Exercise: Totally Unmotivated!

We bought FitBits for everyone in our company (75) and now everyone is buzzing and walking and competing a little in getting their steps in.  Each month we're having a company wide goal of xxx steps per day for the month - everyone who makes goal gets a small prize (water bottle, itunes card, etc.) that's related to fitness...

It's been working really well to keep people motivated!

That is awesome I wish my company thought that much about its employees.   I can do anything for 15 mins, so I exercise in  15mins sets ... I set the timer on my kitchen stove and walk around my living/dining/kitchen rectangle two to three times a day. I got the fit bit force for Christmas and having it on my wrist is a constant  reminder to work on hitting my goals. I find ,  I will walk around the waiting room in a doctors office or take a few extra laps around the grocery store take the stairs instead of the elevator all in a effort to see the little green smiley face on my fitbit dashboard

Good luck  Deb

We appointed one our HR assistants to be the company "Wellness Coordinator."  She's really gotten into the role and is coming up with all sorts of initiatives - it's helping us impress our insurance provider and keeping our costs from rising as much.  Also the employees love it and we show we care about their health.  Wins all the way around. We're a technology company and believe in using the tools of tech to help ourselves!

The key is starting. Tell yourself you only have to just do ten minutes. Then once you start you will feel good and likely want to keep going. Exercise feels so good! On the treadmill last night I was thinking about how good it felt. I never thought I would feel good  exercising or feel stronger at 300 pounds!

I haven't always been fat. I've been athletic even in adulthood. That said, exercise isn't always my favorite thing, but I have learned to deal with it. Here's what has helped me:

1. Either do it first thing in the morning, or do it first thing when I get home (before cleaning, cooking, etc.) If I wait too late (8 pm) in the evening, I don't want to go.

2. I've learned that I lose a lot faster/more when I exercise

3. IF I have a partner (I don't always), I choose someone who will be consistent and not make a lot of excuses

4. Just do it. Sometimes you just have to get started and not wait to be motivated. I never regret a workout when I'm finished.

5. Make it your goal to workout 5 days this week. Mark it off on a calendar on the fridge. If you see 3 big X's on your calendar, you're more likely to want to have 4 and 5 and not mess the week up by skipping.

I love to listen to podcasts while I walk.  My favorite is "Wait, Wait, Don't  Tell Me" from NPR.  I look forward to putting on my headphones and having some time away from house, kids, everything to listen, laugh, walk and relax.  I like walking outside because you can't just stop- you have to get back home!  I've pushed myself by walking farther and farther away.  I know I need to get resistance in eventually, but am happy with walking this early out.  I can also tell it's helping my weight loss.  If I get 10,000 steps, the scale is bound to go down. 

Also, cleaning the house can be pretty good exercise!  It might be worth getting a pedometer and seeing how much you're doing already.

Planned exercise is an absolute bore.  But I love how I feel when I'm done!  and that's what motivates me.  On the machines, I take my ipad and watch movies, which has become a real pleasure.  I don't think about the exercise, I think about the movie.  I hook my dogs up to their leash and take them on very long walks on the weekend.  And then I do all the little things during the day - take stairs instead of elevator, park further away, take the long way to lunch, etc.

Find something you enjoy and schedule the time to do it.  Once you've started doing it regularly, you discover that you miss it.  And this is from someone who avoided exercise like the plague her entire life!

Gosh! Such great information from you all. I did used to walk, my mom and I, when we were doing WW. We got up to about 5 miles per day. I felt so good afterward. I have an exercise bike but I find that boring. 

First thing on my agenda today: order a FitBit. I hear so many good things about them, I do think this will motivate me. And second, buy some decent walking shoes! My mom is having some hip issues and probably won't be able to walk with me, but my sister is trying to get fit too, so maybe I'll ask her to join me. 

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info.

I feel the same way. What works for me is going right after I get home from work. I don't even give myself the chance to sit down for more than a few minutes, then I throw on my work out gear and rush myself out of he house. If I don't do that then I won't go. I'm only able to push myself like this because I am single, no kids, and I just eat dinner after work. Just find what works for you and you'll get in the groove.

I couldn't get myself going with it since it was such a "new animal".  I just kep****ching and "awing" at the exercise area and what everyone was doing, I'd even actually once or twice comment on how "I'd like to do that", finally after 5 months after surgery I joined a gym and have been working out and actually it has become addictive.  I just need to pump it up a little more.