What inspires you to exercise...

[Twisterdog]

To give you a perfectly honest answer ... at the moment, it seems NOTHING motivates me to exercise. I used to be very diligent about it, going almost every night to the gym. For some reason, I just can't get with it anymore, and believe me, it shows!

[wolf_Q]

The only exercise I actually enjoy is hiking. If there's some beautiful scenery, especially a waterfall, then I enjoy it. If I'm not hiking my only motivation is the dogs. I really don't like walking around my boring neighborhood...but they love it, so I go on walks because it makes them happy. I do not like any other types of exercise, I can't stand videos, and I would never go to a gym. Unfortunately it shows. I'm hoping once the weather warms up and I can go hiking more I'll get in better shape.

[cloverfdx]

The dogs . I used to go to kickboxing twice a week and a dance class once a week and was in great shape... now the only exercise i get is with the dogs as i dont have a kickboxing partner anymore .

Once we get right into Autumn i will get the old bike out and start riding with the dogs again, and because i have to do one dog at a time i will be going for 2 rides a day (Clover is too old for biking now & Harri too young).

[Catty1]

A day with no deadlines and pleasant weather (even in winter) - and I will walk EVERYWHERE!

Kind or erratic in Canada and with a full time job. But I do the little things too - park further away from the store and walk, just work in bits and pieces. Not quite enough. But a process, not an event.

[columbine]

I checked out Scottish country dancing just on a whim, and got hooked! It's sort of like the dancing version of that game Simon, where you get shown a pattern and then try to follow it. It's very beginner-friendly, and I love the music. Dancing is great! And people do it absolutely everywhere, be it salsa, 12-step, Israeli, square dancing, Greek, contra, morris, ballroom... it's pretty easy to find a place to dance, and nearly all (except square dancing, at least around here) encourage switching partners, so you can just go on your own if your sweetie is too busy or self-conscious. If there are too many men or too many women, some just dance the opposite part.

And in Scottish dance, the men dress better than the women!

Love, Columbine

[Flatcoatluver]

I take 5 different dog classes every week and twice a week I am working (my job is on my feet all day). I also like to go shopping. So I don't actually work hard on excercising, but I know that will come once I lose more weight. I also like to go to our neighbor's pond and run around there with the dogs. It keeps all three of us happy. I also like to dance in my room.

[chrangharris]

The fact that since having a baby I only have one pair of jeans that fit the way they are supposed to! On a plus note, I've moved 2 pants sizes down since December! Money is tight and if I want to wear my clothes, I need to get down one more size!

Also, hubby loves that I'm working out and always complimenting me! I think about those compliments and it gets me moving again!

[kimlovescats]

I think it's neat that a couple of you mentioned dancing. THAT is the best form of exercise I do, and the one that is most likely to get me moving! I recently downloaded a lot of songs from my younger days, and I can't help it, the beat gets me MOVING!

[cyber-sibes]

I need something to get me motivated. I usually walk the whole time I'm at the dogpark, 4-5 times a week in good weather). But I've been pretty lazy this winter, not walking as much. I joined WW, so I've begun to improve my eating habits. The weather is starting to break - now we have flooding instead of snow. I've been taking the dogs to a park with pavement to walk a few times this week.

I'll keep checking these posts for good ideas.

[wolflady]

To give you a perfectly honest answer ... at the moment, it seems NOTHING motivates me to exercise. I used to be very diligent about it, going almost every night to the gym. For some reason, I just can't get with it anymore, and believe me, it shows!

Oh gosh, I'm right there with ya!

I'm a really unmotivated person, which sucks because I know I need to lose weight, and I know I'll feel better once I do...it's just so hard to get up off that couch! I know I can do it, because I was in good shape before when I was going to step aerobics and kickboxing classes regularly. It's easy to go when I have someone to go with, but once I don't have anyone...I tend to slack. It's boring going anywhere/doing anything by yourself, so it's just so hard for me. I look in the mirror and am disgusted at what I see, so you would think that alone would motivate me. *sigh* I wish it did...because my lack of energy is just downright...tiring!

I'm starting a new job at my old company on Monday, and when I was there the first time, I did go to the gym at lunch hour (since it was conveniently right across the street), so maybe I'll try to get back into that.

[carole]

I hope by starting this thread i will indeed help motivate some of you to do some exercise.

If anyone lacked motivation it was me, let me tell you why, i have fibromyalgia, you will have seen a post on it on PT, as some of our other member's here also have this chronic illness.,it affects many things, especially one's muscles,tendons and ligament, one aches all the time, and suffers from chronic fatigue,The best way i could describe this to you, is imagine when you have the flue how your muscles ache and how unwell you feel, that is what Fibro is like alot of the time, so exercise although necessary is extremely difficult for myself and fellow sufferers,it really does take me a hellava lot of motivation to get up and get on that treadmill.

Let me tell you though i am feeling so much better, about myself and my efforts, i have gone from no exercise literally to doing 5 kilometres a week now, I worked it out in a month I am actually walking from my city to another town and back, how's that folks? i have two days off to rest my aching muscles, i do weights for my arms and some tummy exercises,the best part is after three months of this i can now see some muscle developing in my arms and legs,yeah I'm no body builder, but it really is working and great for me to see.

So folks anyone who is feeling despondent about the thought of exercising, as i was, I hope you can read my post and get some inspiration from it.

I was in two minds about buying a treadmill, one i was not sure it was the right exercise machine for me,two i really could not afford it,and three i was scared i would do it for a while and it would be gathering dust, not so, i am more inspired to double what i am doing, but have learn't rome was not built in a day, and am taking it slowly.