How do you break through the metal barriers?

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Replies

  • josieconquerstheworld
    josieconquerstheworld Posts: 13 Member
    I try to get to know people at my gym to make the workouts a little more enjoyable and to give me something to look forward to. When I did classes, I showed up early and let the teacher know I was a noob. I talked to the teacher before and after class. Cardio is a little trickier but you could try catching people before or after. Exercise questions or general comments about the facility are good ice breakers.

    Thank you for sharing that. It definitely helps me. Sometimes I get to shy to do things like that, yet connections to people in other areas of my life are what keep me coming back to them. What a wonderful suggestion! I like those ice breakers as well. I never know how to approach strangers at the gym, and I should not be so timid that it keeps me from speaking to my instructors.
  • josieconquerstheworld
    josieconquerstheworld Posts: 13 Member
    I used to be where you are today. I found my "thing", I ride. I bought a bike and just went for it. Now, I can't go a day without it. I get a "runners high". I started off with going 3 miles, that was 2 months ago, now I ride anywhere from 10-20 a day. You can free your mind, listen to music, feel the wind in your face. You just need to start something that you LOVE to do. Find your passion, your obsession and then it won't be a chore to do, you will want to do it. Try anything and everything until it clicks for you. Good luck on finding your passion!

    That definitely gives me hope!! I've always wondered if I would like cycling. I may just have to give it a whirl.
  • richardositosanchez
    richardositosanchez Posts: 260 Member
    You need to find something that you enjoy doing, or find ways to make it enjoyable (good music for instance). Also make it a routine. Me, I pack my gym bag the night before and take it with me in my car, so I go straight to the gym after work to get it done. Also, once you begin to see the results that will help boost your motivation. Having people tell me all the time that I've lost a lot of weight, that I look great, etc, give me incentive to continue doing what it.
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQEFL1dpTgRNcJlUS-M0jTdjlts_DYsDscCv-_ZsuziUjl7_6iGnw

    This made me LOL.


    OP, I agree with others who suggest finding your thing. I've done exercises I enjoyed before, but would eventually run out of steam. Then I tried something totally different from the other workouts I'd done, and it's awesome. It sounds weird, but sometimes at work, I'll get really excited to get to do my next workout. Something is out there that'll be perfect for you. Then you'll feel so great after breaking through the mental barriers that you can break through those metal ones. :wink:
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    I found what worked for me AND was in groups where we checked in each day. If I knew I had to tell someone, it helped me do it. Once its a habit, its so much easier.

    Its not just about weight loss, its about HEALTH. You are young, and maybe don't feel that part as much yet, but doing this will help you be healthy a whole lot longer in your life.


    How do you study for school? How do you keep up with it? Why bother doing it?

    similar questions... I'm assuming it Means enough to you, you have a "why" for your degree, and where you want to go in life, and this is the same thing in a different way. Find what you love to do and WHY you are doing it!!!!!

    Nancy
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    \m/
  • RUNNING_AMOK_1958
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    I stopped trying to lose weight and just concentrate on my running. going for distance, duration. I enjoy running so it doesn't feel like a chore. in the end you lose weight. but while I'm running i'm just relaxing. letting my mind free and letting go for awhile.

    This^. And if running isn't your thing, try different things until you find yours.
  • Wiltord1982
    Wiltord1982 Posts: 312 Member
    That's how I break through metal barriers

    tumblr_mg6zyiUCvn1rhvtaoo1_500.gif
  • Amberlynnek
    Amberlynnek Posts: 405 Member
    This is definitely a challenge I have faced in the past. I will give you the best advice that I can. One of the things that helped me to most was planning. On saturday mornings, I sit with my coffee and a notebook (for historical references) and I start by two pages that detail the week. The first page is for food broken up into meals and the second is for am/pm workout schedules. I start with the workout page. I write what activities I will complete each day, weights, cardio, classes etc. and when based on my schedule.

    Then I write out my food page according to the intensity of my workouts. Mondays, I spin at 6am and then head back to the gym to lift at night so I bump all my snacks up, weds. is a rest day so I lower my cals for the day and so forth. I make sure to incorporate 1 new-ish activity each week and 2 new recipes that can be used for mutliple meals. Any new recipe I use and like, I write into the notebook for future use. After I have written all this out, I use the menu to plan my grocery list. I organize my grocery list into departments ( produce, dairy, etc) so I have no reason to look for anything else or stray.

    I grocery shop on sundays, cook whatever I can in advance and store and then set up my gym gear for the week. It seems like a lot of planning but its really only a couple hours of time for a week of success. The sheer planning alone and looking for new recipes and workouts puts my head in the zone for the week. I eliminate all excuses and am someone who responds well to structure and organization. This helps me consider the hard part to be done and all I have to do is show up somewhere!

    That being said, we all face tough motivational days. YOu need to find things you like and make sure you are changing up your routine. Sometimes a bad day is just a bad day and you'll be back on it tomorrow. Weight loss sucks, staying on top of it is hard, its all hard but if it weren't hard anyone could do it.

