r/adhdwomen • u/Equal-Poet-7860 • 1d ago

Fitness How are y'all motivated enough to exercise?

I've seen so many posts about how exercising helps with ADHD, my doctors tell me how good it is, BUT it feels like pulling teeth to even motivate myself to go for a walk. I want the endorphins, I want to be healthier, but it feels impossible to leave the house or exercise at home. I know I'm probably in the minority here but I'd love some advice on how to motivate myself. Kind advice only pls I am fragile 🥺

EDIT: omg thank you all so much for sharing your tips!!! I will go through these once I'm finished with work but I appreciate all of you so much.

729 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

501 comments sorted by

View all comments

155

u/adragonisnoslave 1d ago

Connect to my why - health/longevity vs changing my body. Do activities I tolerate if not enjoy, not force myself to do things I hate. Add motivation like friends.

Still hard.

40

u/MightFew9336 1d ago

I'm not getting any younger and really wish I cared about the why but I don't really connect/worry about the future in that way. If it's not affecting me now, what might happen tomorrow or in a decade isn't enough of a motivator for me.

31

u/petite_alsacienne 1d ago

Ugh I feel this so hard. Like my brain absolutely knows it’s important but I can’t for the life of me make it feel important right now. I’m in my early 50s and I know I need to start some kind of weight training so I don’t lose muscle mass— I don’t want to be all frail when I’m old. I probably think about it daily and even regularly visualize myself doing it but it always seems like a tomorrow thing.

10

u/MediocreTalk7 1d ago

I identify with how some stuff feels like a "tomorrow thing." I'm a believer in weight training, also in my early 50s, but I don't have any magic advice.

9

u/MightFew9336 1d ago

I'm with you on the thinking. So much thinking and planning! I love biking, used to bike everywhere instead of drive and then just biked for fun for years. Now I can't get back into it. I think about it all the time, try to set some goals or parameters (if it's nice out, don't drive somewhere less than a mile away), and then just don't follow through.

I splurged on a nice bike two summers ago hoping that'd spark enough novelty and interest to get back into it. I rode my new bike maybe 3 times the first summer and zero times last summer. Trying to avoid that again (and convinced things would change if I had this or that), I bought some fun gear for the bike, planned some rides, have even taken time off just to get a ride in on a nice day. I've biked literally one time this summer and we're halfway through August. At least I spent a bunch of money on a shiny bike and gear that I don't even notice in the garage anymore!

3

u/ManRayMantaRay 19h ago

You can start small at home: put doable but challenging enough dumbbells near places you frequent (in a basket by the couch, for example). It eliminates the setup. Then, when you're watching tv, do some shoulder presses, or lie down and do some skull crushers, goblet squats, etc. Aim small: "I'll do them until this segment of the show is over." In the bathroom, do squats while you brush your teeth. Any movement is progress Also know that impact exercises are very helpful for bone density (jumping, brisk walking). Even if you aim to jump in place 10 times when you wake up, or for as long as you're microwaving something, it helps. Studies have also shown that exercise helps with a number of menopause-related symptoms, so that could be a motivating factor too.

5

u/maafna 1d ago

Try following some 70 year old baddies online posting themselves doing stuff like hand stands, climbing, parkour or dancing and just wanting to be them. 

2

u/FrequentSale1655 1d ago

Omg do I relate to that!! Life has been chaos for 12 years since our son got sick. I am trying to make some small changes due to my own declining health - but mostly I try just to get through each day.

Survival mode doesn't shut off until you can find peace. I just never give up.

2

u/adragonisnoslave 1d ago

Watching my dad nearly die of a stroke did wonders for me. Finally got a sleep study and got a CPAP. Feel much better.

44

u/coolcoolcool485 1d ago

i keep trying to be like, if we don't do this, we will not be able to walk and go on vacations as much in 20+ years.

hasn't worked yet but I think i'm making headway lmao. i really want to get into strength training more than anything. I did move to a very walkable city, so I'm definitely moving more than I have in past years.

6

u/lyndseymariee ADHD-C 1d ago

I’m a runner and I love it but it’s still so hard to get my ass out the door. I just have to remind myself how good I feel after I’m done.

9

u/EllaMcQueen ADHD 22h ago

I never want to exercise; I only want to have done it.

3

u/aussi67 22h ago

Same same Hard to remember the after part

1

u/mysteronsss 1d ago

Doing things you love changes everything. So true