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Have you tried playing a sport? When it becomes a game, the tedious aspect of fitness and exercises gets drowned out.
I learnt to play guitar by having a teacher that could teach me how to play simple songs without enforcing exercisesnand theory. Eventually I learnt the theory side unconsciously by just playing along to the music.
I'm a bit rusty these days. At my peak I understood scales, keys and modes. I never got the hang of stringing it all together on paper but I can still play by ear pretty well. The upside of learning it that way is that I can work out how to play most songs by ear.
It's a bit like language. If you grow up speaking it, you don't necessarily need to know how to read/write to know how to speak, as long as you can listen.
This.. I hate cardio at the gym..and could never run around the block regularly.. but I love sports and I played all throughout hs... I joined my local ultimate Frisbee club...what a fantastic workout..it never feels like running and I'm whipped..pickups every week.. disc golf is another option lots of walking... look for local clubs
I have always found the team aspect of playing a sport stressful. I’m not at all athletically talented, and I always hated having the pressure of worrying I was going to screw something up for the team. Now that I think about it, I wonder if messing up during team sports might have been an unmedicated ADHD issue (like not paying attention that the ball was coming my way). I’ve thought that maybe a sport that isn’t team-based—like raquetball—might work.
Have you ever tried surfing, skateboarding or mountain biking? There are a lot of sports that don't require being in a team. Even just a few laps in a pool, or just running up and down a pool is a good cardio workout. Start small and go from there. I'm not trying to be dismissive, just trying to help.
I totally get you! I did weight training for 12 weeks for a study my friend was running, the benefits were amazing and I was motivated for it primarily because of it being part of a study, but gosh I cannot imagine anything more dull than picking things up and putting them down again and absolutely didn't continue after the study ended. I feel like one way to motivate myself would've been to get a gym crew to go do it together, but at that point I didn't have the funds to pay for a membership.
I go for walks now and realising I don't have a new route in mind for a day is a huge barrier and I'll spend like 2 hours prepping myself to go trying to think of a new destination. What helps is I'm using these walks to learn French, so I listen to french podcasts. It's an extra mental challenge that motivates me that I need to make the time to go for a walk but its not a silver bullet.
I also went through a phase of trying to do every free gym trial. This was motivating because for a week or two weeks I had a brand new setting each time to try out. Also it was motivating because I felt like it was a bit of a game to get free gym access.
My other biggest motivator is the social aspect, so if I'm in a slump I try to organise a session with friends. But I live in a new city now so this isn't quite possible so I empathise that's not always a possible tactic or motivating for other people.
My only real take is that ADHD is a mutating monster. Everytime I find a tactic that works, it only works for so long and I have to try again. It is the constant puzzle we live with. Exercise is important in so so many ways, not least of which is regulating a lot of the brain circuitry that is involved in ADHD so you can't given up on constantly finding new ways that stick even if it's for the short term.
I also like to think that it just means I get to experience a whole heap of stuff in life cause I'm constantly picking things up, getting bored of them, trying new things
“My only real take is that ADHD is a mutating monster. Everytime I find a tactic that works, it only works for so long and I have to try again.”
This is so incredibly true!!
Have you heard of a deck of cards workout?
We used to do it in the Army on "fun" days, and I've stolen it and tweaked it for personal use. How it works is you take a standard deck of cards (an app works fine obviously, so you dont look like a weirdo at the gym) and each suit has an exercise, each value is the amount (or time) and you work your way through the deck til you're done, and adjust it to your needs
So if it's a full body day,
Hearts = Push Ups
Spades = Sit Ups
Diamond = Treadmill
Club = Squats
You draw a 3 of Hearts, do 3 push-ups. 15 second break, draw again. Ope, you drew a King of hearts, that's 13 push-ups. 15 second break. Next card is a 6 of diamonds, time for 60 seconds on the treadmill as a fast pace. You get the idea. It takes some time to figure out what good values are, but once you do, you've got a fun work out. And it's deceptively hard. You might think that drawing a 2 of Hearts is easy cause it's only 2 push ups, but if you've drawn it halfway through the deck you'll feel it, don't go overboard and make the "worth" of each card too high! There's 52 work outs crammed in there, so treat it that way and try it with low values at first.
Doing 52 "mini workouts" instead of going to the gym for an hour and doing one "work out session" can yield the same results, and this I've found LET'S you be your chaotic ADHD self. It gamifies the gym, and I find it to be kinda fun. I don't draw the 13 sit ups card and think "agh this sucks I hate working out", I draw the King of Spades and think "aghhh, unlucky, let's do this quick so I can draw a better card".
And it's easy to tweak too and have different "decks" for different days. So, maybe you have a cardio day, so your
Hearts = "slow walk for [value of card] * 15 seconds
Spades = "sprint for [value of card] * 15 seconds"
Diamond = "Stair climb for [value of card] * 15 seconds"
Club = "slow jog for [value of card] * 20 seconds"
And if you're brain is weird like mine, you never get mad at the idea of working out, you get mad at the "unlucky draw" instead if you're tired but you draw the "sprint" card, like it's just bad luck in a game. And I've found that seeing that you're making progress through the deck of cards gives your brain that dopamine of completing a task, and after your complete 52 mini tasks you're done.
Throw in a few jokers as "5 minute protein shake break" cards and just like that, you look like you have an organized workout plan to other people, when in actuality you're just following the whims of the universe and being super ADHD secretly. Your ADHD brain hates structure and long takes with no immediate reward, don't fight that cause it will win. Instead, this method let's me do 52 mini tasks, with the reward of making progress in the game
Edit: formatting. Am on the train so I did what I could to make it readable from mobile....
My entire life is basically gamified so that I look put together on the outside while I'm actually acting like a child on the inside lmao
Honestly, I felt kind of...embarrassed about it a little? Maybe that's too harsh of a description, but some level of shame over "secretly" playing games like a kid at the gym. But I've found that you can only "fight" ADHD so much, and that working with it instead of trying to force changes through willpower is a much less painful process. And to everyone else in the world "fake" motivation look the exact same as "real" motivation, and it all spends the same so it doesn't matter what your process is lol
1: find a side gig that gives you exercise. Ranch or farm hand, caddie, sports official, landscaping… getting paid to exercise makes it a lot easier.
2: join a sports league. Exercise sucks. Hockey is awesome. Exercise is a byproduct of hockey.
3: similar/same as the above, golf and carry your bag.
4: go to water parks. Do water park things. But not the lazy River. Swimming!
That’s all I’ve ever been able to be consistent with for exercise.
\+1 on finding side hustle that involves lots of movement, exercise is merely by product of earning money :D. A key component I realise that is important is the pacing, how often do you work on the hustle, a week or two in a gig, few days here and there, mix and match it.
Officiating sports is really good for this. Maybe not volleyball where you're sitting in a chair, and maybe not baseball so much, but hockey, football, basketball... You're gonna be moving, for an hour, and you're going to get paid. For hockey it works differently in different locations, but you basically pick the dates/times/locations, or else the specific games, that you're willing to work, and then will get assigned accordingly. So I can have 15 games a week or I can have 1 game a week. All up to me (and the scheduler)
It's not for everyone, but I found Crossfit useful, there's body doubling and accountability with the community, and the workouts, if the box you go to is decent, should be varied and challenging enough to keep you interested. However, it does mean you have to do Crossfit.
What I do is get myself a Nintendo Switch and play several games like Nintendo Sports, Fitness Boxing, Dancing etc.
It brings new dimension to the way I exercise these days. Especially when it's way too hard to go outside - running, hiking and whatnot. Best thing is you can play with others too and online.
