Asklemmy

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.

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.

For me there is no greater endorphin rush than listening to some really good bassey music and really pushing myself on a cardio machine

Rum & bass + rowing machine really got the adrenaline going for me, was actually comparable to being high for a period of time

Lifting weights is different but feels very good to see yourself in the mirror lifting something heavier than you've ever done before and you get addicted to chasing that feeling

I think part of the mindset is getting yourself to embrace the physical punishment and actively seek it out, couldn't tell you exactly how to do that but for me a lot of the time knowing it's going to be difficult will get me more excited now

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

I do enjoy lifting weights but I can tell it's because I've been sitting at a desk all day. I think I'd hate it if I had any other job.

These people addicted to running tho... 👀

IDK how they do it. I hate running. I have had extended periods in my life where I exercised 6 times a week, but I never enjoyed it.

I am in a gym at this very moment. No I do not.

I'm at a point where sometimes I don't want to go lift, but it's part of my routine that if I don't go I feel like shit. a chore to go, change and warm up but 20min in I just fall in the zone

For the past year my workout has simply been roller skating. And yes, it is joyous every time!

I climb , so it’s fun and not really a chore at all. If anything I’m disappointed when my skin gives out and I have to give it a break.

I didn't enjoy it at first, but seeing progress in my weightlifting encouraged me a ton. Eventually I did start enjoying the actual workout, and if I skip a day it feels like something is missing.

Ive been lifting for about 4 years, it took 6-12 months for me to start enjoying the process.

Depends on the exercise. My favorites are heavy squat and deadlifts. It's just a good feeling increasing the weight every week and hitting new maxes while getting stronger.

I suck at bench so I'm never looking forward to that, but I've set goals to hit by the end of the year so I'm sticking to it.

Honestly now, I feel terrible when I don't workout and it really affects my mental state.

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.

Do I enjoy my workout? Fuck no! I do it because I want to keep my body in shape and healthy. But I do experience some pleasure. During my warmup jog, I hate myself for putting myself through this, but later when I'm lifting weights, I feel like I'm somehow doing something good by lifting something so heavy. And afterwards, I feel very elated, free and awake. So it's a net positive even if the process is near torture sometimes.

I started working out at a park nearby in the morning. I kinda hate it on the moment, but I reward myself for the last 15 minutes or so, with some creativity.
Freestyle dance (??!), kicking around, doing the cartwheel, random moves. All the while listening to old school hip hop and pretending I'm a hot shot, haha.
Those last minutes are amazing.

I can definitely lose myself in the flow of accomplishing a workout the same as I used to playing sports.

I also usually like the feeling of being a little sore/achy knowing I did something worth doing that day.

I like the feeling of not being winded walking up stairs and feeling like I can carry all the weight without much effort.

I like eating a pile of food knowing my body needs to eat because it had to work.

Somedays though, working out and all the rest of it just sucks.

It’s a few things. It’s the positive feedback loop of seeing and feeling yourself get bigger and stronger. It’s the rush of good chemicals/hormones/whatever the body releases. It’s the feeling/thought that there is nothing you could be doing that could be more beneficial for your health, and knowing the knock-on effects that has for you long term. Its the pump.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Sometimes, but not always. Whether it's cardio or weights, I'd guess maybe 20% of sessions are amazing, 20% are garbage and I can't wait to finish, and 60% are fine. I generally prefer weights, but there's actually something really fun when you're having an s-tier cardio session.

For me it's not the workout, but the feeling of accomplishment after pushing the limits of body and the burning sensation in muscles.

Aside from the fact that you are literally developing yourself, I really enjoy doing fitness because it doesn't have any flow or competitiveness to it.

I'm someone who constantly thinks of projects and side projects and things to do and improve, but I've seen that when I am doing weight lifting, my mind is completely there and empty of all the worries

Recently bought a rowing machine, gotta say I enjoy taking my frustrations from the day and putting that energy into rowing.

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.

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.

I'd rather hang upside down under water and smack my face with fast moving rocks than work out in a gym

Cuz I kinda do that

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