Start slow, don't push until your broken, just push enough so your body has to adapt. If you've not been doing a lot of exercise just starting walking for 30 mins 4 times a week can be a good start.

After a couple of weeks you'll start adapting to that and feeling a lot better. Then you might want to join up at a gym.

I'd say start with something easy like the machines for a few months. The machines aren't the best way to lift but they're pretty hard to get wrong, come with instructions and get you used to going to the gym.

Limit your time at the gym. For me 40 mins and I'm out. If you feel like you have to be there for a long time it can impact the rest of your life and cause you to give up on it. Regular workouts are key to changing. Not one off insanely intense marathon sessions.

After 3 months or so you'll start noticing a little more energy and confidence. I'd say it's time to learn some barbell lifts. Deadlift, squat, bench press and overhead press. Get good at those over a year or so and you'll be amazed at the changes you see.

Starting strength is a great book to get you going on those lifts. If you can afford it a trainer is also a great way to start. https://athleanx.com/ is also something I've heard nothing but good things about.

Mobility is also huge, learn to stretch from day one. You'll feel amazing if you can get in 20 mins 3 times a week.

No one starts doing something that they have no motivation to do. You have to decide that it matters. To cringe a bit and quote Tony Robbins anyways: “burn the boats and take the island!”

All great advice.

I came home from college after ending a long relationship. I was broke, depressed and quickly gaining weight. I knew I was in trouble when my Mom starting telling me I was looking "puffy" around the face. As a hockey and soccer player, this was the final straw, I knew I had to do something but was so unmotivated to do anything.

I started slow. Got a on a treadmill (you can find some for free on craiglist) and did 10 minutes a day. Then I do resistance band for about 10-15 minutes and then tried as best I could to stretch out. I started at 30 minutes, and then as I improved my diet and started to lose the weight, I increased the intensity. Yeah, I was doing 10 minutes, but I was practically sprinting by the second month. I gave up the resistance bands and started doing light free weight lifting, but doing long reps (3 sets of 20-25 reps).

My advice? Basically just do anything. Go out and walk for 15 minutes. Go run for 5 minutes every day. Go out and work in your yard, get on a bike and bike for 15 minutes. Anything that gets your blood pumping and your heart rate up is beneficial. Try as best you can to eat better. Working out is useless if you don't improve your diet.

Just start somewhere and adjust as you go. My biggest bit of advice? Listen to your body. If you're sore or doing something is painful, stop. If you're sore? Don't push it, take a few days off, switch exercises and take it easy. When you get older, it takes a LOT longer to heal and get back to working out. You don't want to pull a muscle and be sitting on your couch healing for 2 months.

Figure out what matters to you personally and frame exercise in terms of a means to achieving or aiding you in that matter.

For example, if family is important to you, being strong and fit makes it easier to take care of a young family. If you're a woman I assume pregnancy goes easier if you're physically robust beforehand. Good health ensures longevity and gives you more and better quality time with your family.

If your career or work is important then you can note that being in better health puts you in a better position to achieve your professional goals - lower chances of RSI or lengthy hospital stays, easier to put in long hours without getting tired. And of course physically fit people are more attractive and, on average, attractive people do better professionally - they get paid more, are perceived as more competent etc.

If you care about the environment, becoming fitter makes it more likely you'll walk or bike instead of driving. You'll also require less healthcare in your old age, which means fewer resources are expended on you.

I could keep going - practically any personal goal could get a bit of a boost from better health.

maybe find something that interests you that is active rather than straight exercise.... Brazillian Jiujitsu :) Rowing? Kyaking? Indoor Rock Climbing?

Maybe just commit to trying a bunch of things till you find something that you like

Use a guided program such as StrongLifts 5x5. It’ll guide you through the exercises to do, how often to do them, and how to do them properly.

If you have the budget, hire a personal trainer for 1-2 hours/week. It's not cheap, but having to make the appointment or lose the money you spent is a huge motivator. They'll probably work you harder than you would work alone as well as enforce good form. I got started lifting weights this way.

Then you'll be motivated to work out on your own to save money.

I’m an undergrad, and I’ve only very rarely worked out in the past. I just wanted to share how I feel about this today. I’ll be going for my second time today.

I think some important factors for this:

- It feels good

- I’m feeling sad and am looking to feel better

- I’m not feeling too physically tired. Last night I worked out, and this morning I worked out. I feel strong and as if I have enough energy to work out

- I am not distracted with stress about any obligations (when I am stressed/distracted, I tend to forget to do certain things or will badly time manage)

I think the main factors are that I am looking to feel better and I feel somewhat energetic because I worked out last night and today.

I have wondered how to solve this problem last month. I thought about how, through school and social norms, we learn to not react to our urge to move (and movement can bring pleasure). It’s important to react to our urge to move, to have a reflex. I might be developing that now, because as I wrote, I’m goingbecause I want to feel better.

Find a competent trainer - gyms that teach Olympic Weightlifting are going to have higher caliber trainers than the typical commercial gym full of 'personal trainers.'

There's a massive technical aspect to learn that puts a more scientific spin to appeal to people like us.*

* You're on HN, right?

Motivation is overrated:

http://rosstraining.com/blog/2015/12/29/motivation-is-overra...

Get a gym buddy, could be any friend that wants to hit the gym too or one that already goes and doesn't mind you tagging along. Don't have to workout together, you just want someone not to disappoint and text when you want to flake.

I started counting streaks. I'm using an app for this.

I've also been doing HIIT workouts by following this guy's videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSYr9PbKKbL-OdIEnIvqVOw/vid...

I love that it is timed. I'm not distracted by anything unlike if I'm just doing it on my own.

Make it a habit. Start out small and stick to it for 60-90 days or something. Go at least 3 times a week and do 3-4 exercises and stick at it.

I started going to gym at lunch time. I just eat a sandwich or a shake (Jimmy Joy) in front of my computer and then I go to the gym. It takes me a total of 50 minutes (30 minutes of actual exercising) but I could feel a real change in my body going 4 times a week.

Generally, recognize that some things in life are worth doing even if you don't want to.

Specifically, structure your starting workouts so they are simple and achievable, and if possible can help you in other areas of your life.

Honestly? I'd suggest not doing so. Take walks when you want to, and consider if there's somwthing else you could do that would still benefit your life, that yoy do have motivation for.

If you can't find motivation, try obligation. Either fiscal, personal, schedule, etc.

For me, I have found if I put something such that I have to do it, it typically gets done. Just making it so that I want to...

By lifting weights and exercising.