What do you do before workouts?
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Nothing really. If I’m hungry-I’ll have a banana. If it’s early in the day-I’ll drink coffee.0
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I eat usually about 2-3 hours before my workout. It gives me enough energy without feeling full in my stomach or potentially triggering my IBS during my workouts.
As far as getting pumped before workouts, I'm rarely pumped before my workout. It's why I train in a martial arts group class environment. Because once I make it there, all the necessary motivation takes care of itself.0 -
As much as possible, I make it a point to do things I enjoy as a workout, so I don't really need to do much of anything to get motivated or pumped. Who needs motivation to have fun?
I just eat a light balanced breakfast, and go. Going hard is just more fun, so moderating for fitness balance is sometimes more the issue vs. needing to be pushed.
For a while, I did a kettlebell class back to back with spin. I found I did better in the the kettlebell class, and recovered better, if I had a small carb-y snack in between. One of those unsweetened applesauce pouches seemed pretty perfect.
I do eat bit more carbs at breakfast before rowing than before spin. If I don't, I'm ravenous after the row.
No coffee for me before spin or on-water row: Too diuretic for me. Water before/during, coffee after.
Personally, I think most people should experiment with variations, and see how they feel.2 -
Changing into gun clothes then hit the idon, pumping myself up mean I don't want to workout? I actually do like working out so never felt the need to psyche myself up. I'm thinking you are doing too much you don't like it in which case you need to find the weights or pace of the workout so it can be something you do regularly and not a one off thing you went all gung ho about and forcing yourself to do it over and over.3
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tirowow12385 wrote: »Changing into gun clothes then hit the idon, pumping myself up mean I don't want to workout? I actually do like working out so never felt the need to psyche myself up. I'm thinking you are doing too much you don't like it in which case you need to find the weights or pace of the workout so it can be something you do regularly and not a one off thing you went all gung ho about and forcing yourself to do it over and over.
I don't equate wanting/needing to build up energy as meaning I don't want to work out. I love lifting and look forward to it. But, for me, without some fuel and some good music going, I don't have as much energy to put as much into it as I want.2 -
For home workouts: move one of the coffee tables next to the exercise bike and put my laptop with the PBS News Hour on there, fill up my water bottle and put it on the windowsill next to the exercise bike, and go. Sometimes I don't even change into different clothes. I usually wear dresses with leggings and many of my dresses are perfectly comfortable to work out in, and it saves on laundry. Otherwise I use my "pajamas" from the night before (t-shirt, cotton shorts, and sometimes leggings) as my workout clothes. I work out at night before shower and dinner so I don't have to worry about eating too soon beforehand or not eating enough.
For gym: still working on getting a gym routine going. I don't drive so getting there is the main barrier even though it's only a mile away. It's sort of a hazardous walk due to the traffic patterns in the area which makes me not feel motivated to go. Especially when it gets dark at 5 PM which greatly increases the chance of being hit by a car.
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As much as possible, I make it a point to do things I enjoy as a workout, so I don't really need to do much of anything to get motivated or pumped. Who needs motivation to have fun? I just eat a light balanced breakfast, and go. Going hard is just more fun, so moderating for fitness balance is sometimes more the issue vs. needing to be pushed.
For a while, I did a kettlebell class back to back with spin. I found I did better in the the kettlebell class, and recovered better, if I had a small carb-y snack in between. One of those unsweetened applesauce pouches seemed pretty perfect.
I do eat bit more carbs at breakfast before rowing than before spin. If I don't, I'm ravenous after the row.
No coffee for me before spin or on-water row: Too diuretic for me. Water before/during, coffee after.
Personally, I think most people should experiment with variations, and see how they feel.tirowow12385 wrote: »Changing into gun clothes then hit the idon, pumping myself up mean I don't want to workout? I actually do like working out so never felt the need to psyche myself up. I'm thinking you are doing too much you don't like it in which case you need to find the weights or pace of the workout so it can be something you do regularly and not a one off thing you went all gung ho about and forcing yourself to do it over and over.
I do enjoy my workouts, I just need more energy to keep going with my high intensity/ resistance workouts.
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I joined a gym for January and at the moment, what's getting me going is the chill of the room when I first come out of the changing room. Brrr!
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Hmmmm usually debate whether or not I'm going shirtless...then it's, do I have my water ready...then it's, have I tied my shoes tight enough...and then...I usually spit my gum out...unless it's a fresh piece...if it's fresh I'll probably chew it thru the workout....0
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Wake up. Usually spend far too long trying to figure out which of my umpteen sports bras is the least bad fitting. Drink coffee. Get teen to school. Hit gym.2
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To get you motivated and pumped. Also “tricks” to give you more energy, get you going longer ( legal of course, and besides the normal a well balanced meal answer).
For example I like to take a shot of espresso. So what do you do to help you pro long your workouts?
I record and monitor my short/long term fatigue and recovery. Drink my oats/protie/coffee shake on the way into the gym to fuel me properly without draining energy to digest.
Motivation? I don't feel lacking in the past four decades of training very often. I sometimes envision my next record breaking lift on the platform and understand that my training is setup for long term mostly and not to do anything outside the plan that would jeopardize it within my control.
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Change into appropriate workout clothes.
Running clothes for running.
Cycling clothes for cycling.
