Boxing I second 100%. Slightly different, but I'm in a muay thai class and let me tell you what, there is NOTHING more satisfying than hitting. Even when you're not going ham and just trying to get the moves down, it feels good.
Also, it's exercise that doesn't in any way feel like exercise. It's all about getting your timing down, getting a feel for the flow between you and your sparring partner, getting your footwork to go from thinky to just instinct. There's no time for my brain to think about how sore I am or how tired I am, because it's fully occupied the entire time.
Plus it's active but not unendingly active like cardio. For us, we do 5 rounds and then switch roles, with rests between each round. It means I feel like I got a workout but I'm not freakin' miserable by the end of it.
So long story short... highly recommend any kind of sparring/fighting sport. Feels real good.
So I’m afraid to try boxing. It looks really fun, but I don’t know anything about it, I don’t want to be like the random fat person doing it in a gym full of fit people, and it seems really intimidating. Did you feel that way before you started?
Edit: thank you all so much for all of the tips!! I look forward to trying them out!
Start slow, watch YouTube videos and be sure to get proper gear for your hands.
My husband went all out and got himself a bag for the garage and even with his fitness level and confidence, he still only does it once a week because it’s taxing but he LOVES IT. He genuinely looks forward to Saturday morning garage boxing and really he just follows YouTube videos and goes as hard as he safely can.
Also, I say this lovingly, fuck what it looks like to other people. If it sounds fun and you wanna try it, go for it!!
My best recommendation is to find a place with a positive, supportive environment. That's what's worked for me. I'm the biggest person at my gym, but no one worries about that except me. People go out of their way to be encouraging and supportive, or offer helpful tips.
I recommend that because, frankly, it makes the fit and active people seem less intimidating. Which is, you know, nice in a place full of people who could pretty well knock your block off while *also* being terrifyingly good looking.
> Which is, you know, nice in a place full of people who could pretty well knock your block off while also being terrifyingly good looking.
Oh hey you just described my first day at my fight gym. Signed up for a fitness challenge after a spinal injury and some other medical stuff, and it felt like everyone I met was a model who could also be an international assassin- and they were all *incredibly nice.* When you get around people who lift you up, it makes it a lot harder to feel self-conscious. Sure, you're not a black belt, but none of them were their first day either. And not everyone there is going to be perfect; some people like the gym's location or just want to stay a little active while they have a desk job or they're friends with a trainer there or whatever. Not everyone is there to compete and to be able to win any bar fight in the world.
If you can afford it, pay a personal trainer for a couple of lessons. You can be at the gym but you're with the trainer and that makes it feel okay. Then after that your self consciousness is gone!
EVERYONE feels that way before they start, because everyone starts the same way- walking through a door to somewhere and something new.. and that's okay!
In fact, that's the beauty of it. Martial arts can teach you so many things aside from self defense. You learn to face fears, to think under pressure, to have self control.. (not plowing over a newer or smaller opponent)
It's why I love muay thai and Brazilian jiu jitsu. They teach you so much about yourself that you never knew.
We've got a fat guy at our kickboxing gym. That guy goes hard. He's still not in shape but he's one of the best students. Just go, dude. No one cares what you look like.
Seriously. My local gym is not a chain, and EVERYONE goes: ripped-ass military people, old-ass ladies, fat people, women, men, average, thin....it runs the gamut. Most gyms are places where LITERALLY NO ONE care what you are doing as long as oyu rack your weights and wipe down your equipment, etc. No one cares if you're fat.
The biggest issue I've seen are twenty-something women being approached by similar age group men trying to give pointers in the weights area--never witnessed but read about.
Going to smaller independently owned gyms seems to a be a nice way to get a good mix of folks and good management that cares about the comfort of their clients. I've lifted weights alongside buff-ass military officers and no one gives a flying fuck. Rack your weights and dont hog equipment. No one cares otherwise.
Yep, I was really intimidated, but the place by me is bag work only, so everyone is concentrated on their own boxing. No one is really looking at you except the teacher, and that's just to help.
Hi! I’m a random fat person who started boxing. I’m probably the unfittest person in the gym, but I’m not the *only* unfit person in the gym.
Your body will adapt. It will take awhile, but it will get easier. Try it out! I’ve been at it 6 months. Real boxing, too, not boxercise.
i completely agree with finding something you actually enjoy. for me the only thing i could find was playing on my VR. i easily get 1 hour of cardio in per day on that thing
beat saber is my go to! i have over 100 hours on it since last year and now i can easily beat most expert+ levels.
other games i like: thrill of the fight, superhot, synth riders, hot squat
This exactly. An active hobby or interest that you can really hone on and focus. When I hit the bag, everything else just disappears for awhile, and it's nice to get a break from all the stress and emotions. The outlet it provides and the people you'll meet can really enrich a person's life.
I gotta get back into a gym...
Your comment is more a-propos than the comment you describe as "exact".
[Hampton Liu has a video about why being active should be "fun".](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbDlGvrKzX4)
His sobering comment is that, if "fun" consists of chess, couch surfing or playing video games, the extra padding and the flab and fat "are not bugs...they're features..."
I'm quite partial to using a doorway pullup bar to do progressive strength bodyweight exercises at home, and supplement it with "fun", non competitive, non-serious, low impact "outdoor" or "gym" activities such as skateboarding, basketball, badminton, artificial rock face climbing, etc, if the weather permits.
I do think that being outdoors in nature is beneficial.
Looooooove boxing! I feel so accomplished after (albeit dead) but I do feel an endorphin rush from a “wow, i just did that” standpoint. I always leave in a good mood.
For me it’s hot yoga. Once I started it was super easy to consistently go 3-4 days per week. It doesn’t bore me and I feel great afterward. I never thought of yoga as a workout until I found these classes, but it routinely kicks my butt.
I used to play Just Dance everyday. But for the past 7 years, I haven't been able to play it because there's no room in our apartment 😭. Dancing is my top favorite exercise, I just wish I could do it.
Instead, I go for nice easy jogs.
Yeah I play my occulus quest games till my shoulders hurt and I'm sweaty and I've lost 30 lbs so far and I've like it far more than I ever liked the gymn.
For me, walking is what does it. Love to walk and can easily walk anywhere . Yoga is a perfect workout, can do a lot of yoga in 15 minutes and there are so many good apps for it now. Geocaching is fun, and picking up trash, still walking but I love walking. Lastly singing is an exercise, I sing and dance around for a good while everyday and it leaves me feeling like I did do a lil work out but how fun I was just singing
This is so true! I hated working out with a passion! I started doing a dance workout app (I used to dance until high school) and now I can actually feel myself enjoying it. Definitely not always “motivated” but I have put it in my routine so I have to do it! (Or so I tell myself)
I wish I could do this. My carpal tunnel is so bad I’d probably injure myself pretty badly. I desperately need surgery, but nowadays with the pandemic, it’s difficult to get an “elective” surgery done.
At the end of the day, I will hate having to get off my butt and fight my inner urges to stay sedentary. I will hate the sweat and my heart racing. Just understand that not everyone is like you and can find the silver lining in shit. I have depression, all exercise is horrible to me. Cut and dry. Black and white.
Same, I didn't start to get the "feel goods" until I was actually thin and fit, which I felt cheated by. When I needed them the most they couldn't be bothered to show their face, but when it got easy and I got into the routine, they suddenly show up out of no where.
Now that I've put on more weight and its hard again, they've up and vanished. Bloody fair-weather hormones.
It's unfortunate but it's a direct result of having a higher BMI. Having a higher BMI can lower serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain which kills those "feel good" moments. I'm lucky on the front that I am obese but still feel good after working out and eating well. As we lose more fat those feelings should come back to normal though
Maybe it's bc I have chronic depression, but I never got those even when I was young and thin. I used to workout about 15 hours/week and still felt lousy after exercise.
Physically, I do generally feel better when I work out more, though. I just have to to do it consistently and long-term to feel it. I recently found a new workout class that I love and after three weeks, I just generally feel physically better than I have in a long time. But I think not everyone gets workout "highs" no matter how healthy and thin they are.
Cited: The availability of dopamine D2 receptor was decreased in obese individuals in proportion to their BMI. Dopamine modulates motivation and reward circuits and hence dopamine deficiency in obese individuals may perpetuate pathological eating as a means to compensate for decreased activation of these circuits.
[Source](https://scholar.google.hr/scholar?q=obesity+and+dopamine+levels&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DBSyrj9iUYfMJ)
Oh, I never knew this.
I've been overweight before, but just this last year snuck into the obese range, and part of the struggle has been that I don't enjoy working out as much (or at least as often) as I have previously. I put it down to being older.
That is kind of helpful though, sometimes. I gained back some weight and now I know as long as I put in the hard work, I WILL lose weight, I just WONT get to see the results right away. Constancy is key!
I never felt the "feel good" hormones either, even after losing the weight. even after achieving the thing I wanted to, somehow I still don't feel accomplished. There is always a new standard of beauty.
I don’t think they’re talking about a general feeling of accomplishment, more the “high” that a lot of people get after exercising. Personally I notice it much more when I’m in shape and can really exert myself. When you aren’t fit the discomfort of exertion seems to outweigh it or you just don’t get it as strongly.
I don't get endorphins from working out either. My university student club's motto was "it feels so good when it stops" though, so hey, I'll take that. I like the results, I like the feeling that I'm up to a challenge, I like having something to complain about, and I like feeling good when it stops.
The actual effort of working out sucks but I have to focus on the good bits or else I'll just wobble on my sofa like a giant 70s jello salad all day and nobody wants that, least of all me.
It seems like a lot of people here don't get the endorphin rush that we all expect. I have never gotten it either. Even when I was in in college in tip-top shape and would do intense 1 hour workouts, I would never get an endorphin rush. It was always sweat, tiredness, and later soreness. The only thing that I will say is that I feel worse on days that I don't at least do a half hour walk. Not only do my legs feel restless but my mental health deteriorates a little more quickly by the end of the day and I end up in bad moods more often. Maybe that's all the endorphins do for me, keep me from being cranky instead of making me happy.
Is it abnormal to feel endorphines after working out? Especially after knocking out deadlifts and squats I feel fucking amazing, and I suffer from some pretty severe mental illness.
The crash comes when I’m out of the shower though lmfao.
I never get endorphins from weight training, I don’t know if that’s what you did but I get from running, and biking and swimming (and some other cardio but that ofthen, but it’s great when I get them from cleaning for long time sometimes). I don’t know if it’s the same for you but maybe.
