5 ms·

This is a topic I'm interested in, because I have NO interest in exercise. Do I think it would help my health? Yes, outside of some absurd circles, absolutely

This is a topic I'm interested in, because I have NO interest in exercise. Do I think it would help my health? Yes, outside of some absurd circles, absolutely. Do I think it would improve my self-confidence? Probably, if I stuck with it, but I sincerely doubt that I would because of the heavy incentives against it. Am I just being obstinate and stubborn if I acknowledge it would likely help but am still not doing it? I have no safe answer to that question. "No" is clearly wrong, but "Yes" dismisses the problems. Here's my problem: Exercise is extremely uncomfortable. It's hot, humiliating, and painful. If I push through that...it's 10 seconds later and I'm more hot, more humiliated (even with no one else around) and in more discomfort. I can push through again, but my brain is well aware of what to expect. There's no "endorphin high", no sense of satisfaction. Those are at least many days off in even the smallest of quantities (for me at least - people that cheerfully tell me of their "good pain" just make me feel more misunderstood/disregarded/ a failure). All the benefits are theoretical and in future, with benefits that equal the costs even further out, while all the costs and pain are up front. Humans are bad at managing such equations - I certainly am. Even this awareness is a sense of failure. Am I making excuses, or do I really feel more pain and less "good pain" than other people? Either answer is not good for me. And these are what my brain focuses on while suffering. Listen to music? Read a book? Watch a movie? Everything is made harder because I'm literally struggling, and so every moment of discomfort progresses at a snail's pace. I've been exercising for...45 seconds?! I know I can't get a training montage that is effortless, but there has to be something that makes me far more able to sit down and struggle through a mental activity for hours than to struggle through a physical activity for 5 minutes, much less the actual time (and repeated time) needed for any improvement. Not that mental exercise is easy - I have plenty of mental tasks I've been procrastinating on - but I have successes there where I have none in the physical arena. I've tried various ways - small frequent things at home, team things, sport-focused, fewer high intensity things, just taking walks. So far the closest success was fencing, where I started to feel some of my aches and muscle pains were satisfying while hurting...but every class was an effort, both to sacrifice the time and to face the pain, and once I dropped I stayed dropped. That was 20 pounds ago so I know trying again would be MORE painful than before. I'm left interested in the result while having no interest in attempting (again) without some reason to think this time will be different.

p3llin0r3 8y ago
I struggle with the same thing. More than anything I find exercise boring, and I'm jealous of the kids 60 years into the future where playing a MOBA in VR will be killer exercise. But really, after a certain point, MAKING time to exercise is a bit like brushing your teeth, doing your taxes, managing your finances, and showering regularly: It's something you have to do as an adult or face the consequences. Does exercise give you more energy? Does exercise help with depression? Is exercise REQUIRED to be a healthy individual? Over and over again the research has shown the answer is a resounding YES. Personally, I like Jocko Willink's advice about gyms: Home gyms are essential. They are much less hassle. You don't have to pack a bag, commute to the gym, deal with the other gym people, shower, commute home, and collapse after a two hour gym adventure. You can just throw on your gym clothing, walk into your garage, throw some music or a podcast on the radio, and get to work.
- kjeetgill 8y ago
  I feel the same way. Working out _feels_ boring and it's chore. Back in 2014 I got past that. Worked out 2 a days, 5 days a week, dieted hard too, dropped 60 lbs and felt the best in my life, had fun working out and setting performance goals. That lasted about two years. After the two years I had a shitty 2 months, depressed and drinking. I gained back 40lbs and now I'm back to square one. Working out is boring and a chore. I _remember_ a time when I felt differently about it. I suspect a lot of the "boredom" comes from the low-grade anxiety of feeling busy or feeling my time is better spent progressing in my interest or towards some other goal.
Thriptic 8y ago
> Here's my problem: Exercise is extremely uncomfortable. It's hot, humiliating, and painful. I would say a few things to this. Regarding the comfort level: First, exercise is fucking brutal for the first few weeks, and then you just get used to the brutality. It never gets easy, but you do get used to being uncomfortable pretty quickly. Second, unless you're on some sort of program where you can measure progress granularly, you're going to quit. The enjoyable part of activities like lifting is seeing yourself make demonstrable progress over time in terms of weight being moved for X amount of repetitions. If you just come in and do a bunch of random shit as opposed to a structured program, you will never see that progress because what you are doing is inefficient; you will get bored or discouraged; and you will quit. Check out a program like strong lifts or starting strength if you are interested in strength training. Those are the canonical beginner programs. Regarding the humiliation aspect: I've never understood this idea of feeling humiliated at the gym or while starting a new sport. Everyone starts out as a noob in lifting, even that guy who is squatting six plates easily. No one just shows up and immediately has success, so it makes no sense to be embarrassed about being a beginner. Many new lifters believe that experienced lifters judge them for the amount of weight they are moving. I can tell you this is not true. I would never judge someone who is squatting the bar or 65 lbs or whatever as long as they are attempting to use good form; I would assume that person is a beginner, and would be pleased that they are focusing on fundamentals early. I am also always happy to critique form or provide advice to new lifters, as it is an opportunity to teach and I enjoy cultivating interest and knowledge in my sport. Amusingly, so many noobs are so afraid to look ignorant or weak that they never ask for help, reinforce terrible technique patterns, and then get to a point where they are moving weight they clearly cannot handle well with terrible form. At this point, experienced lifters WILL judge you harshly, so why not just engage them early on and get free help and camaraderie? Regarding embarking on a diet or exercise routine. I posted some general advice on how to properly get started (mostly with dieting) and how to think about best practices here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761

