How long before it becomes a lifestyle

[evo4a]

OK, exercising virtually daily and healthy eating as well, been doing this since August so 8 months.
It's still not natural, I'm now slim, I feel healthy BUT I don't particularly like healthy food and I have to force myself to exercise..... will it always be like this?

[ewenm]

evo4a said:

OK, exercising virtually daily and healthy eating as well, been doing this since August so 8 months.
It's still not natural, I'm now slim, I feel healthy BUT I don't particularly like healthy food and I have to force myself to exercise..... will it always be like this?

You want to try real exercise not virtual exercise

Seriously though, I don't know. I feel wrong when I don't exercise, but then I've been a keen runner for 25 years so it is part of who I am. If I didn't compete I might struggle to motivate myself to run though. Competing is also part of who I am.

[MocMocaMoc]

Are you eating 'healthy' or 'clean'?

'Healthy', for me, was the traditional pasta, tons of fruit, snack-a-jacks etc. Low calorie, low fat bullst. Sent me fking mental. I was thin, but fat (around the gut). Irritable, always hungry.

Then started eating 'clean' - meat, nuts, fish, veg etc. Read Born to Run - explained how runners would chill the fk out, learn to enjoy the exercise etc.

Never been fitter or happier.

Could not possibly imagine living without a good run, or cycle, or eating that ste Weight Watchers push as healthy.

[itsnotarace]

evo4a said:

I have to force myself to exercise

You don't mention what type of exercise you are doing but you have to enjoy doing it. If you're going to the gym, try cycling. If you're cycling, try swimming or running etc etc

[Bolebroke]

I started getting back into it in summer last year..personal trainer...exercising most days..can't repeat enough what they say about eating clean...same as everything in life you need to have a reason to do it, if you don't then how is anyone else going to motivate you..? People always want to lose weight, be slimmer...why ? If you have a reason you'll do it..if it's something you fancy on a Monday morning it probably won't last..

[Hoofy]

As some have touched on above, find an exercise you enjoy, whether it's playing a sport or playing Wii games. That's how you become more active and therefore fitter.

Having a goal helps, too, whether it's to attain a 6 pack, compete in a sports event, complete a marathon, learn to defend yourself etc.

Personally, I want to maintain leanness and see where I can go with my physique and strength. I find it interesting as the body is a lab so this satisfies my intellectual curiosity, too! I also participate in a variety of activities - martial arts in various guises, strength training and rock climbing, which happen to have varying degrees of social as well as fitness benefits.

Hang on. Social benefits? Sounds a bit DWP/JSA! I better be careful of that kind of talk or I'll be banned from PH.

[Ordinary_Chap]

I said it before in another thread. It's only tedious for the unmotivated.

You have to find your motivation and then you have to feed it. Whatever you motivation is i.e. to improve your sprint times, bike times or to get bigger then you have to set goals and spend time strengthening your motivation.

Motivation is a personal thing but it may come from reminding yourself where you want to be or looking at your heroes and striving to become like them.

This could come in the form of music, pictures, words or videos. I personally listen to youtube a lot to remind myself what I'm trying to achieve and then I make sure I live it.

So my goal has to be to grow significantly and I watch/listen to videos like these;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kf6r0D3SEA&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds-s4Hk_ALs

I make sure my thoughts, emotions and habits are polarized to what I'm trying to achieve.

When I don't do these things, it becomes a chore and I stop making progress because I'm not motivated to push through the gruelling sessions and the pain the following day when I have to go again.

In whatever area, highly motivated people can achieve things that normal (read unmotivated) people can't even start to imagine.

Lee

[Digger]

Standard gym accessories for me include a quality mp3/smartphone with tunein radio spotify premium a ton of mp3 files., zane lowe is a good listen. A Polar hrm is an excellent training tool, esp % hr and iffy calorie counting guestimates. . . OH and the usual spring time lust for a good (read fit lol)woman works wonders for improving cardio stamina!

[Digger]

If you cant get motivated now, you need to workout (ha) what is holding you back, leave work earlier, early morning swims and workouts, CHANGE the routine, acquire a gym buddy etc etc listen to your body. . .

Maxim energy gels with a screwtop are an excellent quick fix if you are doing fasted cardio also.

[RB Will]

I have to do a run/ bike ride/ swim/ cardio session every 3-4 days or I start feeling miserable and really want to go and do it. Hate having an injury that keeps me off exercise for say a week.
Being a fat bd in a previous life I really struggle with the whole eating sensibly thing. I can make myself do it but don't enjoy it.

I found that it is easiest/ most natural to stick to a healthy diet when I'm in a routine. Was easy in my last job as I could take food to work with me and say I'm going to have this at that time and then this at that time then go home at the same time every day for a meal.
I work wildly varying hours now so I just tend to want to eat at the first chance I get as I don't know when I will next be able to.

As others have said it helps to have an activity you enjoy doing. I do canicross (running with the dog) and am always happy to be out exploring the countryside, even enjoyed last nights 8 mile run in the rain. Not so happy now though as one of my bits of tit tape came off so I now have a sore right nip lol

[Hoofy]

Digger said:

Maxim energy gels with a screwtop are an excellent quick fix if you are doing fasted cardio also.

Stupid question alert: if you take the gel is it still fasted cardio as you've just eaten something?

[Digger]

Vaseline petroleum jelly ky. . . ooh errr or maybe pooch can lick it better! (too much)

[stew-S160]

Doing it for the sake of it will often lead to failure/lapse/reverting to old, bad habits.

It is useful to set yourself goals that are realistic but also likely to be enjoyable whilst progressing towards them.

[Digger]

Hoofy said:

Digger said:

Maxim energy gels with a screwtop are an excellent quick fix if you are doing fasted cardio also.

Stupid question alert: if you take the gel is it still fasted cardio as you've just eaten something?

A little stupid I'm afraid. . . I take it if I feel an impending sense of exhaustion or collapse is about to take hold, means I can extend my cardio session, a key ingredient for my current workout regimen.

[Hoofy]

Digger said:

Hoofy said:

Digger said:

Maxim energy gels with a screwtop are an excellent quick fix if you are doing fasted cardio also.

Stupid question alert: if you take the gel is it still fasted cardio as you've just eaten something?

A little stupid I'm afraid. . . I take it if I feel an impending sense of exhaustion or collapse is about to take hold, means I can extend my cardio session, a key ingredient for my current workout regimen.

Right, so the bit before is fasted cardio.

[evo4a]

I'm eating clean, have a six pack (after workout). About 10% body fat.
I just prefer a burger to nuts and fruit.

Exercise is combo of cardio, running and rowing. Strength is combo of weights, and body weight exercises. I just find it dull.

I have goals, 6 pack, times, but sometimes it just struggles to motivate me.

Still determined to keep the 6 pack for my 50th birthday which is still 2 years away, so not stopping soon, would just prefer it to be more of a lifestyle.

[Hoofy]

Take up a sport. You'll start wanting to eat to suit the training. Maybe.