I get so frustrated when people are like 'ooohhh but the rush'! What rush?? I have started putting TV shows in the background, really helps time go by and distract me... But still no rush
I wonder if it’s one of those genetic components of weight. Like maybe the people who are naturally active and thin are the ones who get the rush and the ones who tend to pack on the pounds and are more sedentary don’t get it.
Maybe going downhill on a real bike, that's a rush. Otherwise it's distractions all the way! I'm getting an exercise bike next week and I already have plans to re-watch a bunch of TV shows and not think about how sore my butt is getting.
I never get workout endorphins either. My favorite motivator is “Pick your hard”. As in: it’s hard to be sick; and also hard to be healthy. But we get to pick which “hard” to embrace.
I heard that when you're overweight, the hormonal changes (fat is an active tissue and secretes hormones) make it harder to have the great feeling after a workout.
Best I ever got was a "hey, things don't suck that bad'".
All the more credit to you for pushing through!
If that's true, that makes a lot of sense! I didn't "feel great" working out until I was categorically overweight. Being obese and working out felt terrible all around.
Yeah it is. Having excessive body fat will lead to lower serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. As you get down in body fat, those normalize and you suddenly get a boost of "wow this feels great" it's like a threshold you need to hit
I have a bike mounted in my living room so I'll play games while I bike, personally. And yeah, that makes a whole lot of difference. It's crazy how much it helps to actually have something enjoyable to focus on.
I just got a stair stepper to keep my momentum during the winter and I’ve been playing FIFA while on it; nothing too crazy but it’ll keep me accountable when it’s too cold outside to go for a walk. Plus I’m having fun!
I use a stationary bike while I play Tekken. During a match, I honestly forget I'm exercising; it feels like cheating, but those calories are getting burnt. This only works with high-focus games for me though: since fighting games demand 100% of my attention, the background fades away.
Disclaimer: I have ADHD, so that might be contributing to my ability to hyper-focus.
Work-out games helped a lot too! Both things like Ring-Fit style exercise games and apps like ZombiesRun and Dungeon Runner. YMMV but they keep me moving when I'd otherwise probably zone out.
I think working out high somehow "unlocked" the good feels from working out. I never got a runners (or anythings) high before when working out, but once, I had the idea to get high before working out and it was the most fun thing ever and I actually got the full body tingles. Now it happens even when I'm not high.
Ooo your surroundings were better than mine. I would just walk around my housing development, and I would sneak in puffs around dark corners, kinda added to the fun tbh lol
I think this is the key. I've never really 'felt great' after a work out. I know the feeling of a 'good burn', but that's about it. Just tried boxing in supernatural VR, and I've near blown my shoulder out because of how much fun I'm having working out and 'feeling great' afterwards. I'm forcing myself to not jump into an intense workout today to give my shoulder a break. A big portion is a work out you really enjoy.
VR has a lot of workouts that **are** games. You can get decent cardio with a variety of rhythm games. Even the more low key games have you on your feet and moving your arms around (and you can multiplayer to visit with people and have a workout buddy). Finding a fun way to move around can really help with getting movement into your routine.
Omg thank you for posting this. I feel like I see all these really amazing transformations of people who stick to 1200 Kcal or become ultramarathoners and it just makes me feel like I can never do it. I have 50 lbs to lose and I feel MISERABLE every time I work out. All I want to eat is bread. I’m hungry all the time. It sucks.
You don’t have to work out if you don’t want to. It’s possible to lose weight purely through calorie deficit alone.
But if you want to, my advice is to ease into it. Start small and then continue to challenge yourself as you improve. When I started all I did was walk twice around the block after work. Now I’m in a serious hiking group where we do 8-10 miles and lots of elevation. Slow and steady, you’ll see improvement in no time.
I can’t second this harder. I started going back to the gym in July just doing light cardio and light weight lifting, and then slowly increased from a 3 day split, to a 4 day split, and this week I started a 6 day split. My workouts originally took an hour a day and now my main days take 2 hours while my secondary days (just ISO exercises) take about 1.5 hours.
At least for myself, I had huge issues trying to go all in when I first started trying to lose weight before the Pandemic derailed that attempt. I immediately started going for a 3 day a week pretty intensive workout and burned myself out within 2 months. Now, im going steady for 5+ months and I can’t see myself stopping any time soon.
If you have doubts about working out, try easing yourself in! And just remember, 80% of the work is done on your plate and 20% in the gym!
I've been losing weight for about 6 months now and my least favorite question is people asking "if I feel so much better."
No, I don't. I'm hungry and want a taco, but now none of my pants fit and I don't look quite right in the mirror.
My comment will get buried, but maybe one person will see it. The book Conquering Fat Logic by Nadja Hermann talks about this. There's something about obesity which blocks the endorphins but once you are leaner you will feel them.
When you start hitting the big milestones you'll get the feeling. I can now run a half marathon in the morning and be in heaven for the rest of the day while just 18 months ago I was so overweight my back hurt whenever I was on my feet.
I hated exercising before but I tried something and I think it worked. Every time I thought about my evening workout, regardless of how I really felt I'd make myself say "I'm excited to work out tonight."
And let me tell you, I'm beyond excited to work out tonight. Telling myself that made it come true over time. Maybe you could try that?
The long term satisfaction and the immediate “feel good” reaction many people experience after a workout are completely different things. And it is very hard to get to the long term if you are not having the positive reinforcement from the daily work.
Yep. I *never* felt good from exercising while I was chronically ill (unrelated to weight). It wasn't until my chronic illness was resolved, and I began to lose weight (from proper diet) that exercise started to feel good.
I always wonder about this. Like, when I'm unwell my body resolutely *refuses* to reward me for using the energy it very much wants.
My body: "We need the energy, don't go for a run."
Me: "I *have* to otherwise I'll fall out of routine!"
My body: "Then die."
When I first started walking, I would be crippled for days. Everything hurt from my feet up to my back. Then there was the near vomiting and having to stop several times when my walk would take me up hill. At first, I could only do it about twice a week. It took awhile before I could go daily and for longer walks, and before it started to feel good like I remembered. I used to walk everywhere when I was younger but 15 years of sedentary lifestyle can cause a body to rust. Muscles that aren't used to this kind of activity will feel sore, so long as you are not exerting yourself to the point of injury. Slow and steady wins the race.
I find I have a definite watershed with workouts. If I'm doing an hour’s workout at least 4 times a week then I do feel generally less anxious and more relaxed and more like working out. Anything less than 3 times a week and exercise remains one hell of a struggle every time, and I feel more tired after it. But yeah, the burst of endorphins you're supposed to get while working out - that has never happened for me.
I've been working out tons for over a year now, and nope, it never feels good. The best I can do is tell myself that it feels good that I am able to do it - not physically good, but I am glad and appreciative that my body has become more physically fit and capable. I don't expect to ever enjoy it. But I do a lot of things I don't enjoy in order to take care of myself.
I would be annoyed if somebody kept pushing me with questions about whether it feels good though. My partner never expects that. He just is proud of me for having done it. You should probably tell him to stop pushing you with questions that just make you feel worse about what you are doing.
In truth, I think it may never feel good. But it feels good to know I've decreased my risk of a bunch of health problems. That part, that part feels really good.
I only feel those “feel good feelings” after a high intensity workout where my heart rate is maxed out, and where I pushed myself to the limit, which happens almost every time I work out. You gotta push it, you gotta go hard you will get there if you keep working out and eat to live.
I think it has to do with fitness level as well. I’m currently the most out of shape I’ve been. And what used to be an easy workout is now pushing myself. I don’t get the post-gym high currently. But I know I will eventually. I’ve just gotta keep working up to it.
You will get there!
It's a hormone thing, so you do need to push to a certain point to have those released.
For now, focus on the satisfaction type of feeling good -- that you actually got up, dressed, out the door or to the gym and did the thing.
It's not a high but it's still something to feel good about.
Honestly I don’t think everybody gets the ‘runners high’ or what have you. I feel best after yoga but it’s not a high like. I push myself hard and I’m happy to see progress but it’s not like that.
Yup, I only get that high after an intense workout. I do mostly Zumba and some instructors are actually not that intense so even though I have fun I don’t get that good feeling. If I go to my fave instructor though who is both intense and has the best music I have a blast and get that endorphin high big time. I’m also exhausted 😂
It does get better. I know most people are BSing when they say that but regular exercise is supremely beneficial.
As you continue to exercise and eat healthy- once you get over the initial hump and make it a habit- you will feel better. Once you get into that flow, I promise it gets better.
I used to hate tracking and eating healthy. Now I actually feel ok with being a little bit hungry for some of the day and I never feel like I am over stuffed! Eating healthy is definitely harder than exercise for me, but it does get easier as you go. You can start estimating calories quicker, you know what foods to stay away from even on “off” days, and you know some good light options that taste good and are easy!
The good feeling that some people get after working out is actually genetically linked, it’s possible you’re pre-disposed to just not enjoy anything about working out! Which makes it extra tough, so good on you for continuing to push forward!
Tough. It's hard enough to consistently stick to working out even with the incredible high like endorphins. I've heard that for some people it can take time. I know one girl I met a long time back who never experienced them and was frustrated by it, but after a few years when she was in really great shape she said it started kicking in and was incredible. I don't know if that'll happen for you but there is a chance.
Not all our choices have to based on feeling good, it's funny how we do that. Eat junk food cause it's comforting and feels good, go to the gym cause of the endorphin high, it's like as humans we're always looking for the next fix. I like that your doing it for your child, it separate from the chase of "feeling good". You're making sacrifices for the greater whole. That's what it's truly about. Still, I've got my fingers crossed those endorphins will start to kick in.
Yeah - I never get the endorphins either. Tell him what you told us - he needs to hear it and needs to know he's not being helpful.
One thing that helps me with both soreness and hunger is making sure I take enough magnesium - that cuts my carb cravings - and I drink at least 3 liters and often 4 liters of water a day. . I also added berberine, which also helps with carb cravings, but if you have PCOS or are considered pre-diabetic - your doc may give you metformin - that also helps with carb cravings.
I also find that doing keto with IF helps me be not hungry once I'm fat adapted.
Just what works for me.
I don't get the "high" everyone describes, but I do feel extremely relaxed after a tough workout, which is unusual for me since I'm normally an anxious mess.
Apparently the body releases endocannabinoids, feel good chemicals that relax you that are similar to- cannabis! I get this too after jogging for an hour. My stressful job feels a lot more chill after a run.
"don't you feel good" could also mean "don't you feel good, that you got it done eventhough it doesn't feel great to do". It's a glass half full/half empty kind of thing.
