How do you guys stay motivated to go to the gym?

zoedorman

Some days it feels like I just can't get up How do you guys stay motivated? Or is it more about discipline than motivation?

MatheoHans

I motivate myself, sometimes with yt motivation videos, sometimes with my idols on the wall(Mc Gregor, Arnold, Sonnen), sometimes with self talk like damn my awesome personality deserves awesome body,I know I can sneak a candy or something if I lose 500 kcal with cardio, I imagine friends and family reactions till I go so much it becomes disciplined part of routine where my only thought are oh stop whining and fking do it

aggiumma

I cancelled my gym membership - the time and effort to go to the gym was an obstacle. Instead, I exercise at home with free youtube fitness videos in the morning. I found a few videos that I really liked, and just kept repeating them until I got used to exercising. I've been working out 4-5 times a week since last September. It's become automatic and I don't even think about it anymore.

JeromeBarry1

I have some equipment in my home. I have no gym membership. When I started out on this effort, I diligently used my treadmill every morning. When my weight got down to 200, I switched to using a new little machine that acts sort of like an elliptical, and some time in all that I switched from being a morning exerciser to being an evening exerciser.

plythacur

I focus on how I feel after I work out, which is almost always good and better than I felt before going. That way it works like a positive feedback loop, rather than focusing on what I don’t like about going to the gym. I also make workout bargains with myself. Like if I really don’t feel like putting in the full effort or I just can’t get in the right mind space for working out, I only do the exercises I like best and call it good for the day. You have to find what you enjoy and focus on that so working out doesn’t become a chore.

In less abstract terms, I also make my gym trip as easy as possible by keeping my gym bag prepped and in the car all the time or sleeping in my workout clothes so I am ready to go in the morning, making sure I get enough sleep so I’m not too tired to work out, and keeping snacks on hand for easy fuel before or after my workout.

brkln93

It was hard fo motivate myself in the beginning, but I knew I would feel better after I went. Now since I’ve started to see results, I look forward to going to the gym and actually enjoy working out.

Machka9

I make use of a drop in membership at my gym. So ... when it fits in my schedule, I go. When it doesn't fit in my schedule, I don't go.

And then, most of my exercise consists of the two things I enjoy the most ... cycling outside and walking.

Momepro

Always before it was a goid thing to do, but not a priority, so it faded after a few weeks. This time I made it a priority, that I actually have to fight to schedule sometimes, and I have been able to make it stick since right after Thanksgiving. In fact now I start getting anxious if I just can't do it for whatever reason.

L_Master

I race bikes and lift. The former competitively, the latter is new for me so perhaps in the future. Combination of a few things for me:

1) Enjoy it. I enjoy the process of getting better at these things, working on technical aspects, thinking about my training, etc. I also have taught me self to enjoy the feeling of working hard and pushing, even if it is painful at the time. A perverse enjoyment if you will

If you can get yourself to embrace the process and not think of the activity as "work" but rather something you want to do that goes a long way. Going to the gym or ride the bike to train are usually activities that I wake up excited and ready to go do, and find myself thinking about how much I want to be doing them at work or school.

2) Performance - I'm a big fan of performance goals. Try to run improve your 400m, mile, 5k, or marathon time, watts on the bike, or numbers on your squat/bench/dead. This gives concrete, empirical evidence that your getting better and hitting new PRs is a great feeling. For me at least, having a "get leaner" or "build my chest and back up" are nebulous and not especially motivating. YMMV

3) Take a moment to remember that you've never regretted doing a workout after you finished it.

4) Plan your day (to an extent) around your workouts. Obviously, priorities come first, but if you're serious about it it shouldn't be far off having a kid at a daycare....if the daycare closes at 6...you're not going to show up at 6:30 or skip out. Not to mention with that planned and scheduled from the start, it's a little harder to dip out.

5) Get friends into it. That isn't for everyone, but it's great if you get a group of people together. For obvious reasons you're less likely to ditch the group. If you prefer to work alone or are more efficient that way, this particular one might not be for you.

6) Think about why you're not going to the gym. Usually it's because you're not finding it enjoyable, or it's too hard; or a combination of both. Then try to reframe that. Don't think of hard work as being this brutal grind. Embrace how that feels and enjoy the mental aspect of pushing your body to new highs. Same for the enjoyment part. Doing rowing and hating it? Try something else, perhaps cycling or elliptical. Bodybuilding splits not doing it for you? Try powerlifting, olympic lifting, or Xfit. When you find something that clicks most with you, stick to it.

Just my $0.02...errr....$10.00

genchiyu

I motivate myself because going to the gym is a privilege that not everyone can get. People are everyday but somehow the rest are able to dedicate at least 30 minutes of their time to head to the gym and workout.
Having a gym at home is even better and eventually all the money spent on equipment is cheaper than a gym membership.
I also watch YouTube videos of body-builders and people in general who are trying to maintain their fitness goal

inezpacheco2

Honestly I find it to be a little bit of both. You have to want to go but also when you get into a routine of going you crave to go. I personally love going to the gym. My gym is like a second home. I just feel comfortable there. Find yourself a gym with a good atmosphere. You need to feel comfortable where you go. That can make a really big difference in how you feel about it!

helene4

Make it a habit. Have fun with it - like other people have said

My gym goals:
1) show up
2) do something

I like these goals bc I feel accomplished a few minutes after arriving

Now I run 2-5miles four days/week. Lift. I do whatever I feel like doing! And I LOVE it! I feel confident and empowered

You got this! Get ur workout onnnn

TheImperfectMomma

I remind myself that I'm not going to get anywhere by sitting on butt, and that I can't do a home workout a decent hour because my kids will climb all over me
I also enjoy the gym in general because I started socialising again with members that are going through the same journey I am, who encourage me and push me to do a little bit better and a little more each time.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

h1udd

make it a habit for sure ..... there are days I dont have the motivation or will power to go .. but its habit, I have to go, its what I do, so I go, sometimes I'll have a crap workout ... sometimes I know I will have a crap workout so will do something else like just chill on the rower.

But its habitual ME time ... its a time where I dont have to pretend to be a cat with my daughter, or answer work calls or do house chores. Its 90 minutes of uninterrupted me

snowflake954

I agree--make it a habit. You just go. That's what you do at that time of day.

sschauer513

I go because I have fun, I like the endorphin rush, I like for my 30-60 minutes I get to disconnect from everything and it is me time. I like the results too.

JessAndreia

Aside from what people have said, I find that going to a gym where I actually enjoy the atmosphere helps me a lot.

cwolfman13

I'm not much of a gym rat. I much prefer to be outside on the road on my bike. You don't have to go to a gym to workout.

I do go to the gym to lift...it's only 2-3x per week and usually it's 2 because I usually decide that I'd rather get on my bike an extra day.

I don't really need a ton of motivation to go ride...I enjoy riding.

The gym is largely annoying because I have to actually take time commuting to it. it's a good 15-20 minutes from my house, so an hour workout is really almost 2 hours with the commute...I'd rather just open my garage door, get on my bike, and go...but lifting is important I think, so I get myself there a couple times per week. I'm fine when I get there and enjoy it when I'm there...it's just getting there is a hassle.

boomerising

It’s tough. So tough that I completely blew it off for the entire 4th quarter ‘17, which, of course, contributed to weight gain that forced me to come back to MFP. There are many ways to support your self-motivation that others have described above. One particularly relevant for me is knowing that I feel better when I’m doing it regularly, as @plythacur mentions. By that, for me, I mean mentally/emotionally. I’m the anxious type and have been working out intermittently ever since I quit cigarettes in 1992 because it helps to keep me more relaxed. (Cigarettes were a very effective, convenient and enjoyable anxiety management tool until I couldn’t smoke at my desk at work any more and no-smoking policies in public places were becoming widespread. At that point being addicted to them just added to my anxiety. Good thing too, being the deadly habit that they are.)

