Need Motivation

laffek

I enjoy exercise. I have learned over the years that I do best and stay motivated best in a group atmosphere. That is my ideal way to exercise. Well, my family life makes it impossible. The only time I can exercise is 5 am, and I have 50 minutes max start to finish. (evenings are not even an option). Therefore, I am banished (or at least that is the way I feel) to my basement to exercise alone in my basement on my treadmill and work out videos. I find it so boring and not motivating.......I can't get into a good routine.

Early morning, solo exercisers........what are some tips for staying motivated and fresh??

Alisonswim46

Find something you love to do. Why stay in your basement when you could go outside? Get a headlamp and some reflective gear and go outside! Find something that motivates you to get up early or get out of the basement.

canadianlbs

i'm the opposite . . . the idea of being shackled to a group makes me want to gnaw my arms off. but with that said, i also understand the kill-me-now feeling of workouts you're just not into.

when i have found things that i liked and wanted to do, it made a huge difference just having somewhere i could 'report' to. i probably never would have become a bike commuter if i hadn't had a patient friend on the other side of the continent who didn't mind getting my damn-i'm-great or awwggh-how-that-sucked email updates every day. and once i started lifting, i found a group on mfp i can always tell about how much i suck/rock.

gorple76

I'm in the same position as you regarding time. I get up at 5am and run outside. It's safe to run where I live which is a key consideration. It's the best use of the time I have. After a week or so I started to appreciate the head space and the smug feeling I had of getting it done so early. It allows me to run sociably on the rare occasions I can, including races. I also log everything on strava with friends supporting me (and me them) in that way. It took the realisation that's wasn't going to do it any other way so I may as well get on with it. Now I actually like running alone in the dark - it's like meditation!