How do you stay motivated?

JessieNeutronGirlGenius
JessieNeutronGirlGenius Posts: 268
in Motivation and Support
I know many people use inspiration boards and things like that but when the crave comes on for bad food or to be lazy and skip the gym, what do you do to snap out of it?

I find it hard to get myself out of a craving funk and find that it is all I think about!

Replies

  • jos05
    jos05 Posts: 263 Member
    I try to allow myself to have snacks and take days off of the gym! It's a life style... and you have to start living that way. Even supermodels and body builders have days when they go off their diet. The key is reminding yourself why you started and remember that it's ok in moderation...and then right back to where you were. If you took all the junk food out and you went to the gym everyday; it would be over kill and you would quit...
    One day at a time! :)
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    As far as the gym, I just go, I don't let myself have the option of skipping it. Cravings? I scratch the itch, don't go nuts, but if someone left some Peanut M&M's around and I want some, I'll have a few, but I won't eat the whole bag. You can give in to cravings, just do so in moderation.

    Rigger
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    sign up for a race. great way to stay focused, and it gives you a time and place to be ready for. and it makes your work outs better, because you stop thinking "will this make me lose weight" and you start asking "will this make me stronger or faster?"
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    I posted the following on my own wall for my friends list. Thought this was the appropriate thread to paste it to.




    OK! I already see a few people on my FL (friend's list) that are having a hard time getting motivated. OK! news flash! Getting up early and doing what you planned to do can sometime suck! My alarm went off at 6 am this morning and the last thing I wanted to do was get out of bed. To be honest, I hate it. It takes me for ever to get my gym clothes on and get everything together because my head is in a daze. Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing this. Heck, I am good enough. I look ok now. Why bother any more? Because I don't just wanna look OK or good enough. I WANNA BE HOT! I wanna look like one of those, you know really hot guys with muscles bulding and girls just act silly because they are so hot. Like tote my oats (James Earl Jones style). And I know I ain't gonna look like that sleeping my *kitten* in. So I fumble around looking for my clothes and then go outside in the cold (I know, Alabama is not as cold as say Wisconsin or Canada) but still. I don't really want to do it. But I do it anyway. "Tote my oats!" ;-) So now I get on this treadmill and tell myself do it for 30 minutes at 6.5 mph. To be honest, I something go, "Are you freaking kidding me?". Hell let me do it at 5 mph today, or maybe for only 20 minutes. hell, let's just go back to bed and do it tommorow. Nope. I get on the treadmill regardless and stand on it, set up the workout music on my smart phone (first song is Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know What You Did In The dark (Light Em Up)) then set the treadmill "Age 42, Male, 209 lbs, 6.5 mph, 1.5% incline) then my mind tells me, "dude you are just nuts if you think you can do this", then i go "tote my oats" then I put my earphones on, hit play (music starts) and his start and now I am running. OMG How long am i gonna run for? Well, I know the first 5 minutes are gonna be easy so I can say at least 5 minutes. Then I do another 5 minutes. Wow 10 minutes down and just another 20. And now I am awake, blood going, my breath really isn't that bad yet, and I tell myself... I can do this today. it's not so bad. Now it's 15 minutes in. half way there. Do I slow down? Do I quit early? Nope, not yet. I got this. Shoot for another 5 minutes. Now it's 20 minutes in. 2/3 done. Just another 10. Now 9 minutes. Now 8... Now only 5 minutes. 4, 3, 2:30 Hell, I am actually gonna finish this. I am a beast! 2:00 left. 90 seconds. 60 seconds. 30 seconds. 15. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 at 3 seconds the screen on the treadmill warns me of the cool down in 3, 2, 1, then YESSSSSSSS! I'm DONE! I AM FREAKIN DONE! PISS ON YOU TREADMILL! I OWN YOU! hahahaha now I feel great. I just burnt 580 calories. I actually freakn ran 6.5 mph for 30 minutes without slowing, without stopping and I feel awesome! But if i decided to stay in bed. I know I would feel sucky *kitten*. Dude, that treadmill owned your *kitten*. NOPE! Not today! I hope this inspires someone! Cause this is what i go through every freakin morning.
  • caramelgyrlk
    caramelgyrlk Posts: 1,112 Member
    I tell myself everyday that I am worth it and that I owe myself a better me.

    I never want to weigh 300+ pounds ever again. That is motivation enough.
  • w2bab
    w2bab Posts: 353 Member
    I tell myself that I already feel like crap, I might has well feel like crap on the elliptical. Lol.
  • jeroenvandijken
    jeroenvandijken Posts: 18
    looking in the mirror and saying: today gonna be a good day!
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I don't need motivation. It's a schedule I maintain, like getting up for work.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I don't.

    There are plenty of mornings where I just don't want to run, or lift. I'm tired. It's cold. I have a lot to do at work. Working out just sounds like hell on Earth.

    I suck it up and do it anyway, because it's what needs to be done if I'm to be the person I want to be.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    I tell myself that I already feel like crap, I might has well feel like crap on the elliptical. Lol.

    Haha, pretty much this! Then I usually feel better when I'm done.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    I want a baby. I have a self-imposed deadline of my 37th birthday, so I have about 6 months left to keep trying. I'm halfway to my first minor goal of 25-30lbs gone by February. No reason why I can't keep going, I did it this long.
  • zipnguyen
    zipnguyen Posts: 990 Member
    motivation that's a tough one. One kept me in check for the longest time was working with a coach for about 3 years. Coach monitored my macronutrients whether on gaining phases or dieting phases. Over time of reporting weekly that kept me accountable until it became 2nd nature.

    In this off-season going at it alone, but I still ask friends and other coaches casually about my progress. I still use a coach to monitor my strength gains and to customize lifting protocols for me.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    seeing results keeps me motivated but then again i am a results centered person who is easily motivated by rewards and positive reinforcement.
  • JessieNeutronGirlGenius
    JessieNeutronGirlGenius Posts: 268
    Thank you all for the input. I'm keeping in my mind my trip to Italy in June for the month for school! I want to be fit and healthy to be able to be running around all day going to museums and class!

    I just need to get off my butt!

    Thanks again!


    JP
  • Saramelie
    Saramelie Posts: 308 Member
    I imagine taking my little 5 years old self inside by the hand and tell her that it will pass! I do not beat her up, I do not yell at her. I tell her : ``Honey, I know you`re not in the mood right now and you would rather stay in front of the TV with a mega bag of doritos, but for today this is not an option. Let go to the gym!``. I used to self-talk really badly, reaaly harsh, and it never helped. Self care and self-love helps.
    I tell myself : Fake it until you make it
    and
    I`m doing this because I have to, not waiting to ``feel like it`` (could take a loooong time!)

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