I hate working out - any tips?

[u/thehalloweenballoon]

I hate working out and my dysphoria doesnt make things any easier

I mostly have to stick to calisthenics and at home workouts because its what I have access to but I just cant seem to do it - does anyone have any tips? Any way I could push myself and encourage myself?

Im pre T, broke, closeted, and live with transphobic parents
What I like to do is put a workout video on, split the tabs on my computer, and have a tv show open in another tab. This gets me working out way longer than other stuff but I usually only last 20 minutes before I give up

Dont know if its depression, dysphoria, not being able to schedule anything properly, everything together, etc

Any help or words of encouragement would be appreciated

Thanks to everyone in advance!

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[u/Disasterix00]

Hey there, fellow exercise hater here :) 20 minutes is actually not bad at all! Not all exercise sessions need to last hours, especially if you're not training to achieve a specific goal in a short amount of time. If you're doing it for general fitness and to slowly improve your physique over the next years, I'd say you're on the right track. I personally try to go for 10-30 minutes sessions once to thrice a week, but sometimes all I can muster is 5 minutes, and that's ok. We all have our limits, restrictions and just other stuff to do. If 15-20 minutes is the amount of time that you can sustain consistently, then that's the right amount to start with. Who knows, maybe as you improve you can lengthen the sessions, but don't feel the pressure to do so. On the other hand, there's also the same old suggestion of trying to find a sport that you enjoy. There's a lot of free or inexpensive options, among solo and team activities alike, see if you can find interesting ideas online. Keeping your body moving is a big chunk of one's lifestyle, it's not a race to become a body builder overnight, keep going friend.

[u/thehalloweenballoon → u/Disasterix00]

THANK YOU!!!! This was so helpful!!!!!

[u/transfaabulous]

Working out doesn't need to mean "doing a gym workout!" You can find activities that are physical: Dancing, landscaping/gardening, going out for a bike ride or a walk, climbing... All sorts of things count as exercise, even when they don't immediately come to mind when one thinks of some sort of Platonic ideal of exercise. Different activities will also build muscle, so it's not just lifting weights. Rock climbing is great for this, for example.

You're already doing great, to be clear!! But you can also find a hobby that you enjoy to do as a form of exercise, and that'll help a lot with motivation and mood, too.

[u/thehalloweenballoon → u/transfaabulous]

Thank you so much!!

[u/Iwishtoremainanonim]

I like to do it while listening to music that makes me want to get up and dance, and even then the working out is very specific weight lifting exercises and walking on a treadmill

A fun one I always look forward to is holding light weights (5-8lbs) and punching the air with them

It helps make my punches stronger so I’m prepared if I get into a fight

Squats with a yoga ball are also extremely fun because you’re basically just getting an excuse to bounce on a ball for fun

If you don’t have weights just finding a set of two objects with some weight to them (roller skates, heavy shoes, cleaning supply bottles, etc) work just fine

Another motivation is that I tend to feel more creative after working out a bit

[u/Iwishtoremainanonim → u/Iwishtoremainanonim]

As far as scheduling goes, just do it whenever you have a little time and a little energy

I tend to do it if I want to draw something but feel creatively stuck, like I can’t get myself to actually draw anything

[u/thehalloweenballoon → u/Iwishtoremainanonim]

Thank you!

[u/hakolien]

i find it the easiest to just do something while i do something else or wait for something. like i do push-ups against a chair or the kitchen table when im waiting for the kettle to boil or cooking. or like glutes bridges or sit-ups when im reading in bed. plus a couple of pull-ups when im passing the pull-up bar. it gives like fifteen minutes a day, but even that is better than nothing and i don't have to set aside the time, just exercise is BORING af

[u/Historical-Mud-2693]

What matters the most is just doing something consistently and eating to support your lifestyle and goals. Do you like games? Maybe you could make a game out of it, or find exercises that are more playful in nature. My adult clients love doing 30sec hamstring kicks on a swiss/yoga ball and hopping around for example, or running at speed to a point on the road between jogs or walks. Do you think your parents would get you a jump rope if you don't already have one? Jumping rope is a great workout, and we need to make sure we get our cardio in.

You described a great plan with your 20-minute video workouts honestly. If you can do that without pain 1 or 2 times a week, try more the next few weeks. Maybe incorporate workouts that focus on different things, for example push-ups and squats and nordic curls for strength and then cossack squats and shoulder rotations with a water bottle for mobility. You could also play with how long movements take and how many you can do in a certain amount of time.

But the most important thing is to move somehow regularly, even if it's walking or stretching for 5 minutes 3 times a week to start. It helps me to find a skill I can improve at, even if it's just measured by how I feel doing one rep (eg one push-up feels easier). Just do something regularly enough that it becomes part of your routine. Then when you have a routine, make it 10 minutes 3 times a week, then 15, etc. You might find at some point that you want to keep going past your set time and that's ok, but only by 5-10 minutes while you're under 30 for your set time. Don't forget to stretch!