Cycle commuting to work and running. Nothing else has stuck
Same here. Exercise being a means to an end such as transportation works much better for me than regimented exercise for the sake of fitness.
I did this tricking myself by telling me “Im not exercising, I’m just commuting.” went from a 10 minute daily ride to 1+hrs.
Same here. I’m cheating though because I’m Dutch, so cycling is really accessible here. I don’t even have a car, so I pretty much have to go by bike.
Running works for me because it’s so easy to start with. For most other sports I have to go somewhere to do it or prepare all kinds of gear. For running I just change clothes, put on my running shoes, and I’m ready to go. The low threshold before I can start, and the low complexity thereafter is what made running stick and what doesn’t make most other things stick.
Running from my problems
Cycling - saves me gas, often as quick as driving would be (we have epic all day congestion here). And its fun except when the weather is really bad. Only drive if I have a heavy load to go somewhere, or if I’m picking someone up or it is pouring
Also swimming - can be done year round indoors, and I dont sweat! Having a waterproof MP3 player helps me with motivation too
Recommendation for the waterproof MP3 player? I’ve just gotten back to the pool.
I’m using the Sony WS410, great player, goes good and loud (I swim to metal) but unfortunately no longer available in my country, but I believe still available in the US
Your user name makes me think Aussie? Me too :/
Close, New Zealand. Would be interested to see if these are available in Australia still, partner has relatives there, I will get them to grab one for me when my current one dies (they seem to last 2-3 years swimming with them an hour a day)
Good info, thanks!
deleted by creator
I have decent bone phones that are water resistant and I’m mostly keeping my head above water for now. I’m going to test the range on the Bluetooth for my phone soon, but if there’s something that can come in the water with me that’d be great
deleted by creator
Yeah so I won’t be underwater with the bones phones (they’re only resistant) I’m just using a kickboard for leg rehab - phone will be pool side and I’m hoping the 10m distance allows me to use them. If not, waterproof option for the emitting device is ideal
deleted by creator
Fair dos. When I’m swimming proper I’ll look into a fully contained waterproof option. Thanks for your input!
deleted by creator
Buying stuff at shops further home.
For example, there’s a bakery a block far from home, but I don’t buy my bread there unless I’m in a hurry; instead I buy it from a bakery 2km away - by doing that I’m walking 40min already (and their bread is better anyway). Same deal with cat food and some groceries.
Taking walks. May last three hours at a time, though I never bothered to measure the distance physically. I also check on my neighbors sometimes along the way and/or stop at the library or church temporarily. Did you know walking is better for you than jogging/running?
I’ve destroyed my ankles and feet from running, which sucks because I really enjoyed it! Now I just walk up hills and it still gets my heart rate up pretty good.
I’ve been doing Ring Fit Adventure on the Switch for a couple years now. It’s more interesting than running, I don’t have to get ready and go out to a gym, and I can do it in any weather.
Basically, it’s easily accessible and novel enough that that’s the one that has stuck with me since 2018ish.
I used to play WiiFit Plus all the time as a kid, I need to look into Ring Fit Adventure
Yeah watch some videos of people playing for sure!
My complaints are that the tutorials are repetitive and intrusive—like c’mon game, I’ve been playing for years, I know how to do a squat. The “story” is 100% forgettable but not skippable. With a couple of the rhythm based exercises, the switch loses track of where the joycons are and counts those reps as “wrong”. (Fortunately it’s pretty simple to avoid those specific exercises most of the time.) And I wish there were an easy way to incorporate weights during the times I’m trying to build muscle mass.
But overall it’s interesting and engaging enough that I don’t mind it as much as more traditional types of exercise I’ve done.
For me I bought some dumbbells to work out from home and just do a little but of excessive whenever I get the chance, spend 10 mins doing 1 set in the morning before work, another when I get home, maybe another after dinner and then one more before bed.
Or if I’m working from home I’ll do a little bit throughout the day, sometimes while watching stuff on my laptop, or in between rounds on a videogame.
It works really well, but for me thr biggest issues with exercise was always the time commitment of going to the gym and how boring working out is, so this way mitigates those 2 a lot.
Edit: oh and for cardio, i dont drive, so i walk a lot and go to open volleyball sessions which also doubles as socialising, so still pretty time efficient.
deleted by creator
I play Switch games while on my treadmill. The split controller works perfectly for that and makes it easy to forget I’m walking.
PPL did great until I realized my back was by faaaar the most overdeveloped part of my body and so I went on a chest/tricep, tricep/ shoulder, shoulder/chest, back/bicep, leg split (thats 5 days not in that order) With some hamstring work with every workout since they were incredibly weak.
Walking the dog. I can’t be bothered to exercise, but hate to have to clean up, so walking the dog is the best option.
Honestly the best workouts I’ve had were from CrossFit.
The biggest issue with Crossfit (and I say this as someone who tries to make a class minimum 4 days a week) is that a good coach is 100% necessary. Our trainer walks a really good line between encouragement and respecting peoples boundaries and limits.
Some coaches at other gyms just push people too hard, encourage people to try and “push through” when they are bordering on injury. Shouting motivational slogans “No pain, no gain” and other bullshit like they are a fucking drill instructor.
It REALLY works for me because the workout changes every day and its a good mix of cardio and weightlifting, if left to my own devices I would just lift weights. Fuck Cardio. But Im there for an hour a day, theres a trainer who actually watches and makes sure Im stretching and warming up correctly and that after half an hour I dont decide “this is hard” and just fuck off home.
Completely agree having the right coach and a respectful culture is vital.
The social aspect really works for me.
5km walk for 1hr. No less. Doesn’t matter where, just walk 5km.
I had trouble sticking to exercise for years, only thing that worked was setting my alarm an hour earlier and doing 30 minutes of exercise every morning.