Gym Motivation

newtothishelp

Just wondered what motivates you all to get to the gym? I'm 3 weeks in, and although I feel amazing during and after a workout (although incredibly tired) I sometimes just cant be bothered to get up and go! Any ideas?!

PS feel free to friend me, this gives me motivation too!

amdarosa619

me too!!

Runhard13

the results you feel and see in the mirror to me is what propels me forward..going to the gym or working out in general gets addicting

tavenne323

My insurance pays for half IF I go 12 times a month. Money always motivates me. Also, more food. If i get a good workout in, I can eat a little bit more food, maybe even a treat and no feel guilty.

jstout365

Honestly....it is habit for me. I go at lunch so I use it as a break from work. I don't really need a push anymore. I look forward to getting out from behind the computer for a bit.

alpine1994

It's been a year and I still feel like that on most days, but I just force myself. It's part of my routine and I will grumble and complain about it, but once I'm there I'm feeling great during my workout and for the rest of the day.

I hate exercising a LOT less when I do it after work as opposed to early morning before work. I find that after sitting on my butt all day at work, the last thing I want to do is go home and sit on it more. Added bonus: dinner is usually on the table or being cooked when I get home!!

amandy0707

I usually tell my spouse that I'm going that day. If I come home and he sees me not in gym clothes, he says, I thought you were going to the gym? Then I have to come up with a lame excuse and I feel really stupid speaking the stupid excuse I came up with out loud. Holds me accountable most times

Calliope610

I know this sounds a little bit weird, but showering motivates me to go to the gym. WTF,? you ask? Just hear me out.

When I shower, bathe, basically run my soapy hands over my body, I can now feel muscles I couldn't feel before. Heck, I can reach places I hadn't been able to easily reach before. I'm eating at a deficit to lose weight, so I know I'm not gaining muscle, but I can feel them now because I'm losing that layer of fat that has been hiding my muscles for so long.

Seeing and feeling the changes in my body and physical appearance really motivate me to workout and go the the gym.

bumblebums

Habit.

And I like to eat, so it's nice to have earned some extra calories for the day. Not a huge amount but it covers my ice-cream needs.

deanjou59

I have made it a habit and even when I feel like I do not want to go I just acknowledge that it is a part of my day...and I do it without thinking about it too much!

lisautley02

For me personally, its my time to be with just me and be focused on me....no kids, no hubs, no cell, no stress. I have always enjoyed working out at the gym from my late teens (40 now) . Just the sound of it, smell of it and the intense look on everyone's face, I enjoy. Not only do I know that by going I will achieve the goals for my body and live a healthier life but its a time for me to be in my own head and thoughts. There are days that I take off unplanned just to rest or change things up bit but ultimately its a self-determination to achieve a goal. I get my butt to work everyday even though I don't "feel" like it...I benefit just as much by doing the same for the gym or a work out!

Jdiaz72

I go at lunch a few times a week. On the days I plan to go - I wait to take a shower and then take it after my work out. I also find people to meet there or go with so that helps to get me out of my work seat. I pay a lot of $$ for mine too - so I want my moneys worth.

on the weekends - i run outdoors with a group of people or at least 1 usually. I like to exercise with others. Its helps me to get a better workout and go for longer.

gigglybeth

When I first started I said I was going to commit to at least 4 days each week for as much as I felt was a reasonable, sustainable amount of time. I think I started out around 30-45 minutes. Right now I'm not working and do have enough free time to spend hours at the gym every day if I wanted, but to me that's just not sustainable once I get a job and it's back to real-life.

I also said I wasn't going to pressure myself. I was just going to do whatever I felt like I could do that day. So if I felt like half-@ssing it, I wasn't going to beat myself up about it, because 30 minutes phoning it in is still better then 30 minutes on the couch. I didn't want to burn myself out or set unrealistic goals that I in no way could achieve (like I've done in the past).

I think because of this kind of laxed, no-pressure approach I took, I've generally exceeded my goals. I rarely phone it in. I've done 2 5Ks, lost a ton of inches, I'm in such better physical shape that I surprise myself daily. My husband and I went on a short hike and he was huffing and puffing and was sore the next day. I never broke a sweat and was shocked that he was sore from that little bit of hiking. He's always been the in shape one! LOL

basslinewild

My insurance pays for half IF I go 12 times a month. Money always motivates me. Also, more food. If i get a good workout in, I can eat a little bit more food, maybe even a treat and no feel guilty.