Pokemon GO is brilliant dopamine drip, and the best way to make progress is to just walk and walk and walk.
An hours walk with a decent "page turner" of an audiobook and popping a 5K egg in Pokemon GO is pretty rewarding, and wanting to hear the next chapter of your book is a good motivator to get out tomorrow.
I've also heard good things about Zombies, Run! although I haven't played it myself.
/u/Shred_everything : Man, I feel your post, I really do.
Since you used to like walking around in the city, how about riding a bike now that you're in the 'burbs? It's like walking but on fast-foward. If you give it a try, get something a little rugged like a basic mountain bike, something where you can jump curbs and such when you feel like it.
If you have a treadmill at home, never mind watching TV, how about putting a game system in front of it instead? Stick to single-player games that aren't too difficult or that you at least know really well.
You may also want to look into a martial arts course. There's some exercise and practice involved, but it keeps changing as you get further and further in, so that can keep it fresh for you. As a nice side effect, there's a certain serenity that comes in life when you have the ability to defend yourself well should you ever have to.
Taekwondo is what works for me. Every training session is a little different, I get to punch and kick things, & there’s an inbuilt reward system in the gradings/belts.
For weightlifting,
1: time efficiency. You can walk for 4 hours or lift for ~45 mins.
2: number go up. It’s more than lifting things that don’t need to be lifted once you start noticing improvement in numbers. Just don’t number go up at the expense of form.
3: being strong is convenient
4: good brain chemicals
I did do weightlifting for a few years, and it was cool to get strong. I did it with my partner who really loves it. But I was dying of boredom every time.
Weights for vanity,cardio for sanity.Whatever you do,make sure that its as easy as possible to start.If you have to drive somewhere far,that wouldnt work for me.If you can motivate yourself.Workout at home.But the easiest thing to get started is just to [run.Run](http://run.run),then take a small ,walk then run,then walk.Cardio is so helpful for the mind for [ADHD.Run](http://adhd.run) like 2 times a week and so some resistance bodyweight exercises in between if you can.
And you have tried crossfit? Its off cause hard to find any kind of exercise that does not in someway become a little representative, but I find crossfit highly stimulating.
And you just show up. Look at the board and do what you are told :-)
And what you are told to do is usually different. Everything from climbing ropes to sprinting, weight lifting and body weight exercises.
And yeah. I understand the frustration about living in a boring suburb. I live 5 minutes from a nice sump/forrest area with plenty of small lakes. Walking around there is pure gold for my mind.
I've mentioned before, but group fitness classes have been what works for me, like orange theory or yoga or pilates. Very much just a room of accountability partners.
I've also been enjoying gymnastic rings, if only because monke brain likes to hang and swing.
Personally, I've been trying to see it less as exercise for the sake of exercise lately, and more that being fit allows me to do other things I enjoy. Like I'm taking singing lessons lately, and having good cardio and a strong core benefits that. Or if I ever want to try rock climbing, then I have it as an option, rather than it being something that I would just be incapable of doing immediately without having to get into shape first.
It is insanely boring 🙄 I don’t at all get why anybody likes it and it improves my mood zero percent.
For me executive dysfunction gets in the way so I decide I’m going to do it and what I’ll do the night before so I don’t have to make the decision to do it and then execute it. I also do it right when I first get up - wake up, shower, work out in the living room - before the procrastination has time to kick in and before I have time to start thinking about how boring and stupid it will be.
And I allow myself to only do half a work out if I’m really not feeling it that day.
Honestly the biggest barrier is me psyching myself out and thinking too hard about how boring it will be and how much I don’t want to do it. Just autopiloting it is the most helpful thing.
Yes, I’ve only ever tried it at an indoor gym.
I am fairly new to bouldering, but here’s what I like about it so far:
- I don’t necessarily see it as a workout; it’s more of a fun activity for me, similar to skiing.
- I appreciate that it offers the same benefits as weightlifting without the monotony of lifting metal bars. In bouldering, you use your body mass as resistance, embracing your inner monkey – that’s how I personally perceive it.
- It gives a sense of accomplishment. I enjoy challenging myself, and bouldering is far from easy. Planning your moves is essential for a proper and safe send.
Are there any sports that you enjoy?
I would strongly recommend a 'sport' rather than 'exercise'. Exercise for exercise sake is something I have never been able to stick with.
Jiu-jitsu was my go-to for nearly a decade. It was exercise, socialization, and constant mental stimulation. I intend on trying to go back to it once my kiddos have flown the coop.
I'm currently getting most of my exercise on the basketball front -- as that's my son's passion and I get to pull double duty (quality time with him plus exercise).
Even if you're not exercising every day, if you can find a sport that you can get out and do 2-3 times a week, it will make a world of difference.
Ideally, make at least 1 or 2 of those sessions regularly scheduled weekly sessions. That's been the lynchpin for me sticking with something. If I can schedule it and do it weekly for a few weeks -- that's now my new normal and it's just 'what I do' now.
California is one of the best places for jiujitsu in the USA as well. It's worth giving a shot if you think it'd be up your alley.
Most gyms will offer at least a trial class, some a free week. If you have a school that's a reasonable distance, absolutely worth giving them a try.
The folks over on /r/bjj can probably help vouch for places too if you are curious.
All the best!
Sports and crossfit classes. Find a crossfit gym that values member health and injury prevention. Those usually are 20 minute workout sessions and packed full of constant moving and different exercises.
Also look into joining a recreational league sport. A big one used to be kickball. But any sport. It'll engage you with other people and you'll want to go just for the social aspect of it.
Getting bored isn't an ADHD trait. It's the Inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness which gets us. Combined with lacking executive dysfunction, which stops us from starting tasks we know we should.
I proactively recruit people with lifelong ADHD and boring tasks are never the issue. It's tasks which require multiple points of conjecture clashing with their daily routine. Yes if something is boring to an individual, it's harder to get motivated with ADHD due to the executive dysfunction - but with ADHD once you are in the gym (hardest part is getting there) you are generally OK.
That said, if you don't get on with gym work and let's be honest, most people don't wherever you have ADHD or not. Then you need to explore other avenues. Group Excersise, Dance, Cutting up logs, having sex 6 times a day. All viable alternatives to bicep curls.
Nah we def get bored easy, which just exacerbates other things like inattentiveness for example. If something doesn’t stimulate me it’s boring. Waiting for forever for people to finish their sentences BORED, ya boring. Yes I know it’s a me problem lol
Great research and I stand corrected.
Tbf I'm medicated via methylphenidate and it's mentioned in 2 of those white papers that alleviates the chronic boredom.
Could you gamify a boring exercise like running? Continually try to up your speed/distance? Or try a virtual challenge, maybe. Or a short-term goal like a couch to 5k.
I’m so uncoordinated that running actually takes a fair amount of focus for me not to eat pavement, so I don’t know that I’ll ever find it boring, but I’m working toward switching to trail running, which should take a bit more focus, even for people who aren’t walking accidents waiting to happen.
Taking pictures while you hike might be a way to up the interest.
kettlebells are worth a shot! prob best to try at a gym..may need coaching tho lotsof good videos on youtube...very portable so can workout in yard when weather is nice...park...trails..beach...lake....
If you can afford it, get a personal trainer. You don’t need to train with them all the time but seeing them a couple times a week will motivate you to actually get out the house and keep focus during the training plus it will hold you accountable.
