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
#2I 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. I started in late November and I'm currently just shy of 4K each.
I have a couple family members kind of doing it with me, which has helped a little. But the key for me was a very small time commitment that didn't involve changing clothes.
I can do them basically whenever I think about them, although I've found a sweet spot in the morning when I change into day clothes. It's not perfect, I still miss a small number of days, but on the days I do them, I do more. Because I realized the hardest part for me, by far, is getting started. So, on the days I start, I do just a bit more (40-60 each total, instead of 30), to make up for the days I'll miss.
But, yah...I still don't feel like exercising...ever. I've just hacked that "nahhh" impulse to be "it'll be over before you know it" and that has worked for whatever reason. Probably, because it literally takes less than five minutes and, when it's that quick, the "just get it over with" drive has a chance of winning most days.
You might think putting in that little time doesn't make a difference but it's very noticeable in both my rep counts, recovery time, and physique. When I started, it was hard for me to get in a single set of 20 push-ups. I'd get to 30 with two sets. Now, on a regular day, I can do a single set of 40 and on a day when I'm feeling good, I can hit 60. The consistency really does add up.
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#3I 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. Prioritising yourself is exactly like the plane safety announcement, place the mask on your face before assisting others, because you're no good to them passed out. Same thing with your health, make it a priority to look after yourself and feel good, or you won't be your be able to help anyone, and you won't be a good version of yourself people will want to hang with.
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#4The article didn't really answer the question of whether the right time of day helps you feel like exercising. Just that you might get more out of the exercise you choose to do.
As someone who is more of a night owl, I just don't seem to be able to put out the same effort in the early morning than I can in the evening, whether it be in the gym or on the bike. I'm much more tired and I just can't seem to push as hard as I can in the evenings.
When exercising frequently it can still be really difficult to exercise and I try help that by tuning down the intensity of the workout if I am really feeling off, that way I'm not adding insult to injury by having a touch workout on a day I'm not feeling it.
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#5Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#6Also varies by gender: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-61636805
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#7For me the big deal was going 5 times a week with no possibility to skip during the week. My brain seed it as an extension of work, so it just goes.
When I skip, I put together two session next time (e.g. cardio + weight lifting). 3 years in and the only days I really skipped are those I am parked in bed due to fever.
But, I don't like it at all. I feel great afterwards, exhausted but great. I am now used to it, but I really appreciate going the smallest amount of time for maximum gain, so I do 2 times a week HIIT (30 minutes) and 3 times just 1 hour of weight lifting. Big results, minimum effort.
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#8When I was in my teens and twenties, 11pm to 2am were my workout hours. Consistently, productively and satisfyingly. I’ve since adapted it to early afternoon or late morning. But the idea of running yourself tired at the end of the day still carries unique appeal for me.
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#9I don't really agree with the whole "social jetlag" part they drop in at the end. Not only does it feel like an ad priming people to accept and seek out heavily monetized social trends, but it misses the bigger picture.
Lots of people are stuck in some level of "fight-or-flight" from the moment they wake up because they're under pressure. Adding exercise shouldn't feel like another thing added to the pile of tasks.
If we agree the problem is psychological then we should focus on the same things we do to treat anxiety. Rule out nutritional or medical problems and focus on the state of your nervous system. Check your bloodwork, get a pulse oximeter (not a watch), and get a journal going of your consumption habits.
I did that and found prediabetes, vitamin deficiencies, and sleep apnea. Something like 75% of the population would find out the same, but these simple tests aren't taken seriously. Even when they are, people don't see or decide to ignore the connection.
On paper I improved my resting heart rate, heart rate variability, insulin resistance, ODI events, etc. just from diet and slowing down my day. In reality it was so much more than numbers. I stopped feeling like shit all the time. Now that I can exercise comfortably, I don't see it as a chore and can enjoy it. I'm not even hung up on when exactly to do it anymore. It just happens anyway because it's fun.
Now that I'm exercising more I can manage my health easier than when I had to push myself to do it. I think if we say people need to take the exercise itself at their own pace then we should also tell them to take their broader health more seriously before telling them to exercise. Otherwise it will be too overwhelming and the whole rhythm is lost.
Re: Don't feel like exercising? Maybe it's the wrong time of day for you
#10I’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 days I didn’t felt it, I never regretted going for it anyway.
Because it’s FUN. I don’t feel like I’m exercising, I’m just having FUN.
To me that was a revelation that felt more important than what this article says. Exercising shouldn’t be boring.
Well I’m still sedentary because rollerblading is not the most practical sport to do everyday, especially on the countryside. But even then I’m loving it.
I also like biking. Not as an exercise but just to evade. I think I will insist on going for some calm rides.