I wish my insurance would pay for half if I went so many times a month. That's a great motivator.

jesuison

I go to the classes with instructors everyday, except Fridays and Sundays. I just really enjoy it so much that it doesn't feel like a task to go. It almost feels like I am just handing myself over, and I kind of check out for that hour because I know my body will do what is being asked (mostly!).

audaleee

I go in the morning before work whenever I can and get my bag and gym clothes completely ready the night before. The thought of having to decant everything (I'm that girl who brings a small room in her handbag) into a smaller bag if I don't get up and go is almost motivation enough! Makes me feel like I wasted a small fraction of my night and morning.

Also my colleagues are really supportive and we're all trying to become fitter and healthier. I don't like going into work saying I skipped gym for no reason!

2013sk

I get like that too.....like tonight I was gonna go, then came home, sat down and chilled out....some days you do just need to relax from it

If you have some snaps of how you want to look, cut out some picture or motivational words and make a collage on your fridge for inspiration

You can do it!!!

I've got my hols in sept, so going to kick *kitten* beg of july

pinkpatron

My motivation, I guess you could say, for getting up every day at 4:30 would have to be the New Years Resolution I made to my fiance. I make him breakfast every weekday before he leaves for work. Then since I'm usually awake at this point, I bicycle down to the gym. I'm on week #9 and I love every second that I'm at the gym. Its weird, but sometimes I am so stoked to get a good workout in that I have a hard time sleeping the night before lol.

Tinytaru

I read books while doing cardio, so I go to know whats happening next! its also a habit for me

violettatx

I think what keeps me motivated is that my gym is block from where I live. I have to drive by it on the way home and its easy to just turn into the parking lot. I mean why not? Its not like I'm going out of my way to get there.

ellepribro

Sometimes I have to force myself to go. Like you, I love the feeling during and after though. My bootcamp instructor says: "just get yourself here and we'll do the rest for you." It's so true - convincing myself to go is the toughest part.
What sometimes works for me is to tell my fitness pals that I'm going. It makes me feel accountable to someone because I know they will know whether or not I went based on my exercise log.
Feel free to add me and we can motivate one another to workout!

linsey0689

get a free to go with you if that is do-able. or just set it in your head when you will go like before i eat breakfast i will go workout or once i am off work i will go workout. because at least for me when i say later i will workout later never comes.

best of luck to you

newtothishelp

Thanks for your replies everyone. what i have done the last 2 days is that when i have a class, i enter my workout in the morning. then i have to change my eating habits - i go swimming at 7, so have my lunch break at work at 3pm and eat my dinner, then i have a little something afterwards - that has now started motivating me a bit, as if i dont go to the class, then i wont be able to eat any more for the rest of the day!

mlogantra76

I go to the classes with instructors everyday, except Fridays and Sundays. I just really enjoy it so much that it doesn't feel like a task to go. It almost feels like I am just handing myself over, and I kind of check out for that hour because I know my body will do what is being asked (mostly!).

This is what works for me and why I joined my gym! I even have my husband taking classes with me now. We take different types of classes to switch it up(cardio and weight training).

SkimFlatWhite68

I just posted this on another thread!! I go at 5am, and I am not a morning person, and now that it's winter and cold, it's even harder.. But my alarm goes off at 4:40am, I don't pause, I don't do anything except GET UP, get dressed and go. I put my workout gear out the nit before, everything is ready. If I do this, then there is no reason not to go... Just do it.

Also, working out in the morning means it's done by 6:30am and no matter what happens during the day, I've already done my workout. Too easy!

It was a struggle at first, but now it's a habit. A good habit. Sure, the temptation is still there to sleep in some days, I do have 2 rest days a week, getting up early on my gym days makes those little sleep ins seem so much better.

If you can't go first thing in the morning, set yourself a time, put it in your diary and just do it. Schedule it in, like it's a dr appointment that you can't change. It's important. Make the time and commit.