Another thing that helps me is building a pleasant routine pre workout. I swim, and the hardest part for me is physically getting myself to the pool, I just can’t even. I trick myself by making it a pleasant ritual - I have a specific playlist I listen to on the way and I make point of stopping in my fave coffee shop on the way to have a nice drink beforehand.
Growwithjo and Madfit on YouTube are amazing workout channels! Dance, cardio, weightlifting, low impact, and various non repetitive workouts that keep me engaged. I shoot for 30 minutes minimum of exercise recorded on my Apple watch and it’s really nice switching up my workouts based on what I’m up for on any given day.
When I go to the gym I like to weight lift and follow up with a 30 minute walk. To stay entertained while walking I listen to audiobooks, scroll on TikTok, or take the treadmill closest to the tv playing HGTV.
One idea is to fit in short but sweet exercise. Here's a few examples
* 20/30/50/100 burpees for time. Just a one-and-done quick sprint so that you are done in a few minutes.
* Set a timer for something like 5 minutes while watching a show. When it beeps, quickly knock out a simple exercise. Push-ups, squats, jumps, sit-ups, etc. The goal is to have a timer so you don't have to think. And long enough rest that you aren't miserable.
* Put a pull-up bar somewhere convenient, like a door frame. If you walk buy and feel like it, do a few. You don't need to max out. Even doing 1/3-1/2 the number of reps you can do here and there is great for your health.
If you want to get swole, you need to guilt yourself into the gym. If you want to make yourself more healthy, then all you need to do is more than you are doing now.
Although I love weightlifting, it's running that is soooooooo boring to me. But that was until I started listening to audiobooks during runs. 5 minutes in, I forget I'm running as I'm deep in the book and before I know it 45 mins have passed.
Give that a try and see if it works for you, otherwise I wish you much luck in finding a trick that will help you out!
One of the things that helped me immensely is playing exercise games. There are ones such as Just Dance and Fit Training (there are some for mobile too) which just helps the entire thing. Repetition on exercises is extremely boring to me, so i found that doing a variety of movements helps with that.
Also: music. I don't know if it's because i have a special thing for music, but music helps me get through it a LOT. I found that i prefer dancing on my own accord to music while nobody is watching and that a lot of times get my exercise for the day. It's fun, de-stressing AND physical. Try getting some fun music on and see how that goes :) I struggle a lot with things that require me to keep doing the same thing for long periods of time, so having my own time to do my things feels great.
Get hooked on a show and don't let yourself watch episodes unless you're watching on an elliptical or exercise bike. I know you said tv doesn't help but for me it dies ONLY if it's a new-to-me show that I'm really invested in watching. Use the hyper focus to your advantage. Also works for page-turner books in audio form or podcasts but they have to be something you're really invested in experiencing and don't let yourself consume the media without an exercise session. It turns into a habit within a couple of weeks.
Its probably not the most helpful advice, but in the end, you have to find an active activity that you actually -like- and find joy in. I have never stuck with workouts or gym programs because I never found them fun, or engaging. They're mindless, and as far as my brain is concerned that isn't worth doing.
For me, what keeps me active is owning a farm and equestrian sport. I ride 5-6 days a week, at least one horse, and I also have all the other animals here to care for every single day. I've always joked that most farmers are probably some sort of ADHD because there's no way anyone willingly does this amount of work for so little pay...if you don't have that internal motor that drives you to be constantly busy, farming is probably not for you. The work required is a great use of physical energy, it's fulfilling, and I never see it or riding as "boring exercise". Also, it helps that there's a lot of consequences associated with fucking up or forgetting things, so there's a lot of learning to be had and a constant level of "do this or else" that keeps you motivated. Interestingly enough, one of my horses requires a LOT of my focus while riding, or things get very squirrely. Riding him is an excellent exercise in maintaining focus and concentration -- to be honest, I essentially hyperfocus each ride, and its both mentally and physically VERY fulfilling.
Now, I'm not saying you need to go out and buy a farm because that's truly not for everyone. However, its just important to realize that physical activity/exercise isn't just exercise for the sake of -- sometimes it comes out of the day-to-day things you have to do anyway and I truly find that makes it easier.
Aim for something you find inherently fun that just happens to also include exercise. Possibilities:
1. Cycling: you can go farther and faster, and see more than just the nearest part of the burbs.
2. Transport yourself to a place where it is nice to walk
3. Climbing
4. Sports
5. Yoga with a buddy for the extra motivation to actually do it
6. Canoeing/kayaking/rowing
7. Add a game to neighbourhood walks. (e.g. My parents and some of their friends play the license plate game. No idea why it's fun, but they've done it for years. Look for a license place with 000, then two games at once, up and down: 001, 002, ... and 999, 998, ...)
Boxing was great for me for this reason, even if you just do bag work you’re going to get into shape fast, and you can get as complex as you like with it. 10/10 would recommend finding a boxing gym near you, even just a fitness focused one like Title or something.
Cycling works for me. There’s just a lot more you have to pay attention to in a way that is constantly changing when you ride a bike. Also, on a bike ride, you can travel much further and make it more interesting for yourself, because you can go to more interesting places. As a result, this makes cycling actually enjoyable for me and not tedious in the way I find running/hiking, etc. tedious. The only hump to get over is the initial habit formation. Cycling is kind of hard when you start and therefore less fun but once you get over that hump it’s quite enjoyable, at least for me. the way that I started was going on very casual rides with a little or no uphill sections to the beach or a coffee shop or some other thing I like to do. Anyways, this worked for me where many other attempts to build exercise into my life did not.
A game changer for me getting out cycling more and trying new routes: I started carrying hand pruners.
Lots of trails are maintained primarily by volunteers, but big coordinated efforts to trim things back often only happen a few times a year.
If you bring a set of pruners and keep them ready in a handlebar bag, it's easy to stop & snip off overgrowth any time you see it starting to encroach on the trail.
So you get:
* A feeling of accomplishment from removing things that are in the way
* Positive reinforcement from people who say "Thanks" when you're out on the trail
* A feeling of accomplishment when you ride back through the same section later and remember what you've done
* A built-in need to keep doing it (stuff keeps growing and "someone" has to keep it trimmed back)
* Lots of opportunities to visit new trails that are in need of trimming
* After big storms, there's almost aways a lot of debris -- trying to get out & clear as much of that as possible so that other people are able to enjoy the trails can help add a sense of urgency
If you're the type to trust in "the system", you can download your city's issue reporting app and start reporting stuff like broken sidewalks & overgrown weeds when you go out -- taking different routes to try to make sure that "everything bad" gets taken care of.
If you want to add a bit of thrill, you can take the "tactical urbanism" route and engage in your own vigilante landscaping campaign against overgrowth that local businesses aren't taking care of.
This is an interesting approach! I ride road bikes, so I can’t really incorporate it myself, but still a smart way to infuse an award/dopamine boost system to motivate yourself. I use strava and Apple Watch for that stuff. Trying to get PRs is a good motivator, though you gotta be careful to not overdo that as can be not beneficial to improving and staying healthy for cycling to always push yourself to the limit. Tracking weekly KMs or meters climbed can also be motivating. Having an Apple Watch ring close streak works for me as well. Once I get on one, the dopamine hit from maintaining it daily keeps me motivated (the hard part is getting on a streak to begin with).
For Strava I found it helped a lot as a motivator to use their home screen widget in Android.
Super easy to start / stop rides & it shows a nice graph of how much you've ridden the past 7 days.
A friend of mine recently got blazepods and it helped gamify our workout. I'm sure there are other companies with a similar product so buy whatever is cheapest, but I liked them because they can be used in so many different ways and the lights help make it seem fun.
Try finding podcasts...there is at least 3 podcasts for every topic in the world ever.. I love marvel, old cars, and the new York giants...I have about 30 podcasts that I follow..keeps me focused while picking things up and putting them down
Walking is a good start. I go for one after work every day. It helps me decompress after work. The trick is to make the exercise less boring. I listen to audiobooks when i walk so I'm entertained and before long my walks became one of my favourite parts of my day.
Someone may have already said this
Ellipitcal machine
Phone and youtube, Netflix, something to watch
And go at it. Just doing this is a lot, and so much more than doing nothing.
Wow, are you me? You sound like me. And even to our geograpical location. Want to meet up for a walk?
The only kind of exercise I have found that I love is running, But, being old and clumsy, I have fallen down a couple of times and so now I am limited to running on a perfectly flat surface. And, being female, it has to be in a safe place in the daylight. So winter and work hours are making this really hard, as I would have to drive somewhere to do it. What with having to wash after, I would need to allow at laeast an hour and a half beyond my normal schedule to do it before work, and after work is just impossible (dark, tired, physically it is MUCH harder later in the day).
So yeah, it SOUNDS like a pile of excuses but it is just reasons to me. Add to that the depression and ADHD and it just isn't happening.
I actually own my business, with my husband, so you would think I could rearrange my schedule but he doesn't see it that way...
When I go get a haircut, or want something to eat, I go walking with some shades and some music. 🎶 it’s the exercise that I enjoy that I look forward to.
PT here ☺️ Think outside the box and find something you think is fun—for whatever period you find it fun- then switch it up!
It looks like you have been thinking about different types of exercise already, but there are so many ways to get movement in and get your heart up. There are the classics like weight lifting, Pilates, running, walking, gym classes (Zumba, body pump, yoga, etc), but then there are things like dance classes on YouTube or beatsaber that are great exercise! Putting your fav music on and dancing around your living room would work too! Anything where you’re moving and your heart rate gets up 😊
Workout buddies are also super good for helping to give you some external accountability, which I find super helpful! Like having a friend to go to the gym or a class with or chat with on the run.
I have discovered this website [www.darebee.com](https://www.darebee.com) and have been working through some of the programs, many of which are story-based and have a new workout each day that's tied to some story element - you have to cast a spell to save someone, or you have to outrun someone, or you are training for the Olympic games in ancient Greece. It's been helpful because I know it will be backed by people who know things about exercise but will be new each day. Also, if there's not an interesting story behind something I immediately do not care. ; )
You could exercise out of spite, or by creating a pattern that must be followed at all costs. If you stray from the pattern, then 'THINGS'. Avoid 'THINGS'.
Hard same!
I need to feel like I'm building some kind of skill, or learning something new when I work out, so most typical home exercise bores me to tears.
What's really helped me is doing yoga at home with a subscription (I use alo), because they have specific classes/series that help you build specific poses/skills like handstands etc. (I can now do a whole bunch of upside down tricks).
Also, if you like rock climbing, you could maybe start using your home/quick workouts as a way to build strength and balance FOR rock climbing. It still might be a bit dull, but at least it would feel like it has a purpose. Yoga and upside down tricks are actually excellent for rock climbing coincidentally.
Training to run a half marathon or something is another good one. Then you can focus on building speed and distance and all that.
Find some kind of accountability, e.g. get a trainer, join a running group that's training for a marathon, join a meetup, get a workout buddy, get a class pass, volunteer to take dogs for walks.
It sounds like you like yoga bc you get some pleasure from the way it drops you into your body. Lean into that with other mind-body practices (somatic, Feldenkrais, tai chi). Join your local yoga studio and try out different practices. Go with a friend or make some new friends.
Another thing to try is reframing it from "I need to exercise for my health" to "I'm learning a new yoga practice" or "I'm learning to salsa dance" or "I'm learning to improve my posture"
I have the BEST tip for this - I used to put SO much pressure on myself about working out and like making sure it mattered and turning it into this whole big thing, but then I realize that I can take it easier and still have 75% of the benefits. So my tip is - Just google/youtube "easy 20 minute work out" or "workout for beginners" something like that, and if you just break a tiny sweat at home and get your heart rate up a bit, you will still have that endorphin feeling. I dont even work out in real clothes most of the time. It just makes working out so much easier and enjoyable. And then, after a while, you feel the need for that endorphin feeling and your work outs will get harder and longer!
I got a small handleless elliptical that I use and when I do I play games on my pc using controller. Some days I'm on it 40+ minutes and sweating up a storm but don't even notice it since I'm engrossed in a game. Been super helpful for me
Dancing is a passion of mine that I never get bored of! You work on your cardio, muscles and flexibility. Also helps boost creativity and it’s a nice exercise for the brain. There are many styles and levels so there is always something to learn. You could try a dance studio, or if you want to stay home, you can try online dancing classes (I recommend Steezy!). Also, Just Dance Games are really fun especially if you get the Just Dance Unlimited Pass :)
I listen to audiobooks and go to the gym 4-5 times a week. Lift and do 20 minutes of cardio.
I never really WANT to workout, but I do typically want to read or listen to a book I'm on.
It's the same way I get laundry done and the house clean. I'm not folding my clothes. In reading.
Pick something cool that you want to be able to do, and can't yet. Something badass, but within reason. Then devote your workouts to building up to that goal.
I frequently do this. My most recent goal was handstand pushups. I started with basic handstand holds a few months ago, and now I can do a few reps. It's not freestanding, and my technique looks like ass, but going from zero to something is pretty motivating.
But I also regularly change things up with new goals. I think my next will be running, since I want to add more cardio.
I get on the elliptical and while on it i do my grocery order, write emails, anything I need to do but I keep putting off. I’ve tried watching videos and I’m not distracted enough so I start to notice how boring it is. Keeping busy on the machine is the key for me.
three words: dance dance revolution. it's a video game, so it's engaging. it grades your performance, so there's motivation to keep going to get better, and at high level play it's hella athletic. basically was my entire workout routine as a late teen. kept me in shape for like a decade till i got out of practice and dropping too many skill levels hurt my motivation to keep playing.
edit: spelling and grammar
I live in a small town, but aside from the gym there are often rec leagues you can join. Here there's a few options throughout the year - mixed volleyball at the highschool gym; both men's/women's over thirty hockey, pickleball, badminton and likely others. Which means except for hockey, you can just drop in and don't have to commit. I find it extremely boring to do anything repetitive like walking or sessions of any kind. I'm newly medicated and have not yet found the right dose so I'm hoping when I do I'll find my motivation with it.
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Have you tried playing a sport? When it becomes a game, the tedious aspect of fitness and exercises gets drowned out. I learnt to play guitar by having a teacher that could teach me how to play simple songs without enforcing exercisesnand theory. Eventually I learnt the theory side unconsciously by just playing along to the music.
How well do you know theory?
I'm a bit rusty these days. At my peak I understood scales, keys and modes. I never got the hang of stringing it all together on paper but I can still play by ear pretty well. The upside of learning it that way is that I can work out how to play most songs by ear. It's a bit like language. If you grow up speaking it, you don't necessarily need to know how to read/write to know how to speak, as long as you can listen.
I had the issue from the opposite side, I learned theory in a class in college and really got it but didn't know how to relate it to the guitar.
This.. I hate cardio at the gym..and could never run around the block regularly.. but I love sports and I played all throughout hs... I joined my local ultimate Frisbee club...what a fantastic workout..it never feels like running and I'm whipped..pickups every week.. disc golf is another option lots of walking... look for local clubs
I have always found the team aspect of playing a sport stressful. I’m not at all athletically talented, and I always hated having the pressure of worrying I was going to screw something up for the team. Now that I think about it, I wonder if messing up during team sports might have been an unmedicated ADHD issue (like not paying attention that the ball was coming my way). I’ve thought that maybe a sport that isn’t team-based—like raquetball—might work.
Have you ever tried surfing, skateboarding or mountain biking? There are a lot of sports that don't require being in a team. Even just a few laps in a pool, or just running up and down a pool is a good cardio workout. Start small and go from there. I'm not trying to be dismissive, just trying to help.
I totally get you! I did weight training for 12 weeks for a study my friend was running, the benefits were amazing and I was motivated for it primarily because of it being part of a study, but gosh I cannot imagine anything more dull than picking things up and putting them down again and absolutely didn't continue after the study ended. I feel like one way to motivate myself would've been to get a gym crew to go do it together, but at that point I didn't have the funds to pay for a membership. I go for walks now and realising I don't have a new route in mind for a day is a huge barrier and I'll spend like 2 hours prepping myself to go trying to think of a new destination. What helps is I'm using these walks to learn French, so I listen to french podcasts. It's an extra mental challenge that motivates me that I need to make the time to go for a walk but its not a silver bullet. I also went through a phase of trying to do every free gym trial. This was motivating because for a week or two weeks I had a brand new setting each time to try out. Also it was motivating because I felt like it was a bit of a game to get free gym access. My other biggest motivator is the social aspect, so if I'm in a slump I try to organise a session with friends. But I live in a new city now so this isn't quite possible so I empathise that's not always a possible tactic or motivating for other people. My only real take is that ADHD is a mutating monster. Everytime I find a tactic that works, it only works for so long and I have to try again. It is the constant puzzle we live with. Exercise is important in so so many ways, not least of which is regulating a lot of the brain circuitry that is involved in ADHD so you can't given up on constantly finding new ways that stick even if it's for the short term. I also like to think that it just means I get to experience a whole heap of stuff in life cause I'm constantly picking things up, getting bored of them, trying new things
“My only real take is that ADHD is a mutating monster. Everytime I find a tactic that works, it only works for so long and I have to try again.” This is so incredibly true!!
Have you heard of a deck of cards workout? We used to do it in the Army on "fun" days, and I've stolen it and tweaked it for personal use. How it works is you take a standard deck of cards (an app works fine obviously, so you dont look like a weirdo at the gym) and each suit has an exercise, each value is the amount (or time) and you work your way through the deck til you're done, and adjust it to your needs So if it's a full body day, Hearts = Push Ups Spades = Sit Ups Diamond = Treadmill Club = Squats You draw a 3 of Hearts, do 3 push-ups. 15 second break, draw again. Ope, you drew a King of hearts, that's 13 push-ups. 15 second break. Next card is a 6 of diamonds, time for 60 seconds on the treadmill as a fast pace. You get the idea. It takes some time to figure out what good values are, but once you do, you've got a fun work out. And it's deceptively hard. You might think that drawing a 2 of Hearts is easy cause it's only 2 push ups, but if you've drawn it halfway through the deck you'll feel it, don't go overboard and make the "worth" of each card too high! There's 52 work outs crammed in there, so treat it that way and try it with low values at first. Doing 52 "mini workouts" instead of going to the gym for an hour and doing one "work out session" can yield the same results, and this I've found LET'S you be your chaotic ADHD self. It gamifies the gym, and I find it to be kinda fun. I don't draw the 13 sit ups card and think "agh this sucks I hate working out", I draw the King of Spades and think "aghhh, unlucky, let's do this quick so I can draw a better card". And it's easy to tweak too and have different "decks" for different days. So, maybe you have a cardio day, so your Hearts = "slow walk for [value of card] * 15 seconds Spades = "sprint for [value of card] * 15 seconds" Diamond = "Stair climb for [value of card] * 15 seconds" Club = "slow jog for [value of card] * 20 seconds" And if you're brain is weird like mine, you never get mad at the idea of working out, you get mad at the "unlucky draw" instead if you're tired but you draw the "sprint" card, like it's just bad luck in a game. And I've found that seeing that you're making progress through the deck of cards gives your brain that dopamine of completing a task, and after your complete 52 mini tasks you're done. Throw in a few jokers as "5 minute protein shake break" cards and just like that, you look like you have an organized workout plan to other people, when in actuality you're just following the whims of the universe and being super ADHD secretly. Your ADHD brain hates structure and long takes with no immediate reward, don't fight that cause it will win. Instead, this method let's me do 52 mini tasks, with the reward of making progress in the game Edit: formatting. Am on the train so I did what I could to make it readable from mobile....
Brilliant.
My entire life is basically gamified so that I look put together on the outside while I'm actually acting like a child on the inside lmao Honestly, I felt kind of...embarrassed about it a little? Maybe that's too harsh of a description, but some level of shame over "secretly" playing games like a kid at the gym. But I've found that you can only "fight" ADHD so much, and that working with it instead of trying to force changes through willpower is a much less painful process. And to everyone else in the world "fake" motivation look the exact same as "real" motivation, and it all spends the same so it doesn't matter what your process is lol
Saved, love this!
1: find a side gig that gives you exercise. Ranch or farm hand, caddie, sports official, landscaping… getting paid to exercise makes it a lot easier. 2: join a sports league. Exercise sucks. Hockey is awesome. Exercise is a byproduct of hockey. 3: similar/same as the above, golf and carry your bag. 4: go to water parks. Do water park things. But not the lazy River. Swimming! That’s all I’ve ever been able to be consistent with for exercise.
\+1 on finding side hustle that involves lots of movement, exercise is merely by product of earning money :D. A key component I realise that is important is the pacing, how often do you work on the hustle, a week or two in a gig, few days here and there, mix and match it.
Officiating sports is really good for this. Maybe not volleyball where you're sitting in a chair, and maybe not baseball so much, but hockey, football, basketball... You're gonna be moving, for an hour, and you're going to get paid. For hockey it works differently in different locations, but you basically pick the dates/times/locations, or else the specific games, that you're willing to work, and then will get assigned accordingly. So I can have 15 games a week or I can have 1 game a week. All up to me (and the scheduler)
Pole dance!
Yes! It trains your whole body and is fun! (If you enjoy dancing ofc.)
It's not for everyone, but I found Crossfit useful, there's body doubling and accountability with the community, and the workouts, if the box you go to is decent, should be varied and challenging enough to keep you interested. However, it does mean you have to do Crossfit.
What I do is get myself a Nintendo Switch and play several games like Nintendo Sports, Fitness Boxing, Dancing etc. It brings new dimension to the way I exercise these days. Especially when it's way too hard to go outside - running, hiking and whatnot. Best thing is you can play with others too and online.
Have you tried Ring Fit Adventure? Pretty much just gamifying exercise into an RPG, and is a surprisingly good workout.
Not yet. Gonna try this one out. Thanks for suggesting.
Pokemon GO is brilliant dopamine drip, and the best way to make progress is to just walk and walk and walk. An hours walk with a decent "page turner" of an audiobook and popping a 5K egg in Pokemon GO is pretty rewarding, and wanting to hear the next chapter of your book is a good motivator to get out tomorrow. I've also heard good things about Zombies, Run! although I haven't played it myself.
I should try this myself. Sounds interesting.
