How do you push yourself during exercise?

Fergieberg

Hi all, I'm in that new beginning stage of starting to lose weight and I absolutley hate to exercise! Once I start laboring or getting sore I have a tendancy to quit. I was wondering what stuff others do to keep pushing through when the going gets tough?

liveinbliss

I picture myself the way I want to look and tell myself I will never get there if I don't work for it.

kellyyjean

Start off slow. Walking is good. Don't do too much at first so you don't get sore.

Angel1029

I focus on my goals and know the pain and soreness is only temporary. I talk to myself and tell myself I can push myself harder and I do.

lilac01

I tell myself that if I don't exercise I'll lose my slim figure. That always keeps me going!

Nomomush

When I first started, I would tell myself, just 10 minutes, then once that was done, i'd say 10 more minutes, then 10 minutes...before I knew it, I had done a full hour.

cupfanncbms

I go to a women's gym, and they have a clothes line from the ceiling with teeny bikinis all over. That's a bit of motivation. I just try to distract myself. I let my body go through the motion while I keep my mind busy. Lately, I've been watching movies. I take my iPod and get the free net and watch my netflix. The time FLIES while I'm keeping my mind busy so my body can work (I do elliptical). And I have been a burning machine since I started this method of distraction.

mommymovingmountains

Why not try something fun like dancing? I like the Just Dance game for the Wii

jeffrodgers1

Prevent Boredom.

Early on, I had my treadmill in front of the TV and would watch movies while working out.

I used fun ways to exercise (Wii Fit, Paintball)... basically anything that kept me moving.

Activity became a way of life while I saw fat melt from my frame.

The more results, the more intense the workout.

I also kept pictures of what I used to look like on my fridge as negative reinforcement.

Jenn070608

Start slow. Once you stay on a steady exercise schedule, the endurance will come and you will be able to do more.

jaymark

Push through it soon you will feel you can't go with out it. Plus you get more calories to eat.

nina1968

I think of how great it feels to be in a smaller size. Also i have some tv shows i love to watch so i dvr them, Then i can't wait to get on the treadmill so i can watch my shows. I don't know if this will help you or not, But as my sizes started getting smaller I would give away my larger sizes. By doing that I didn't have the comfort of. If i gain any weight back I can just get into my larger sizes, I can't because I don't have them anymore. That forces me to stay in my smaller size.

ubabe1

If you try to do too much at the beginning, you'll get burned out and talk yourself out of exercising. I agree that starting off at a slow pace, like taking walks, is good for beginners. With walking all you need to do is increase your pace and distance. Once you start feeling better, you'll want to do more, believe me!!! Set a goal and go for it!!! What keeps me motivated...LIFE!!!!! This is the only one I have and I want to stick around for a while and enjoy it!!! Good luck to you!!!

lbella406

If I dont want to exercise I do any exercise video I know, mute it and put on a comedy channel on the radio. I am keeping my mind occupied while my body is working out. My mind is what can make it tedious for me. After I finish the video I may do another just because I'm enjoying what I'm listening too.

penutolive

Really loud energetic music keeps me going. I find the "attitude" in a lot of "Pinks" music motivating. Then tell yourself how many songs you're going to workout through. Try making a playlist to workout to. When it's done then your done.

Lauriee2014

WELCOME!

Lots of good ideas here. If you find something you LIKE to do.. you'll be more likely to keep with it. I especially liked the post about just 10 minutes... 10 more minutes... etc.

Plus... music! Fill an MP3 player with music you love. Everything is better with music!

Do you have someone who will go with you? If not, make a friend at the gym. You will know they will be looking for you..maybe ask where you were when you don't show up, plus it's just nice to get a wave or a smile from across the room to keep you motivated!

I just started using a new machine at the gym.. the arc trainer. Being new to it I'm feeling a bit sore... but I feel INCREDIBLE when I get off it. Push yourself until you get that "high" from exercising. You will become addicted!

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

pinkgigi

When I started at the gym I used to go with a friend, we helped motivate ourselves. With most exercise you think "sheesh I can't do this, it hurts" and then after a while you start to think about something else and the hurt goes away, or you get warmed into it. When you are not used to exercising you can give up before you get in the groove. Once you know the pain doesn't last forever, you know you just have to get through it to get to the other side.

Good luck.

GG

Happyoceangirl

This is a great question that I think many people (myself included) have asked. Lots of good suggestions on here, and i agree with what they're saying, about pushing yourself but not to extremes, so that you overdo it and give up.

I stumbled across a trick when I was doing the Cto5K program - I mentally pretended that I had completed the workout for the day - right when I hit the toughest spot. So my body kept going, but my mind disconnected from the "this is hard, I can't do this" talk loop, and my self talk was replaced with "wow, I rock! I can do anything! i can't believe I just did that! I feel so awesome, I'm a bad-*kitten*!" and on and on. Basically, I distracted myself with positivity through the worst part, and from there, was able to continue. I have found this to be a helpful trick since then. It doesn't ALWAYS work, and maybe I'm just weird and that wouldn't work for anyone else, but it's worth sharing because it keeps me going.

Another thing to do is to tell yourself "I can do ANYTHING for 20 minutes" (or however long it is). And tell yourself that you're burning fat and lengthening your life, right at this very moment. And tell yourself you'll feel like a rock star when you're done.

I guess, in my experience, positive self talk goes a very long way. Good luck! You can do this!!!

Schwiggity

musiiiiiic. Also, it may sound kind of pathetic but I will sometimes post my runs on Facebook (as well as MFP posting your cardio to your friends), and I imagine being able to say on it "I burned ___ calories" or "I went ___ miles." and I hold myself to that.

laurjay20

I've found that when you focus on how the strain and pain during exercise is more psychological than physical, it gets you through the work out one minute at a time... for me, exercise is a test of patience and will power more so than a test of strength. It' also helps to keep telling yourself that the human body is an amazing thing-- it can go beyond your expectations, despite what you may think during the most strenuous of exercises.