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Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

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Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#31

Post by sph »

rsyring wrote: post #2

I never feel like exercising, doesn't matter what time of the day it is. In the morning I feel the need to get to work (I'm a night owl so get up later). But by the time I'm done working, my ability to motivate myself is used up. I managed some consistency after I read "10k pushups and other silly exercise quests that changed my life[1]." I modified the plan so I'm doing pushups and squats, so going for 10K of each.…

Maybe your natural “exercising window” is during working hours.

I am overweight and sedentary, but around 10:30am, after 90 minutes of work, at my sharpest moment of the day, I often get the desire to just take a break and get some fresh air for an hour. Thank heavens I work at home and with no boss, or I would miss that little walking session, as it’s usually the busiest, most productive time window of the whole day in a regular office.

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#32

Post by retsibsi »

ytoawwhra92 wrote: post #21
pjerem wrote: post #10

I’m not sure about all of this. I’ve been sedentary for 34 years, and I somehow still am. But I discovered rollerblading at 34 and now I’m part of a rollerblading course in a skatepark at a fixed time in the week, just after my biggest day of work. And going to the skatepark is boring, I need to take a bus to nowhere land and then walk in nowhere land for 10 minutes. I’ve always been happy to go to it. And even the d…

Yeah, the way we talk about exercising and fitness in general often pre-supposes that it's an unpleasant chore. The "secret" to long-term fitness is finding activities you enjoy doing for their own sake that happen to involve moving your body and then incorporating them into your lifestyle such that you're doing them frequently and consistently.

This is definitely a good approach but I don't think it's the only one!

I absolutely agree that the idea that exercise has to be unpleasant is wrong and harmful. But there's a middle ground where the things you actively enjoy aren't sufficient to keep you fit, and so you develop a habit of doing regular exercise even when you don't feel like it and even if it's a bit boring and effortful.

Everyone's different but IME this works well provided you build up the effort level gradually, and never feel the need to push yourself to a really unpleasant degree. Eventually habit, the knowledge that it's good for you in the long run, and the fact that it usually makes you feel better in the short run make it pretty easy to stick with.

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#33

Post by dtech »

ytoawwhra92 wrote: post #21
pjerem wrote: post #10

I’m not sure about all of this. I’ve been sedentary for 34 years, and I somehow still am. But I discovered rollerblading at 34 and now I’m part of a rollerblading course in a skatepark at a fixed time in the week, just after my biggest day of work. And going to the skatepark is boring, I need to take a bus to nowhere land and then walk in nowhere land for 10 minutes. I’ve always been happy to go to it. And even the d…

Yeah, the way we talk about exercising and fitness in general often pre-supposes that it's an unpleasant chore. The "secret" to long-term fitness is finding activities you enjoy doing for their own sake that happen to involve moving your body and then incorporating them into your lifestyle such that you're doing them frequently and consistently.

This is like "find work you enjoy". If it works for you great, but for many it doesn't really and at some point you have to accept exercise is non-optional and just pick something you can tolerate if you don't find anything

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#34

Post by djtango »

pjerem wrote: post #10

I’m not sure about all of this. I’ve been sedentary for 34 years, and I somehow still am. But I discovered rollerblading at 34 and now I’m part of a rollerblading course in a skatepark at a fixed time in the week, just after my biggest day of work. And going to the skatepark is boring, I need to take a bus to nowhere land and then walk in nowhere land for 10 minutes. I’ve always been happy to go to it. And even the d…

> Because it’s FUN. I don’t feel like I’m exercising, I’m just having FUN.

This is hands down the most important advice and what I tell everyone around me. Find something active that you ENJOY. Even better if the thing you enjoy requires your body to progressively improve to unlock more enjoyment from your new active hobby.

Beyond that it can be anything: dancing, martial arts, swimming, cycling, football, handstands, skateboarding

Exercise for exercise's sake is really awful and abstract for most people. Like why carry a bunch of weights if you never feel like you need that strength.

The best thing I find (where possible) is a bit of competition to necessitate progress but that's only one possible solution..

