Probably went too far, or you should have waited longer after eating? It was tough to do everything but really rewarding and I might even say 'fun' for me. Those were the only times I felt ok going/leaving the gym.
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Is there anything as universally beneficial as going to the gym? I can't think of a single thing this "simple" that addresses so many issues.
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I'm good. I like to do fun, interesting things with my limited free time.
I suppose I'd find lifting conpelling if I was in prison and had nothing else to do though.
I suppose I'd find lifting conpelling if I was in prison and had nothing else to do though.
You sound like someone who could use the benefits that a gym could offer you. :)
I mean, there's therapy.
I don't really feel like I have any more energy than I usually do. In fact, after I go to the gym, I'm usually too tired to do much else. It doesn't really relieve my daily stress or anxiety. In fact it sometimes amplifies it. I do feel like my body looks better and I have developed some pride in it but now I'm more critical of it than I ever was before hitting the gym. I never really looked at other guys and thought "oh if only I looked like that" but now I find myself doing it often at the gym.
I wish I could feel this euphoria people seem to feel when they go to the gym. I don't really like going, it's more of a means to an end for me.
I've been going to the gym for about a year and I still don't really feel this positive well of energy people seem to get.
I don't really feel like I have any more energy than I usually do. In fact, after I go to the gym, I'm usually too tired to do much else. It doesn't really relieve my daily stress or anxiety. In fact it sometimes amplifies it. I do feel like my body looks better and I have developed some pride in it but now I'm more critical of it than I ever was before hitting the gym. I never really looked at other guys and thought "oh if only I looked like that" but now I find myself doing it often at the gym.
I wish I could feel this euphoria people seem to feel when they go to the gym. I don't really like going, it's more of a means to an end for me.
This is the big problem I've always had with exercise that prevents me from getting into it.
There are lots of activities I'm casually interested in that have "being very fit" as a prerequisite, that kinda precludes me from having more than a casual interest, and a more-than-casual interest in drums that is not-at-all helped by how out-of-shape my arms and legs are...
...but the idea of going to the gym (or even doing it at home) to exercise just for exercise's sake for months just to get myself in shape enough to do these things is just......ugh.
Working out can only be a 1 hour/3 days a week habit to reap great health benefits. Eating sensibly is a 24/7 commitment that requires far more habit development and planning if you werent taught how from the beginning... But obviously will make a far bigger impact on your health and appearance.
Working out really is a tiny commitment in regards to your time that makes you a better, healthier person in so many ways that "not enjoying it" really isnt a good excuse. Its really the least you can do to be a healthier person. After all most of the things that would make the biggest difference in our lives are the things we aren't already doing because we find it too much of a chore to do them.
Always be striving to do more.
You get enough sleep? You got a grip on your micros and macros? I figured all that basic stuff didn't matter for a while, but I really can feel how it effects me positively. I use creatine, but that shouldn't really make so big a difference. I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling good about it. If all of the above is taken care of, and you're even seeing results, I can only imagine you got other things in life that's hitting you hard, which I can sympathize with. I imagine I'll experience similar times where training might be more challenging and feel more time consuming.
I think it's important to apply yourself with a sense of purpose in everything you do. Personally, I couldn't find any motivation based on reasons rooted in the aesthetic beenfits of a trained body. Of course I enjoy that now, but I find that it's more about the other benefits; having the discipline, having more energy and overall feeling better, it all applies to other things in life, which is where I reap the rewards, I feel. I'm not ashamed to consider it a masculine thing. I feel more of a man when I look in the mirror. I don't need to say that to my friends or family, and I don't use social media (aside from Era!) so fuck that. It's for me. Of course I'm telling it to you now, but you're a stranger and I don't have to prove myself to you (and that goes the other way around)
Like everything in life, it's about sticking to it, it would seem. I thought about all the things I've always felt were a challenge, and how the outcome of the investment turned into something great - and fun! Like, I wasn't great in school as a kid - struggled a lot actually. I wasn't a natural at playing guitar the first time I picked it up. I was always worse than my brother at video games (especially Tekken). Hell, when I was 15 years old my confidence was so shit that I didn't know whether or not I was ever going to be able to talk with girls the way my friends did...
Today, studying is what it is (not fun but rewarding) because I understand it's all about compounding knowledge in order to progress. Same applies to the others: I'm a fairly good musician, and I can (sometimes) beat my brother at Tekken, although he kind of didn't like that I could for a while and so he started getting competitive and learning the technical aspects of the game instead of just doing combos. In terms of women, I'm not going to sit here and act a fucking Don Juan, but I'm not intimidated as I was, and I've had some very good experiences in terms of relationships which in turn has me confident in any situation and would probably have my 15 year old self relax a lot.
The point is: You're good at all kinds of things and maybe not good enough at remembering why; there was a time you couldn't walk, talk, run or read. That shit didn't come natural, although it may have come more instinctevely, as a need for social goals or survival, I don't know. But even today there are things you may be seriously good at. Era hosts a lot of hardcore gamers that are probably topping scoreboards and speedrunning Dark Souls blindfolded, but that's all because they invested their times and understood the mechanics. Same goes for training. Understand the mechanics of training, complete the essentials, and reap the rewards in time. And if you're good at nothing, it's not because you can't be good at anything; you're probably just too good at justifying laziness or impatience.