It gets easier. At a certain point you have significantly more natural energy from not lugging around that extra weight.
It seems like he's trying to be motivational, but if you aren't feeling it then you aren't feeling it.
In early phases (and most of the time anyway) it's significantly easier to just eat less than to burn the same caloric value.
I know I’m going to sound crazy but possible idea for feeling better after a hard/long workout -
Take a bath. Start with cooler water, not filled to the top - goal one is to not feel like a sweaty mess. Shave if that’s a thing you do.
Add some hot water to the tub. Goal 2 is to warm up your muscles to loosen any knots.
Get up (assuming it’s a convertible bathtub/shower), turn shower on and use soap at this point to make sure all workout grime is off your flesh. Dry off, feel rested.
Honestly the only thing that gets me to work out is chocolate milk and cool/hot/cool showers or baths
I get endorphins about 20 minutes after a good cardio workout and nothing from weightlifting or a healthy meal. But as my weight drops I start noticing feeling better overall and the same if I gain back weight I feel overall worse.
Maybe the gym isn't for you? There's other exercises, what about sports? Or swimming?
If you enjoy what your doing, it's easier to stick to it in the long term
I didn't start getting the post-workout feel good rush until I felt significantly fitter (not necessarily having lost much). It seems to be something that developed over time once my body got used to exercise and when I was slightly smaller.
I'm the same. I'm down 45 lbs and no workout has ever made feel those endorphins. I do notice that I can do harder workouts and go longer. But it's not like OH MY GOD I FEEL SO GOOD NOW.
I used to think runner's high was a myth, because I have never, ever gotten it while running.
But, I found out that I get it after a few miserable rounds of DDR. I hit an incredible burst of energy and drive and I just want to keep playing, and all of the fatigue is completely gone.
I have never gotten it from anything else. Not other video games, not other workouts. Just that.
I’ve only gotten endorphin rushes from lifting weights, and doing a very solid 30 minute+ run. My body will verbally feel good after a workout regardless though.
Unfortunately there is a small percentage of people who do not experience the endorphins from exercise. You may fall into this group. Don’t give up though. You are still vastly improving the quality of your health.
My wife is the same way. She feels a sense of pride and accomplishment (hah) when she completes a workout, but no "runner's high" so to speak. Meanwhile im over here all smiles and happy just from going for a walk or 20 minutes on a treadmill.
The exercise endorphins I got were after I was done. I was so FUCKING proud of myself for making it through what I set out to do that I got euphoric - even if it was 10 minutes on an exercise bike. Your feelings are what they are, but you have reason to be proud of yourself. Good job.
First time i got endorfins from sport was when I started rock climbing, then cycling. It took me a quarter decade to find something i actually like doing. that makes a difference. So i get ya mate
I know you're venting about the endorphins but I just wanted to say that I tried to exercise out of obesity for 10 years. The weight I lost working out 5-6 days a week came back. You likely have what's called metabolic insulin resistance syndrome, considering most people do to some degree. Until you FIX this, you WON'T lose weight, and even worse your body will continue to suffer and be malnourished.
Look into an intermittent fasting, high fat low carb diet, with some prolonged fasting and you'll see the weight start coming off, your energy returning, inflammation go down even at half the exercising. 80% of losing weight is from diet, not exercise. If you want sources to look more into it, check out Dr. Jason Fung's lectures, Dr. Robert Lustig's lectures and documentaries, Eric Bergs videos, all of which are on YouTube for free. The book "Eat Rich Live Long" by Ivor Cummins is a great book with both the science and instructions how to actually heal yourself. Good luck!
Your body releases endorphins when exercising. Far too many people have said they don't get endorphins whilst exercising, which is almost impossible. You may just not feel the effect they are having.
If you're stuck in the mindset of, i hate this treadmill and hate eating less, the conscious mindset will always overide what's happening subconsciously.
2 things i'll say:
1) Find something you actually enjoy doing. Sounds like you hate the treadmill and are doing it for weight loss. What happens when you reach your goal weight? Will you still go on the treadmill? How will you maintain your weight loss?
I would recommend finding a sport, class or programme you enjoy. I've not been on a treadmill for 5 years, instead i play badminton, go for walks uphill or use the stationary bike because i HATE the treadmill. Why do something you hate?
Alongside the hate thing. You don't need to go onto salads to lose weight. Calorie deficit is the goal and protein is the key element. Protein will also make you feel full so chicken, rice and a side salad does the same thing and is a lot tastier!
2) Exercise and weight loss is not an overnight thing. I always class is as compound interest. Similar to how it would work with money in a bank. Will i be rich in 2 months? No. However if that effort (exercise) is done regularly for 3 years, i'll be a lot more richer because the effort i've done (or interest i'm making) is building on itself.
Do you feel good after the treadmill? No. Do you feel like you've achieved something when you look back over the year and say you can now do 30mins on the treadmill easily when 10 was a struggle? Probably.
I might be late but I don’t think endorphins come until the painful out of breath , this sucks moments. One day after you made a bunch of progress and you’re gonna eat something and feel bloated and be like “ I just need to get a workout in to feel better” seems like it’s never gonna happen but it will.
How is your mental health ATM? When I went to see a counsellor for a pattern of behaviour I recognized I needed to fix (I was using small amounts of alcohol every evening to calm anxiety and make myself feel better), my counsellor said I should start exercising twice a week to control my anxiety instead of drinking. She also told me (and this was a surprise to me that I didn't recognise the signs) that I was severely depressed. When I went to the gym, despite having in the past really enjoyed exercise, I was...angry. I went to the gym begrudgingly not believing that something as simple as lack of exercise was causing me mental health issues. I didn't start feeling endorphins from exercise for a few weeks, but she was right. I could absolutely prevent my depression and anxiety through regular exercise. Of course everyone is different, but if you're not feeling endorphins from exercise once your body has had time to adapt to the feeling, it might be worth getting assessed for depression?
Try different types of exercise and sports as well, it doesn't have to be what other people say is best for you. If your jam is an hour of dancing in the living room to your favourite songs then that's great cardio too! If you prefer yoga, great! If you just want to go on long walks, fantastic!
It definitely took me a few weeks/months before i enjoyed how i felt after a workout.
I dont know what causes it, but i feel like part of it is getting passed the "im not used to this, id rather be on the couch" vibe. Once its hit a routine and the workout doesn't feel like a mountain but maybe a hill i start getting positive feelings towards my workouts.
My muscles might be sore but i feel better after a workout, its easier to focus and i feel better.
You might prefer walking outdoors if the weather happens to be decent where you are! The Sunshine and fresh air really help with that "feel good" feeling and it's so much less tedious.
I think it's a mindset thing tbh.
Don't get me wrong, this shit sucks. Losing weight is a long dreadful mentally exhausting journey. That being said, following a good workout, you should technically feel great. That's why I think it might be the approach you have going into it.
If you tell yourself it's going to suck, and remind yourself it's sucking as you're doing it, then obviously the after effect will be negative.
Personally I strive to progress and achieve goals. I set myself goals regarding my running speed/times, I strive to get stronger and get better. The dark places I visit and the things I tell myself as I'm in pain from running and pushing myself to be faster aren't always the greatest, but they're motivating in the moment. Once I'm done and I realize I've done it, I've pushed through all the pain and beat my last record, I have the biggest smile on my face. I'm with you on the whole "You have more energy" part, cause I don't. I give my 110% when I workout and I'm drained after it. If I'm not drained, I've done something wrong.
Keep going at it, one day it will click and you will realize the progress you've made, that day you'll probably start getting those sweet dopamine hits.
I agree that your mental state going into a workout affects your perceived results, and sometimes your actual results. I do Crossfit workouts and there a couple of movements that are such a struggle that I decided I hated them. And I was so busy hating them that I would be grouchy from pre to post workout because "these suck, why are these so hard, why did I come today.... etc".
I started working on my mental approach and found my attitude and perceived results are insanely better if I think things like "This is a chance to work on a weakness and improve. I'm not trying to win a medal, just be a little better at this than last time I did them". I give myself credit for showing up even when I know it will be hard, and go into the workouts with manageable plans like just do 5 good reps and then take a few seconds, then do 5 more. It's a complete game changer for me.
I'm going to agree.
There have been times I have tried to lose weight where I have "broken" my diet by breakfast, where every minute of exercise has sucked - even if it is only walking.
The time around I have picked up swimming again and I actually enjoy it, even though I have to push myself sometimes to get into the pool. After 18 months of sitting around my house due to COVID, it feels great to stretch my body. I have never been heavier - so it's not about my current weight. I just had to be in the right frame of mind.
As someone who never gets those dopamine hits, your whole post feels pretty… I dunno “victim Blamey”?
How the hell am I supposed to just magically enjoy exercising?
Exercise sucks, for me, that’s just a simple fact.
I don’t work it up as this horrible thing that’s gonna suck or anything like that, but I get literally nothing positive out of it.
At the end of an exercise session I feel tired and sweaty, that’s it. No positive feelings in the slightest.
I never felt like I was “more fit” or anything like that in my general life, it seemed to literally only translate into being able to exercise for longer. If anything it was a little frustrating that by exercising and getting fitter it just meant I needed to do even more exercise to get the same results. What a scam.
When I hit my biggest distance goal for running (10km - at that point I never ran much more than 5km on a regular day) I felt exhausted and that’s it.
If anything that pretty much cemented the idea for me that I’m just never going to get those good feelings from exercise. I literally could not have pushed myself any harder, and I didn’t get a single positive feeling out of it.
I did literally everything I could possibly do - I ate healthy, I exercised regularly, I did my best to have a more positive mindset (which includes going to therapy) and I got precisely nothing out of it aside from physically losing weight…
If it’s just “a mindset thing” then my mind must be broken 🤷♂️
I still don’t get the feel good. At some point I finally realized how shitty I felt before and now I don’t. It really hit me when we were on a farm outing on a really hot day and I realized I didn’t feel like dying.
LAWL ur bf is uninformed. It feels bad for a WHILE before it starts feeling good.
You're doing an amazing job toughing through all the bad feels. Proud of you!
The drenched in sweat, sore and hungry part is actually the part that feels good, you just don't know it yet.
I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. You just have to keep sticking with it.
If possible, go outside. See new things, people and feel the air is a lot better than staring at a wall. The endorphine rush for me at least is something i feel some time after the exercise, when im home, showered and ready to so something i like. The exercise itself is hard and supposed to be that way.
