Once you get into it, you may just enjoy it. I would never have believed that exercise would be something I looked forward to but guess what...I forced myself for a few weeks and as the days went by I found myself really looking forward to doing it...Just do it for yourself....

I've NEVER been a gym-rat or an exerciser in the true sense. I always like to get my exercise doing everyday activities like yardwork, going for walks, riding my bike..things like that. I don't think I could ever really be a true exerciser. But now, I can't even get myself motivated to do those things!! I've picked up the "lazy-bug" from my DH!! I can't seem to break out of it!!!

I'm almost exactly in your shoes, I'm 36, 3 year old very active little girl, (I don't work though, so I'm even lazier), but I have hypo-thyroid (my only excuse, it really saps the energy, plus adds weight gain).

I have bought exercise machines, DH sometimes works out with his weights, and I have a exercise bike and now trying a small trampoline to "jog" on - it's not bad really.

My only advice to you is now that you're aware that you want to be more active, then keep it in your mind and find ways to add more activity in your daily routine. E.g. park your car farthest away at work (make yourself walk, carry water as I'm sure we're all in the heat wave - lol - o.k., not really funny) find and use the stairs dep. on how high up you may work, but always seek to do as many stairs as you can handle. I take my little one to the park, and I try more to get involved - e.g. climbing up the big slide platforms just to bug her and play at tag, etc.

I think the key for "lazy" people like us (we should start a club - lol) is to try and have fun with it. Not just doing exercising just for that sake. HTH, you're not alone.

I was where you are at 36. I don't know if this would have motivated me then. I think it would have, but can't be sure

Anyway here goes: diabetes - on average people with diabetes die 18 years before people who do not. Alzheimers - you are 4 times more likely to have it if you are diabetic. Foot amputation - this surgery is performed almost entirely on diabetics. Blindness - diabets is the leading cause.

How much would you enjoy going to social outings and having to eat just the almonds you put in your pocket before you left home while everyone else is scarfing donuts. Today is my birthday. We wanted to go out and celebrate - but where? When you can't eat carbs it is pretty hard to eat out. My friends are very good about choosing restaurants that I can go to (those with salads as entrees) but I know they get tired of it.

Motivated yet?

I was an intermittant excerciser. I'd go for a few weeks and then stop for a few months. I hate to work out and it's even worse because my DH has always been a daily excerciser. I always found an excuse to talk myself out of doing it.

When my DH admitted that he absolutely hated to excercise but did it anyways, it was such a revelation to me. I always assumed that people like him just loved to excercise.

Now I look at it like washing the dishes - I don't like doing them, but I'd hate it even more if I woke up to a sink full of dirty dishes. Someday I hope I will actually enjoy excercising, but so far it's just something I do as part of my routine.

We know what the consequences will be if we stay sedentary, so it really is irresponsible and foolish to not start moving!

Well, I'm trying to slowly get moving. My family and I went for a walk after dinner tonight. After that, I asked my husband if he could get my bike off the hangers in the garage and get the tires blown up. I have'nt riden it in 2 years! I took it for a short ride around the block. It was nice. I seem to find any excuse NOT to do something: it's to hot, to humid and muggy, no time, I'm tired, can't do it with the DD around...the list goes on and on. I figure if I can take baby steps maybe that will help. It does'nt help that my DH is also a slacker! He's pulled me into his lifestyle and I let him!! I used to be about 30lbs. lighter when I was single. Boy do I miss that now!!!

Perhaps you're not lazy, just low on sugar. Cut out carbohydrates from your lunch and have juice before you leave work. After a couple of days you'll have more energy when you get home.
Also, check out Flylady.com. Its a way of organizing housework that is amazing.

I've taken your suggestion about getting juice for the way home from work. I have'nt really noticed a diffrence yet but I think it's due to the weather we have been having. I live in a very hot and humid area and it just drains you all the time! I'm going to keep drinking the juice though! Does it matter what kind I have. I had Cranberry one day and Grape another. Is there any one better than the other for energy? I've tried some of the sports drink but I've heard they are very high in sugar, almost to high. Is that true?

I used to be "lazy", in my 20s. Its a long story, but turned out to be hypoglycemia. I changed my diet; cut out sweets of all kinds (including drinks) and upped protein intake. Literally within days, I was a new person. Never was a mover or shaker, but I sure had more energy and stick-to-it-iveness.

Get a blood sugar test to start with. Even tho my blood now is "normal" after 40 years of decent eating, I still get low blood sugar symptoms if I don't eat fairly regularly. I completely lost my taste for sweets. Now if I get cravings, I lean toward lemon, vinegar, etc. Weird, I know, but it works. Good Luck.

In my neighborhood there's what I call the "Parent Parade." Every evening around dusk a group of parents of young children go for a walk. Nothing fancy, just put the little ones in a stroller and walk through the neighborhood. They said they usually go for about 30-45 minutes. When you are expected to meet a lot of people at a certain time, it's harder to keep coming up with excuses not to go.