But most importantly, I remind myself that the workouts are not primarily for the purpose of losing weight; they are primarily to maintain the crucial health advantages that we start to lose around midlife. Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory fitness, bone density, strength, flexibility, balance. The older I get and the more people I see dying too young from conditions to which a sedentary lifestyle contributes, the more painfully aware of this truth I become, although I do still rebel against it at times.

Good luck.

KeepRunningFatboy

It’s not motivation. It’s a commitment that requires a decision made every day as to what I want most.

kyricus

Habit. One it becomes one, you feel bad if you miss a day. I go 3 days a week, usually the same day and same time unless something really important gets in the way. Then, if I do miss, I try to go the next day.

Dani9585

I had to make some sacrifices to buy a one-year 50% off gym membership. It was hard. I'm a sole-support parent to two children.

That is my motivation. I took money away from "XYZ" (whichever living expense) to buy this membership. The thought of "wasted money" in not going is more than enough motivation for me to go.

RadishEater

I tell myself on lazy days that I should go and change into my clothes and do the elliptical for 5 mins.

By the time I get there and change, I usually have found some more energy to do at least half or even the full workout I wanted too. Also thinking "if I want more of my dessert tonight, I should workout 5 mins more" and repeat.

Sometimes due to factors your workout might be half of what you wanted but humans aren't machines that can do perfect workouts all the time so even done some is still a success!

drirfansheikh

Although I am generally motivated to go to gym but I find myself not pushing enough to see results.
Need some friendly motivation to drop my body fat percentage from existing 18 percent.
#Friendrequest

CaliMomTeach

I found a group class that I really like, Body Pump. I try to go 3 days a week if I can (kids' sports and other activities sometimes prevent this). I have an elliptical at home, so if I don't want to go the other days I just do it at home while watching tv, listening to music, etc... I was going to the gym to do cardio, but have lost my motivation to get there figuring it's less effort to do it at home. I think I work a little harder at the gym than at home though. My motivation with the elliptical is that I'm willing to work to eat. I just like the Body Pump class.

CaliMomTeach

Dani9585 wrote: »

I had to make some sacrifices to buy a one-year 50% off gym membership. It was hard. I'm a sole-support parent to two children.

That is my motivation. I took money away from "XYZ" (whichever living expense) to buy this membership. The thought of "wasted money" in not going is more than enough motivation for me to go.

I feel this way too. I cannot justify the money going out every month for something I don't use. Also, I tell myself that me being healthy is good for my kids both short term and long term. When I am regularly exercising, I feel happier and less stressed which definitely benefits my kids. Sometimes I feel guilty for not paying attention to them when I work out or putting them in the gym childcare, but I remind myself of this. Long term benefits for my kids = I will be healthier longer in life and can be there to help them when they have their own kids. The fewer health issues I have as I age, the better it will be for them (I was prediabetic and had pretty high cholesterol before I lost the weight).

heumpirej

I watch myself in the mirror and see what a fat slob I am. The disgust and anger motivates me

goldthistime

Recently I’ve tried eating a chocolate or a candy. I don’t have much sugar in my diet anymore and it works...instant energy. Even if the calories in that chocolate were to negate the calories I burned in my workout (which it doesn’t), right now I’m more focused on staying consistent with my workouts than losing weight. I still occasionally have problems with one treat leading to another so I do it in a controlled way. Either I put it in my pocket and eat it once I’m in the car ready to go to the gym, or if I’m working out at home I don’t have it till I’m dressed in workout clothing and standing in my home gym with my workout sheet in hand ready to begin.

__TMac__

It’s a habit. It’s built in to my schedule. It’s not a decision I need to remake each day. Motivation isn’t required.

It’s self-care. I feel better in the moment. I feel better in the long-term. I’m a better person when I do it.

I enjoy it. I participate in recreational athletics and it’s a fun hobby.

iowalinda

zoedorman wrote: »

Some days it feels like I just can't get up How do you guys stay motivated? Or is it more about discipline than motivation?

I do it first thing in the morning before I have a chance to put it off or make up excuses why I can't do it that day. This way, it's done and I can go ahead with the rest of my day without another thought about it