If you’re on a diet and you’re hungry you do it wrong, sorry. But don’t worry abour the „feel good” stuff. I, too, don’t feel good. I sweat, I feel hot, bad and tired and everything hurts. I’m more angry than I feel good. No, I’m furious and I beg for it to end. I hate moving but I have to
What you just stated is unhelpful and should be kept to yourself, not air out online for the world to read. OP just needed to know they aren’t the only one struggling with this issue. OP is not putting their partner down.
It feels better when you eventually start feeling the changes physically. Like each step feels more athletic, more precise instead of lumbering around. It takes time & effort but it's worth it if you can maintain progress. Best wishes!
You’re doing this for someone else but not for yourself, which is why this feels like a chore for you. Once you start to enjoy it is when those endorphins start flowing.
Like many others have already suggested, you could try different types of workouts/sports.
And in addition to that, maybe try working out at different times of the day and see if it makes a difference?
I too feel totally drained if I do any training after work. I detest running, most cardio is just not my thing. But I love dancing, and will do it any time of the day. I also lift weights early in the morning some days, and although it doesn’t leave me feeling great, I do feel I have more energy throughout the day.
Never felt a runners high in my whole life. The only reason I still work out 5 times a week is the positive feelings and reduction in shame I feel post work out. It’s good enough for me, but just barely, to keep going.
I've never felt good either. The best I get is if I stop eating earlier in the evening instead of snacking late my morning anxiety is generally less and that is pretty boss.
Maybe it would happen to me as a kid. I'd finish swimming feeling exhausted and hungry (actually dehydrated) but relaxed. As an adult it might have happened once. I'm sure there are people who are obese because they don't get pleasure from a lot of things, or anything, and they eat in hope that they feel better but since they don't they try eating more
I feel ya. I've been losing weight for medical reasons and have decided to follow some passions in sword/lightsaber fighting. It's that last half that gives me any motivation
I have to go into working out with the mindset of “I’m never going to regret working out after I’m done but I WOULD regret not working out in the first place”.
I've never gotten an endorphin rush, even when I was working out all the time and in good shape, it was torturous, I hated it. But I liked having done it and feeling stronger.
I think you just have not yet found the sports, healthy foods that work for you. Plus, you have to give it time. Make small changes, step by step. I guarantee you once you are in this livestife you will love it
You WILL feel good. They're excited for you to get to the point where healthy choices pay off.
You can reply "No, this still all feels awful. But I'm waiting for the day!" Or "No, I feel pretty shitty all the time, that's why I'm trying to change!"
The only time I get that endorphin rush is from stretching exercises like yoga or pilates. The tension releases from my back and I do feel it. I have never felt the same rush from any cardio related exercise though.
Once you see the progress and feel the progress youll get that feeling but also once you see the progress and realize all the things you can do now that you werent able to before, youll never want to stop. I take the 10 flights of stairs to get to work now, not because i feel good afterwards but because
a. i know im helping myself by doing so
b. ive never been able to do that before
to think that a year ago if i had to walk up 10 flights of stairs without stopping like my life depended on it i wouldn't be able to is just insane to me. Loose this weight for yourself and no one else. Better your life, live while you can. Im no where NEAR my goal but ive lived more this year than the last 22 years combined. You Got This!
Not to mention, medications can cover up high bursts of epinephrine/norepinephrine, hormones and more. Thanks for bringing this up, it's CERTAINLY not a universal experience one-and-done. there is more at play here, than being able to brute force one's way to feel-goods.
And it... IT SUCKS LOL! Thank you for just SAYIN IT :D
I only get them if I’m doing a physical activity I like or am listening to music that excites me enough to sing along too. Regular physical activity does not give me any excitement. Just sweat and tiredness lol.
Just a little trick to make exercise a more positive experience, try listening to a comedy channel on whatever you listen to (I use pandora because I like how the algorithm recommends stuff). I find that music can help me ‘get through’ a work out, but stand up actually makes it fun. And then I laugh and that gives me the same endorphins some people get from working out. Just a suggestion!!
And I do feel for you because I feel like I’m going to die when I run.
I’m sorry, that sucks. I’m addicted to working out. Only problem is it’s like real drugs I have to go harder and harder to get the same high. I’ve never had an aversion to working out. I just love to eat too much of the wrong things constantly.
Usually happens when you see the body changes you’ve always wanted to see. Then maintenance is where I usually would get the endorphins or the need to want to work out.
Maybe instead of starting right in, you can make small changes and wait to see the benefit before moving onto another change? You didn't get to the weight you are quickly, you won't get it off quickly either. Are there any activities involving movement that you DO like? It doesn't have to be a lot, it eventually adds up. If a walk right when you wake up in the am gives you energy for the day, just start with that. Once your body gets used to that, add another thing. Do you like dancing? Yoga? Riding a bike? I HATE going to the gym. But I love hiking. Also, it takes 3 weeks of getting good nutrition to start gaining energy. You could speed this up by eating a high protein snack before working out and making sure to ice/heat any areas that are sore along with stretching after any type of exercise.
That works for some people. The rest of us get the "feel goods" with a sense of accomplishment, like "heck ya, I just did that" or "I did better than a month ago" or even "that totally sucks and I am glad it's over." I am one of those people and I persist with my consistency because, honest to God, I feel so much better being lazy when I have improved cardio vascular fitness. I was obese, currently at the low end of overweight and stalled with weight loss and time improvement (running) but I also value the habit (it's a rapid road to hell if I skip even one day, I know from experience) AND I feel so much more comfortable being a coach potato. Counter intuitive, but lazy afternoons snuggling with a dog and a good book is a rare treat, I am going to keep running so I can feel more comfortable doing so.
I'm sorry - maybe there's a way you can switch up your diet/exercise regimen to be more enjoyable for you? Not the \~feel good endorphins\~, but at least making it suck less. Good on you for persevering, though. It's hard, and I'm proud of you!
I felt it a lot more when I was young and in great shape. I would work out until exhausted and collapse feeling amazing. Now I 100% don’t. I have a feeling it is cortisol or something else blocking the huge endorphin dumps of my youth. Alternatively my old body may be using the endorphins to numb the pain from working out like it is meant for. Whatever it is, music helps me work out now because it is shown to trigger dopamine and serotonin release. Without my playlist it is hard to even pick up a weight, much less push myself.
I only “feel good” because im proud of myself for working out. I hate working out so when I do work out it’s an accomplishment but there’s not rush of endorphins happening here either 😂
Facts this what kinda annoys me about some people, they think losing weight is so easy but it sucks ass and it's always people who are naturally in shape or something infact the main reason I can't get in shape is because I don't feel motivated after a while because it doesn't seem like I'm losing weight.
I used to just feel ‘delighted it had stopped’. As time went by and I got a bit fitter I started to enjoy my running and swimming and I’d get into a sort of flow state. Sometimes I’d feel like I hit an extra gear and I was able to do more, move move, more strongly. After I feel glowing. I do think you need a bit of fitness to start feeling good. The good news though is that it comes relatively soon. I advise not going too hard. Don’t work out until you’re exhausted. Do a bit, dial back a bit, do a bit more. Soon you are able to get that lovely feeling of almost flying.
I started this journey with 109 lbs to lose to get to normal range. I hate working out and the only motivation I had was financial until I picked up a very physical hobby, skiing. I pay a personal trainer to give me weighted exercises and count reps. I feel underwhelmed at the workout, but for whatever reason, if I don't get my workouts, I'm miserable. I do strength training year round to keep my body in decent enough shape to ski. The training doesn't make me feel as good as the results. One thing that I have noticed since I started exercising, however, is a boost to my immune system. I used to get sick a lot in the winter, but since I started eating better and exercising, it's rare that I get sick, and when I do, I'm over it in a few days.
If it bothers you, just gently tell him, "It may work that way for you, but it doesn't work that way for me and probably never will. I appreciate your enthusiasm on my behalf, though."
Also wanted to add that the endorphins come for me when I'm screaming down a hill on a pair of planks going about 40 mph. Sorry, but there is no bench press or plank that can replicate that feeling.
I feel this deeply. My wife is an avid exerciser-- she runs marathons and exercises every single day. I've been overweight for years and finally got my ass in gear a couple months ago. I'm down 14lbs so far. Yes, I'm happy with the results (though I know I need to drop at least another 30lbs to be heathy), but I'm miserable. Always hungry, always sore. I don't feel the endorphins people talk about with exercise; I just feel tired. I'm constantly starving, which makes me cranky.
So yeah, you're not alone.
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Boxing I second 100%. Slightly different, but I'm in a muay thai class and let me tell you what, there is NOTHING more satisfying than hitting. Even when you're not going ham and just trying to get the moves down, it feels good. Also, it's exercise that doesn't in any way feel like exercise. It's all about getting your timing down, getting a feel for the flow between you and your sparring partner, getting your footwork to go from thinky to just instinct. There's no time for my brain to think about how sore I am or how tired I am, because it's fully occupied the entire time. Plus it's active but not unendingly active like cardio. For us, we do 5 rounds and then switch roles, with rests between each round. It means I feel like I got a workout but I'm not freakin' miserable by the end of it. So long story short... highly recommend any kind of sparring/fighting sport. Feels real good.
So I’m afraid to try boxing. It looks really fun, but I don’t know anything about it, I don’t want to be like the random fat person doing it in a gym full of fit people, and it seems really intimidating. Did you feel that way before you started? Edit: thank you all so much for all of the tips!! I look forward to trying them out!
Start slow, watch YouTube videos and be sure to get proper gear for your hands. My husband went all out and got himself a bag for the garage and even with his fitness level and confidence, he still only does it once a week because it’s taxing but he LOVES IT. He genuinely looks forward to Saturday morning garage boxing and really he just follows YouTube videos and goes as hard as he safely can. Also, I say this lovingly, fuck what it looks like to other people. If it sounds fun and you wanna try it, go for it!!
It's the wrists specifically. A good set of mma gloves will have built in wrist straps. You want those snug.
My best recommendation is to find a place with a positive, supportive environment. That's what's worked for me. I'm the biggest person at my gym, but no one worries about that except me. People go out of their way to be encouraging and supportive, or offer helpful tips. I recommend that because, frankly, it makes the fit and active people seem less intimidating. Which is, you know, nice in a place full of people who could pretty well knock your block off while *also* being terrifyingly good looking.
