The secret for me was to recognize a few things:
- I do hate exercise. I don't have the willpower to exercise hard for an hour a day. It works best for me if I have someone telling me what to do. So over the years, I have tried various forms of group exercise. I am currently doing crossfit, (minus the cult aspects, thanks but no thanks) 3 days a week, and working with a personal trainer 2 days a week (basically an exhausting form of physical therapy to address problems with the ways that I move, and my lack of mobility).
- Making exercise a priority doesn't work for someone like me, because I hate it so much. No, I made it a habit, which is different. It's a regular thing on my schedule.
- It does make me feel better. Not when I do it. Immediately after exercising, all I feel is relief that it's over for the day. But if I stick to my 5x/week schedule, 1 hour/day, then my aches and pains -- charateristic for my age -- disappear. No more aching knees or frequent upper back pain. If I stop for a couple of weeks, these problems return and I generally feel less energetic.
- The battle is psychological. The worst thing is getting myself to the gym. I wait until the very last minute, and dread it for the whole short drive. The anticipation before the workout sucks. The warmup is the absolute worst, because I am transitioning from my normal lazy, comfortable mode, to a far more active mode, doing completely unnatural (for me) things. Doing the workout is mostly boring, often exhausting, but mentally easier that the buildup.
Figure out what works for you and make it a habit.