Lack of motivation. Any tips?!
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No, perhaps you misunderstood. There are no immediate noticeable effects of me not exercising today - unlike not washing, ironing etc. Of course there are long term effects but I was refering to the immediate visible effects of doing/not doing something.
You did indeed supply advice/tips and thankyou for that, but it wasn't advice as to how to increase motivation. You are correct that 'desire to achieve goals' is important, I agree. But its that desire I can't find. I can happily set goals but if I am not motivated to achieve them they are meaningless.
It seems a lot of people think goals = motivation but that isn't the case. Goals need to be specific, measureable, realistic & with a deadline - I know the theory, but when you dont care whether you reach a goal or not, they lose their effectiveness as a motivational tool.0 -
My motivation is the mirror. If you can look in the mirror and HONESTLY tell yourself that you're a sexy motherf^cker... Why even work out?
Nice! Probably wouldn't work for me 'cos the desire of being a sexy MF is not why I drag my *kitten* kicking & screaming to a gym once a week. Although there are plenty of people at the gym who do think they are gods gift!0 -
How long did it take all of you to lose your first 7lbs? I started in July and have only lost 6 up to now0
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How long did it take all of you to lose your first 7lbs? I started in July and have only lost 6 up to now
Me? I'm not dieting at the moment but in the past when I had been aiming to lose weight, I lost 1-2 lbs a week which seems to be about normal. So 7lbs in about 7 weeks for you is good.0 -
Yes but its a strange kind of apathy. I (and the others) want to do lots of exercise, go to the gym, look/feel a bit more healthy etc but lack the motivation to do it. We realise the benefits of exercise but for me anyway, I don't care enough about these benefits to do exercise every day. Personally, I do try hard when I'm at the gym, primarily because the more intense the exercise, the less of it you have to do (versus longer duration moderate effort) & the quicker I can get out of there.
Yes there are other boring things in my life such as going to work, cooking/eating, cleaning, ironing etc but I do them out of necessity. I dont feel the same urge to exercise because if i dont go to the gym today, what's going to happen? Nothing. Whereas if I didnt go to work I'd have no money, if I didnt iron my clothes I'd look like a tramp etc. I guess there are short term & long term and visibe & invisible effects of doing or not doing these things. The problem is, missing exercise today shows no pyhsical or visible effects today, unlike ironing. However, i'm sure that in 30 years (or if I could see the state of my insides) i'd be wishing i did more exercise. This still doesn't provide the motivation!
I'm lucky in a way because I dont eat much so dont have the battle of fighting junk food as well as exercise. I do admire people who love their exercise & look & feel great as a result. But equally I dont want to become one if these people who get anxious if they miss an exercise session, or never gets drunk because its unhealthy. All things in moderation, thats what I say (however the definition of moderation varies person to person!)
You say you really don't care about the benefits of exercise, so not to be rude, but I don't understand then, why you are stressing yourself out about not going to the gym regularly or hating the gym. For me, my motivation came when I realized that I was sick and tired of feeling gross and out of shape all the time, and always worried that I was gonna have a heart attack or something. So i decided to make a change and never look back. I still have a ways to go, but I've lost 62 lbs so far this year.
If you need to see immediate benefits of exercise to make you motivated, you need to test and push yourself. Measure yourself often, weigh yourself, see where you're at and where you'd like to be. See how long you can go hard for doing some sort of cardio, write it down, and each time you do that activity try to last a little bit longer. For weights, do the highest weight you can for a set number of reps (like say 8) for 3 sets, then each time you go, keep pushing to increase the weight.
