I wish someone would have told me this after my surgery............

I found that there is no such thing as motivation to exercise when you first begin moving. After my surgery last April, I gave myself a month to heal and decided it was time to move. I was able to barely make it 10 minutes on the treadmill. My husband had bought me a treadmill 5 years prior and it was in the corner of my garage and I had never gotten on it. I did not even know how to turn the thing on.

I made myself walk on that thing everyday for 10 minutes. After 2 weeks i was up to 20 minutes because I added a minute everyday when I could. I HATED EVERY minute i was on that thing. I kept wondering when will I feel the desire to do this everyday? When will I feel the endorphins I keep hearing about? . HA!  

It began to get hot out and I decided to start working out indoors and got the Leslie Sansone DVD. First, I did the mile walk and a week later i started doing the 2 mile walk. I did that for 2 months before I could get up to 3 miles. I HATED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Still there was no motivation. After 3 months it still was an internal battle to do this everyday.

I had no motivation but I had heard about Zumba and loved the music. I saw there was a zumba class in the water at my local pool. Then I saw a news clip on TV about how the trainer cannot see your legs while doing zumba aquatics, so if you screw up it wont be embarrassing. I decided to try it. I LOVED IT. I found a pool in my area that had classes daily and started going. I loved the pool and tried a water aerobics class and loved that even more. I puchased a gym membership and the rest is history.

I went from a 54 y/o woman who had never worked out in her entire life to someone who works out 2 hrs daily. I cannot get enough of the gym. I do 60 minutes on the machines and then either take a water aerobics class or work out for an hour in the pool by myself. I have muscles, definition and my husband cannot believe it. I can bench press 100 lbs, and have more motivation now than I have ever had.

Working out is not something that starts out positive. In the beginning it feels like a job you hate. But, if you find something you enjoy, I promise you after a while you will be like all the other muscle heads; in love with working out. You will even miss it on your off days. You will have boundless energy, sleep great, and better self-esteem.

I was a 356 lb sedentary person and 7 months later I am 100 lbs lighter and a gym rat. If I can do it, anyone can. I used to park in the handicapped spot because I was so out of shape it hurt to walk into the gym. I threw that handicapped placard away 3 months ago. I look back and I am ashamed that I took a spot from someone *****ally needed it.

Now when I get on the treadmill an hour is nothing. I rarely get on it though, too boring for me. i prefer the arc trainer because the burn is so good.

YOU CAN DO THIS.

Good Luck,

Sharon

Its amazing isnt it!!!  I don't think we would have believed anyone who told us what we were capable of though.  I have friend who tell me they dont have time.  Uh, yeah, me either, but I MAKE the time.  Its not always easy, but it is ALWAYS worth it!!!

Kat

Kat,

I have learned the statement, "i dont have time" means, 'i dont have time for things that are unimportant to me" 

You, Alison and Candy are amazing and I aspire to be like you. You guys are the gold standard for me.

Thanks!

Sharon

"I don't have time" is usually me making some BS excuse to be lazy :-p

You are just as much an inspiration to me - your dedication is nothing short of amazing. 

You hit the nail on the head!  You really do have to spend some time trying things that you may not like until you find what works for you.  Congratulations on finding your groove!

That is awesome!! Congratulations.  I am jealous, I started walking a couple weeks post surgery but I have started having knee problems.  Now I am in physical therapy and instructed to walk no more than 1/2 mile.  I hope I am as motivated as you when I get the green light. 

Before i started exercising I had to have an MRI due to extreme knee pain. It was awful. I was like a weather vane when it rained or snowed. I ached so bad i could not turn over in bed without waking up. I started working out on the arc trainer. It strengthened the muscles around my knee caps. I started initially with 10 minutes. I wanted to die. After upping the time daily for 2 months  I got up to 40 minutes. By then the knee pain was gone. I suffered for 5 years with such bad knee pain, I had to have cortisone shots every 90 days. I NEVER have any pain now that those muscles are stronger. 2 orthopods told me I was bone on bone and eventually would need both knees replaced. They were not correct. It wasn't the bone on bone hurting me. it was the lack of any muscle strength surrounding those knee caps.

My back pain is gone because of all the core work I have done to strengthen my back.

The only pain I have now is from working out. That is a good pain.

Good Luck!

Sharon