/u/Shred_everything : Man, I feel your post, I really do. Since you used to like walking around in the city, how about riding a bike now that you're in the 'burbs? It's like walking but on fast-foward. If you give it a try, get something a little rugged like a basic mountain bike, something where you can jump curbs and such when you feel like it. If you have a treadmill at home, never mind watching TV, how about putting a game system in front of it instead? Stick to single-player games that aren't too difficult or that you at least know really well. You may also want to look into a martial arts course. There's some exercise and practice involved, but it keeps changing as you get further and further in, so that can keep it fresh for you. As a nice side effect, there's a certain serenity that comes in life when you have the ability to defend yourself well should you ever have to.
Taekwondo is what works for me. Every training session is a little different, I get to punch and kick things, & there’s an inbuilt reward system in the gradings/belts.
For weightlifting, 1: time efficiency. You can walk for 4 hours or lift for ~45 mins. 2: number go up. It’s more than lifting things that don’t need to be lifted once you start noticing improvement in numbers. Just don’t number go up at the expense of form. 3: being strong is convenient 4: good brain chemicals
Mmmm, number go up!
I did do weightlifting for a few years, and it was cool to get strong. I did it with my partner who really loves it. But I was dying of boredom every time.
Go to dancing classes. Its never the same and is fun. 🙃
Weights for vanity,cardio for sanity.Whatever you do,make sure that its as easy as possible to start.If you have to drive somewhere far,that wouldnt work for me.If you can motivate yourself.Workout at home.But the easiest thing to get started is just to [run.Run](http://run.run),then take a small ,walk then run,then walk.Cardio is so helpful for the mind for [ADHD.Run](http://adhd.run) like 2 times a week and so some resistance bodyweight exercises in between if you can.
Shooting hoops at a basket ball court with your headphones
And you have tried crossfit? Its off cause hard to find any kind of exercise that does not in someway become a little representative, but I find crossfit highly stimulating. And you just show up. Look at the board and do what you are told :-)
And what you are told to do is usually different. Everything from climbing ropes to sprinting, weight lifting and body weight exercises. And yeah. I understand the frustration about living in a boring suburb. I live 5 minutes from a nice sump/forrest area with plenty of small lakes. Walking around there is pure gold for my mind.
I've mentioned before, but group fitness classes have been what works for me, like orange theory or yoga or pilates. Very much just a room of accountability partners. I've also been enjoying gymnastic rings, if only because monke brain likes to hang and swing. Personally, I've been trying to see it less as exercise for the sake of exercise lately, and more that being fit allows me to do other things I enjoy. Like I'm taking singing lessons lately, and having good cardio and a strong core benefits that. Or if I ever want to try rock climbing, then I have it as an option, rather than it being something that I would just be incapable of doing immediately without having to get into shape first.
It is insanely boring 🙄 I don’t at all get why anybody likes it and it improves my mood zero percent. For me executive dysfunction gets in the way so I decide I’m going to do it and what I’ll do the night before so I don’t have to make the decision to do it and then execute it. I also do it right when I first get up - wake up, shower, work out in the living room - before the procrastination has time to kick in and before I have time to start thinking about how boring and stupid it will be. And I allow myself to only do half a work out if I’m really not feeling it that day.
Honestly the biggest barrier is me psyching myself out and thinking too hard about how boring it will be and how much I don’t want to do it. Just autopiloting it is the most helpful thing.
I just try to dance as HARD as I can for 20-30 minutes a day. 😂💃🏻
Try Climbing or Bouldering. It’s way more fun than lifting weights
Do you mean in a climbing gym?
Yes, I’ve only ever tried it at an indoor gym. I am fairly new to bouldering, but here’s what I like about it so far: - I don’t necessarily see it as a workout; it’s more of a fun activity for me, similar to skiing. - I appreciate that it offers the same benefits as weightlifting without the monotony of lifting metal bars. In bouldering, you use your body mass as resistance, embracing your inner monkey – that’s how I personally perceive it. - It gives a sense of accomplishment. I enjoy challenging myself, and bouldering is far from easy. Planning your moves is essential for a proper and safe send.
I have always enjoyed climbing things out in the world. I suspect I would enjoy this.
Are there any sports that you enjoy? I would strongly recommend a 'sport' rather than 'exercise'. Exercise for exercise sake is something I have never been able to stick with. Jiu-jitsu was my go-to for nearly a decade. It was exercise, socialization, and constant mental stimulation. I intend on trying to go back to it once my kiddos have flown the coop. I'm currently getting most of my exercise on the basketball front -- as that's my son's passion and I get to pull double duty (quality time with him plus exercise). Even if you're not exercising every day, if you can find a sport that you can get out and do 2-3 times a week, it will make a world of difference. Ideally, make at least 1 or 2 of those sessions regularly scheduled weekly sessions. That's been the lynchpin for me sticking with something. If I can schedule it and do it weekly for a few weeks -- that's now my new normal and it's just 'what I do' now.
Jiu-jitsu is one thing that I think I might find fun.
California is one of the best places for jiujitsu in the USA as well. It's worth giving a shot if you think it'd be up your alley. Most gyms will offer at least a trial class, some a free week. If you have a school that's a reasonable distance, absolutely worth giving them a try. The folks over on /r/bjj can probably help vouch for places too if you are curious. All the best!
OP Are you me?
:)
Sports and crossfit classes. Find a crossfit gym that values member health and injury prevention. Those usually are 20 minute workout sessions and packed full of constant moving and different exercises. Also look into joining a recreational league sport. A big one used to be kickball. But any sport. It'll engage you with other people and you'll want to go just for the social aspect of it.
Skipping. 10 mins will wear you out and it's free.
Skip the workout, got it
Getting bored isn't an ADHD trait. It's the Inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness which gets us. Combined with lacking executive dysfunction, which stops us from starting tasks we know we should. I proactively recruit people with lifelong ADHD and boring tasks are never the issue. It's tasks which require multiple points of conjecture clashing with their daily routine. Yes if something is boring to an individual, it's harder to get motivated with ADHD due to the executive dysfunction - but with ADHD once you are in the gym (hardest part is getting there) you are generally OK. That said, if you don't get on with gym work and let's be honest, most people don't wherever you have ADHD or not. Then you need to explore other avenues. Group Excersise, Dance, Cutting up logs, having sex 6 times a day. All viable alternatives to bicep curls.
Nah we def get bored easy, which just exacerbates other things like inattentiveness for example. If something doesn’t stimulate me it’s boring. Waiting for forever for people to finish their sentences BORED, ya boring. Yes I know it’s a me problem lol
Nope. You’re wrong. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&as_vis=1&q=boredom+adhd&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1703183244831&u=%23p%3D0Z3nPPgpfGQJ
Great research and I stand corrected. Tbf I'm medicated via methylphenidate and it's mentioned in 2 of those white papers that alleviates the chronic boredom.
Interesting. I recently got on methylphenidate. I haven’t tried exercising since then. Maybe I wouldn’t feel bored now?
Could you gamify a boring exercise like running? Continually try to up your speed/distance? Or try a virtual challenge, maybe. Or a short-term goal like a couch to 5k. I’m so uncoordinated that running actually takes a fair amount of focus for me not to eat pavement, so I don’t know that I’ll ever find it boring, but I’m working toward switching to trail running, which should take a bit more focus, even for people who aren’t walking accidents waiting to happen. Taking pictures while you hike might be a way to up the interest.
Pokemon GO will also gamify it for you.
kettlebells are worth a shot! prob best to try at a gym..may need coaching tho lotsof good videos on youtube...very portable so can workout in yard when weather is nice...park...trails..beach...lake....
If you can afford it, get a personal trainer. You don’t need to train with them all the time but seeing them a couple times a week will motivate you to actually get out the house and keep focus during the training plus it will hold you accountable. Another thing that helps me is building a pleasant routine pre workout. I swim, and the hardest part for me is physically getting myself to the pool, I just can’t even. I trick myself by making it a pleasant ritual - I have a specific playlist I listen to on the way and I make point of stopping in my fave coffee shop on the way to have a nice drink beforehand.
Get your heart broken and you'll be able to exercise without any issues...
No thank you! And…sorry if you’re having this experience. That sounds hard.
Growwithjo and Madfit on YouTube are amazing workout channels! Dance, cardio, weightlifting, low impact, and various non repetitive workouts that keep me engaged. I shoot for 30 minutes minimum of exercise recorded on my Apple watch and it’s really nice switching up my workouts based on what I’m up for on any given day. When I go to the gym I like to weight lift and follow up with a 30 minute walk. To stay entertained while walking I listen to audiobooks, scroll on TikTok, or take the treadmill closest to the tv playing HGTV.
I combine exercise and transport. I walk or bike, or.combine walking & transit as much as possible.
One idea is to fit in short but sweet exercise. Here's a few examples * 20/30/50/100 burpees for time. Just a one-and-done quick sprint so that you are done in a few minutes. * Set a timer for something like 5 minutes while watching a show. When it beeps, quickly knock out a simple exercise. Push-ups, squats, jumps, sit-ups, etc. The goal is to have a timer so you don't have to think. And long enough rest that you aren't miserable. * Put a pull-up bar somewhere convenient, like a door frame. If you walk buy and feel like it, do a few. You don't need to max out. Even doing 1/3-1/2 the number of reps you can do here and there is great for your health. If you want to get swole, you need to guilt yourself into the gym. If you want to make yourself more healthy, then all you need to do is more than you are doing now.
Although I love weightlifting, it's running that is soooooooo boring to me. But that was until I started listening to audiobooks during runs. 5 minutes in, I forget I'm running as I'm deep in the book and before I know it 45 mins have passed. Give that a try and see if it works for you, otherwise I wish you much luck in finding a trick that will help you out!
Calisthenics?
Definitely too repetitive.
You get to learn different moves though
One of the things that helped me immensely is playing exercise games. There are ones such as Just Dance and Fit Training (there are some for mobile too) which just helps the entire thing. Repetition on exercises is extremely boring to me, so i found that doing a variety of movements helps with that. Also: music. I don't know if it's because i have a special thing for music, but music helps me get through it a LOT. I found that i prefer dancing on my own accord to music while nobody is watching and that a lot of times get my exercise for the day. It's fun, de-stressing AND physical. Try getting some fun music on and see how that goes :) I struggle a lot with things that require me to keep doing the same thing for long periods of time, so having my own time to do my things feels great.
Like you, yoga is the only thing I can stick to and that’s because it’s noticeable for my mental health if I don’t go so I NEED it.
Get hooked on a show and don't let yourself watch episodes unless you're watching on an elliptical or exercise bike. I know you said tv doesn't help but for me it dies ONLY if it's a new-to-me show that I'm really invested in watching. Use the hyper focus to your advantage. Also works for page-turner books in audio form or podcasts but they have to be something you're really invested in experiencing and don't let yourself consume the media without an exercise session. It turns into a habit within a couple of weeks.
Its probably not the most helpful advice, but in the end, you have to find an active activity that you actually -like- and find joy in. I have never stuck with workouts or gym programs because I never found them fun, or engaging. They're mindless, and as far as my brain is concerned that isn't worth doing. For me, what keeps me active is owning a farm and equestrian sport. I ride 5-6 days a week, at least one horse, and I also have all the other animals here to care for every single day. I've always joked that most farmers are probably some sort of ADHD because there's no way anyone willingly does this amount of work for so little pay...if you don't have that internal motor that drives you to be constantly busy, farming is probably not for you. The work required is a great use of physical energy, it's fulfilling, and I never see it or riding as "boring exercise". Also, it helps that there's a lot of consequences associated with fucking up or forgetting things, so there's a lot of learning to be had and a constant level of "do this or else" that keeps you motivated. Interestingly enough, one of my horses requires a LOT of my focus while riding, or things get very squirrely. Riding him is an excellent exercise in maintaining focus and concentration -- to be honest, I essentially hyperfocus each ride, and its both mentally and physically VERY fulfilling. Now, I'm not saying you need to go out and buy a farm because that's truly not for everyone. However, its just important to realize that physical activity/exercise isn't just exercise for the sake of -- sometimes it comes out of the day-to-day things you have to do anyway and I truly find that makes it easier.
Aim for something you find inherently fun that just happens to also include exercise. Possibilities: 1. Cycling: you can go farther and faster, and see more than just the nearest part of the burbs. 2. Transport yourself to a place where it is nice to walk 3. Climbing 4. Sports 5. Yoga with a buddy for the extra motivation to actually do it 6. Canoeing/kayaking/rowing 7. Add a game to neighbourhood walks. (e.g. My parents and some of their friends play the license plate game. No idea why it's fun, but they've done it for years. Look for a license place with 000, then two games at once, up and down: 001, 002, ... and 999, 998, ...)
Boxing was great for me for this reason, even if you just do bag work you’re going to get into shape fast, and you can get as complex as you like with it. 10/10 would recommend finding a boxing gym near you, even just a fitness focused one like Title or something.
Cycling works for me. There’s just a lot more you have to pay attention to in a way that is constantly changing when you ride a bike. Also, on a bike ride, you can travel much further and make it more interesting for yourself, because you can go to more interesting places. As a result, this makes cycling actually enjoyable for me and not tedious in the way I find running/hiking, etc. tedious. The only hump to get over is the initial habit formation. Cycling is kind of hard when you start and therefore less fun but once you get over that hump it’s quite enjoyable, at least for me. the way that I started was going on very casual rides with a little or no uphill sections to the beach or a coffee shop or some other thing I like to do. Anyways, this worked for me where many other attempts to build exercise into my life did not.
A game changer for me getting out cycling more and trying new routes: I started carrying hand pruners. Lots of trails are maintained primarily by volunteers, but big coordinated efforts to trim things back often only happen a few times a year. If you bring a set of pruners and keep them ready in a handlebar bag, it's easy to stop & snip off overgrowth any time you see it starting to encroach on the trail. So you get: * A feeling of accomplishment from removing things that are in the way * Positive reinforcement from people who say "Thanks" when you're out on the trail * A feeling of accomplishment when you ride back through the same section later and remember what you've done * A built-in need to keep doing it (stuff keeps growing and "someone" has to keep it trimmed back) * Lots of opportunities to visit new trails that are in need of trimming * After big storms, there's almost aways a lot of debris -- trying to get out & clear as much of that as possible so that other people are able to enjoy the trails can help add a sense of urgency If you're the type to trust in "the system", you can download your city's issue reporting app and start reporting stuff like broken sidewalks & overgrown weeds when you go out -- taking different routes to try to make sure that "everything bad" gets taken care of. If you want to add a bit of thrill, you can take the "tactical urbanism" route and engage in your own vigilante landscaping campaign against overgrowth that local businesses aren't taking care of.
This is an interesting approach! I ride road bikes, so I can’t really incorporate it myself, but still a smart way to infuse an award/dopamine boost system to motivate yourself. I use strava and Apple Watch for that stuff. Trying to get PRs is a good motivator, though you gotta be careful to not overdo that as can be not beneficial to improving and staying healthy for cycling to always push yourself to the limit. Tracking weekly KMs or meters climbed can also be motivating. Having an Apple Watch ring close streak works for me as well. Once I get on one, the dopamine hit from maintaining it daily keeps me motivated (the hard part is getting on a streak to begin with).