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100% people who ever breathed are now dead. Not so healthy now is it.
These threads are kind of depressing when I see all the negative/defensive posts. It isn't about super gains and PRs, just a bit of self-maintenance is all. It took me most of my adulthood to figure out the importance of the gym, I really wish I had some positive motivators earlier on in life.
I'm still plenty overweight. But the gym helps me manage my mindset and gets out some aggravation through the workout. I still feel shitty sometimes when I get home, but I know overall my weeks are better because of it. Just tiny bits of maintenance, nothing in the world is a 'fix-all'.
I'm still plenty overweight. But the gym helps me manage my mindset and gets out some aggravation through the workout. I still feel shitty sometimes when I get home, but I know overall my weeks are better because of it. Just tiny bits of maintenance, nothing in the world is a 'fix-all'.
Drinking enough water and sleeping enough are a lot simpler then going out and paying money and doing something physically exerting.
I get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night. I used to be worse about this but I fixed that. I even have an app to make sure I drink enough water a day (it's actually annoying how many times I have to pee a day.) I pretty much completely changed up my diet. I mostly eat oatmeal, eggs, poultry, fish, beans, vegetables and I even have a daily plant based protein shake. I ride my bike to work every day which is about 4 miles and go to the gym 2-3 times a week and have been for a year.
Like don't get me wrong, I definitely have seen results. I put on more muscle than I've ever had and I'm much stronger than I used to be. I think I look better than I did. I just don't feel this significant positive energy that people always talk about. I don't walk out of the gym feeling supercharged or brimming with positivity. I feel like I lifted stuff for an hour and a half. Like I said, it's an ends to a means. It feels like work and well I don't want to regress so I'm gonna keep going. In the end it all feels a bit shallow. Maybe I do have other things in life hitting me hard and the gym is just struggling to keep me at a base neutral lol
I have no idea what creatine is or what micros and macros are. I'm by no means a serious gym dude. I typically just do a day of chest/triceps, a day of biceps/back and a day of core/legs.
This. To quote Mike Tyson "it keeps me from killing ya'll".
I feel like people focus too much on the "look better/feel more confident" aspect of the gym. But for me it's 100% about burning off aggression so I am not a huge asshole. Most of us are soooo sentient these days, and I just need a few hours a week to feel like a powerful strong caveman, in a safe environment. For some people it's running, for some it's martial arts, for others it's lifting weights.
Yes. And I would say the hardest part is to make it a habit.
From the top of my head, working out in particular enhances your metabolism, makes your muscles harder and your body more resistant to injuries, helps with stress relief, pain, bad posture, burning fat, improving overall fitness and as a side effect makes you stronger and look better.
It's like leveling up in real life. Do it.
From the top of my head, working out in particular enhances your metabolism, makes your muscles harder and your body more resistant to injuries, helps with stress relief, pain, bad posture, burning fat, improving overall fitness and as a side effect makes you stronger and look better.
It's like leveling up in real life. Do it.
Yep, this is me.
I'm prone to having an aggressive mindset, and have always worked in fast paced environments. It's so easy to snap about something dumb if my mind isn't right. The workout helps get that mindset of "I already won the day" before you even show up to work.
It could be social awkwardness but I generally don't like attention in my direction. Whenever my weight loss has come up in conversation, it's usually in front of multiple people and I want the topic to change asap. It just feels weird to go from my usual interactions in public to having people comment on my body, then I start feeling pressure to keep it up and gradually fall off.
The flirting and advances are more trouble for me than they are worth. I can appreciate them moreso from women I'm not attracted to but it becomes a problem when I get hit on or even propositioned by attractive ones. I've never been single and my wife cheated back in our early 20s- I don't know if that's what's floating around in my subconscious at the time but the times I've had to begrudgingly reject women, I'm pretty unsettled and distant for a day or two afterwards. If I can't eat, I'd rather no one show me a menu to begin with lol.
I haven't been in shape in five years though and want to get a routine going since I'm middle aged now. Hopefully I can navigate the above more maturely once the weight drops.
Quitting sugar. It will change your fucking life, and no amount of working out will outrun a sugar heavy diet.
In terms of simple return on investment. It has to be eating and getting your sleep schedule straight.
You will feel positive effects within a few days.
You will feel positive effects within a few days.
If we're talking about exercising, it's hard to argue there's a lot of things more beneficial to you than that. I simply cannot function without exercising regularly; I just need it to combat back, neck and knee issues.
If we're talking specifically lifting, that's far more arguable. I personally prefer exercises that help with posture, like pilates or swimming.
As someone said in the Ring Fit thread, though, the best exercise is the one you will do.
If we're talking specifically lifting, that's far more arguable. I personally prefer exercises that help with posture, like pilates or swimming.
As someone said in the Ring Fit thread, though, the best exercise is the one you will do.
Whenever I have gone frequently, I have not really seen any benefit from going to the gym.