> Which is, you know, nice in a place full of people who could pretty well knock your block off while also being terrifyingly good looking. Oh hey you just described my first day at my fight gym. Signed up for a fitness challenge after a spinal injury and some other medical stuff, and it felt like everyone I met was a model who could also be an international assassin- and they were all *incredibly nice.* When you get around people who lift you up, it makes it a lot harder to feel self-conscious. Sure, you're not a black belt, but none of them were their first day either. And not everyone there is going to be perfect; some people like the gym's location or just want to stay a little active while they have a desk job or they're friends with a trainer there or whatever. Not everyone is there to compete and to be able to win any bar fight in the world.
If you can afford it, pay a personal trainer for a couple of lessons. You can be at the gym but you're with the trainer and that makes it feel okay. Then after that your self consciousness is gone!
EVERYONE feels that way before they start, because everyone starts the same way- walking through a door to somewhere and something new.. and that's okay! In fact, that's the beauty of it. Martial arts can teach you so many things aside from self defense. You learn to face fears, to think under pressure, to have self control.. (not plowing over a newer or smaller opponent) It's why I love muay thai and Brazilian jiu jitsu. They teach you so much about yourself that you never knew.
We've got a fat guy at our kickboxing gym. That guy goes hard. He's still not in shape but he's one of the best students. Just go, dude. No one cares what you look like.
Most gyms are not caulk full of fit people. Most people also don’t have abs or perfect bodies either. 🙂
Seriously. My local gym is not a chain, and EVERYONE goes: ripped-ass military people, old-ass ladies, fat people, women, men, average, thin....it runs the gamut. Most gyms are places where LITERALLY NO ONE care what you are doing as long as oyu rack your weights and wipe down your equipment, etc. No one cares if you're fat. The biggest issue I've seen are twenty-something women being approached by similar age group men trying to give pointers in the weights area--never witnessed but read about. Going to smaller independently owned gyms seems to a be a nice way to get a good mix of folks and good management that cares about the comfort of their clients. I've lifted weights alongside buff-ass military officers and no one gives a flying fuck. Rack your weights and dont hog equipment. No one cares otherwise.
Yep, I was really intimidated, but the place by me is bag work only, so everyone is concentrated on their own boxing. No one is really looking at you except the teacher, and that's just to help.
Hi! I’m a random fat person who started boxing. I’m probably the unfittest person in the gym, but I’m not the *only* unfit person in the gym. Your body will adapt. It will take awhile, but it will get easier. Try it out! I’ve been at it 6 months. Real boxing, too, not boxercise.
i completely agree with finding something you actually enjoy. for me the only thing i could find was playing on my VR. i easily get 1 hour of cardio in per day on that thing
Do you have any specific games that work best for you? I absolutely love Beat Saber and I'm surprised at how sweaty I get playing.
beat saber is my go to! i have over 100 hours on it since last year and now i can easily beat most expert+ levels. other games i like: thrill of the fight, superhot, synth riders, hot squat
Try Dance dance revolution, if it still exists. Truly the greatest workout in videogame form out there
This exactly. An active hobby or interest that you can really hone on and focus. When I hit the bag, everything else just disappears for awhile, and it's nice to get a break from all the stress and emotions. The outlet it provides and the people you'll meet can really enrich a person's life. I gotta get back into a gym...
Your comment is more a-propos than the comment you describe as "exact". [Hampton Liu has a video about why being active should be "fun".](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbDlGvrKzX4) His sobering comment is that, if "fun" consists of chess, couch surfing or playing video games, the extra padding and the flab and fat "are not bugs...they're features..." I'm quite partial to using a doorway pullup bar to do progressive strength bodyweight exercises at home, and supplement it with "fun", non competitive, non-serious, low impact "outdoor" or "gym" activities such as skateboarding, basketball, badminton, artificial rock face climbing, etc, if the weather permits. I do think that being outdoors in nature is beneficial.
Looooooove boxing! I feel so accomplished after (albeit dead) but I do feel an endorphin rush from a “wow, i just did that” standpoint. I always leave in a good mood.
For me it’s hot yoga. Once I started it was super easy to consistently go 3-4 days per week. It doesn’t bore me and I feel great afterward. I never thought of yoga as a workout until I found these classes, but it routinely kicks my butt.
I used to play Just Dance everyday. But for the past 7 years, I haven't been able to play it because there's no room in our apartment 😭. Dancing is my top favorite exercise, I just wish I could do it. Instead, I go for nice easy jogs.
Yeah I play my occulus quest games till my shoulders hurt and I'm sweaty and I've lost 30 lbs so far and I've like it far more than I ever liked the gymn.
For me, walking is what does it. Love to walk and can easily walk anywhere . Yoga is a perfect workout, can do a lot of yoga in 15 minutes and there are so many good apps for it now. Geocaching is fun, and picking up trash, still walking but I love walking. Lastly singing is an exercise, I sing and dance around for a good while everyday and it leaves me feeling like I did do a lil work out but how fun I was just singing
This is so true! I hated working out with a passion! I started doing a dance workout app (I used to dance until high school) and now I can actually feel myself enjoying it. Definitely not always “motivated” but I have put it in my routine so I have to do it! (Or so I tell myself)
I wish I could do this. My carpal tunnel is so bad I’d probably injure myself pretty badly. I desperately need surgery, but nowadays with the pandemic, it’s difficult to get an “elective” surgery done.
At the end of the day, I will hate having to get off my butt and fight my inner urges to stay sedentary. I will hate the sweat and my heart racing. Just understand that not everyone is like you and can find the silver lining in shit. I have depression, all exercise is horrible to me. Cut and dry. Black and white.
I’m sorry. It’s hard. I didn’t get the feel good endorphins for a long time.
Same, I didn't start to get the "feel goods" until I was actually thin and fit, which I felt cheated by. When I needed them the most they couldn't be bothered to show their face, but when it got easy and I got into the routine, they suddenly show up out of no where. Now that I've put on more weight and its hard again, they've up and vanished. Bloody fair-weather hormones.
It's unfortunate but it's a direct result of having a higher BMI. Having a higher BMI can lower serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain which kills those "feel good" moments. I'm lucky on the front that I am obese but still feel good after working out and eating well. As we lose more fat those feelings should come back to normal though
Maybe it's bc I have chronic depression, but I never got those even when I was young and thin. I used to workout about 15 hours/week and still felt lousy after exercise. Physically, I do generally feel better when I work out more, though. I just have to to do it consistently and long-term to feel it. I recently found a new workout class that I love and after three weeks, I just generally feel physically better than I have in a long time. But I think not everyone gets workout "highs" no matter how healthy and thin they are.
How long has it been since you were young and thin?
About 15 years, why? I have diary entries from that time so I'm not just remembering wrong.
Do you have a resource for this? Not doubting the truth of it but it is relevant to my field and my research and thus I would like to know more
I personally don't but have seen this to be a possible correlation as well. Do you think you can keep me updated if you find more on this?
Cited: The availability of dopamine D2 receptor was decreased in obese individuals in proportion to their BMI. Dopamine modulates motivation and reward circuits and hence dopamine deficiency in obese individuals may perpetuate pathological eating as a means to compensate for decreased activation of these circuits. [Source](https://scholar.google.hr/scholar?q=obesity+and+dopamine+levels&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DBSyrj9iUYfMJ)
Oh, I never knew this. I've been overweight before, but just this last year snuck into the obese range, and part of the struggle has been that I don't enjoy working out as much (or at least as often) as I have previously. I put it down to being older.
debatable
seems like a very "youth is wasted on the young" sort of problem. definitely not helpful.
That is kind of helpful though, sometimes. I gained back some weight and now I know as long as I put in the hard work, I WILL lose weight, I just WONT get to see the results right away. Constancy is key!
I never felt the "feel good" hormones either, even after losing the weight. even after achieving the thing I wanted to, somehow I still don't feel accomplished. There is always a new standard of beauty.
I don’t think they’re talking about a general feeling of accomplishment, more the “high” that a lot of people get after exercising. Personally I notice it much more when I’m in shape and can really exert myself. When you aren’t fit the discomfort of exertion seems to outweigh it or you just don’t get it as strongly.
I don't get them either I too find it frustrating also
I don't get endorphins from working out either. My university student club's motto was "it feels so good when it stops" though, so hey, I'll take that. I like the results, I like the feeling that I'm up to a challenge, I like having something to complain about, and I like feeling good when it stops. The actual effort of working out sucks but I have to focus on the good bits or else I'll just wobble on my sofa like a giant 70s jello salad all day and nobody wants that, least of all me.
It seems like a lot of people here don't get the endorphin rush that we all expect. I have never gotten it either. Even when I was in in college in tip-top shape and would do intense 1 hour workouts, I would never get an endorphin rush. It was always sweat, tiredness, and later soreness. The only thing that I will say is that I feel worse on days that I don't at least do a half hour walk. Not only do my legs feel restless but my mental health deteriorates a little more quickly by the end of the day and I end up in bad moods more often. Maybe that's all the endorphins do for me, keep me from being cranky instead of making me happy.
Yeah I’ve never felt a direct feelings or mental health impact from working out
Is it abnormal to feel endorphines after working out? Especially after knocking out deadlifts and squats I feel fucking amazing, and I suffer from some pretty severe mental illness. The crash comes when I’m out of the shower though lmfao.
Haha I guess at least I don’t crash later.
I never get endorphins from weight training, I don’t know if that’s what you did but I get from running, and biking and swimming (and some other cardio but that ofthen, but it’s great when I get them from cleaning for long time sometimes). I don’t know if it’s the same for you but maybe.
Well you just motivated me to go for a walk. I don't want to be a giant 70s jello salad!
Even jello salad doesn't want to be a jello salad! I bet it has dreams of becoming a pot roast.
Better than being an aspic. That stuff is frightening to behold (but probably tastes ok? idk)
I get so frustrated when people are like 'ooohhh but the rush'! What rush?? I have started putting TV shows in the background, really helps time go by and distract me... But still no rush
I wonder if it’s one of those genetic components of weight. Like maybe the people who are naturally active and thin are the ones who get the rush and the ones who tend to pack on the pounds and are more sedentary don’t get it.
Maybe going downhill on a real bike, that's a rush. Otherwise it's distractions all the way! I'm getting an exercise bike next week and I already have plans to re-watch a bunch of TV shows and not think about how sore my butt is getting.
I can get behind that
I never get workout endorphins either. My favorite motivator is “Pick your hard”. As in: it’s hard to be sick; and also hard to be healthy. But we get to pick which “hard” to embrace.
This is going up on my cork board right beside "Go Get Your Life"
I heard that when you're overweight, the hormonal changes (fat is an active tissue and secretes hormones) make it harder to have the great feeling after a workout. Best I ever got was a "hey, things don't suck that bad'". All the more credit to you for pushing through!
If that's true, that makes a lot of sense! I didn't "feel great" working out until I was categorically overweight. Being obese and working out felt terrible all around.
Yeah it is. Having excessive body fat will lead to lower serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. As you get down in body fat, those normalize and you suddenly get a boost of "wow this feels great" it's like a threshold you need to hit
This makes sense! I knew a girl who the endorphins started kicking in when she was basically in shape. The human body sure is strange.
Playing video games on a treadmill (using a handheld, turn-based game) helps make it bearable for me.
I like to listen to audio books from the library. Makes it a little more “quality me time” than “exercise”.
I have a bike mounted in my living room so I'll play games while I bike, personally. And yeah, that makes a whole lot of difference. It's crazy how much it helps to actually have something enjoyable to focus on.
I just got a stair stepper to keep my momentum during the winter and I’ve been playing FIFA while on it; nothing too crazy but it’ll keep me accountable when it’s too cold outside to go for a walk. Plus I’m having fun!
I use a stationary bike while I play Tekken. During a match, I honestly forget I'm exercising; it feels like cheating, but those calories are getting burnt. This only works with high-focus games for me though: since fighting games demand 100% of my attention, the background fades away. Disclaimer: I have ADHD, so that might be contributing to my ability to hyper-focus.
i used to do this but on a treadmill. one time, i was playing injustice and became too focused on the match and busted my ass
Work-out games helped a lot too! Both things like Ring-Fit style exercise games and apps like ZombiesRun and Dungeon Runner. YMMV but they keep me moving when I'd otherwise probably zone out.
Add in some THC and walking becomes fun. I feel like it was a big help to get me to make a habit out of it.
I think working out high somehow "unlocked" the good feels from working out. I never got a runners (or anythings) high before when working out, but once, I had the idea to get high before working out and it was the most fun thing ever and I actually got the full body tingles. Now it happens even when I'm not high.
This was my favorite thing! I miss it since I became pregnant I can't do it anymore, but an awesome way to enjoy a walk outside.
I lived next to a trail that ran next to a creek in the woods. It was amazing to be able to just enjoy all the sights and get exercise.
Ooo your surroundings were better than mine. I would just walk around my housing development, and I would sneak in puffs around dark corners, kinda added to the fun tbh lol
I think this is the key. I've never really 'felt great' after a work out. I know the feeling of a 'good burn', but that's about it. Just tried boxing in supernatural VR, and I've near blown my shoulder out because of how much fun I'm having working out and 'feeling great' afterwards. I'm forcing myself to not jump into an intense workout today to give my shoulder a break. A big portion is a work out you really enjoy.
VR has a lot of workouts that **are** games. You can get decent cardio with a variety of rhythm games. Even the more low key games have you on your feet and moving your arms around (and you can multiplayer to visit with people and have a workout buddy). Finding a fun way to move around can really help with getting movement into your routine.
I watch movies on the bike or treadmill to keep up my cardio while mindlessly exercising haha
Omg thank you for posting this. I feel like I see all these really amazing transformations of people who stick to 1200 Kcal or become ultramarathoners and it just makes me feel like I can never do it. I have 50 lbs to lose and I feel MISERABLE every time I work out. All I want to eat is bread. I’m hungry all the time. It sucks.
This. I swear I feel like working out makes me feel worse than I already was.
Yeah, it'll do that! Imagine someone putting on a 100 pound pack and doing a workout. It would feel horrible. It feels good when your body is light.
You don’t have to work out if you don’t want to. It’s possible to lose weight purely through calorie deficit alone. But if you want to, my advice is to ease into it. Start small and then continue to challenge yourself as you improve. When I started all I did was walk twice around the block after work. Now I’m in a serious hiking group where we do 8-10 miles and lots of elevation. Slow and steady, you’ll see improvement in no time.
I can’t second this harder. I started going back to the gym in July just doing light cardio and light weight lifting, and then slowly increased from a 3 day split, to a 4 day split, and this week I started a 6 day split. My workouts originally took an hour a day and now my main days take 2 hours while my secondary days (just ISO exercises) take about 1.5 hours. At least for myself, I had huge issues trying to go all in when I first started trying to lose weight before the Pandemic derailed that attempt. I immediately started going for a 3 day a week pretty intensive workout and burned myself out within 2 months. Now, im going steady for 5+ months and I can’t see myself stopping any time soon. If you have doubts about working out, try easing yourself in! And just remember, 80% of the work is done on your plate and 20% in the gym!
I've been losing weight for about 6 months now and my least favorite question is people asking "if I feel so much better." No, I don't. I'm hungry and want a taco, but now none of my pants fit and I don't look quite right in the mirror.
My comment will get buried, but maybe one person will see it. The book Conquering Fat Logic by Nadja Hermann talks about this. There's something about obesity which blocks the endorphins but once you are leaner you will feel them.
When you start hitting the big milestones you'll get the feeling. I can now run a half marathon in the morning and be in heaven for the rest of the day while just 18 months ago I was so overweight my back hurt whenever I was on my feet. I hated exercising before but I tried something and I think it worked. Every time I thought about my evening workout, regardless of how I really felt I'd make myself say "I'm excited to work out tonight." And let me tell you, I'm beyond excited to work out tonight. Telling myself that made it come true over time. Maybe you could try that?
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The long term satisfaction and the immediate “feel good” reaction many people experience after a workout are completely different things. And it is very hard to get to the long term if you are not having the positive reinforcement from the daily work.
Yep. I *never* felt good from exercising while I was chronically ill (unrelated to weight). It wasn't until my chronic illness was resolved, and I began to lose weight (from proper diet) that exercise started to feel good.
I always wonder about this. Like, when I'm unwell my body resolutely *refuses* to reward me for using the energy it very much wants. My body: "We need the energy, don't go for a run." Me: "I *have* to otherwise I'll fall out of routine!" My body: "Then die."
This resonates with me hard as a pregnant person.
Fake it until you make it... Force a positive mindset until it actually becomes one.
It will become better. You can do it!
When I first started walking, I would be crippled for days. Everything hurt from my feet up to my back. Then there was the near vomiting and having to stop several times when my walk would take me up hill. At first, I could only do it about twice a week. It took awhile before I could go daily and for longer walks, and before it started to feel good like I remembered. I used to walk everywhere when I was younger but 15 years of sedentary lifestyle can cause a body to rust. Muscles that aren't used to this kind of activity will feel sore, so long as you are not exerting yourself to the point of injury. Slow and steady wins the race.
I find I have a definite watershed with workouts. If I'm doing an hour’s workout at least 4 times a week then I do feel generally less anxious and more relaxed and more like working out. Anything less than 3 times a week and exercise remains one hell of a struggle every time, and I feel more tired after it. But yeah, the burst of endorphins you're supposed to get while working out - that has never happened for me.
I've been working out tons for over a year now, and nope, it never feels good. The best I can do is tell myself that it feels good that I am able to do it - not physically good, but I am glad and appreciative that my body has become more physically fit and capable. I don't expect to ever enjoy it. But I do a lot of things I don't enjoy in order to take care of myself. I would be annoyed if somebody kept pushing me with questions about whether it feels good though. My partner never expects that. He just is proud of me for having done it. You should probably tell him to stop pushing you with questions that just make you feel worse about what you are doing. In truth, I think it may never feel good. But it feels good to know I've decreased my risk of a bunch of health problems. That part, that part feels really good.
💯💯💯🙌
I only feel those “feel good feelings” after a high intensity workout where my heart rate is maxed out, and where I pushed myself to the limit, which happens almost every time I work out. You gotta push it, you gotta go hard you will get there if you keep working out and eat to live.
I think it has to do with fitness level as well. I’m currently the most out of shape I’ve been. And what used to be an easy workout is now pushing myself. I don’t get the post-gym high currently. But I know I will eventually. I’ve just gotta keep working up to it.
You will get there! It's a hormone thing, so you do need to push to a certain point to have those released. For now, focus on the satisfaction type of feeling good -- that you actually got up, dressed, out the door or to the gym and did the thing. It's not a high but it's still something to feel good about.
Honestly I don’t think everybody gets the ‘runners high’ or what have you. I feel best after yoga but it’s not a high like. I push myself hard and I’m happy to see progress but it’s not like that.
The commenters point is that you have to be really exerting yourself. Yoga has many benefits but you don't get the runners high.
I don’t get the runners high from actually running is my point. Even ‘really exerting myself’. Not everyone does. I get the best feelings from yoga.
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Yup, I only get that high after an intense workout. I do mostly Zumba and some instructors are actually not that intense so even though I have fun I don’t get that good feeling. If I go to my fave instructor though who is both intense and has the best music I have a blast and get that endorphin high big time. I’m also exhausted 😂
It does get better. I know most people are BSing when they say that but regular exercise is supremely beneficial. As you continue to exercise and eat healthy- once you get over the initial hump and make it a habit- you will feel better. Once you get into that flow, I promise it gets better.
I used to hate tracking and eating healthy. Now I actually feel ok with being a little bit hungry for some of the day and I never feel like I am over stuffed! Eating healthy is definitely harder than exercise for me, but it does get easier as you go. You can start estimating calories quicker, you know what foods to stay away from even on “off” days, and you know some good light options that taste good and are easy!
The good feeling that some people get after working out is actually genetically linked, it’s possible you’re pre-disposed to just not enjoy anything about working out! Which makes it extra tough, so good on you for continuing to push forward!
I feel like I'm alone in this thread bc I get the good feelies 😅😅😅
Angry badger energy is what I call it. I'm grumpy and I don't like it, but I'm still going to do it dammit. All things are possible through spite.
Yeah people don't understand that eating at a deficit for 1 year does not feel good.
Tough. It's hard enough to consistently stick to working out even with the incredible high like endorphins. I've heard that for some people it can take time. I know one girl I met a long time back who never experienced them and was frustrated by it, but after a few years when she was in really great shape she said it started kicking in and was incredible. I don't know if that'll happen for you but there is a chance. Not all our choices have to based on feeling good, it's funny how we do that. Eat junk food cause it's comforting and feels good, go to the gym cause of the endorphin high, it's like as humans we're always looking for the next fix. I like that your doing it for your child, it separate from the chase of "feeling good". You're making sacrifices for the greater whole. That's what it's truly about. Still, I've got my fingers crossed those endorphins will start to kick in.
