Exercise is hitting. My brain gives up way before my body does. Even when I try and listen to music or watch shows while exercising, I just can’t keep at it.

Has anyone found an ADHD friendly way to exercise?

  • @xor@sh.itjust.works
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    42 years ago

    get a mountain bike and a hyper dog… at least that’s what i did and i lost several pants sizes this last year…
    (i have an australian cattle dog and they’re the best… but also very difficult if you’re not fully prepared… also the only breed that’s part dingo)

  • @LeroyJenkins@lemmy.world
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    42 years ago

    are u sure you’re not using adhd as a crutch here? people make up excuses to stop exercising while exercising all the time. you might just be reaching for the easiest thing to blame here. try doing something fun too and not doing shit where you can get distracted and shit. I can’t do a gym routines just cuz my brain wanders off during sets and whatever, but bike like 400miles a week and it’s not mentally exhausting for me.

  • @colonelp4nic@lemmy.world
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    82 years ago

    Other than medication, the only thing that works for me is going consistently with someone else. Playing games like tennis or racket ball also keeps my brain from giving up. Indoor bouldering where I can make progress on smaller routes can keep me from losing motivation or getting bored, too

  • baconsanga
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    52 years ago

    Not quite related but when I have no motivation to clean I set a timer for 5 minutes per room. It becomes a race for me to see if I can get it done in time. I might do something similar for exercise.

    Side note, I have a notification for daily tasks that notifies me every hour until I do it. It annoys me enough that I do it.

    Not everything works for everyone though.

    • @iheartneopets@lemm.ee
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      42 years ago

      I do the timer thing, sort of! But I’ll do it in the form of multitasking. Say if I have a kettle on or coffee/tea brewing, I’ll see how much of the dishwasher I can unload in that time.

      • baconsanga
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        22 years ago

        I love that idea. My partner also does this. She likes to see how much of the kitchen she can clean when the kettle is boiling.

  • andrew
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    202 years ago

    As with many things, it didn’t stick for me until it did and once I was in the habit, it’s actually harder to skip than to just go. Even if I’m not thrilled about the workout, I still end up going because it’s wired in now.

    That said, I do listen to podcasts almost exclusively at the gym and that can make it kinda exciting if there’s a good one coming up.

      • @burrito@sh.itjust.works
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        62 years ago

        When I had kids I decided that I was going to live a healthy lifestyle to serve as a good example for them. Finding ways to exercise with them has been a lot of fun and then it just snowballed into me exercising on a very regular schedule and now I’m in the best shape of my life. Now it feels really weird if I have a day where I’m not doing some kind of exercise activity.

      • @krashmo@lemmy.world
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        42 years ago

        The same way you build any habit. The last two can be helpful but the first is the only essential piece. You make yourself do whatever it is you’re trying to start doing until it feels weird to not do it.

        • @iheartneopets@lemm.ee
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          32 years ago

          Are you aware of what sublemmy you are in, lol? Or are you some kind of magical adhd-er who can actually form habits like neurotypical people do? If so, I am so, so very jealous

          • @krashmo@lemmy.world
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            12 years ago

            Oh I’m aware. Still, it’s not a complex process conceptually. It’s certainly more difficult to actually do than it is to outline but that’s true for a ton of things. ADHD will make things harder to implement but it doesn’t fundamentally alter the formula.

    • Tedrow
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      112 years ago

      Most people with ADHD have brains that are diametrically opposed to habit forming. Every single task that I do every day is performed deliberately.

  • @jabathekek@sopuli.xyz
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    2 years ago

    I usually have to pair things up, like I rarely ride my bike just for the sake of it. Most of the time it’s to get groceries, go shopping, etc. and sometimes the stores I go to are ~10km away. I’m really lucky that my city has actual factual cycling infrastructure though, so I pray your area has at least acceptable infrastructure.

    This doesn’t always work, sometimes I don’t need anything. So another way I can get my butt on my bike is to simply put on sunscreen. Doing that makes it a lot easier for me to get out there so as not to waste the sunscreen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    I never go to the gym though. Way too complicated for me.

  • @xkforce@lemmy.world
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    52 years ago

    Go outside and walk/jog in an area that has interesting scenery. If you are stuck indoors or everything is dead like it is now, use music or video to entertain yourself. I use songs to “time” how long I exercise because theyre bite sized and it is easier to motivate myself to exercise 1 song at a time than it is to exercise for say… 30 minute blocks of time. AND remind yourself that you can spread that activity throughout the day and that you can get some exercise just by speeding up how fast you already walk or take the stairs instead of the elevator etc. Anything is better than nothing.

  • Yer Ma
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    22 years ago

    Books on “tape” or narrative podcasts are what finally let me spend enough time working out, I have to be really into the story though

  • @iamericandre@lemmy.world
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    162 years ago

    I’ve found success with HIIT type exercises because you’re switching your motion every minute with rest in between. It’s easy to stay focused because of the variety and how quickly it changes.

  • @frogfruit@programming.dev
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    12 years ago

    YouTube workouts go by quicker for me. I also have a rebounder (mini trampoline) which I find addictive enough to stick to. It also just takes a lot of practice to make a habit of exercising even if I don’t feel up to it. It helps to start with short workouts on YouTube and work up to longer workouts over time.

  • mhredox
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    2 years ago

    VR hands down.

    It’s the only workout that has ever stuck for me, because it really doesn’t even feel like a workout. Games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip can burn as many calories per hour as playing tennis, and are genuinely super fun.

    https://vrhealth.institute/portfolio/beat-saber/ https://vrhealth.institute/portfolio/pistol-whip/

    I started playing regularly at the beginning of lockdown and ended up losing around 50lbs. I would play Pistol Whip until I was completely drenched and could barely stand anymore, but I still wanted to keep playing! I got a plugin for the valve index that measures your activity and your calories burned, and I can easily burn 1200 calories during a session… YMMV though.

    • Tedrow
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      72 years ago

      Oh man, I did the same thing with DDR in the early 00s.

  • @rowinxavier@lemmy.world
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    42 years ago

    I have found money to be the best tool. I work as a delivery driver right this moment but I have been a removalist and a baker before, all three of which are very physically demanding roles. I have also worked in physically undemanding roles and just couldn’t make myself do any intentional exercise consistently.

    I am planning a switch into nursing over the next couple of years and my plan is to work full time in nursing with one or two shifts a week doing delivery or rubbish collection for the workout.

    Also, rock climbing looks like fun, I am planning to try the local university gym for rock climbing, maybe a class or a social aspect will help.