If you have no desire or dreams to see yourself change, then I'm not sure why you're stressing about it. You have to want to change to be motivated.0 -
the secret to motivation is that no one else can unlock it for you nor tell you how to do it.
the secret to motivation is that is is the least necessary part of your plan.
the secret to motivation is that its just the bit of spice that sometimes makes things more palatable.
the secret to motivation is that is doesnt stand a fly's chance against determination and willpower and desire and personal integrity.
the secret to motivation is that sometimes you unlock it by doing something when you have ZERO motivation.
the secret to motivation is that all these people run around trying to find it because they forgot that its something you become, not something you collect.
the secret to motivation is that it has a 5 minute expiration date and if you dont use it and put it back out there into the universe for other people, you'll lose it.
the secret to motivation is that people will use 'not having any' as their NUMBER 1 reason for procrastinating taking any action.
the secret to motivation is that its a crutch that is occasionally handy.
you want to see real changes - prove you can do it without the happy bells and whistles cause a warrior doesnt care about an audience or an inspiring start to the day - when no one's watching and you dont want to do it - THAT's when you prove you mean it.0 -
I've been a member of a gym for about 5 years and my original 'goal' was general fitness. I tended to go about twice a week - sometimes would be none, some weeks it would be twice and for a very short period of a few months, it was 3 times a week. Recently, over the last 9 months, i've been struggling to go even once a week, primarily due to a lack of energy & motivation.
Often, I have the good intentions of going to the gym but when I get there, I just cant bring myself to get out of the car and will drive home. I think the trouble is that I find the gym so boring. Even when I was going 3 times a week, I didnt enjoy it. I was going because I had to - to try to lose some fat. I dont feel good after a workout like, apparently, other people do, no matter how hard the workout is. I just find it dull, boring & cant wait to leave.
I have seen some gains in terms of muscle size/definition but that doesnt really bother me. I dont want to be one of those guys who insist on wearing t shirts 2 sizes too small just to show themselves off! My 'workouts' tend to consist of 20 - 45 mins cardio (depends how energetic I feel & at what point I get bored) and then 10 - 30 mins with weights (depending on how energetic i feel & at what point I get bored). I dont have goals in terms of lifting a certain weight or a number of reps. I generally do each exercise until I cant lift any more.
I've tried music, playing games, watching tv, reading etc but it doesnt help. I dont talk to people at the gym & I go there alone, primarily because the guys there are all idiots but also because gym is for exercise, pub is for socialising!
I am male, 37, 5'11" 14st 7lb. I would like to go to the gym more often to lose a bit of fat & for general fitness/health. I dont eat too badly or too much but I probably drink too much. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Anyobe got any tips to make exercise/gym more bearable?
first things first: you suck at goal setting. heres how not to suck at that http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/01/03/how-to-not-suck-at-goal-setting/ if your goal is for "general fitness" then there is no goal, because it is not defined.
also, you suck at working out. here's hot to not suck at working out, http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/10/26/how-to-not-suck-at-working-out/ and here is how to design your own routine http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/08/09/infiltrating-the-empire-how-to-workout-properly-in-a-commercial-gym/
and lastly... i wear a shirt that is two sizes too small because i got two sizes too big.0 -
yoovie is right. You just have to do it.
I can say I am right there with you. When I go to the gym, I go and do a great workout but it is hella hard for me to get off my *kitten* to do it. Have to get find my stuff, get changed, drive there, find a machine, etc. I hate it.
I have tried taking up different types of sports to try and get the passion which I see other people have. Soccer, cycling, golf, etc. I enjoy all of these but don't have the passion so many other do for it (except maybe golf :happy: )
My wife is a fitness queen and has always told me I will get addicted to it. Never happens for me. Couldn't tell you why. I personally have found just doing something small is so much easier for me. I can't motivate myself to go do an hour+ of working out. I have started to do the 10 minute trainer because there is no way I can justify to myself I don't have 10 minutes a day. Maybe try something smaller to begin with.
Just my thoughts on the subject.0 -
and lastly... i wear a shirt that is two sizes too small because i got two sizes too big.
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My wife is a fitness queen and has always told me I will get addicted to it. Never happens for me. Couldn't tell you why. I personally have found just doing something small is so much easier for me. I can't motivate myself to go do an hour+ of working out. I have started to do the 10 minute trainer because there is no way I can justify to myself I don't have 10 minutes a day. Maybe try something smaller to begin with.