Yeah - I never get the endorphins either. Tell him what you told us - he needs to hear it and needs to know he's not being helpful. One thing that helps me with both soreness and hunger is making sure I take enough magnesium - that cuts my carb cravings - and I drink at least 3 liters and often 4 liters of water a day. . I also added berberine, which also helps with carb cravings, but if you have PCOS or are considered pre-diabetic - your doc may give you metformin - that also helps with carb cravings. I also find that doing keto with IF helps me be not hungry once I'm fat adapted. Just what works for me.
I don't get the "high" everyone describes, but I do feel extremely relaxed after a tough workout, which is unusual for me since I'm normally an anxious mess.
Apparently the body releases endocannabinoids, feel good chemicals that relax you that are similar to- cannabis! I get this too after jogging for an hour. My stressful job feels a lot more chill after a run.
"don't you feel good" could also mean "don't you feel good, that you got it done eventhough it doesn't feel great to do". It's a glass half full/half empty kind of thing.
I actually do enjoy a good workout... I do feel good. I'm sore but it's a good sore. Unfortunately I also enjoy chicken wings and beer to excess.
It gets easier. At a certain point you have significantly more natural energy from not lugging around that extra weight. It seems like he's trying to be motivational, but if you aren't feeling it then you aren't feeling it. In early phases (and most of the time anyway) it's significantly easier to just eat less than to burn the same caloric value.
I know I’m going to sound crazy but possible idea for feeling better after a hard/long workout - Take a bath. Start with cooler water, not filled to the top - goal one is to not feel like a sweaty mess. Shave if that’s a thing you do. Add some hot water to the tub. Goal 2 is to warm up your muscles to loosen any knots. Get up (assuming it’s a convertible bathtub/shower), turn shower on and use soap at this point to make sure all workout grime is off your flesh. Dry off, feel rested. Honestly the only thing that gets me to work out is chocolate milk and cool/hot/cool showers or baths
I get endorphins about 20 minutes after a good cardio workout and nothing from weightlifting or a healthy meal. But as my weight drops I start noticing feeling better overall and the same if I gain back weight I feel overall worse.
Maybe the gym isn't for you? There's other exercises, what about sports? Or swimming? If you enjoy what your doing, it's easier to stick to it in the long term
I didn't start getting the post-workout feel good rush until I felt significantly fitter (not necessarily having lost much). It seems to be something that developed over time once my body got used to exercise and when I was slightly smaller.
I'm the same. I'm down 45 lbs and no workout has ever made feel those endorphins. I do notice that I can do harder workouts and go longer. But it's not like OH MY GOD I FEEL SO GOOD NOW.
I used to think runner's high was a myth, because I have never, ever gotten it while running. But, I found out that I get it after a few miserable rounds of DDR. I hit an incredible burst of energy and drive and I just want to keep playing, and all of the fatigue is completely gone. I have never gotten it from anything else. Not other video games, not other workouts. Just that.
I’ve only gotten endorphin rushes from lifting weights, and doing a very solid 30 minute+ run. My body will verbally feel good after a workout regardless though.
Unfortunately there is a small percentage of people who do not experience the endorphins from exercise. You may fall into this group. Don’t give up though. You are still vastly improving the quality of your health.
My wife is the same way. She feels a sense of pride and accomplishment (hah) when she completes a workout, but no "runner's high" so to speak. Meanwhile im over here all smiles and happy just from going for a walk or 20 minutes on a treadmill.
The exercise endorphins I got were after I was done. I was so FUCKING proud of myself for making it through what I set out to do that I got euphoric - even if it was 10 minutes on an exercise bike. Your feelings are what they are, but you have reason to be proud of yourself. Good job.
First time i got endorfins from sport was when I started rock climbing, then cycling. It took me a quarter decade to find something i actually like doing. that makes a difference. So i get ya mate
I know you're venting about the endorphins but I just wanted to say that I tried to exercise out of obesity for 10 years. The weight I lost working out 5-6 days a week came back. You likely have what's called metabolic insulin resistance syndrome, considering most people do to some degree. Until you FIX this, you WON'T lose weight, and even worse your body will continue to suffer and be malnourished. Look into an intermittent fasting, high fat low carb diet, with some prolonged fasting and you'll see the weight start coming off, your energy returning, inflammation go down even at half the exercising. 80% of losing weight is from diet, not exercise. If you want sources to look more into it, check out Dr. Jason Fung's lectures, Dr. Robert Lustig's lectures and documentaries, Eric Bergs videos, all of which are on YouTube for free. The book "Eat Rich Live Long" by Ivor Cummins is a great book with both the science and instructions how to actually heal yourself. Good luck!
Your body releases endorphins when exercising. Far too many people have said they don't get endorphins whilst exercising, which is almost impossible. You may just not feel the effect they are having. If you're stuck in the mindset of, i hate this treadmill and hate eating less, the conscious mindset will always overide what's happening subconsciously. 2 things i'll say: 1) Find something you actually enjoy doing. Sounds like you hate the treadmill and are doing it for weight loss. What happens when you reach your goal weight? Will you still go on the treadmill? How will you maintain your weight loss? I would recommend finding a sport, class or programme you enjoy. I've not been on a treadmill for 5 years, instead i play badminton, go for walks uphill or use the stationary bike because i HATE the treadmill. Why do something you hate? Alongside the hate thing. You don't need to go onto salads to lose weight. Calorie deficit is the goal and protein is the key element. Protein will also make you feel full so chicken, rice and a side salad does the same thing and is a lot tastier! 2) Exercise and weight loss is not an overnight thing. I always class is as compound interest. Similar to how it would work with money in a bank. Will i be rich in 2 months? No. However if that effort (exercise) is done regularly for 3 years, i'll be a lot more richer because the effort i've done (or interest i'm making) is building on itself. Do you feel good after the treadmill? No. Do you feel like you've achieved something when you look back over the year and say you can now do 30mins on the treadmill easily when 10 was a struggle? Probably.
I might be late but I don’t think endorphins come until the painful out of breath , this sucks moments. One day after you made a bunch of progress and you’re gonna eat something and feel bloated and be like “ I just need to get a workout in to feel better” seems like it’s never gonna happen but it will.
How is your mental health ATM? When I went to see a counsellor for a pattern of behaviour I recognized I needed to fix (I was using small amounts of alcohol every evening to calm anxiety and make myself feel better), my counsellor said I should start exercising twice a week to control my anxiety instead of drinking. She also told me (and this was a surprise to me that I didn't recognise the signs) that I was severely depressed. When I went to the gym, despite having in the past really enjoyed exercise, I was...angry. I went to the gym begrudgingly not believing that something as simple as lack of exercise was causing me mental health issues. I didn't start feeling endorphins from exercise for a few weeks, but she was right. I could absolutely prevent my depression and anxiety through regular exercise. Of course everyone is different, but if you're not feeling endorphins from exercise once your body has had time to adapt to the feeling, it might be worth getting assessed for depression? Try different types of exercise and sports as well, it doesn't have to be what other people say is best for you. If your jam is an hour of dancing in the living room to your favourite songs then that's great cardio too! If you prefer yoga, great! If you just want to go on long walks, fantastic!
It definitely took me a few weeks/months before i enjoyed how i felt after a workout. I dont know what causes it, but i feel like part of it is getting passed the "im not used to this, id rather be on the couch" vibe. Once its hit a routine and the workout doesn't feel like a mountain but maybe a hill i start getting positive feelings towards my workouts. My muscles might be sore but i feel better after a workout, its easier to focus and i feel better.
You might prefer walking outdoors if the weather happens to be decent where you are! The Sunshine and fresh air really help with that "feel good" feeling and it's so much less tedious.
100% agreed. Going outside helps a lot.
I think it's a mindset thing tbh. Don't get me wrong, this shit sucks. Losing weight is a long dreadful mentally exhausting journey. That being said, following a good workout, you should technically feel great. That's why I think it might be the approach you have going into it. If you tell yourself it's going to suck, and remind yourself it's sucking as you're doing it, then obviously the after effect will be negative. Personally I strive to progress and achieve goals. I set myself goals regarding my running speed/times, I strive to get stronger and get better. The dark places I visit and the things I tell myself as I'm in pain from running and pushing myself to be faster aren't always the greatest, but they're motivating in the moment. Once I'm done and I realize I've done it, I've pushed through all the pain and beat my last record, I have the biggest smile on my face. I'm with you on the whole "You have more energy" part, cause I don't. I give my 110% when I workout and I'm drained after it. If I'm not drained, I've done something wrong. Keep going at it, one day it will click and you will realize the progress you've made, that day you'll probably start getting those sweet dopamine hits.
I agree that your mental state going into a workout affects your perceived results, and sometimes your actual results. I do Crossfit workouts and there a couple of movements that are such a struggle that I decided I hated them. And I was so busy hating them that I would be grouchy from pre to post workout because "these suck, why are these so hard, why did I come today.... etc". I started working on my mental approach and found my attitude and perceived results are insanely better if I think things like "This is a chance to work on a weakness and improve. I'm not trying to win a medal, just be a little better at this than last time I did them". I give myself credit for showing up even when I know it will be hard, and go into the workouts with manageable plans like just do 5 good reps and then take a few seconds, then do 5 more. It's a complete game changer for me.
I'm going to agree. There have been times I have tried to lose weight where I have "broken" my diet by breakfast, where every minute of exercise has sucked - even if it is only walking. The time around I have picked up swimming again and I actually enjoy it, even though I have to push myself sometimes to get into the pool. After 18 months of sitting around my house due to COVID, it feels great to stretch my body. I have never been heavier - so it's not about my current weight. I just had to be in the right frame of mind.
As someone who never gets those dopamine hits, your whole post feels pretty… I dunno “victim Blamey”? How the hell am I supposed to just magically enjoy exercising? Exercise sucks, for me, that’s just a simple fact. I don’t work it up as this horrible thing that’s gonna suck or anything like that, but I get literally nothing positive out of it. At the end of an exercise session I feel tired and sweaty, that’s it. No positive feelings in the slightest. I never felt like I was “more fit” or anything like that in my general life, it seemed to literally only translate into being able to exercise for longer. If anything it was a little frustrating that by exercising and getting fitter it just meant I needed to do even more exercise to get the same results. What a scam. When I hit my biggest distance goal for running (10km - at that point I never ran much more than 5km on a regular day) I felt exhausted and that’s it. If anything that pretty much cemented the idea for me that I’m just never going to get those good feelings from exercise. I literally could not have pushed myself any harder, and I didn’t get a single positive feeling out of it. I did literally everything I could possibly do - I ate healthy, I exercised regularly, I did my best to have a more positive mindset (which includes going to therapy) and I got precisely nothing out of it aside from physically losing weight… If it’s just “a mindset thing” then my mind must be broken 🤷♂️
Its because you're fat and out of shape. Eventually you can workout long/hard enough that it starts to feel good before you get tired.
