I find it oh so easy to be enthusiastic and motivated about almost any form of exercise, but for such a short period of time! After two or three weeks I've reached my boredom threshold. Having been a serial gym member but non attender this is no longer an option for me! I would love to be one of those people who pops out for a run (or even a shuffle) in the early morning - has anyone got any suggestions? I wonder if hypnotherapy can help!!

Maybe try something like Belly Dancing or Horse Riding, something which you enjoy but is not a typical excercise? It might not seem like such a chore but rather something you look forwards to.

You could try alternating exercises after the three week boredom threshold hits. If you get bored with jogging change to cycling and then maybe putting on some boots and go for a walk instead. I've started downloading all my old cds i havent listened to for years on my mp3 so i get different tunes every day i exercise.

I go for the whole treat me thing! I love the hydro pool at the gym and the sauna etc, anyways I make sure that as long as I have done an hour in the gym (actually exercising not watching the TV whilst sitting on the bike!) I then go and do a few lenghts in the pool and then on to my treats! it was working untill I came home today from work with a head ache and decided not to go to the gym... bah!

I also had a similar situation my daughter works for a leisure company so I thought great no cost get plenty of gym and swimming in
I did this for 6month got bored i hated the music the environment etc

So my daughter and I started walking together on the Thames walk then I added tango dancing 4 times a month now go for a fast walk for 30mins at lunchtime and dance when I can

You should take up a competitive sport - tennis, badminton or something like that. I find I can stay on a tennis court for hours but the idea of just plain jogging bores me to tears.

Then if you get into it, it becomes fun first and exercise second which is frankly the best thing because it will become something you look forward to doing.

See my post on squash - don't be put off as it is a superb, fun game. I can tell you more about it if you like.

I agree with the gym comments - but walking, dancing - great.

What are your goals, Vanessa? The easiest way to stay motivated, and I know it is really hard (especially when it is cold or wet outside and I should be running), is to set yourself a target and then work towards it whilst keeping a track on your progress.

For example, if you want to improve your general fitness/stamina, you could set yourself the target of running a 10 km race in 20 weeks time. Create a training programme (there are sites on the internet that have example ones). As well as enrolling for the 10 km race, sign up for a 3km race on week 8 and a 5 km race on week 13. That way, you've got smaller, intermediate targets to aim for, rather than 'The big one' 20 weeks into the future.

Print your training plan out and stick it to the refrigerator door. When you do an exercise session, put a big tick through it. The guilt soon builds up when you are not marking the sessions off, and it gets worse when other people in the house start asking questions as to how the training is going.

And, whenever you feel like you don't really want to exercise but your training plan says you should be, pull your trainers and shorts on and 'Just do it' (to coin a phrase) and I'll guarantee you will feel better in yourself when you've finished.

I find the gym very tedious at times unless I have a friend to go with me. I alternate the machines but it is still boring. The only bit I really enjoy is the swimming. I try and add new music to my MP3 so at least I am listening to something different each time. I see it as a necessary evil and not something I enjoy or have fun doing.

Variety is key. I hated sport at school, but over the last few years have really got into on and offroad cycling, snowboarding, climbing, hiking, and now I've started running. I mix these around depending on the weather/season, and combine them with 2 sessions a week in the gym to do weights exercises and stretch out any aches I have (and have a sauna of course). I am lucky enough to live in the alps, though, so it's almost impossible not to be active and motivated.

Find yourself a few sports you enjoy and chop and change. Having goals is a very good idea too, which is one of my aims with running. I'm keeping track of how far and how fast etc.

When I lived in england I would always go to the gym 5 times a week for about two months, then not go again for another six months. It's just not sustainable exercise, it's too dull!

Yes@dull but I have sustained it over about five years, sometimes making more effort than at other times. I too hated sports at school and I still do unfortunately. I am not an outdoorsy person either. I am too much of a lazy wimp to do any of the sports you describe. The only exercise I enjoy is swimming.

I'm not sure I suffer from boredom so much as it just takes a tiny thing to knock me my routine off. I can go away for the weekend and excuse myself from going to the gym for 3 weeks because I'm "tired" from my holiday

Agree with Christopher though...



I think I've come to realise that 90% of the time I wont feel like exercising but once I'm there I'll get a kick out of it.

I'm exactly the same as you Carol, any small excuse not to go & I'll take it but afterwards I'm pleased I went, I keep picturing myself fitter and slimmer - not getting bigger & less fit!!

Does anyone else like listening to Podcasts while exercising? The Times itself has a good selection of factual podcasts, as well as the hugely entertaining Bugle.

Personally, I like short story podcasts like Escape Pod (for Science Fiction) and Pseudopod (for Horror).

Like Liv says mix it up. If you do the same routine then it's going to get boring.

Take up a new sport. I started rowing this year and love it. And it's a great motivator to keep fit so whilst I previously did 3 sessions a week at the gym on my own my typical week is mixed.

2 weight training session, 2 sessions on the indower rower, circuit training, and then 4 water sessions at the weekend which is about 2 hours rowing. And if I can fit it in a run / cycle or swim. I also cycle to the gym/boat house etc. And I walk to and from work.

So pretty active all in all. Where I can I don't take the car, so if I only need to pick up a few bits from the supermarket I cycle. But then I do live in Cambridge and cycling is pretty easy

The worst part of the gym is when you're looking at the time display on the machine thinking "oh no, still another 10 minutes to go." To avoid clock watching and boredom choose activities where your exercise time will fly by without you noticing. Badminton and tennis worked for me. Or try doing something which you can build into a social activity - I'm taking a salsa class and then going out to a salsa club each week - an entertaining night out which burns more calories than if I just went to the pub like I used to. Of course you may need a buddy to do things like this - which in itself is a great motivator as you can't just wimp out if you don't feel like it!

All you need is a good partner, that's it!
;o)

Have you tried joining up for a class with a friend so you have to go every week? You can't let them down then the problem I find is that it seems to take weeks to show any improvement in whatever new exercise I take up so staying motivated is a nightmare. Just got to get over that hurdle - I read somewhere it takes 6 weeks to show a noticable improvement in body shape

Re podcasts - I need music to keep me going - I'd love to be able to listen to comedy shows or whatever, but it slows me down too much! Motivational music all the way! (cue Rocky soundtrack)

Last week I coincided my workout with when Dancing on Ice was on TV so I was working out and I had something to watch on the TV. The time just flew by. Having a gym buddy does help a lot. A friend used to go with me but then couldn't afford the membership. That then got a lot harder. Maybe give yourself an attainable goal to motivate you. This week I am trying to run for longer. I managed six minutes yesterday, wahay!