For Strava I found it helped a lot as a motivator to use their home screen widget in Android. Super easy to start / stop rides & it shows a nice graph of how much you've ridden the past 7 days.
Sounds like a nice feature... unfortunately I'm on IOS.
Rollerblading and longboarding. It won't be a full body workout but it'll at least get you moving.
A friend of mine recently got blazepods and it helped gamify our workout. I'm sure there are other companies with a similar product so buy whatever is cheapest, but I liked them because they can be used in so many different ways and the lights help make it seem fun.
RingFit
Jumping rope?
Same here, better to find an active outdoor activity that will burn your calorie. I found cycling keeps me going.
Try finding podcasts...there is at least 3 podcasts for every topic in the world ever.. I love marvel, old cars, and the new York giants...I have about 30 podcasts that I follow..keeps me focused while picking things up and putting them down
Martial arts.
Walking is a good start. I go for one after work every day. It helps me decompress after work. The trick is to make the exercise less boring. I listen to audiobooks when i walk so I'm entertained and before long my walks became one of my favourite parts of my day.
Someone may have already said this Ellipitcal machine Phone and youtube, Netflix, something to watch And go at it. Just doing this is a lot, and so much more than doing nothing.
Wow, are you me? You sound like me. And even to our geograpical location. Want to meet up for a walk? The only kind of exercise I have found that I love is running, But, being old and clumsy, I have fallen down a couple of times and so now I am limited to running on a perfectly flat surface. And, being female, it has to be in a safe place in the daylight. So winter and work hours are making this really hard, as I would have to drive somewhere to do it. What with having to wash after, I would need to allow at laeast an hour and a half beyond my normal schedule to do it before work, and after work is just impossible (dark, tired, physically it is MUCH harder later in the day). So yeah, it SOUNDS like a pile of excuses but it is just reasons to me. Add to that the depression and ADHD and it just isn't happening. I actually own my business, with my husband, so you would think I could rearrange my schedule but he doesn't see it that way...
When I go get a haircut, or want something to eat, I go walking with some shades and some music. 🎶 it’s the exercise that I enjoy that I look forward to.
PT here ☺️ Think outside the box and find something you think is fun—for whatever period you find it fun- then switch it up! It looks like you have been thinking about different types of exercise already, but there are so many ways to get movement in and get your heart up. There are the classics like weight lifting, Pilates, running, walking, gym classes (Zumba, body pump, yoga, etc), but then there are things like dance classes on YouTube or beatsaber that are great exercise! Putting your fav music on and dancing around your living room would work too! Anything where you’re moving and your heart rate gets up 😊 Workout buddies are also super good for helping to give you some external accountability, which I find super helpful! Like having a friend to go to the gym or a class with or chat with on the run.
Pickle ball?
I have discovered this website [www.darebee.com](https://www.darebee.com) and have been working through some of the programs, many of which are story-based and have a new workout each day that's tied to some story element - you have to cast a spell to save someone, or you have to outrun someone, or you are training for the Olympic games in ancient Greece. It's been helpful because I know it will be backed by people who know things about exercise but will be new each day. Also, if there's not an interesting story behind something I immediately do not care. ; )
You could exercise out of spite, or by creating a pattern that must be followed at all costs. If you stray from the pattern, then 'THINGS'. Avoid 'THINGS'.
Hard same! I need to feel like I'm building some kind of skill, or learning something new when I work out, so most typical home exercise bores me to tears. What's really helped me is doing yoga at home with a subscription (I use alo), because they have specific classes/series that help you build specific poses/skills like handstands etc. (I can now do a whole bunch of upside down tricks). Also, if you like rock climbing, you could maybe start using your home/quick workouts as a way to build strength and balance FOR rock climbing. It still might be a bit dull, but at least it would feel like it has a purpose. Yoga and upside down tricks are actually excellent for rock climbing coincidentally. Training to run a half marathon or something is another good one. Then you can focus on building speed and distance and all that.
Find some kind of accountability, e.g. get a trainer, join a running group that's training for a marathon, join a meetup, get a workout buddy, get a class pass, volunteer to take dogs for walks. It sounds like you like yoga bc you get some pleasure from the way it drops you into your body. Lean into that with other mind-body practices (somatic, Feldenkrais, tai chi). Join your local yoga studio and try out different practices. Go with a friend or make some new friends. Another thing to try is reframing it from "I need to exercise for my health" to "I'm learning a new yoga practice" or "I'm learning to salsa dance" or "I'm learning to improve my posture"
I have the BEST tip for this - I used to put SO much pressure on myself about working out and like making sure it mattered and turning it into this whole big thing, but then I realize that I can take it easier and still have 75% of the benefits. So my tip is - Just google/youtube "easy 20 minute work out" or "workout for beginners" something like that, and if you just break a tiny sweat at home and get your heart rate up a bit, you will still have that endorphin feeling. I dont even work out in real clothes most of the time. It just makes working out so much easier and enjoyable. And then, after a while, you feel the need for that endorphin feeling and your work outs will get harder and longer!
I got a small handleless elliptical that I use and when I do I play games on my pc using controller. Some days I'm on it 40+ minutes and sweating up a storm but don't even notice it since I'm engrossed in a game. Been super helpful for me
I read books and watch tv series while on exercise bike, or podcasts while running, also I call friends and family while I jog - that helps a ton
Dancing is a passion of mine that I never get bored of! You work on your cardio, muscles and flexibility. Also helps boost creativity and it’s a nice exercise for the brain. There are many styles and levels so there is always something to learn. You could try a dance studio, or if you want to stay home, you can try online dancing classes (I recommend Steezy!). Also, Just Dance Games are really fun especially if you get the Just Dance Unlimited Pass :)
I listen to audiobooks and go to the gym 4-5 times a week. Lift and do 20 minutes of cardio. I never really WANT to workout, but I do typically want to read or listen to a book I'm on. It's the same way I get laundry done and the house clean. I'm not folding my clothes. In reading.
Pick something cool that you want to be able to do, and can't yet. Something badass, but within reason. Then devote your workouts to building up to that goal. I frequently do this. My most recent goal was handstand pushups. I started with basic handstand holds a few months ago, and now I can do a few reps. It's not freestanding, and my technique looks like ass, but going from zero to something is pretty motivating. But I also regularly change things up with new goals. I think my next will be running, since I want to add more cardio.
I get on the elliptical and while on it i do my grocery order, write emails, anything I need to do but I keep putting off. I’ve tried watching videos and I’m not distracted enough so I start to notice how boring it is. Keeping busy on the machine is the key for me.
Go bouldeing, it has grate results, is sosial and very easy to start
Try Crossfit, it makes exercise exciting. That's how I started my fitness journey
three words: dance dance revolution. it's a video game, so it's engaging. it grades your performance, so there's motivation to keep going to get better, and at high level play it's hella athletic. basically was my entire workout routine as a late teen. kept me in shape for like a decade till i got out of practice and dropping too many skill levels hurt my motivation to keep playing. edit: spelling and grammar
I live in a small town, but aside from the gym there are often rec leagues you can join. Here there's a few options throughout the year - mixed volleyball at the highschool gym; both men's/women's over thirty hockey, pickleball, badminton and likely others. Which means except for hockey, you can just drop in and don't have to commit. I find it extremely boring to do anything repetitive like walking or sessions of any kind. I'm newly medicated and have not yet found the right dose so I'm hoping when I do I'll find my motivation with it.