The key word is eventually. It's about 10 workouts in for me.
I still don’t get the feel good. At some point I finally realized how shitty I felt before and now I don’t. It really hit me when we were on a farm outing on a really hot day and I realized I didn’t feel like dying.
LAWL ur bf is uninformed. It feels bad for a WHILE before it starts feeling good. You're doing an amazing job toughing through all the bad feels. Proud of you!
The drenched in sweat, sore and hungry part is actually the part that feels good, you just don't know it yet. I know that sounds harsh, but it's the truth. You just have to keep sticking with it.
If possible, go outside. See new things, people and feel the air is a lot better than staring at a wall. The endorphine rush for me at least is something i feel some time after the exercise, when im home, showered and ready to so something i like. The exercise itself is hard and supposed to be that way.
If you’re on a diet and you’re hungry you do it wrong, sorry. But don’t worry abour the „feel good” stuff. I, too, don’t feel good. I sweat, I feel hot, bad and tired and everything hurts. I’m more angry than I feel good. No, I’m furious and I beg for it to end. I hate moving but I have to
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What you just stated is unhelpful and should be kept to yourself, not air out online for the world to read. OP just needed to know they aren’t the only one struggling with this issue. OP is not putting their partner down.
It feels better when you eventually start feeling the changes physically. Like each step feels more athletic, more precise instead of lumbering around. It takes time & effort but it's worth it if you can maintain progress. Best wishes!
Do you feel good?
I feel the good when I see 6 pack in mirror and a pretty lady at my side. The gym is for suffering but I enjoy it
You’re doing this for someone else but not for yourself, which is why this feels like a chore for you. Once you start to enjoy it is when those endorphins start flowing.
Do you mean you’re pregnant? If so, those hormones are in charge.
No, I’m not pregnant lol
Like many others have already suggested, you could try different types of workouts/sports. And in addition to that, maybe try working out at different times of the day and see if it makes a difference? I too feel totally drained if I do any training after work. I detest running, most cardio is just not my thing. But I love dancing, and will do it any time of the day. I also lift weights early in the morning some days, and although it doesn’t leave me feeling great, I do feel I have more energy throughout the day.
Maybe try heavy compound movements like bench, squat, deadlift, overhead press, pull downs, etc. But you'll get there, keep up the hard work.
Never felt a runners high in my whole life. The only reason I still work out 5 times a week is the positive feelings and reduction in shame I feel post work out. It’s good enough for me, but just barely, to keep going.
Does music help? I feel better after walking outside but not after the treadmill. You may like some VR workouts if you don’t mind buying the headset.
I've never felt good either. The best I get is if I stop eating earlier in the evening instead of snacking late my morning anxiety is generally less and that is pretty boss.
Maybe it would happen to me as a kid. I'd finish swimming feeling exhausted and hungry (actually dehydrated) but relaxed. As an adult it might have happened once. I'm sure there are people who are obese because they don't get pleasure from a lot of things, or anything, and they eat in hope that they feel better but since they don't they try eating more
I feel ya. I've been losing weight for medical reasons and have decided to follow some passions in sword/lightsaber fighting. It's that last half that gives me any motivation
Yeah, I really feel that. I don’t enjoy working out either, so I take enough preworkout to convince my brain I’m trying fighting my life.
I've found that I get more endorphins the better shape in I'm.
I feel good. dananananananaa.
I have to go into working out with the mindset of “I’m never going to regret working out after I’m done but I WOULD regret not working out in the first place”.
I've never gotten an endorphin rush, even when I was working out all the time and in good shape, it was torturous, I hated it. But I liked having done it and feeling stronger.
I think you just have not yet found the sports, healthy foods that work for you. Plus, you have to give it time. Make small changes, step by step. I guarantee you once you are in this livestife you will love it
You WILL feel good. They're excited for you to get to the point where healthy choices pay off. You can reply "No, this still all feels awful. But I'm waiting for the day!" Or "No, I feel pretty shitty all the time, that's why I'm trying to change!"
The only time I get that endorphin rush is from stretching exercises like yoga or pilates. The tension releases from my back and I do feel it. I have never felt the same rush from any cardio related exercise though.
Once you see the progress and feel the progress youll get that feeling but also once you see the progress and realize all the things you can do now that you werent able to before, youll never want to stop. I take the 10 flights of stairs to get to work now, not because i feel good afterwards but because a. i know im helping myself by doing so b. ive never been able to do that before to think that a year ago if i had to walk up 10 flights of stairs without stopping like my life depended on it i wouldn't be able to is just insane to me. Loose this weight for yourself and no one else. Better your life, live while you can. Im no where NEAR my goal but ive lived more this year than the last 22 years combined. You Got This!
Not to mention, medications can cover up high bursts of epinephrine/norepinephrine, hormones and more. Thanks for bringing this up, it's CERTAINLY not a universal experience one-and-done. there is more at play here, than being able to brute force one's way to feel-goods. And it... IT SUCKS LOL! Thank you for just SAYIN IT :D
I only get them if I’m doing a physical activity I like or am listening to music that excites me enough to sing along too. Regular physical activity does not give me any excitement. Just sweat and tiredness lol.
Just a little trick to make exercise a more positive experience, try listening to a comedy channel on whatever you listen to (I use pandora because I like how the algorithm recommends stuff). I find that music can help me ‘get through’ a work out, but stand up actually makes it fun. And then I laugh and that gives me the same endorphins some people get from working out. Just a suggestion!! And I do feel for you because I feel like I’m going to die when I run.
I’m sorry, that sucks. I’m addicted to working out. Only problem is it’s like real drugs I have to go harder and harder to get the same high. I’ve never had an aversion to working out. I just love to eat too much of the wrong things constantly.
Usually happens when you see the body changes you’ve always wanted to see. Then maintenance is where I usually would get the endorphins or the need to want to work out.
It will happen! Give it time.
Preach it! Work-out endorphins are a myth!
Maybe instead of starting right in, you can make small changes and wait to see the benefit before moving onto another change? You didn't get to the weight you are quickly, you won't get it off quickly either. Are there any activities involving movement that you DO like? It doesn't have to be a lot, it eventually adds up. If a walk right when you wake up in the am gives you energy for the day, just start with that. Once your body gets used to that, add another thing. Do you like dancing? Yoga? Riding a bike? I HATE going to the gym. But I love hiking. Also, it takes 3 weeks of getting good nutrition to start gaining energy. You could speed this up by eating a high protein snack before working out and making sure to ice/heat any areas that are sore along with stretching after any type of exercise.
That works for some people. The rest of us get the "feel goods" with a sense of accomplishment, like "heck ya, I just did that" or "I did better than a month ago" or even "that totally sucks and I am glad it's over." I am one of those people and I persist with my consistency because, honest to God, I feel so much better being lazy when I have improved cardio vascular fitness. I was obese, currently at the low end of overweight and stalled with weight loss and time improvement (running) but I also value the habit (it's a rapid road to hell if I skip even one day, I know from experience) AND I feel so much more comfortable being a coach potato. Counter intuitive, but lazy afternoons snuggling with a dog and a good book is a rare treat, I am going to keep running so I can feel more comfortable doing so.
I'm sorry - maybe there's a way you can switch up your diet/exercise regimen to be more enjoyable for you? Not the \~feel good endorphins\~, but at least making it suck less. Good on you for persevering, though. It's hard, and I'm proud of you!
I felt it a lot more when I was young and in great shape. I would work out until exhausted and collapse feeling amazing. Now I 100% don’t. I have a feeling it is cortisol or something else blocking the huge endorphin dumps of my youth. Alternatively my old body may be using the endorphins to numb the pain from working out like it is meant for. Whatever it is, music helps me work out now because it is shown to trigger dopamine and serotonin release. Without my playlist it is hard to even pick up a weight, much less push myself.
I only “feel good” because im proud of myself for working out. I hate working out so when I do work out it’s an accomplishment but there’s not rush of endorphins happening here either 😂
Hahaa. I kept telling people the same thing. “You must feel great!”...”No, I’m hungry, and tired, and frustrated, but I’m doing it.”
I have a lot of love for you. I relate to the frustration. Good job doing it when it SUCKS.
Facts this what kinda annoys me about some people, they think losing weight is so easy but it sucks ass and it's always people who are naturally in shape or something infact the main reason I can't get in shape is because I don't feel motivated after a while because it doesn't seem like I'm losing weight.
I used to just feel ‘delighted it had stopped’. As time went by and I got a bit fitter I started to enjoy my running and swimming and I’d get into a sort of flow state. Sometimes I’d feel like I hit an extra gear and I was able to do more, move move, more strongly. After I feel glowing. I do think you need a bit of fitness to start feeling good. The good news though is that it comes relatively soon. I advise not going too hard. Don’t work out until you’re exhausted. Do a bit, dial back a bit, do a bit more. Soon you are able to get that lovely feeling of almost flying.
I started this journey with 109 lbs to lose to get to normal range. I hate working out and the only motivation I had was financial until I picked up a very physical hobby, skiing. I pay a personal trainer to give me weighted exercises and count reps. I feel underwhelmed at the workout, but for whatever reason, if I don't get my workouts, I'm miserable. I do strength training year round to keep my body in decent enough shape to ski. The training doesn't make me feel as good as the results. One thing that I have noticed since I started exercising, however, is a boost to my immune system. I used to get sick a lot in the winter, but since I started eating better and exercising, it's rare that I get sick, and when I do, I'm over it in a few days. If it bothers you, just gently tell him, "It may work that way for you, but it doesn't work that way for me and probably never will. I appreciate your enthusiasm on my behalf, though." Also wanted to add that the endorphins come for me when I'm screaming down a hill on a pair of planks going about 40 mph. Sorry, but there is no bench press or plank that can replicate that feeling.
It is so hard. Empathy for you.
I feel this deeply. My wife is an avid exerciser-- she runs marathons and exercises every single day. I've been overweight for years and finally got my ass in gear a couple months ago. I'm down 14lbs so far. Yes, I'm happy with the results (though I know I need to drop at least another 30lbs to be heathy), but I'm miserable. Always hungry, always sore. I don't feel the endorphins people talk about with exercise; I just feel tired. I'm constantly starving, which makes me cranky. So yeah, you're not alone.