My method of motivation isn't recommended by anyone in their right mind. I got a Husky puppy and if she gets bored, she'll eat my furniture, rugs, pretty much anything she can get her teeth on. But if I walk her first thing in the AM, she's a pooped out puppy until about 4pm. Just in time for me to get home from school and walk her again.

Don't discount the effects your diet could have upon your lack of energy or motivation. I know when I'm on a bad-food-eating binge (busy at school or whatever), I feel like a giant slug. Once I start eating right again, I feel better and more eager to get out and do stuff.

One thing that helps me in the AM when I really really don't feel like being awake at 5am is I just tell myself that I'll get up and get dressed and start walking and if I'm still not feeling like walking after 5 minutes, that I'll turn around and come home and go back to bed. By the time I'm out of bed, dressed, leashed up with the dog, and gone for 5 minutes, I've never felt like coming back.

Finally, if you schedule your exercise time, just like any other appointment, you'll never have that excuse. I go first thing in the morning, and again at 6pm. I plan dinner the night before so I can have things chopped, defrosted, etc. and ready to ccok really fast after my walk. Then I do my tons of studying and other school-related stuff after dinner. My morning walk is easy to do, but I feel like skipping the evening one a lot, mostly because of looming tests and such. But knowing that I'll have 8-10pm to study uninterrupted means I'm able to walk without worrying.

The most important thing to me though is finding an exercise you like. I have a bike that I haven't ridden in years too. Turns out I just don't like biking that much, at least not by myself. Plus I'd still have to walk the dogs even if I did ride my bike, and I just don't have that kind of time. I also can't really spend hours in a gym after school when the dogs really need to be taken care of (they're inside from 7am until I get home anywhere from 4-6pm). So between being honest about what I like doing and time constraints, the dog-walking thing has worked out for me.

How's your diet? If I eat a lot of refined sugars, I feel like a slug. A dinner of pasta and bread will turn me into a slug. On the other hand, a meal with some protein and vegies will leave me feeling energetic.

The heat and humidity sure will do it too no matter how well I eat. See how you feel when the heat passes and if you still feel that way, look at your diet.

Devorah -- Are you under the care of a Registered Dietitian or a nutritionist? It is not true that you can't eat carbs -- carbs are necessary for the brain and the rest of the body. What's important is the type of carbs and how many of them you eat. A healthy, balanced diabetic exchange diet will allow you to eat most foods but in moderation and exchanging one for another. Most restaurants have at least a few meals on the menu or a la carte items that you can combine into a healthy meal. Why would you want to scarf on donuts? People who don't develop diabetes and think they can eat like that are in for a world of other problems down the road; it's not just diabetics who develop heart disease. I eat almonds every day because they are healthy and a good source of protein and other nutrients. I don't eat donuts because of the way I feel after I eat one. I'm not a diabetic.... just trying to eat healthier and feel better.

I completely understand where you're coming from. For me, the best thing I did was learn some basics about nutrition. It seems like it should be a given that we know what to eat and what not to eat, but with some very minimal research, I learned that I didn't really know much. There are so many amazing foods out there that taste great, are filling, and totally fuel our bodies without adding weight. It's funny, as I'm a guy, but one website that I've found very helpful is healthymammas.com. They have very fun and easy to digest ways of changing my diet that are really helping me make lifestyle changes and lose weight. Add to that, the recipes are actually VERY good! Who knew??

Here is a link that might be useful: great link!

Getting up early in the morning and doing some cardio exercise in a park or garden is the best way to keep ourselves active and fresh throughout the day. The fresh air of morning is very useful to keep us fresh and active by improving our inner body strength.

Start the day with meditation and a saying to yourself that you can anything for atleast 8-10 times.It really helps you to be active and gives some sort of confidence.

I was in your shoes not too long ago. Two kids a year apart, working full time 52 or more hours a week. yet I had known health risks, including overweight and high blood pressure. I'd make DH watch the kids (feed them, play with them, give them baths, anything) then I'd go out for a slow jog. My "course' was two miles I'd measured by car. I told myself, just get started, if you get tired you can stop and go home. Somehow once I had started, even gone one or two houses, I picked up energy and kept going. I ran only in good weather, and I came to enjoy the time alone to think, look at neighbors homes and gardens. I'd be a sweaty mess by the time I was done and enjoyed a quick shower afterwards. Not once did I turn around. And I kept my pace slow. I'd be done in 15 to 25 minutes. Yes, I was "running" twelve minute miles. But within months I was in the best shape of my life. Just go out once for a run-promise yourself you can stop any time and see what happens...

" When my DH admitted that he absolutely hated to excercise but did it anyways, it was such a revelation to me."

that is so true !!! having good music on my iPod is a big motivator for me, it keeps me going .

Yoga and meditation can help you. You need a good instructor for that. Remember the mantra - help yourself and just do it. Just do it really helps. :))