What are the issues that you think the gym can fix? It's never really had that much effect on my sense of well being or fitness. I never saw it as anything more than a chore or errand. It's roughly the adult equivalent of eating your broccoli.....it's admittedly good for you, but not really all that fun or rewarding or satisfying.
What are the issues that you think the gym can fix? It's never really had that much effect on my sense of well being or fitness. I never saw it as anything more than a chore or errand. It's roughly the adult equivalent of eating your broccoli.....it's admittedly good for you, but not really all that fun or rewarding or satisfying.
Our culture works against doing things like this and works towards making you do stuff like guzzle high calorie food and sit still in offices all day (which tires you out).
While it won't prevent the toaster from corresponding with the government, other mental woes from ennui to anxiety are pretty much covered by the gym.
what about he guy going to the gym and eating Mcdonalds vs the guy eating healthy?
What kind of benefit were you expecting to see? Some of these changes are not immediately visible, such as reduced cholesterol levels, a stronger heart, and even cellular changes that might make certain conditions less likely to affect you.
Then of course the degree to which you benefit also relies heavily on how much you're actually doing in the gym. I've seen people who "go to the gym" at my gym and they casually lounge around, lift weights for a moment, and then look at their phone for 5 minutes. That is not benefiting them much, but anyone who is really working themselves hard at the gym is going to see benefits, whether they're immediately noticeable or not. The bottom line is that decades of statistical data suggests that the people who are most physically active benefit greatly from it.
It's hard to quantify exactly how much each component means for each person, but my point is doing some things is better than doing no things.
The gym doesn't always mean lifting weights. A lot of gyms offer many different activities that can be fun and a workout. I lifted for two years until I discovered kickboxing and now I can't see myself going back to weights.
cycling, swimming, yoga, dancing, kickboxing, boxing, ext....find something that interests you and see if they offer free trial classes.
cycling, swimming, yoga, dancing, kickboxing, boxing, ext....find something that interests you and see if they offer free trial classes.
Playing sports is more beneficial long-term than going to the gym, both for your body and your mental/emotional well-being.
Unless your sport is Powerlifting or Olympic Lifting, that is.
Unless your sport is Powerlifting or Olympic Lifting, that is.
On a proper program, most newbies see pretty dramatic results within a few months.
Not everyone is going to enjoy lifting big pieces of metal and rubber and putting them down again but it's undeniably the best way to build strength and endurance.
Stop expecting exercise to be fun from the start. Most of it is not, effective exercise is hard work. That being said, you can learn to find enjoyment and satisfaction in exercising once you stop being averse to anything that's challenging. For me, seeing how much stronger I get week after week has its own appeal even though the act of actually lifting weights is rarely fun.
Not necessarily the gym but anything that gets your heart pumping and your body moving at the same time is probably the most beneficial thing anyone can do. Your body and brains are designed to move. If you stop moving them, your neurons try to fire like crazy leading to depression, mental problems and other physiological changes with detrimental effects.
You don't have to 'exercise'. Start by parking your car a little bit farther away and just walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator if it's three stories up. Take the longer walk when walking to get lunch. You won't even have to think about it other than for a second to make that decision.
The gym and other exercises is just a way for people to better fit it into thier lives. You don't have to do those kinds of things but you will def get better results if you want to focus on it.
I felt much the same way, what's the point when healthy people still get unlucky and die young. Until I realised it's not about how long you live but how many years of good health you're able to enjoy.
On that note I watched a documentary saying dancing is the best excercise, mostly because it has extra benefits to slowing mental decline.
Resistance training is important too, you lose muscle mass as you age which makes everyday tasks harder and increases the risk of disability.
No.
What about us, those who are cursed with less than stellar bodies that, no matter what we do, we'll never look the way we want?
I'll always look like a stick, so why bother working out?
What about us, those who are cursed with less than stellar bodies that, no matter what we do, we'll never look the way we want?
I'll always look like a stick, so why bother working out?
Btw people need to stop saying that exercise is primarily for the body. It probably is the best thing you can do for making your body more attractive but physical/exercise should be seen more of as something for the mind instead. It is increasingly starting to seem like it is the best treatment we have for depression and other mental and psychological disorders.
I used to think like you too. But you literally just have to eat more while lifting weights/ some form of high intensity training. I still look like a stick but I'm starting to look a bit more normal weight because I figured out I was only eating 1500 to 1700 calories a day instead of the 2500+ that I'm supposed to be eating.
Went from 120lbs last year to 130 lbs now at 5'6" height.
OP
OP
Sure, if medical reasons keep you from exercising, you should probably look for alternative ways to improve your life. If you're a stick because you simply don't eat enough, maybe look into diets for your body type. Don't fall for the "hardgainer/softgainer" bro science.
That's the problem, I don't expect it to be fun, I expect it to be an unfun slog I have to force myself to do when I could be doing something fun instead. Because of that, it's hard to find motivation. The handful of times I've tried, I haven't been able to stick with it long enough to see even slight results. I wish I could see or feel any difference after a week.
I want to indignantly argue against this, but you're probably right. D:Nature said: