Asklemmy

I love lifting weight. I squat three to four times a week and I love going heavy. I also love bench and deadlifts also. Seeing my body get stronger is also rewarding, and just being physically capable is a great bonus. Helps counter act my sitting!

Yes, I now love taking exercise in most ways but I came to it quite late. Today for instance, as training for a sprint triathlon I've decided to to, I ran to the swimming pool, swam the required distance and then ran back. It felt great to be able to do it. Some bits of my body were sore but not in a bad way, just a reflection of the fact that I worked hard and accomplished something if not done before, it feels great.

Yes! I love it. It's almost a meditative experience for me, kind of like when you're in the shower alone with your thoughts. Also, since I've been regularly working out for a couple of years now, I'm at a point where if I don't work out, then I start feeling like shit.

Is there anything the rest of us can do to cultivate such a mindset?

Idk, but I definitely did not like it at the start. I just sucked it up and pushed through, making sure I did it on a regular basis. Eventually, it stopped feeling like a chore and started feeling like a part of my routine, like brushing my teeth in the morning or showering in the evening.

Started hitting the gym for about 4 months now, what has helped me a lot is getting a personal trainer, he helps me push past the last 5%, and it gives me someone to talk to between reps. And while I don't necessarily get pleasure in the moment while lifting weights, I do get it afterwards, when feeling my muscles burn. And it does wonders for my energy levels and my general mood.

I also started running a month ago, I promised someone I will participate in a 10k in October with them. This is definitely more on the "existence is pain" side, but while doing it I try to focus more on my form and breathing, and less on how it makes me feel.

Yup, I look forward to and enjoy the heck out of my workouts. I go to an indoor rock climbing gym and enjoy every minute on the wall. What's the trick to that mindset? Find something you enjoy. I hate running. I kinda like cycling. And don't really care for weightlifting or other general "workouts". But, dang do I like climbing.

The best workout you can do is the one you will actually do. Find one you like and that's much easier.

Yeah sometimes. I know that even if I did nothing in a day, if I go work out I feel like I did something.

It also feels good to get a personal record on a machine or at an exercise.

It also feels great to get a good pump in.

After a workout you feel satisfied and tired and it's great!

Also seeing your strength and stamina go up in everyday tasks is satisfying.

My advice is start slow. Even if it's a light day and you're kind of miserable, you still feel good about getting it done. Try to convince yourself to go for a week, and go easy, very easy. Like just get any amount of exercise done. It'll become easier and easier to go to the gym and to do exercises. And you'll find that you'll start to like some of them.

You might like how it stretches a muscle or tendon that is always a little tight. Back extensions feel AMAZING

You might like how strong certain exercises feel

You might like how the extra muscle alleviates pains you've had in the past

You might like how much definition a certain exercise gives you.

You might even just become proud of how good you can do an exercise. I used to have that. "Yeah I'm not bad at working out, but crunches? I'll beat anyone"

it's fun sometimes to bring a friend along and compete a little as well. You can also motivate each other to keep going.

For its own sake, no. Unless I happen to be doing something I intrinsically enjoy that happens to give me exercise, I hate it every time. I need some really motivating tunes otherwise, and they wear out fast after a few listens.

It's delayed gratification.

I hate working out. It feels like shit. It hurts. It takes time. It's not fun.

But this is so much better than looking like shit.

I'm weight deficient for a man. Had to deal with a lot of comments from not being a real man to bring viewed like a cartoon character to some women.

Every time I want to stop a set early or not workout that night, I hear all the haters and I run back to my routine.

I do it for them. And it works.

I like mountain biking. Every other type of exercise can shove it.

No. It's always a pain the ass. I love how it makes me feel though.

I hate cardio, so that's what I do. Weird thing, but I figured if I hate something it's the thing I need to work on. Besides, it seems like cardio is the thing that helps you lose weight the fastest.

I absolutely love lifting heavy shit and I can't imagine my life without it at this point. The feeling you get when hitting a new PR is incredible. Knowing that you actually pushed yourself feels great to me.

The rest period are also weirdly meditative for me.

It’s worth pointing out that you don’t need to go overboard with exercise. A brisk 20-minute morning walk and a few minutes of body-weight exercises (push ups, squats) is all you really need to do for physical health. To lose weight, eating healthier is the only effective option — no fad diets, just more whole foods and less junk.

Yes, I love running. I also go hiking and do body weight exercises.

To answer your question, the only way to cultivate the habit is to start something and sticking to some plan. I know it’s easy so say but it’s the only thing that works.

I do follow some runners on Instagram and YouTube for motivation.

Yes, I love it. I feel that enjoying it comes with a few factors: knowing what you're doing is correct and maximizing each workout, and a shift in mindset that the "dread" of it doesn't actually have to be dread, which takes time to shift your head into. Of course, there are days where I'd rather not go, but showing up for the ritual is what matters, at that point.

Working out is pain and suffering, but you can get so used to it you don't notice/mind the pain.

I enjoy it when I'm eating at a modest surplus - it's trash on a deficit

Gyms are weird. However, trail running in my favorite park til I feel like I might go into cardiac arrest is great! Plenty of distracting wildlife, no cars. Pushing past that feeling of "I'm gonna die" as I pass the muscular heavy lifters.

What can you do to cultivate this? Uhh...hate yourself and love the outdoors? But in a "guess I'll floss cause it hurts" kinda self loathing. Also gotta find a park you wouldn't mind dying in.

For me, it's the feeling of knowing that I can do something that I know for a fact I wouldn't have been able to do before. I've been lifting dumbbells since January and one thing that I've loved about doing so is feeling my arms exert effort without being tired, at least for awhile. Focusing on that is one of the highlights of my day.

