How do you motivate yourself to workout?

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  • thomakg
    thomakg Posts: 69 Member
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    What do you do when you are really sore? Sometimes my arthritis just makes me want to curl up in bed with a heavy dose of advil.

    :(
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    maybe you need to find a different workout. working out doesn't have to mean droning away on some cardio machine or doing some DVD or jumping around like some kind of jack *kitten* in some weird, latest and greatest exercise fad class.

    Find something you enjoy doing...that way exercise can just become a part of you and what you do rather than some extra chore to be loathed. Sure, there will be days where you still don't feel like it...just like there are days that I just don't feel like going to work...but it just becomes a part of you and what you do so you carry on and for the most part you enjoy it.

    In the early days I was miserable because I thought i was supposed to be droning away for hours and hours on some elliptical machine or had to join some frackin' weird *kitten* class or something...then I discovered I was just fine going for walks, riding my bike around, hiking, doing some swimming here and there, fitting in the occasional run, lifting weights, etc.

    Do what you enjoy doing...it doesn't have to be and shouldn't be a chore.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    What do you do when you are really sore? Sometimes my arthritis just makes me want to curl up in bed with a heavy dose of advil.

    :(

    take a rest day...

    another thing people fail to realize...in addition to not needing to workout for hours and hours and hours...you also don't have to workout every single day and/or you can days of varying intensity. I have days where all I do is go for a 30 minute walk in the park next to my office...and then I have days where I'm in the gym lifting weights and getting it on...and days when I'm just out for a nice joy ride on my bike...and days when I'm really trying to grind out some miles.

    It doesn't have to be balls to the wall every single day for hours on end.
  • nightflightdan
    nightflightdan Posts: 7
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    I've tried several times in the past to get "into" the gym thing using "motivation"/"will power" but it never worked. If your will was to go to the gym you'd go so calling in extra will power just results in doing the opposite.
    I've made it a part of my routine, mon/weds/fri straight after work I come home get changed and go to the gym. No if's, no but's, no sitting down to check facebook. Once I'm there, I find it pretty easy to push myself.
  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
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    wake up, open my eyes, and smile because i know its time to lift some heavy ****.....
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    if i don't work out regularly i get The Joy of Debilitating Pain, courtesy of fibromyalgia. so i'm pretty motivated to work out.
  • bringingsexyback2007
    bringingsexyback2007 Posts: 79 Member
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    Thanks everyone! You all had really great advice!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    It's a personal thing. You either want to work out, or you don't. Those that really do, will. Those that really don't won't.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    this.

    Even when I don't want to- I get off my butt and do it. I'm happy that I do. But sometimes you jsut gotta get up and do it- and if you want to - it'll happen.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    Motivation doesn't really come into it. However, if I come home after work and before the gym, the first thing I'll do is change into my gym clothes so when it's time to go I can just go. Exercising, no problem, changing and leaving for the gym after my wife and daughter are in bed was a little difficult, but now that I'll change when I get home it's easier. Generally I just try to go on my way home. If I'm going for a run the only motivation I need is to mentally plan out my running route and then I'm gone...
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    My motivation comes from enjoying doing it. I lift weights, and I look forward to going to the gym to do this thing that I like.

    Definitely the best motivator is wanting to do it because you enjoy it. So the trick is to find something you enjoy doing.
  • Smashley1947
    Smashley1947 Posts: 129
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    Im similar, sometimes its hard to just get up and go,

    but that's the trick you just need to do it.

    It also helps if you go to the gym before you go home from work, once you get home you don't want to leave or you get side tracked into other things.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    You just have to put you health on the same priority level as going to work, brushing your teeth, taking a shower.
  • 1ZenGirl
    1ZenGirl Posts: 432 Member
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    It's a personal thing. You either want to work out, or you don't. Those that really do, will. Those that really don't won't.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This is true. If I wait for motivation I would never work out. BUT. I have also found things I really like to do. There is nothing that makes me feel like I"ve had a bad *kitten* work out like pumping iron.
  • BranMuffin86
    BranMuffin86 Posts: 314 Member
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    I simply look in the mirror and realize I want my flab to go away. Plus I really like the workout I'm doing. I want it gone more than I want to sit on the couch and watch a movie. You gotta find your own motivation! Gotta think of it more of a reward than work. That's just my opinion!
  • Grendel07
    Grendel07 Posts: 112 Member
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    Once I finish working out I feel great and am so glad I did, but I find it difficult to motivate myself to workout to begin with. I'm curious to know what everyone does to motivate themselves.

    Well, usually for me if I'm feeling out of it; not motivated to go to the gym, I usually pull up Instagram because I follow a lot if fitness lovers/finess models. When I see others who just worked out or posted a self of their amazing hard work, it does motivate me. I tell myself "well, they went to the gym today. So can you!"

    But its all down to what motivates you!
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    I look at the size of my azz in the mirror and oh yeah, THAT'S why I gotta go. Works almost every time.

    It took a while to make it a good habit, but until you reach the point of looking forward to the gym, you may have to force yourself to go. Just remember this is a long term change, not an overnight fix.
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    working out is fun, i've never had a problem doing that.

    find something you like doing and you wont have to be motivated to do it, if anything you'll have to work hard to keep yourself from overdoing it

    Rest days are my enemy!

    This, My trainer had to start scheduling rest days on my calendar for me sometimes. If I don't give him my rest day for my weekly plan, he has to write one in.
  • Arydria
    Arydria Posts: 179 Member
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    What do you do when you are really sore? Sometimes my arthritis just makes me want to curl up in bed with a heavy dose of advil.

    :(

    I go anyway. Instead of the elliptical or running, I'll walk on the treadmill. Instead of lifting, I'll do some core/balance/flexibility.

    No matter how rotten I feel or how tired I am, I always feel better after a workout.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    I just get my butt up and do it! I look at the success stories on here with the before and after pics and I would like to be one too! Also knowing the clothes will fit better (or I can get smaller ones) keeps me going.
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    Part of my motivation (probably a very large part) comes from having a fitbit. I am constantly trying to up my step/stair/calorie burn numbers. It is really working for me.

    True story, I have moved more in the past 11 months (since I got my fitbit) than I would ever have believed possible. Last month I received my 2000 mile badge from fitbit. It is kind of amazing to me.

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