How do you stay motivated to work out?

I found standing naked in front of a full-length mirror and scrutinizing myself is always a motivator, but I wouldn't say it's the best for my self-esteem. You're always your harshest critic after all.

I do not even think about it. I just know after I get off work after an 8 hr day or a 16 hr day I need to get on that treadmill for 75 minutes. It has become an after work thing for a month now. I feel horribly guilty if I do not do it! I do not like beating myself up so I just change my clothes and hit the gym. Afterwards when I am done I can sing all the way home in my car because I feel better and I feel accomplished!

In my mind I have it set just like an alarm clock going off. If you do not set it then you wont get up and do it.

"they" say that if you repeat a behavior 21 times, it becomes a habit.

I personally have found this to be true. If I do it 21 times, I will feel weird if I do NOT do it after that.

So set up a schedule in your phone or something for 21 times. Then constantly scold yourself "cmon...it's only 21 times! Don't be LAAAAAAAAAME!" Surely you can do something 21 times in a row. Once you're past 21 times, you won't have to motivate yourself - you will feel strange if you don't do it.

*shrug*

works for me. Good luck!

I have to admit I've never felt motivated to work out in my life. Even having a gym in the building I live in isn't motivation enough. So I decided to combine it with something I love to do... play PS3 games!

I started playing PS3 Move games to workout and burn cals! I had to find a chance to work out doing something I love, otherwise it would have never worked. Now when I play I burn an average of 900 cals.

As someone who has "been there, done that" I will share what I have done now to keep myself going. I used to go to Jazzercise, years ago and of course something happened and I came up with a lame excuse and missed a day here and a day there until I was missing all the days. I've worked out and lost weight and stopped and gained it all back many times.

However, this time is different for me. My family lives off of our calendar. I have a dry erase calendar in the dining room where we can all see it and if the activity or whatever is not on there, it is likely not going to happen. Each person in our family has a certain color so we know who's activity it is even. My Jazzercise is now on the calendar. It's programmed into the electronic calendar too, which three of us have access to and it also matches the house calendar. This makes not only me aware of what is going on but everyone in the house too. They all know I'm going to be late coming home because I'm stopping at Jazzercise. Dinners are prearranged so the kids can help me get it going, rides are obtained if necessary (I trade, others take the kids to and I take the kids home), and most of all I DON'T go home first. I go straight from work, otherwise I would never go back out to get it done! There is always something else we can do but we have to make time for us!!

I've had to tell myself, I'm just as important. I feel so much better after! Both mentally and physically, not to mention that in the long run I will look better. I've already lost inches and it's only been three weeks for me but I'm back and I will do this!! You can too!!!
You can do it! You will feel better, your attitude will be better, and you'll

Eventually everything does it. Habit. How clothes fit.. looks from passerby's ..sex ..how I feel naked in my own skin.. its all a motivator.

Make it fun! Make it enjoyable! Find a workout that you like. It doesn't have to be running on a treadmill for an hour. If it's not fun and you're not enjoying what you're doing, you will have a hard time doing it.

I dance. I surf. I play soccer. I enjoy all those things so working out is not a chore. It's a treat. It's fun. I get sad when I miss a day of any of those things. I do weight/resistance training once in a while when I'm at a gym waiting for a dance class.

Working out doesn't have to be a chore.

We need to learn from our children...........running, jumping, chasing after a ball is all play. As adults we lose that sense of fun and start looking at exercise as a necessary chore. The day I made running "play" was the day that it became much easier for me and is now something I look forward to.

^ I just thought I'd say that what you said right there is an incredibly bright attitude, and is a great reason to motivate yourself. I need to focus on exercise in the same light.

It sound like you are not alone. First I had to find something I LOVE and that had enough variety to keep my from feeling bored. Then I have to tell myself "you will feel better if you do it!" Exercise has NEVER helped me lose weight because of my over eating habits. It only helps me feel better, fit in my clothes better and keep up with a household. I've seen people who have never exercised a day in their lives stay small simply because they didn't over eat. I've also seen people who were confined to a wheel chair lose weight when they cut back on how much they were eating.