How to overcome laziness?

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  • ThisTimeWorks
    ThisTimeWorks Posts: 179
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    Thank you all for helpful comments.

    I do a lot of planning in the head but when it comes to doing it's always "psh, no..not today, not right now".

    I guess the only way to overcome laziness is to push through it no matter what.
  • ErinMLB
    ErinMLB Posts: 100 Member
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    I am also lazy, I exercise while watching TV, commercial breaks = great time to exercise. I am also goal oriented, and need to have some sort of challenge for myself, there's not real reward for me other than completing them, but keeps me motivated. For instance I've jut started to do 30 minutes of working out for 30 days (with a small allowance of days for when I'm REALLY not feeling it)
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    I am also lazy...my fiance told me I'm going against nature when I exercise because I'm built to make babies and sit on the couch (he was just kidding)...it's a mental thing, and finding something you like to do. I have a dress that I HAVE to fit into in August. I taped it up everywhere around my house. I also go to aquafit 2 times a week and force myself to walk to dog before I sit on the couch after supper. It's little mental habits.
  • ThisTimeWorks
    ThisTimeWorks Posts: 179
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    I am also lazy, I exercise while watching TV, commercial breaks = great time to exercise. I am also goal oriented, and need to have some sort of challenge for myself, there's not real reward for me other than completing them, but keeps me motivated. For instance I've jut started to do 30 minutes of working out for 30 days (with a small allowance of days for when I'm REALLY not feeling it)

    See, I did 33 day of same thing as you...I stuck through 33 days, then stopped, and never got back..well today I did, a month later...I don't get used to exercises even if I do for awhile.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,679 Member
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    Okay, I asked questions before about support and motivation. Nothing seems to stick because im ridiculously LAZYYYY!!! Lazy to LIVE my life like a 20 year old, I will rather eat something and watch TV...And it's not that I even eat junk food or something, it's that I overeat, but now not about it. My life is passing past me and I just sit here like "merp, oh well". No...I do get motivated, I just GIVE UP to easy...and well I'm LAZYYY!!! Dictionaries should link my name when someone is searching for the definition of lazy...

    How to overcome it? Any ideas what to change?
    Maybe a heart attack or health issue will help. Till then, it's more about your desire and commitment. Till you REALLY want it, you aren't going to get anywhere.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    I support physics I'm an object that enjoys being at rest unless acted upon. If you are a natural laze, like I am myself, then the only thing that works is yelling at yourself to get off your lazy butt. Promise if you do this activity for a certain period of time then there will be glorious couch time soon to come. Complete that goal and bask in the after glow and enjoy the pure laziness. Thats all that works for me.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Im German there's a word for what is holding you back: Der innere Schweinehund! Directly translated that means "The inner pig-dog". The word comes from dogs that were used in hunting, they wouldn't let go of the pig, holding it in place... Well, the pig-dog is holding you in place. There's an easier, more common word for it, though: habit. Getting rid of bad habits is hard because the brain is programmed to follow them, you programmed it yourself to do that. But that also means that you can teach your brain new habits, healthier ones. I used to be a couch potato and watch series all day, because I wanted to lose some weight I made it into a habit to take my little weights and walk in place while watching. At first it suuuuucked but after a week I could hardly watch anything without doing that! New habits are easily aquired, old ones are hard to get rid of... but overwriting them is quite possible :)

    "The inner pig-dog"????!!!!?????

    I LOVE IT! Thanks for posting this...I'll kept this "inner pig dog" and your post (about habits) in my heart and mind.:smooched:

    OP, I'm lazy too...that is one of the main reasons I'm outta shape/fat. I also LOVE what someone posted
    How to overcome it? Any ideas what to change?

    Put yourself in a position where you don't really have a choice.

    Like, join the Army.

    I'm NOT going to join the Army, but I really LOVE the idea of thinking about being diligent and committed to exercising and eating healthy as "don't really have a choice". I've never thought about it that way and somehow that's inspirational and encouraging to/for me. I think also it will help us to stop seeing ourselves as lazy too--that's HARD for me, because I love to be honest--but maybe my being lazy has a lot to do with the way I think about myself too.
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
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    Try joining a sport or take up an activity that is physically demanding such as rock climbing, cycling, running, ice skating, volleyball, softball....Anything you will enjoy and it gets you off the couch. That is a great way to start at least.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    How to overcome it? Any ideas what to change?

    Put yourself in a position where you don't really have a choice.

