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I exercise every day, but it is hard thing to start doing it - I should do some 10-20 minute meditation before it, I am procrastinating things to delay the start of exercise, all thoughts about the forthcoming exercise may block me from my usual primary activities.

Are there drugs or foods that can facilitate the start of exercise, that can induce the need for exercise, that can make exercise likeable?

I am reading this article which suggest the design of such drugs https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-015-0412-x but I have no information about achievements? Are there any such drugs already in the market of in some phases of clinical trials?

My question is not about steroids. As I understand, they are good for muscle mass building, but I am not sure that they induce the likeability of physical exercise.

TomR
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    What about pre-workout? – C. Lange Apr 11 '21 at 22:17
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    Pre-workout certainly qualifies as something "that can induce the need for exercise". I mean, it doesn't alter your state of mind or anything, but if you take pre-workout, you're gonna think "I better not waste that pre-workout" and get to work. – Alec Apr 11 '21 at 22:19
  • Yes, I am aware of pre-workout and exactly during that time I can see that this are not going to be so bad, that upcoming sport can be enjoyable even. But it is hard to live all the day with the thoughts - I will need to start this at some point! – TomR Apr 11 '21 at 22:37
  • If I'm understanding right, it kind of sounds like you just need to make it more enjoyable? If exercising feels like a chore, try other activities? If the goal is just to get active you can do 100s of things: hiking, swimming, basketball, skateboarding, biking, martial arts, etc. Why are you doing the physical activity in the first place? – C. Lange Apr 12 '21 at 20:54

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My immediate thought is a pre-workout formula. In my personal experience, high amounts of caffeine and beta-alanine will get you moving. The beta-alanine is what gives a sort of tingling feeling that makes it quite hard to sit still. Additionally, caffine is a psychoactive drug similar to what your article mentioned. The problem with pre-workout is that you will build a tolerance to it and it loses effectiveness. Thus, it is not a long-term solution.

Another thought, you'll also want to avoid foods that make you feel bloated or heavy. These foods will reduce your motivation to workout.

At the end of the day though, there is no magical motivation pill. On my tough days, pre-workout gets me through the end-of-work-slump but once I get to the gym, I really do enjoy being there. If you find yourself dragging your heels to every single workout, even once you've established a routine, maybe it's time to think if exercising is really for you. Adults should have activity in their lives but that activity doesn't need to be in the form of weightlifting or hitting a treadmill.

C. Lange
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  • Be careful with the pre-workout though. Too much caffeine can cause headaches and other unpleasant symptoms that will have the exact opposite effect. – E.Aigle Apr 19 '21 at 11:13
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    @always_confused -- agreed. There are less and more potent pre-workout mixtures and I'd suggest you start at the bottom while you find what works for you. – C. Lange Apr 19 '21 at 15:14