And it translates to my everyday life too! Whenever I lift something heavy, I surprise myself when the part of my body that holds me back is something else completely, my arms don't complain at all.

Back at February, my uncle gave us an elliptical that no one uses at his house. I've been using that 15 minutes a day, and about 2 weeks into doing that routine, I've noticed that my stamina has become noticably better. The one change that stuck out to me the most is that I can run up the stairs at my school without needing to gasp for air. Imagine that, a big fat guy being able to run up and down three storeys without wheezing a sound like that of a creaky door. No way I could have done that a month prior.

I don't know how well you or the other folks here can relate to that, but to me, it's what makes me continue my routine even if I don't end up losing as much weight as I'd like, nor looking for fit as most would assume from doing this type of stuff.

Pardon for the little story I've typed up, just felt passionate at the moment and really wanted to get my thoughts out. and just to clarify, I havent gone to the gym so my workout is only composed of just me, what I've got in my house and some advice that I've heard from friends, family, and tidbits I read off the internet.

I love lifting weights/using machines at the gym but absolutely despise doing the exact same things at home alone (or at an empty gym for that matter).

There is something about being surrounded by others that also workout that really motivates me at the moment, gets me into the mood of working out and giving it my best.

Then, while lifting/using a machine, it becomes a game of how much i can manage today, how much have i progressed, how much i lift compared to some other random person. There is also thr good natural feeling you get while working out, and when i give it my all, i can really feel it.

I still heavily dislike cardio at the gym, such as using a treadmill. I try to turn it into a game though - manage to run exactly 1 kilometer in exactly 5 minutes etc. It somewhat helps for short runs.

It's not fun, I do it cause it gives me euphoric feelings similar to opiates and it makes my brain shut up for a few hours. Plus I sleep like a champ after a good workout

I personally don't unless it's an interactive activity. Examples are rock climbing, swimming, badminton and tennis. Otherwise, workouts feel boring.

I find working out to be an intensely boring experience. I ended up doing martial arts to stay fit because the work out ends up being incidental and the activity itself is engaging. I recommend trying something like judo or boxing depending on whether you would be more comfortable with grappling or striking.

Yes, I do actually enjoy working out. I am a sotfware developer, but at the end of the work day, I am tired of developing, I am tired of computers, and I just want to go outside. Both cycling and hiking is my therapy and I clear my head when I do it. I like fresh air, nature and views from mountains. Also, I feel really happy when I finish working out, because I know I did something for myself. But it was not always like that. It was hard from the start, but step after step, it became easier and easier for me. Don't start with too long walks/hikes/rides. Starts with smaller ones, and every few days add more and more. Start with 1km walk for example. Next week add maybe 0,5km more. Next week maybe add some hill or something. Just don't overdo it. And find some motivation to do it. Do you like nature? Go walking into nature. Do you like dogs? Get a dog and go walking with a dog.

How did I start hiking and why? When I was hiking with my friends, I was always last, and I couldn't keep up with my friends. Also, it was really hard for me. I was also overweight. So I had to do something about myself. I started walking, but with short walks. Really short ones (like 0,5km only). But every few walks I added more and more. Now I can do really long walks and hikes without any problem.

How did I start cycling and why? Well that's another story. I really liked one girl, and she was cyclist. I was thinking it would be easier for me to hang out with her if I also start cycling. I would also have something to talk about with her. So I started cycling and cycling and cycling. Of course I was also talking with her, showing my results, etc. She was really big motivation for me. Unfortunately, it didn't work out with her, we went on a lot of dates, but eventually, we stopped dating. But at the end of the day, she helped me becoming good cyclist and now I can do really long rides, without any problem.

So, moral of the story: I think the main key here is motivation. Find something that will motivate you. And it doesn't need to be about walking or hiking or cycling. It can be totally different. This worked for me, but something else will work for some other people.

Depends. In the past when life was easier, a little more yes. Now that life has become more complicated with responsibilities it's different. I still enjoy a bit of time away from everything but sometimes it's exhausting to manage it all. I wouldn't stop though.

I do. Something in my monkey brain just likes lifting heavy shit.

I don't have fun at all - when I work out just to "work out," anyway. Then I have to think about it sort of like physical medicine. I do it cause it's good for me.

But if I can find a way to get the heart pumping that's primarily about doing an activity, with fitness just being secondary, I have a lot more fun. I recently got into boxing for fitness because kneee trouble was making high-impact cardio painful. Love it. Training becomes something to look forward to because boxing is fun rather than metaphorical castor oil that I swallow down because I need to.

I think there's some people who do but the vast majority of people don't. I mean, if we look statistically, people do very little intentional exercise unless they have to and despite repeated instructions to do more exercise from the government, media, doctors, the amount of people doing exercise hasn't really changed. In fact, it's gotten worse. Compare that to other hobbies or just watching TV or playing video games.

Also regarding exercise highs, clearly some people do get it but there is an extremely strange insistence that everyone can get it if they try and there's not a lot of evidence for this. The majority of studies done on exercise highs are with already fit people who exercised regularly on their own. (And even then some studies had a hard time getting the effect to show up) Comparatively fewer studies are done on unfit, overweight and or obese people to see if they're getting exercise highs at all.

Personally I think that trying to get people to enjoy exercise is setting them up for disappointment. Most people don't like it, that's why they don't do it. I find most of my workouts neutral. A bit like doing a boring assignment at work. I think that's the best way for people to look at it. Imo the key is not to hate it. If you hate what you're doing, definitely change to something else. But if you're consistent and just feel meh about it, I don't think there's any reason to chase some mythical awesome exercise that'll totally make you love working out especially if you already have non physical hobbies you like.