, like they're judging me for wasting my money, and not being steadfast enough). So I hide, by going even less, which makes me feel worse... It takes a toll on my self-esteem. And I think low self-esteem when it comes to disciplining myself to exercise is my problem to begin with.
I do like running. When I'm fit, depending on how I run, it can be meditative or gruelling in a glorious way. Since I'm pacing myself now it doesn't feel that gruelling, and I'm hoping I can avoid straining something that way. Biking is mainly a mode of transportation for me, so I feel restless biking without a purpose. I think spinning is great, though. But that I have to pay for. I favor most group activities that's set to music, actually.
So, I do like to exercise, and I do know quite well what I like. It's just that I like sitting on my ass in front of the computer/TV, too. And I've felt so out of shape, and discouraged, and tired, for quite some time. The tiredness is actually getting better. I visited my vegetarian sis a week or two ago, and she was all: So. You get dizzy, sometimes several times a day? And you sleep 7-8 hours, but still feel tired? *goes to the cupboard* Here, IRON PILLS ARE YOUR FRIENDS.
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Re: Exercise
(Anonymous) 2011-08-09 01:56 am (UTC)(link)If you don't want to go for the gym route, you should figure out what activities you enjoy. You've mentioned running, so I'm guessing that's something you liked to do in the past? Personally, I'm not too fond of running and it'd not too kind on my body, so I usually opt for biking or swimming. My advice would be: pick something that you like (tennis, golf, swimming, yoga - the possibilities are endless) that's not strenuous to you physically. Enjoying the exercise has always been very important for me.
Regarding exercising with other people, I'd say it depends on the level of comfort you have with them and - for me at least - how in shape they are. Tbh, I found exercising with fit people very demotivating; I'm very competitive by nature and when I couldn't see any realistic way to bridge the gap, the difference in fitness levels was pretty discouraging.
Re: Exercise
(Anonymous) 2011-08-09 09:06 am (UTC)(link)I do like running. When I'm fit, depending on how I run, it can be meditative or gruelling in a glorious way. Since I'm pacing myself now it doesn't feel that gruelling, and I'm hoping I can avoid straining something that way. Biking is mainly a mode of transportation for me, so I feel restless biking without a purpose. I think spinning is great, though. But that I have to pay for. I favor most group activities that's set to music, actually.
So, I do like to exercise, and I do know quite well what I like. It's just that I like sitting on my ass in front of the computer/TV, too. And I've felt so out of shape, and discouraged, and tired, for quite some time. The tiredness is actually getting better. I visited my vegetarian sis a week or two ago, and she was all: So. You get dizzy, sometimes several times a day? And you sleep 7-8 hours, but still feel tired? *goes to the cupboard* Here, IRON PILLS ARE YOUR FRIENDS.