    Like, join the Army.
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
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    Find something that YOU consider fun ... Do you like to dance?
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    Laziness is right up there on the list with cowardice as the most objectionable character flaws, IMO.
    But really, don't you want anything?
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    Sign up for a half marathon and get your friends and family to sponsor you. If you are anything like me, you will not want to let everyone (and your charity) down, and will put in the training required to meet your challenge. Also, find some sport that's a bit more interesting than just gym cardio and you may find you enjoy it.
  • runnerguy0924
    runnerguy0924 Posts: 1
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    A good way to to overcome laziness is by putting good foods into your body. I notice anytime I slip back into sweets etc I get super lazy but then as I put all the good foods into my body i suddenly have tons of energy and am constantly wanting to be moving.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Laziness is right up there on the list with cowardice as the most objectionable character flaws, IMO.
    But really, don't you want anything?


    Wow! :noway: That's TIGHT, but it's right. Never though about it that way. Thanks for posting this--I don't like it, but for me it's true and something I'll think about in this battle of laziness bumdom too.
  • mazmataz
    mazmataz Posts: 331 Member
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    Right now I'm feeling VERY lazy, and I know exactly why...I'm just back from a week of vacation so

    - Lack of sleep (I think we averaged on 4 hours a night when we were gone ;))
    - Bad diet for the past week (It was awesome, but I know I got very little energy from the food)
    - Out of routine

    You soon get to know these things about your body, which helps combat lazy feelings.

    Also, I find that with exercise and workouts, the less you think about it the better. Just go - get ready and go...don't think about it!
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
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    Having a mentor could help, someone you respect and who's opinion means a lot to you, to be accountable to.

    "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference". Winston Churchill
  • almostanangel21
    almostanangel21 Posts: 143 Member
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    I'm in the same boat - super busy with college, and the later in the day it gets, the harder it is to exercise. I don't know if any of this would work for you, but here's what works for me (for workout procrastination as well as other types, like on homework):

    *Schedule everything - your classes, your babysitting, your homework, and your exercise. If you move things around, you can find an hour each day easily. Don't schedule your whole day back-to-back, just fill up about 50%-70% and leave the rest of the time for the unexpected stuff. I have mine set up on Google Calendar so that I get reminders on my email and phone. Seeing it come up like that makes it a non-negotiable part of the day for me, like class or a job. I need structure to keep me from sitting around reading or playing computer games all day; it sounds like you do, too.
    *Reward yourself with non-food things. For example, I like to play online time-management games (what an oxymoron!) or strategy games. I bought myself a couple of addictive games that have to do with fitness, and I made a rule for myself that I can only play them if I've already worked out that day. Other things work too, like downloading a great workout song or scheduling some time out for a manicure if you work out 5 days in a week.
    *Just do it - but not in a "suck it up, Buttercup" way. On days when I'm REALLY unmotivated to exercise, I get into my gym clothes and tell myself that I only have to do 10-15 minutes. By the time I'm there and on the elliptical or treadmill, I'm thinking "I might as well get in the 30 minute minimum.... well, I've gone 30 minutes, seems silly not to do the 45 I usually do on this machine.... oh hell, I might as well do my mile walk to cool down."
    *One workout at a time. Each time you break a sweat, you score a victory. By the time you hit the showers, you're healthier than you were when you woke up this morning, and that's something to celebrate.
  • CarmenSRT
    CarmenSRT Posts: 843 Member
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    It's not a crime to be lazy by nature. I am. It is possible to "act" like an active person despite the natural tendency to be a veg. That's what I do. I fake it. I reward myself with a half hour of sitting around doing sudokus here, another half hour of surfing the net there in between bouts of doing whatever tasks I can think of to do around the house. I do exercise. A lot. My reward for that? I get to read whatever books I like the whole time I'm on the exercise bike.

    Fake it 'til you make it and do not beat yourself up for not loving every minute of it.
  • nc90
    nc90 Posts: 83 Member
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    I try to find ways to get rid of any excuse for myself. For example, bringing clothes so I CAN workout after class.

    Mostly I make my motivated self find ways to co*k-block my lazy self from just going home and vegging after the day is done.

    Are there any spots in your day where you can make that happen? It is really hard to get started, but once you find something you enjoy doing - you'll want to keep doing it and feel guilty if you don't!
  • ThisTimeWorks
    ThisTimeWorks Posts: 179
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    Thank you all for suggestions, I will take it in consideration.

    I don't have friends, no support, no hang out time, I'm a lonely wolf, well I call myself that. The only hang out is with my boyfriend, and he is ok with me not improving myself(and no he isn't fat or anything, he is a future marine).

    I was thinking of joining military but again, weight is the problem. I'm too big for military.

    Getting good amount of sleep is impossible most of the days. I'm a medical student that spends half a day in school, and when I babysit I study, I get to bed around 12-1 and wake-up around 6.30. Saturday is my sleep-in day because on Sunday I go to work.

    After being on here I realized that weigh-wise my problem isn't WHAT I eat but HOW much I eat...and life-wise, I'm ridiculously lazy. I always "see" my success in my head but never get to it...

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