You keep going to the gym. Get a delicious whey powder and reward yourself after every visit to condition yourself.
Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
241–250 of 275 posts
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#242Accountability via trainer is a good option. Eventually the habit will stick and then you can pocket the money if money is important to you.
The low/no money option is to tether an activity that you like to one you dislike. If you like watching Netflix shows, only allow yourself to watch it when you’re on a bike at the gym (or at home).
Like to go on YouTube? Only while exercising. Be 100% strict and no excuses with it.
Don’t go too hard, cardio done at steady state for like 30 minutes a day will increase your life span and make you feel 1000% better. Weight lifting is a non boring way to also be at the gym.
Last tip: to retrain your brain recognize that agitation or frustration and lack of desire means you are heading in the right direction. Hate going to the gym? You are doing the right thing. Your brain will fight you but it’s the only gateway to feeling better and being healthy.
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#243Earlier quoted context omitted.
Over the years, I tried gym memberships and always go bored and stopped going after a week or two. I got a personal trainer 7 months ago, and it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made. I find having someone besides myself to feel accountable to very motivating. It's also nice to have someone walk you through all the movements, proper form, and telling you what to eat. When I started with the personal trainer…
its physically impossible to have gained 25lbs of muscle in 7 months unless you're doing steroids
Hmmm I was 6'0" 142 first day in the military... After 19 weeks of abuse, (infantry school + airborne) often active 20 hours per day I emerged 165. So 23 lbs of almost lean muscle in under 5 months. I would rate the previous commenter's claim as plausible.
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#244Buy a kettlebell and use it at home. 30 min workout is cheap, effective, and efficient.
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#245Earlier quoted context omitted.
A quarter mile of dodging cars with an ungainly, loaded shopping cart sure does sound like an "inconvenience," and not one I would recommend to a friend to improve their fitness.
Do it or don't, man. I don't care. But I stand by the statement that most able-bodied Americans could find some way to incorporate more human-powered transport into their routine if they really wanted to. And in many cases they could do it without any adding any superfluous travel. I.e., it may be slower or even less convenient in some way, but it was a trip you were going to make anyway. You're just changing the mod…
You can't win debates with such people, about biking or walking; there's always another reason why they (and all other good and upstanding Americans) can't possibly walk or bike. When they run out of their own made up reasons, it's "well what about disabled people!"
Like yeah, they maybe can't, are you disabled? No? Well then.
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#246Earlier quoted context omitted.
its physically impossible to have gained 25lbs of muscle in 7 months unless you're doing steroids
Hmmm I was 6'0" 142 first day in the military... After 19 weeks of abuse, (infantry school + airborne) often active 20 hours per day I emerged 165. So 23 lbs of almost lean muscle in under 5 months. I would rate the previous commenter's claim as plausible.
How do you know there is no fat, water or bone in the mix?
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#247Earlier quoted context omitted.
its physically impossible to have gained 25lbs of muscle in 7 months unless you're doing steroids
wink wink nudge nudge If I'm going to waste time going to the gym, I'm going to get the maximum time to benefit ratio.
Yeah it is not like there are any life fucking up side effects
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#248I hate gym too (also mid 30s), and use the hate as a tool. I hate it so much, that nothing will stop me from going, because I'm always at the lowest possible desire level anyway. I don't care if the weather is bad, if my mood is bad, or anything else. I just deliver myself to the place no matter what. For over 13 years now. (People who like gym risk not going when they don't like it. I have no such risk. I'm not teth…
This. So much. It's the key I use as well to hit the gym. Just go there physically. Even with the lowest amount of motivation when everything's shit. The line “if a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly” comes to mind. If you are already at the gym, you might as well do it badly and then most of the time you're doing it well in the end.
I am on a fatigue wellness plan but basically I go in each session with % perceived effort goals, estimate what I should do, write it down, do it, tick it off, go home. Works great Muscle gain will be slow but no strength regression has happened and importantly I can stick to this for the long term.
The point is I go every time on schedule knowing I won’t over do it - as per the plan!
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#249Make your own home gym. Start with some dumbbells. Don't forget your cardio so get a jump rope.
Try going for 100 burpees or as many as you can do in 20 mins, whichever happens first. That's an easy way to get fit at home in no time.
Once you get into the groove of things, it starts getting fun and less of a chore.
Re: Ask HN: I hate gym. How to stay in shape?
#250Since you prefer to work out from home, consider investing in some equipment for yourself.
I have a pretty decked out space in my basement now, but I started small with a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bench at the end of 2020. I challenged myself to max out on those dumbbells (50lbs) before investing further in things like a barbell, squat rack, etc.
Personally, I find it hard to come up with routines on my own. I used a personal trainer for a few years pre-COVID as a means of forcing accountability. Personal training can also help teach you / get you used to weightlifting, especially with the more advanced compound lifts.
Now I use an app that generates routines called Fitbod, but there are many other apps like this that will take the guesswork out of things. You can tailor the routines to your desired equipment / duration.
The trick for me was to start small, and focus on consistency. Whether that is one day a week or five, the key is to regularly come back to the practice. Eventually, it got easier to just “show up” and push myself further.
Hope this helps!