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#36

Post by bonesss »

pjerem wrote: post #10

I’m not sure about all of this. I’ve been sedentary for 34 years, and I somehow still am. But I discovered rollerblading at 34 and now I’m part of a rollerblading course in a skatepark at a fixed time in the week, just after my biggest day of work. And going to the skatepark is boring, I need to take a bus to nowhere land and then walk in nowhere land for 10 minutes. I’ve always been happy to go to it. And even the d…

A wise grinder once told me a powerful secret, the key to perfect running form: the sides of the mouth curling up in a giant smile.

Phoebe running, rejecting social norms, gettin’ dirty, futzing with trail plans… there’s no rules, have fun. Whatever that means exactly on your own terms.

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#37

Post by yourusername »

sammy2255 wrote: post #22
Maxion wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not sure if you're entirely familiar with how science works? The study has a fairly large effect size, there's plenty of other research into body chronology that shows similar effects and differences between people. The methods in the study look solid, as does the analysis. There's also nothing weird with how the interpreted the results. Now, should you go out and alter health guidelines for an entire country ba…

134 is a pathetically small sample size

In excercise science many of the studies are based on 20-30 college aged male athletes. 134 is a bigger sample than many.

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#38

Post by piva00 »

keyle wrote: post #3

I too don't feel like exercising after work, or at 6 in the morning. And many years ago I determined that without exercise my life is a living hell. Simply, I need to push weights and exert myself physically to keep mentally sane. So I've found work that works for me, as in, I can go to the gym at lunch, which is when I feel good about working out. Make your routine work for you, and not the other way around. Priorit…

I found the same worked very well for me, around lunch hour is the best time for me to train.

I managed to go to the gym after work for a few years when I was on my early 20s, I had to force myself many times but I liked the routine and was motivated enough with keeping consistency but over the years I got more drained of energy from work and I couldn't muster the motivation anymore.

I experimented with going early in the morning on my way to the office for almost a year, I realised I absolutely dreaded it since it felt I had to rush to not be late even when there was ample time for my routines, instead of enjoying the meditative state of lifting weights I was always preoccupied with time.

In the end the best approach/routine for me was to start the workday some 30 min earlier, take an extended lunch hour to go train, and extend another 30 min at the end of the day. It always gives me the feeling of living 2 days in one, I feel clear minded and refreshed after coming back from my lunch hour, I don't have to care about waking up much earlier than my usual nor juggle between social activities in the evening and my training, I can do both: train, and go out after work to meet friends without caring that I missed a gym session.

Also the bonus of the gym being mostly empty at these times is also great, I get very unmotivated if it's packed, having to wait for equipment, anything that extends my routines takes the joy of doing them away.

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#39

Post by throwaway27448 »

bonesss wrote: post #36
pjerem wrote: post #10

I’m not sure about all of this. I’ve been sedentary for 34 years, and I somehow still am. But I discovered rollerblading at 34 and now I’m part of a rollerblading course in a skatepark at a fixed time in the week, just after my biggest day of work. And going to the skatepark is boring, I need to take a bus to nowhere land and then walk in nowhere land for 10 minutes. I’ve always been happy to go to it. And even the d…

A wise grinder once told me a powerful secret, the key to perfect running form: the sides of the mouth curling up in a giant smile. Phoebe running, rejecting social norms, gettin’ dirty, futzing with trail plans… there’s no rules, have fun. Whatever that means exactly on your own terms.

Unfortunately this sort of advice also leads to people not exercising. I don't enjoy lifting, and I don't see an easy way to make it fun, but I feel better and I'm healthier for it.

Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you

#40

Post by matwood »

simianwords wrote: post #28
chistev wrote: post #19

The man who goes to the gym every single day regardless of how he feels, will always beat the man who only goes to the gym when he feels like it.

This looks like one of those kind of useless advices but anyone who has grinded in gym would know that it’s true. That’s not to say there’s a case for optimising the time of exercise. Both go well

Learning to grind through things you don’t want to do is a skill. I’ve been going to the gym for 20+ years at this point, and training BJJ for almost half that. It’s not about wanting to go or not, it’s just what I do. I have also found that the learned skill of grinding transfers to getting other things done.

Related to the article, I’ve worked out in the mornings, lunch, after work and I’ve found I can adapt to any of them. I prefer mornings because my days can get quite busy.

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