p3llin0r3 8y ago

I struggle with the same thing. More than anything I find exercise boring, and I'm jealous of the kids 60 years into the future where playing a MOBA in VR will be killer exercise. But really, after a certain point, MAKING time to exercise is a bit like brushing your teeth, doing your taxes, managing your finances, and showering regularly: It's something you have to do as an adult or face the consequences. Does exercise give you more energy? Does exercise help with depression? Is exercise REQUIRED to be a healthy individual? Over and over again the research has shown the answer is a resounding YES. Personally, I like Jocko Willink's advice about gyms: Home gyms are essential. They are much less hassle. You don't have to pack a bag, commute to the gym, deal with the other gym people, shower, commute home, and collapse after a two hour gym adventure. You can just throw on your gym clothing, walk into your garage, throw some music or a podcast on the radio, and get to work.

kjeetgill 8y ago
I feel the same way. Working out _feels_ boring and it's chore. Back in 2014 I got past that. Worked out 2 a days, 5 days a week, dieted hard too, dropped 60 lbs and felt the best in my life, had fun working out and setting performance goals. That lasted about two years. After the two years I had a shitty 2 months, depressed and drinking. I gained back 40lbs and now I'm back to square one. Working out is boring and a chore. I _remember_ a time when I felt differently about it. I suspect a lot of the "boredom" comes from the low-grade anxiety of feeling busy or feeling my time is better spent progressing in my interest or towards some other goal.

Thriptic 8y ago

> Here's my problem: Exercise is extremely uncomfortable. It's hot, humiliating, and painful. I would say a few things to this. Regarding the comfort level: First, exercise is fucking brutal for the first few weeks, and then you just get used to the brutality. It never gets easy, but you do get used to being uncomfortable pretty quickly. Second, unless you're on some sort of program where you can measure progress granularly, you're going to quit. The enjoyable part of activities like lifting is seeing yourself make demonstrable progress over time in terms of weight being moved for X amount of repetitions. If you just come in and do a bunch of random shit as opposed to a structured program, you will never see that progress because what you are doing is inefficient; you will get bored or discouraged; and you will quit. Check out a program like strong lifts or starting strength if you are interested in strength training. Those are the canonical beginner programs. Regarding the humiliation aspect: I've never understood this idea of feeling humiliated at the gym or while starting a new sport. Everyone starts out as a noob in lifting, even that guy who is squatting six plates easily. No one just shows up and immediately has success, so it makes no sense to be embarrassed about being a beginner. Many new lifters believe that experienced lifters judge them for the amount of weight they are moving. I can tell you this is not true. I would never judge someone who is squatting the bar or 65 lbs or whatever as long as they are attempting to use good form; I would assume that person is a beginner, and would be pleased that they are focusing on fundamentals early. I am also always happy to critique form or provide advice to new lifters, as it is an opportunity to teach and I enjoy cultivating interest and knowledge in my sport. Amusingly, so many noobs are so afraid to look ignorant or weak that they never ask for help, reinforce terrible technique patterns, and then get to a point where they are moving weight they clearly cannot handle well with terrible form. At this point, experienced lifters WILL judge you harshly, so why not just engage them early on and get free help and camaraderie? Regarding embarking on a diet or exercise routine. I posted some general advice on how to properly get started (mostly with dieting) and how to think about best practices here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15604761