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I Hate Going to the Gym

Lisa Eirene

About Lisa Eirene Lisa lost 110 pounds through calorie counting and exercise. She swims, bikes, runs, hikes and is enjoying life in Portland, Oregon. Her weight loss story has been featured in First Magazine, Yahoo Health, Woman's Day and Glamour.com.

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27 Comments

  1. Beth @ Running with the Sunrise

    These are really great tips. I think once you try something for a week or two you start to feel more comfortable, too. I hate the gym when it’s really crowded, so when I used a gym I would go very early in the morning when fewer people were there. Now I have my own treadmill so I can run for as long as I want without having to worry about someone else needing to use the machine, so I haven’t gone to the gym lately.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I hate when the gym is crowded too! And that can definitely overwhelm and discourage a new person if it does for me–a gym rat!

  2. Jess

    I used to hate the gym, but it turns out I just hated cardio machines! Once I got off those machines and into classes or running outside I started using the gym for strength training and found that I LOVE lifting weights! So now I get my cardio from a boxing class and the occasional run and my gym time is spent in the weights room!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      GREAT point! I didn’t think about that. Yes, if the machines are what you hate, take a class or go swimming. Free weights can be really fun.

  3. Marion

    Hi Lisa! I saw the name of your post, and was going to give you some ways that I learned to love the gym, but you already do. Yay! And I really like you gym picture, even better than your posed picture on the side.

    But what I was going to say is: Make a friend at the gym. Even if it is a gym employee. Just have someone who is truly happy to see you at the gym. It makes gym so much(!!!) more fun. Most gym buddies do not care what level you are at with fitness, we just want you to–keep coming to the gym!!! And once I know a person’s name, I do tell them that I noticed they are being consistent..or not.. about making it to the gym. Then I do say that I care and want good things for them. Positive peer pressure of gym friends really helped me when I started back in 2007. And gym buddies are still my greatest enjoyment of the gym.

    🙂 Marion

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Thanks for your comment, Marion, and compliment. I definitely love the gym–I’m a gym rat to the core. But I know a lot of people aren’t fans. I think it’s important to find SOMETHING active you like to do. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a gym.

      And yes, having someone at the gym you like seeing is a great tip! There’s one front counter chick that knows EVERYONE’S name. Seriously, she memorized all the names of members and always greets them by name the second they walk in the door. I’ve chatted with her a lot and she’s super nice, so it’s always a joy seeing her.

  4. Trevor

    I confess, I hate going to the gym. So I don’t. I have a small amount of equipment at home and I abuse the hell out of it.

    Lookin’ damn trim in that photo Lisa. Keep up the good work.

    Cheers!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I wish I had room at home to have my own gym. Someday when I win the lottery….. 🙂

  5. evilcyber

    Back when i was overweight, I hated going to the gym, too. Not only was I too cheap to pay the fees, I also didn’t quite like the thought of little fat me struggling in the face of all those uberfit people. That is why I started working out home.

    Today I can’t imagine doing it any other way, because, well, I’m still cheap 😀 No, seriously, because I understood it can be just as good as any workout at a gym, when you do it right and realize you don’t need machines for $20k.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Yes, I understand that feeling. I was there once too. I felt so self-conscious. And imagine how hard it was to get in a SWIM SUIT 100 pounds overweight! That was even harder. Once I did it a few times, I got over it.

      1. evilcyber

        At the beach, I was the guy who never took off his t-shirt. As a teenager that was because I was so very skinny, as an adult because I was fat. My goodness, I don’t want to go either way again and I’m very thankful to have landed in the middle.

        1. Lisa Eirene

          That’s great that you are somewhere in the middle now!

  6. Stacie @ Snaps and Bits

    I love the gym! I’m motivated to work out at home and that’s what I’ve been doing lately but I miss the machines at the gym.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I find that I am more motivated to workout if I GO to the gym, instead of doing it at home. I can always find excuse not to workout at home.

  7. Beth

    I feel like I have a love/hate relationship with the gym – but it’s an unconditional love just like a puppy because it will always be there for you when you get there 🙂

    I love classes but unfortunately the times don’t work with my schedule. I’m in Week 2 of Couch to 5K and I found a 5K to sign up for in May so those are 3 workouts/week which I can commit to.

    I agree about knowing the gym employees – when a guy at the front counter told my husband he hadn’t seen me in awhile I felt very bad! I go on Sundays always so it’s nice when the woman at the front counter says hello to me by name.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      That’s one of the reasons I dislike classes. It’s never at a time when I need or want the class. I can’t tell you how many times Friday has come around and I want to do yoga but none of the gyms I go to offer Friday evening yoga. It’s so frustrating!

  8. Biz

    I loved this post. My boss, who is only about 15 pounds overweight, expected that she’d lose it all in January by working out a lot and restricting calories – not kidding to about 1100 a day WITH exercise. She didn’t lose anything. I keep telling her she’s going about it wrong, but she’s a weigh every day type of person – so she gets frustrated at seeing a number on the scale every day – gah!

    I love going to the gym, and even though I am not a good swimmer, its one of my favorite things to do!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      That’s a bummer about your boss. I wish she’d listen to your good advice! Most people think it will magically happen–January comes, you make your resolution and the fat mysteriously just falls off! It doesn’t really work that way….. 😉

  9. I ❤ 2 Eat

    I no longer hate the gym. I used to, but then something changed and I enjoy being at the gym. My challenge is getting there on weekdays when I work long hours and after the hellish drive, it’s difficult getting myself there. Sometimes, I muster up enough energy to later in the evening, and always feel a sense of accomplishment when I do.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      It’s so hard to find that motivation after getting up early, working all day and sitting in traffic to get home. I understand that! That’s why going straight to the gym after work helped me. I didn’t stop at home where I’d be tempted to just sit my butt on the couch!

      Glad you learned to like the gym. 🙂

  10. Diane, fit to the finish

    I’ve never done a gym but I think I would not love it. I have everything I need at home but I am not as consistent with strength training as I should be.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Yep! With strength training it has to be consistent or it doesn’t work, as I’ve discovered. Doing it once or twice a week isn’t enough to see results. For me, anyways.

    2. evilcyber

      That is the first time I hear that. Get those weights moving, Diane! 🙂

  11. Marion

    Hi Lisa! I looked at your “before” pictures and was surprised at how much older you looked in 2006. I also looked very old back in 2006 with 50 more pounds on my body too.

    🙂 Marion

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Thanks Marion! Of course I don’t see it because I know how old I was in 2006…but I appreciate the compliment. 🙂

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