How do you motivate yourself to exercise?

caseythirteen

While I do like a good sweat, I do sometimes fall in to the camp of getting up and doing it simple because I should not because I want to. Because I know it's the right choice and I will feel better for having done it. I definitely agree with not waiting for motivation. Also, I used to do cardio all the time but when I started lifting it made a huge difference! I look forward to those days now and don't mind a couple days of cardio nearly as much. I agree with finding something you like but also, just do it. Do it because it matters and it's what's best for you.

waldo56

One thing I did, I decided that I was not allowed to skip any workouts that I planned to do, and also to do something 7 days a week (mixing in light days obviously). I could give up once I had started if my motivation wasn't there. Several times I didn't want to, but I just started anyway, planning to quit. I never did go through with quitting though.

Most people that come to love exercise love the progress. A new running personal best. Setting new lifting perseonal bests. It becomes a game that gets harder and harder (the stronger/faster you are, new PR's become harder and harder to set).

When I'm heading out to sprint, my motivation is to run 0.01 sec faster than I ever have before. When I strength train, I look to always beat my previous workout. When jogging I always time myself, take splits, and try to beat my previous times. When doing yoga I try to improve my hold form vs. the last time I did it.

I think too many people make the mistake of "exercising" aimlessley without any measureable progress, and not attempting to improve at all. No wonder exercise sucks. Lacking any sort of goals you are just torturing yourself in the hopes that a number on the scale will be slightly lower next time you step on it. There is absolutely zero positive feedback duing the exercise itself, you never get f-yeah moments when you reach a goal you have set for yourself, and that more than anything is what makes exercise fun.

mygrl4meee

What I did in the beginning and pretty much stlll true is that I days that I called "Y" days. I went/go rain or shine. I don't give myself too many real excuses that would keep me away.