Was the music so loud that your own headphones wouldn't drown it out? That's what I'd
do -- put on headphones at the gym if I didn't like their music.

Mary M

When I'm at the gym I wear my own headphones and listen to my own music, not
theirs.

What about walking, or riding a bike outside?   What about rollarblading?

"exercise" doesn't have to be in a gym.  And it doesn't have to be formal.
Even yardwork and other laborous jobs around the house can count as
exercise.

that's a bad omen.

Maybe having headphones with your own music could help.

While exercise is important for losing weight, it is not impossible to
lose weight without exercise. With a few minutes per day doing some
strength training at home, with minimal equipment ($20 or so), you
could forestall the worst consequences of losing weight without
exercise. Your health would end up being worse than if you lost weight
and did exercise, but it would be better than if you stayed fat and
did not exercise.

So, not wanting to exercise is bad, but, it is not a showstopper for
weight loss. Merely an impediment. You may start enjoying doing stuff
more as you lose weight and exercie becomes more palatable.

i

My husband is of a similar mindset in that his job is physically taxing at
times and he feels it's enough of a workout (it's not enough).  I was able
to interest him in bike riding, but that's a short season up here and with
all of the rain we're getting these days, he hasn't been out once yet this
year.

Others have suggested you bring your own headphones & music.  I second
(third, or fourth) that.  I don't always like the music that's playing at
the gym but I'm very good at tuning it out, and it's kept reasonably low
unless the owner's son is working - but I like his music :).

How about some type of exercise video?  There is such a wide variety out
there that you could probably find something you like that would be at your
ability level.  You might be able to rent one at a video store to try out.
I get my videos from www.collagevideo.com

Don't give up looking for something.  It will definitely make the weight
loss process go smoother and is important for maintenance.

Jenn

How about taking walks?  You could find someplace to walk that
interests you, perhaps.  That might be looking at nature, walking in a
city and looking in store windows, walking around museums or
exhibitions, walking on the beach, or whatever.  Just getting out and
going places will help.

Chris

Well, you could
(1) bring your own music
(2) bike outside

I actually do both.  I generally enjoy biking outside more than using
the indoor equipment at the gym but the gym doens't have the
weather-related constraints of biking outside.  As a result, I go to the
gym if the weather seems like it's not going to cooperate or if I have
other plans (going to a movie tonight so went to the gym this morning,
etc.).  I use the MP3 player that is part of my PDA but I used to use a
portable CD player.  I like the MP3 player more because I can change the
mixes more easily.

Just my opinion.. but if you don't enjoy going to the gym.. don't. The
first week/month, hell.. even the first 3 months of my new WOE I didn't
"exercise" (not any set schedule/routine) I certainly didn't join a
gym.. for several reasons. 1 because I wasn't sure I wanted to make that
sort of commitment yet. 2nd because I felt like sh.t after so many years
of abusing my body with junkfood and overeating.

It was my experience when I first started my new WOL/WOE that I wanted
to keep my changes to myself. It wasn't something I wanted to share with
anyone.. friends/family or even strangers. I didn't *feel* good. I
didn't *feel* like getting any exercise. Going to a gym would have
caused alot of self doubt, embarrassment and challenges I wasn't ready
to face. That changed however, with weightloss and time.

Once you actually feel better because you are feeding/fueling your body
with better quality of food you will get more confident of course and
you will actually feel like getting up and moving. I think that taking
the bull by the horns the first day/week of dieting and doing a workout
no human could endure is just setting yourself up for failure, which
then leads to the same ole self confidence issues we all face. Once
you've established a WOE that works for you, and you take off a few lbs
you will start to feel better, and realize that you can do this.. and if
you can do this... you can get up and get moving.

Alot of the ASD'ers may disagree with me on this issue, but do this in
babysteps imo. You'll get to where you feel like moving. The changes
that occur when you've made the decision and follow through with it on a
new way of eating starts a chain reaction on so many levels. Physically
sure, but mentally/emotionally.. it's incredible. Worked for me anyhow.

Susan
260/192/140

Start doing random activities to see how you like them.  Look at
lists of hobbies, pick ones that involve some amount of movement
and drop the ones that don't.  Hello ice skating, mountain walks
and carving blocks of wood with a hatchet.  Goodbye reading,
playing chess and playing bridge.  That sort of culling.  Then
pick several that you think you might like to try.  Try them
and see.

Don't settle on just one activity because you happen to like it,
though.  Do what you like but keep trying other stuff in case
there's something else you like better.  Maybe you like biking
around with the kids, but you like even better wandering the
woods to draw stetches of different animals.  If you settled
on biking with the kids you'd never figure out the other one.

Some folks say "Think out of the box".  In this case I say
"Think out of the gym."

Then it will take a bunch of experimentation.  No hurry; next
year will come whether you do it or not.

Just a few of points to consider....

1) there are almost endless ways to exercise... so even though you may
think you've tried everything... truthfully, there's probably much you
haven't tried (a few suggestions: walking, tai chi, body weight
exercises, resistance bands, dancing, swimming)

2) lead an active lifestyle... take the stairs, park away from the
mall doors, walk whenever possible, etc.

3) I think when starting to exercise there is a 'momentum' effect.  In
the beginning, although it's really, really tough to do, over time
(say 6 weeks) you become much more accustomed to it

4) weight-loss may not be the only reason you want to consider
exercise (ie. consider the many other benefits)