    When I ran my 3rd marathon, I was debating whether or not it would be my last because I mentally was not into it but I saw a sign at the start line that I now repeat to myself when I'm out running or in a tough position. Maybe it will help you too: "One day you will no longer be able to do this, TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY."

    Good luck, feel free to add me.
  • kuolo
    kuolo Posts: 251 Member
    I love the title :)
    I think this is why they say you need to find something you enjoy doing. Sounds like you don't enjoy what it is you are doing, so are looking entirely for results, which may not work in the long term. Maybe try finding something you enjoy, or you can fit into your day (like cycling to work) so it's not a chore.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    1 - in my experience it has to be about more than physical results; ultimately it should be about your overall health and general well being.

    2 - change your conceptions/miss-conceptions of what exercise is. many people who have this issue have it in their minds that they have to run or they have to go the gym and get on a treadmill or elliptical and drone away for hours...or they have to do a boot camp or prance around their living rooms to some P90 Turbo Z whatever.

    Personally, you wouldn't catch me doing any of the above. The only reason I own a gym membership is for the weight room...for which I love lifting. My primary form of cardiovascular work is riding my bike; I generally get in around 12 - 15 miles or so 3-4 days during the work week and I like getting out on the trails for a couple of hours on a weekend. I also enjoy hiking and do a bit of swimming here and there. I very occasionally run...usually when I'm out of town or something and just need to knock out a few miles to keep from going crazy. I walk my dog pretty much 5 days per week for about an hour and I play a little golf here and there.

    3 - stop thinking of exercise as something extra...it's not extra...it has to become a part of who you are and what you do. if you ask me how I stay motivated to get on my bike and ride or hit the weight room, you might as well be asking me how I stay motivated to take a shower every morning...I just do it.

    4 - your exercise regimen should be sustainable...and this kind of goes with #2. people have a tendency to go all out balls to the wall because that's what they think they should be doing...ultimately it is not enjoyable and they just burn out.

    5 - I feel like there should be a 5, but I got nothin' right now.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    For me, it was realizing that nobody else can do it for me. I can sit around and think about it all I want or make excuses but nothing is going to happen unless and until I make it happen. So, I either want it bad enough to do it, or I can sit around wishing. I also agree with those who have said to make other fitness goals. These can hold you over when you are not seeing much progress on the scale, and there will be those times.

    And when that doesn't work, there's this:
    tumblr_mcz9saxmYw1qlnqyyo1_500.gif
  • josieconquerstheworld
    josieconquerstheworld Posts: 13 Member
    I found what worked for me AND was in groups where we checked in each day. If I knew I had to tell someone, it helped me do it. Once its a habit, its so much easier.

    Its not just about weight loss, its about HEALTH. You are young, and maybe don't feel that part as much yet, but doing this will help you be healthy a whole lot longer in your life.


    How do you study for school? How do you keep up with it? Why bother doing it?

    similar questions... I'm assuming it Means enough to you, you have a "why" for your degree, and where you want to go in life, and this is the same thing in a different way. Find what you love to do and WHY you are doing it!!!!!

    Nancy

    This was a great way to put this into perspective for me. THANK YOU! Wow, I never thought of it like that before. Such a good way to wrap my head around something that I don't always enjoy.
  • josieconquerstheworld
    josieconquerstheworld Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you everyone!!
  • josieconquerstheworld
    josieconquerstheworld Posts: 13 Member
    That's how I break through metal barriers

    tumblr_mg6zyiUCvn1rhvtaoo1_500.gif


    How did you get a video of me?!....
  • josieconquerstheworld
    josieconquerstheworld Posts: 13 Member
    1 - in my experience it has to be about more than physical results; ultimately it should be about your overall health and general well being.

    2 - change your conceptions/miss-conceptions of what exercise is. many people who have this issue have it in their minds that they have to run or they have to go the gym and get on a treadmill or elliptical and drone away for hours...or they have to do a boot camp or prance around their living rooms to some P90 Turbo Z whatever.

    Personally, you wouldn't catch me doing any of the above. The only reason I own a gym membership is for the weight room...for which I love lifting. My primary form of cardiovascular work is riding my bike; I generally get in around 12 - 15 miles or so 3-4 days during the work week and I like getting out on the trails for a couple of hours on a weekend. I also enjoy hiking and do a bit of swimming here and there. I very occasionally run...usually when I'm out of town or something and just need to knock out a few miles to keep from going crazy. I walk my dog pretty much 5 days per week for about an hour and I play a little golf here and there.

    3 - stop thinking of exercise as something extra...it's not extra...it has to become a part of who you are and what you do. if you ask me how I stay motivated to get on my bike and ride or hit the weight room, you might as well be asking me how I stay motivated to take a shower every morning...I just do it.

    4 - your exercise regimen should be sustainable...and this kind of goes with #2. people have a tendency to go all out balls to the wall because that's what they think they should be doing...ultimately it is not enjoyable and they just burn out.

    5 - I feel like there should be a 5, but I got nothin' right now.

    Thank you! I loved reading this. I appreciate you taking the time to write it. These are great things to think about.

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