Motivation to Workout NEEDED!

LinserSE

Hi all!

I'm a junior in college who, at my heaviest, weighed 349lbs. I'm now at around 270 after losing 102, then going back to binge eating. I love outdoor activities that keep me active, but finding the motivation to go to the gym on top of a full time job, full time school work, and having a social life (attempting lol) is very, very difficult.

I've gotten my diet back in check that's chalked full of greens, meats, lots of fruit, and a few mini candies (sweet tooth lol) per day.

Should I be super gun-ho to get back to going to the gym, or should I be focusing on exercise just as much as I am focusing on nutrition-- not at all?? Any advice or comment is much appreciated here. (:

jenncornelsen

Nutrition is always number 1 I think. You can workout like crazy, but if food choices suck you won't see the progress. I love the gym, but also think if your feeling somewhat stressed already, you may want to not overload your plate. Maybe you could start with workout videos you could quickly fit in , just to get some movement in?

kshama2001

If I only exercised when I was motivated, I'd rarely exercise

Instead, I focus on creating habits and forming the discipline to maintain them.

I get some form of exercise every day at lunch. This helps me be more productive in the afternoon, and also decreases my urge to snack. That lunch time cardio break really improves my afternoon focus.

Danp

Is lifting in the gym beneficial to being fit and healthy? No doubt it is
Is lifting in the gym necessary to be fit and healthy? Not by a long shot.

There are loads of people who love hitting the gym and lifting and there are others who while it's not there thing they like the benefits enough that they can make themselves go without a problem. For them lifting in the gym is a good way for them to be active.

Others find lifting tedious, boring and just an ordeal that they find thoroughly unenjoyable and for them hitting the gym just isn't their thing. There are billions and billions of happy, fit, healthy people who never pick up a dumbell, lift a barbell or step in a weight machine.

Lifting/gym is a good way get the activity/exercise needed but I think forcing yourself to endure something you don't enjoy is just silly particularly when there's a world of other things you could be doing that you might enjoy. Swimming, running, cycling, dancing, calisthenics, etc are all just as viable and valid as the gym.

The best part is if you actually enjoy what you're doing then you won't need 'motivation' and you'll be way more likely to still be doing it long term.

jo_nz

For me, it's been a matter of finding exercise I love and that actually works with my hectic schedule! That has been a small pilates studio with class times that fit in around my work/study/life, and walking my dog.

And yes, food is still the key factor for my weightloss, but the above is what is working for exercise which benefits my mental health as much as physical.

CaitlinELaird

Hitting the gym can be a difficult thing to do. As a busy wife and mom of two, I work a full time job and am working on getting more certifications for work. ( I just graduated in the spring so I feel your pain!)
It will always be hard to find the time to get to the gym, but the benefits are amazing. In the past, when I just focused on my diet and got down to my goal weight, I was still a blob. There wasn’t any definition in my muscles and everything was still squishy.
It wasn’t until I started working out on a consistent basis that I noticed that my body was becoming what I wanted it to be. Not only that, but hitting the gym is a great stress reliever. As someone who just graduated, I will attest to the fact that the gym saved me from being a stressed out nut.
At the end of the day, it is about what you want and what you can manage to fit into your day. It is always worth it though!

cwolfman13

LinserSE wrote: »

Hi all!

I'm a junior in college who, at my heaviest, weighed 349lbs. I'm now at around 270 after losing 102, then going back to binge eating. I love outdoor activities that keep me active, but finding the motivation to go to the gym on top of a full time job, full time school work, and having a social life (attempting lol) is very, very difficult.

I've gotten my diet back in check that's chalked full of greens, meats, lots of fruit, and a few mini candies (sweet tooth lol) per day.

Should I be super gun-ho to get back to going to the gym, or should I be focusing on exercise just as much as I am focusing on nutrition-- not at all?? Any advice or comment is much appreciated here. (:

Not sure why you think you need to go to a gym...if you enjoy being active outdoors I see no reason whatsoever to go to a gym. Being active outdoors is a "workout"...

I enjoy cycling either road or hitting the trail on my hardtail...walking my dog...hiking in the mountains...rock climbing here and there, etc. It's all great exercise, but I rarely think of it in those terms...I'm just out having fun and playing...getting in some good exercise is bonus. The only thing I do in the gym is lift weights.