Etc.
Further on this ...
For me, changing into the appropriate workout clothes is just about the hardest part. I come home from work, and I've got a choice ... do I change into comfy shorts and a tank top, or do I put on workout clothes.
If I put on workout clothes, I will get out there and do something. There's something about dressing the part that gives me the motivation. If I'm all dressed up for it, I might as well get on the bicycle, go for a run, drive to the gym, or at least get out for a brisk walk.
But as soon as the comfy shorts and tank top go on, I go into relaxation mode. Even if I intend to workout later, it doesn't usually happen.1 -
Wake up at 445. Complain and whine internally. Pee. Put on cute gym clothes for inspiration. Frink a glass of water. Decide which Pandora channel will rock my socks off. Drive to gym. Hit the mill by 5:05.0
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I just lace up my shoes and start running before I give myself a chance to think things through0
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To get you motivated and pumped.
I'm motivated because I enjoy the majority of my workouts and always enjoy the results of my training - living in a fit and healthy body is a big reward in itself. Now I'm retired I'm training more than ever because I have more "me time" and exercise is a big part of that for me.
I don't need to ne "pumped" - it's just a normal activity but an mostly enjoyable one. Some of my winter indoor training is a PITA (literally and figuratively) and it's the payback of helping my good weather riding performance that keeps me going, very much training towards a goal not exercising for fun.
Also “tricks” to give you more energy, get you going longer ( legal of course, and besides the normal a well balanced meal answer).
Getting very fit allows me to train harder and longer. I eat for performance for cycle rides over roughly 2hrs. I don't usually need to eat in any special way - excluding really long rides most training just fits in my day and normal eating pattern. For most of my training (weights or cardio) fed or fasted makes no discernable difference to my performance.
For example I like to take a shot of espresso. So what do you do to help you pro long your workouts?
Make sure I'm hydrated (water only sub 2hrs), apply chamois cream to avoid soreness on long rides, riding to beautiful countryside is a great motivator to ride further.
I'm a very low responder to caffeine but don't really get the whole pre-workout thing. I simply don't want or need to feel pumped or wired to train effectively.
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To get you motivated and pumped.
I'm motivated because I enjoy the majority of my workouts and always enjoy the results of my training - living in a fit and healthy body is a big reward in itself. Now I'm retired I'm training more than ever because I have more "me time" and exercise is a big part of that for me.
I don't need to ne "pumped" - it's just a normal activity but an mostly enjoyable one. Some of my winter indoor training is a PITA (literally and figuratively) and it's the payback of helping my good weather riding performance that keeps me going, very much training towards a goal not exercising for fun.
Also “tricks” to give you more energy, get you going longer ( legal of course, and besides the normal a well balanced meal answer).
Getting very fit allows me to train harder and longer. I eat for performance for cycle rides over roughly 2hrs. I don't usually need to eat in any special way - excluding really long rides most training just fits in my day and normal eating pattern. For most of my training (weights or cardio) fed or fasted makes no discernable difference to my performance.
For example I like to take a shot of espresso. So what do you do to help you pro long your workouts?
Make sure I'm hydrated (water only sub 2hrs), apply chamois cream to avoid soreness on long rides, riding to beautiful countryside is a great motivator to ride further.
I'm a very low responder to caffeine but don't really get the whole pre-workout thing. I simply don't want or need to feel pumped or wired to train effectively.
Well excuse me superhuman 🙂5 -
Oatmeal and banana0
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100% not getting at you- this is not a pile-in, but when you say you enjoy your workouts, what do you mean?
Are these things you do to get into shape, or things that you do because they're leisure activities that happen to be energetic? That's a bit of a binary choice there, admittedly; it's less an either-or in RL.
Anyway, if you read back through this thread, you can see that people are answering from different perspectives. No-one's superhuman, but the mindset of someone on the treadmill to get into a dress is very different to the mindset of a lifelong runner who placed for gold at her last race and wants to keep her streak going.
On a scale of 0-10, where 0 is doing the washing-up and 10 is dancing the night away at a nightclub, where are these workouts? Do you feel happy during it, or is part of you counting the minutes down until you're done?3 -
HeliumIsNoble wrote: »100% not getting at you- this is not a pile-in, but when you say you enjoy your workouts, what do you mean?
Are these things you do to get into shape, or things that you do because they're leisure activities that happen to be energetic? That's a bit of a binary choice there, admittedly; it's less an either-or in RL.
Anyway, if you read back through this thread, you can see that people are answering from different perspectives. No-one's superhuman, but the mindset of someone on the treadmill to get into a dress is very different to the mindset of a lifelong runner who placed for gold at her last race and wants to keep her streak going.
On a scale of 0-10, where 0 is doing the washing-up and 10 is dancing the night away at a nightclub, where are these workouts? Do you feel happy during it, or is part of you counting the minutes down until you're done?
Some good food for thought here.
I've admittedly been at both ends of that spectrum, but in light of the topic, one of my unspoken goals is to get back into the kind of shape where exertion, being able to do what I call on my body to do, brings that old elation I used to feel. The journey to get there can be exciting.
One thing is certain though. No matter how much info I get here, no matter how inspired I am by someone else, there's just never been anything like a "Health through vicarious living" program out there that has ever worked for anyone.2
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