Exercise motivation - I have none!

The thing that worked for me was to find exercise that I enjoyed.  I started with walking, because that was all I was allowed to do, and once I was in the high 200 range (around 280), I started experimenting. I got a membership to a gym that offers lots of classes (through my local community college) and tried everything that sounded interesting.  

It was hard.  Not just because of my weight but because I felt completely uncoordinated and ridiculous.  But.. I stuck with it.  I promised myself I'd do everything I tried for a month.  

And, lo and behold, I found things that I liked!  In fact, I found things that I LOVE.  I love yoga, I love pilates, I love tai chi.  I didn't like bhangra dance, so I dropped that.  I introduced myself to my instructors at the first class and say something like, "Hey, clearly I'm obese, will that be a problem?  Will you be able to give me modifications?"  All the teachers have been great and now that I'm about 100 pounds lighter than I was when I started, they've been cheering me on too :)  

Oh.  And at some point the walking turned into running and now I've done 5 5ks and have started training for my first 10k.  And I'm going to start college in the Fall to pursue a degree in Exercise and Sport Science.  

I guess this all boils down to "fake it til you make it."  :D  

Here's an idea for you:  Is there a "moving your bod" activity you like to do that's not technically exercise, for example... cleaning everything in sight, walking through retail stores, or getting a second job that burns calories like shelf-stocking? 

All of those things you mention sound awful to me but I understand what you're getting at lol!

It is hard to exercise when you are still heavy. I didn't really start exercising regularly until I lost 100lbs... If you have the Pandora App on your phone they have Cardio Channels. Sometimes I would listen to the 80's cardio channel and dance in the kitchen.  If I am walking a lot shopping, I would take an extra lap around the store... Focus on active, if you can't focus on exercise right now. Exercise is about health and feeling good, but it is what you put in your mouth that will help you lose weight. I came on here to post this article on that very subject.

Can't outrun a bad diet

I started at 378 and was not well physically. For me any exercise was too much. When I lost 100 pounds my sister bought me a bike. I love my bike and I got an easy one to ride.

I also swim in the pool not matter what my weight is. I've swam from 199 to 378. I've taken water aerobics and now I'm lap swimming with a special mask and snorkle made for swimming laps. The snorkel bends back. What it means is that I can just swim. I don't have to move my head to take breaths and believe me I'm huffing away through that snorkle while I swim. During lap swims they usually have laps divided by slow,medium, and fast. 

It will get easier to move and you will want to move more as you get smaller. It's a gift..a real gift of surgery. I hope you find your movement and the joy in it.

Deb T.

I know what you are experiencing 100%! I felt the same way as you. I had to start with 5 minute walks 2-3 times a day just to the end of the street and back. I slowly worked my way up to where I could go a little further and further each time. I'm now where I can do a 30-45 minute walk. It may not seem like a lot to some but in my neighborhood there's some hills so walking up the incline gives it a little extra kick. 

Another thing i did for exercise was underwater treadmills. Where I live there is a place called physical therapy today and they do obviously physical therapy or just anyone who wants to work out underwater without being in a water aerobics class. I tried the local Y too but since I'm only 24 I felt weird being in a class with ladies much older than me. Just wasn't for me but I love being in the water. I really liked it there. Maybe you have something like that where you live? 

Today I had a family friend told me that I am welcome to use their pool at home anytime I want to swim laps, I think I'm gonna take them up on that too. Do you have a friend or family member that has a pool that they would let you swim in? 

Just some options, hoped I helped or gave you a new idea!

I pretty much do the same thing as several posters have mentioned, by watching a guilty pleasure TV show or movie while on a stationary bike. I watch shows on my iPad while biking, by streaming from the internet.

I am able to do more than the bike now, but at first it was all I could do (I have severe knee arthritis and walking was super painful at first). But even now, I try to mix up the exercise so I am doing a DVD or YouTubE video workout one day, stationary bike the next, interval training the day after, etc.  My stationary bike is my knee saver; if I wake up with stiff and sore knee(s), I know I can jump on my bike and get through a workout without stressing my joints too much!  

But to your point about motivation:  I just power through it by willpower and not by desire at this point. I hope to find something I really like as I can move more and can experiment more. It does seem like everything (exercise related) gets easier with every pound we lose, so hang in there. 

It is sometimes hard for me to get motivated as well.   I have osteoarthritis in both knees, and sometimes have outbreaks of sciatica.  I also suffer from allergy induced asthma.  However, during my six months pre-op trying to lose weight, I invested in a stationary bike.   While I can't get on it yet due to the umbilical hernia that was aggravated during surgery, I can't wait to get back on it.  It wasn't easy at first after not being active for so long; but I started with five minutes, then ten, then fifteen; just before surgery I could last 30 minutes.   My asthma has improved signigicantly with the exercise.

For now, I'm just walking all the time, if I'm just sitting around I get up every half hour and walk from the den to the kitchen, to the dining room, to the living and around 3 or 4 times.  Then I do some arm circles, hand and foot circles, some side bends just to keep myself moving.

Once I can begin exercising again I'm going to back to yoga; I used to go regularly until my last pregnancy 15years ago when I had to stop for a while. 

Look into yoga studios or "wellness centers" that have different types of exercise.  Yoga, tai chi, pilates, etc.  Start out easy with whatever you choose, just do what you can.  Any instructor worth their certification will tell you the same.  

Good luck.  I hope you find something you enjoy.

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When I was over 300 pounds it was physically painful to do anything. I was 7 months out and had lost over 100 pounds before I was ready. As someone else mentioned, I would just try to be more active. I was an exercise fiend when I first got to goal and then "quit". I know physical activity helps me mentally so I am getting back on track. I just got a new fitbit Zip on ebay for about $30 and a wristband HERE for $10 so I can wear it like a watch. My goal right now is to get 10000 steps a day.

I've been thinking about this a lot this weekend and I'm going to try to concentrate on being more active in general like all of mentioned. 

Then my goal will be when I'm under 300 I'll have lost 77 pounds at that point and will make a concerted effort to do actual exercise. The whole walking outside thing would be fine if I didn't live in Ohio where 75% of the time it's either very hot or very cold. So I need a treadmill if I'm going to walk.