What motivates you?

Pandabug93

I want to lose all this weight and I can force myself to the gym, and once I'm there it is a breeze and I have a genuinely good time working out. The problem is getting myself pumped up for the gym. How do you guys motivate yourself to exercise?

B2BB

It used to be all about appearances but realized along my journey its much more. Take a look at your family health history for a sec. Example my family history: diabetes, hypothyroidism, depression, high bp, heart disease, heart attacks, bypass surgery. Now you can take that with a grain of salt and say," oh that sucks!" Or you can say,"screw that I'm gonna fight to live, fight to give our children a better history! Now one question what does your family health history look like? And what are you gonna do to change it?? Hope this helps http://www.facebook.com/Burns2bBeautiful

KickassYas

at the moment, i'm still tryin to find mine. i hate exercising. i just need to find something that will be a positive experience instead of a painful one. and i think once i do that... the results will be my motivation. that and fashion. god i wanna wear hot clothes.

taso42_DELETED

Visualize yourself in your dream body. Isn't it awesome? Each day of eating right and exercising will bring you one step closer. That in itself is a pretty powerful motivator. Also, look at some of the people here who have totally transformed themselves. To see that others have done it, hear their stories, see their before and after pictures is also a powerful motivator.

BryanAir

The real trick is finding something that you can really enjoy. I love exercising outside and have a great network of bike paths and trails that I can ride or jog on. Even on days I am supposed to rest, I find myself wanting to get out there. On really bad weather days I still enjoy riding my exercise bike while watching some TV, but it isn't nearly as fun.

themommie

If I want subway or a chai tea I make myself walk to get it. If it is not worth walking to get it then I dont need it. I also plan hikes on the weekends for the whole family, that way I have to do it and it is more enjoyable. I also signed up for a walking group that walks a few times a week. I hope this keeps me accountable. The first walk is this friday.Sometimes if there is a movie I want to watch I tell myself I cant watch it until I do an exercise tape

charmsangel13

I have a holiday booked to Hawaii in October - that is my motivation! I don't want to be at my friends wedding in a dress I hate all sweaty and super self conscious so I wont go swimming.

Also with the weight loss tickers do you have to update them yourself or does MFP do it automatically?

emott84

MFP updates them automatically.


Honestly, sometimes I'm motivated to work out by food. If I know that I'm going to be out for dinner that evening, I'll push myself extra hard at the gym so keeping the track of the calories later is less painful :P

But I do honestly like the feeling of doing something healthy, and how good I feel after a workout.

almondbliss

Going to the gym is MY time. I have a 7year old and a 11month old, and I'm a stay at home mom, so I love going to the gym putting my music in my ear and working the stress off. At first I didn't like sweating, but it's grown on me....I like listening to music that talks about women being sexy, working it out, and sweating. All the reasons I'm at the gym besides being more healthy.

BryanAir

If I want subway or a chai tea I make myself walk to get it. If it is not worth walking to get it then I dont need it. I also plan hikes on the weekends for the whole family, that way I have to do it and it is more enjoyable. I also signed up for a walking group that walks a few times a week. I hope this keeps me accountable. The first walk is this friday.Sometimes if there is a movie I want to watch I tell myself I cant watch it until I do an exercise tape

I have a subway about 3km from my house. I've walked there three times in the past two weeks to buy a sandwich, but by the time I get there I don't want it anymore. I think it is the thought of all the sodium, even in the healthy choices, that turns me off at that point. I then trek the 3km home empty handed.

bunnysone

Hey Mandy!! I LOVE the gym but as I am supposed to be managing one when we can finally get it open (still months away ...) I have quit my membership and doubled my workload (long story ...)
BUT - the best motivation I have had in actually getting to the gym is
a) find a friend you are meeting there - you cant let them down by not showing up
b) do some classes and get to know the people who regularly go.
The first classes I ever did I LOVED the instructor and followed them around 3 gyms to do their classes!
One of the first opportunities I got at the gym was to train with a PT, who has become a very close friend now. We "compete" with each other - if I cant walk the next day then HE wins, but if I'm not that sore then I win!!
Once you have all of these things and are enjoying yourself you will be surprised how easy it is to plug in some motivational music (foo fighters, green day and ac/dc top my list ...) and start your own routine with weights, cardio and stretching on your own if need be! Good luck!!

backinthenines

I second what the previous poster said about finding something you actually enjoy.

Then you don't feel like you have to "force yourself".

It shouldn't be a chore or just a means to an end.

evertongirl

Going to the gym is MY time. I have a 7year old and a 11month old, and I'm a stay at home mom, so I love going to the gym putting my music in my ear and working the stress off. At first I didn't like sweating, but it's grown on me....I like listening to music that talks about women being sexy, working it out, and sweating. All the reasons I'm at the gym besides being more healthy.

definately agree- i run outside and its the 'me time' that is the best - fresh air and no work or family making demands on me- i count down the time to I get to go out running

amycal

Fortunately I am almost always motivated (at least for the past 4 months I have been!) but about 2 months ago I heard a sports psychologist speak and he said motivation is not necessary but commitment is. So you need to commit yourself to exercising because you know it is important for your health. He likened it to work or school - it is not necessarily something you are motivated to do but are committed to doing. This made sense to me because that is how I now feel - although I do enjoy it but I feel committed.

Some other ideas - do you have friends who you can go with? Are there classes? Try different classes you might really get to like the instructor and other class people.

samcee

Visualize yourself in your dream body. Isn't it awesome? Each day of eating right and exercising will bring you one step closer. That in itself is a pretty powerful motivator. Also, look at some of the people here who have totally transformed themselves. To see that others have done it, hear their stories, see their before and after pictures is also a powerful motivator.

This usually motivates me too.

I actually take photos of my body and photoshop it to an image I want so I have something to visualize and work towards :P

ratherbeskiing

I am sick of being the fat friend - the one where everyone else is eating a cheeseburger but it only looks bad when you do it. grr.

fteale

Sigh.

One of my best friends was diagnosed with terminal cancer in Jan and I threw myself into exercise to ignore the pain, and feel like I was making myself healthier too. He died 2 weeks ago, and I went for a 17k run to try to clear my head and injured my ankle. Now I have decided I am going to run a half marathon to raise money for Cancer Research, so that is motivating me to keep running.

Now I feel like I have made such positive changes to my life, I don't want to go back to the way I was, sinking into middle age.

dixedreg

I am sick of being the fat friend - the one where everyone else is eating a cheeseburger but it only looks bad when you do it. grr.

That is so true!

kmfrisqu

I am modivated because I look at my father inlaw who never did much but sit in a chair and now has an extremely hard time walking and falls a lot. I am motivated because in October my blood preasure was to high and this month I am way back down. My blood worked showed all my test but one have dropped into the normal range and the one that is not there only has bit to go. Yes this has all happend since I started working out in November. Look to see if there is a Get In Shape for Women in your area. You get a personal trainer that works with you and three others for 1/2 hour and then you get 1/2 hour of cardio. You must schedule your appointments in advance and that might help make it easier for you.

AmandaR910

My husband is in the military and has been gone all but 4 weeks since July 2010. He returns late May, so that's my motivation. I've had three kids in 2 years, so. Plus, most of our friends haven't seen me since July 2010 either, so that doesn't hurt.