Help for a fitness phobe-- How do you stay motivated?

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saktii2323
saktii2323 Posts: 27 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there,

I need serious help. I seem to have a massive psychologial aversion to working out and I don't know how to fix it. Any suggestions?

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  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Find a reason to do it.

    Many of us have a goal we want to achieve.

    I’m training for powerlifting and hopefully to give a physique show a try sometime. I know that if I don’t put the work in, both inside and outside of the gym I’ll never reach those goals.

    It’s about the will to actually try over the willingness to just give up and not stick to it.

    If you can’t find a reason to do it on your own or to even give it a try, you really shouldn’t be asking for help. Outside Motivation is supposed to be there in moments of struggle. Not a base to constantly support you on.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    Need motivation? How about not dieing from excess weight or loss of function due to a lack of exercise? How about a better quality of life?

    Or do you have an aversion to feeling, moving better and possibly living a better, longer quality of life?
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Saktii23 wrote: »
    I seem to have a massive psychologial aversion to working out and I don't know how to fix it. Any suggestions?

    I'd suggest that the key question before you'll get meaningful advice is to be clear about what you want to achieve? Why do you feel that you need to work out, and what do you mean by work out in a way that you've an aversion to it?

    Once you've identified the why, you can make some meaningful steps towards recognising what the aversion is to, and finding alternatives.

    Personally there are some things that I want to do, the why, and to achieve those things there are some things that I do to contribute to that that I don't much enjoy. I do them because they're a necessary part of my plan.

    Where it's something that I don't enjoy I'll find an approach that minimises the lack of enjoyment but still gives the desired outcomes.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    jessef593 wrote: »
    If you can’t find a reason to do it on your own or to even give it a try, you really shouldn’t be asking for help. Outside Motivation is supposed to be there in moments of struggle. Not a base to constantly support you on.

    I'm curious about how this statement is supposed to be helpful to the originator? It's always useful to learn from others about how their techniques work, even when it's not apparent.

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    i didnt want to be fat and i love food.

    so i workout.

    well, that used to be my reason, when i first started. 100+ pounds down, and now i enjoy it and my body craves it. i feel GOOD after a workout.
  • ISweat4This
    ISweat4This Posts: 653 Member
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    Find something you enjoy.
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
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    Find something you enjoy! It doesn't have to be traditional exercise either. One of my favorite things to do is dance games on an old PlayStation console. Gets me moving and sweating, but doesn't feel like an actual workout. There are thousands of free workout videos online; give different kinds a try and see if one type clicks for you. If you find yourself watching a lot of Netflix or TV, get up and jog in place instead of just sitting on the couch.
  • genpopadopolous
    genpopadopolous Posts: 411 Member
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    I think you need to change your definition of "working out".

    You don't have to go to a gym or dvds or a programs.

    You can walk. Go for a bike ride. Turn on Spotify and dance. Pick a small goal and then build on it.

    You don't have to slog through stuff you hate, find something active you like and run with it.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    Saktii23 wrote: »
    Hi there,

    I need serious help. I seem to have a massive psychologial aversion to working out and I don't know how to fix it. Any suggestions?

    i think you have to figure out a little more detail about what the aversion's made of. can't even start trying to fix something you don't understand. for instance, does it hurt you physically, do you hate the sensation of exertion, are you self-conscious and overwhelmed, has your upbringing or your culture made you feel sweating and strength are 'not feminine', does the idea of doing it every-other-day-for-the-rest-of-your-life make you feel trapped, do you feel like you're giving up and joining 'the enemy' in some way if you concede to the idea of it as a lifestyle, are you just totally dedicated to something else that can't be done while you're exercising (reading, playing the flute, wearing stiletto heels every second you're not in bed, building a scale model of the eiffel tower out of matchsticks)? i mean, just off the top of my head those are some of the factors i've always found interesting.

    fwiw, i don't think it's much use just asking other people to bully you until you get up and go to the gym. or at least, i know that that's never been much use to me. give it some thought, and see whether you can clarify for yourself what the blocks are. chances are really excellent that whatever your own are, someone else (many many someone elses) will have had them as well.



  • fittoride36
    fittoride36 Posts: 13 Member
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    I used to hate when people said "find something you enjoy" I was always thinking "but I hate this, I don't enjoy exercise at all!!!"

    lol, then I found something I enjoyed! I ride horses, I literally would ride my horse all day long if I could. I don't even consider it exercise, but it is!!!!

    There are sooo many things that burn calories besides a conventional workout, when you find something you love I promise it won't feel like work anymore
  • TigerLily100
    TigerLily100 Posts: 81 Member
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    For me it's an end goal. Tough mudder in 3 1/2 months with 50 work colleagues and not wanting to make a *kitten* of myself by holding the group up.
    I have never been able to run, but this in mind on my 2nd attempt I managed run 1min followed by brisk walk 2mins x 15 totalling 3.3 miles.
    It was a shock to me that when determined the ache in the legs that would normally make me give up was suddenly possible to run through and on further. I have now learnt that it doesn't get worse and the opposite happens and the further I get into a run I get the pain goes away.

    The goal has given me determination I didn't know I had. I don't feel pressured or panicked, just determined that I am going to show up on the day the fittest and strongest I can be.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I don't waste time worrying about things like motivation. I decide what is important to me in my life. I focus on that and do it.
  • cenafan
    cenafan Posts: 398 Member
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    My whole workout regime has been yoga and walking/hiking. I love both those activities. Find something you love to do and you won't need to seek outside motivation.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    mmapags wrote: »
    I don't waste time worrying about things like motivation. I decide what is important to me in my life. I focus on that and do it.

    Always amuses me in these threads how many people respond with what amounts to I don't need no steenkin motivation, and then telling us how they motivate themselves :)

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