I almost never work out for an hour either, I stick around 45 minutes and then a cool down. The intense part of my workout is maybe 30 minutes.
I cant kill myself doing cardio for hours more than like 3 times a month and that usually a long run outside where I feel like its mostly playing.0 -
You say you really don't care about the benefits of exercise, so not to be rude, but I don't understand then, why you are stressing yourself out about not going to the gym regularly or hating the gym. For me, my motivation came when I realized that I was sick and tired of feeling gross and out of shape all the time, and always worried that I was gonna have a heart attack or something. So i decided to make a change and never look back. I still have a ways to go, but I've lost 62 lbs so far this year.
If you need to see immediate benefits of exercise to make you motivated, you need to test and push yourself. Measure yourself often, weigh yourself, see where you're at and where you'd like to be. See how long you can go hard for doing some sort of cardio, write it down, and each time you do that activity try to last a little bit longer. For weights, do the highest weight you can for a set number of reps (like say 8) for 3 sets, then each time you go, keep pushing to increase the weight.
If you have no desire or dreams to see yourself change, then I'm not sure why you're stressing about it. You have to want to change to be motivated.
I commend you on your weight loss. Truely fantastic.
My issue is this: i know & can see the benefits of regular workouts & I'd love to have the motivation to go to the gym every day. I'd love to see some change in my body & inner happiness. I'd love to be fitter for general day to day health. But......you may be right....I obviously dont want those things badly enough to use them as motivation to get them. So thank you for your words, you have at least made that aspect clearer for me. Now my next challenge is working out what can make me want those things badly enough to get them!0 -
Well logicked out.
Its always best to go to the source first instead of putting bandaids on all the symptoms right? Find out what you really want and why and let that lead you closer to wanting it enough to act on it.0 -
yoovie is right. You just have to do it.
I can say I am right there with you. When I go to the gym, I go and do a great workout but it is hella hard for me to get off my *kitten* to do it. Have to get find my stuff, get changed, drive there, find a machine, etc. I hate it.
I have tried taking up different types of sports to try and get the passion which I see other people have. Soccer, cycling, golf, etc. I enjoy all of these but don't have the passion so many other do for it (except maybe golf :happy: )
My wife is a fitness queen and has always told me I will get addicted to it. Never happens for me. Couldn't tell you why. I personally have found just doing something small is so much easier for me. I can't motivate myself to go do an hour+ of working out. I have started to do the 10 minute trainer because there is no way I can justify to myself I don't have 10 minutes a day. Maybe try something smaller to begin with.
Just my thoughts on the subject.
Thanks, good to know I'm not the only one who doesnt get addicted to it. Isnt 10 minutes of exercise a waste of time? I've read that you need to do 45 mins of cardio to get any benefits? (not that I can last 45 mins - I get bored after 20). Thats partly my problem, I hate wasting my time on things so if I exercise for no benefit, to me its a waste of time. I do love a bit of golf too, but I dont count that as exercise.0 -
Motivation is something I have struggled with off and on for a while also. Something that has recently gotten me on track is all of the support and feedback I get on here, its amazing and keeps me wanting to be better and better each day.
It really does help to find a buddy to be with you through this, doing it alone sucks, is extremely difficult, and is not for everyone. The more people in our corner being our personal cheerleaders, the better.
Motivation is internal. You have to want it for it to happen, otherwise it won't. Sometimes I think about other goals I have set for myself that weren't related to losing weight and healthy eating. There wasn't a single thing that stopped me from reaching it. I shoved every obstacle out of my way to make my non weight loss dreams come true, so why couldn't I do that for my weight loss too?
Exercise is extremely boring and makes you not want to continue if you don't love what it is. I can't do the gym because I absolutely despise it, I looked forward to the leg machines (because I felt great accomplishment there, I am strongest in my legs so it made me feel good to increase the weight I could push), but that was it. HATED all other aspects of it. Find something you enjoy, doesn't have to be strenuous, just something that gets you moving like a sport or other activity. If you love what you do, you will continue to do it and motivation will increase, if you hate it, its going to be a pain in the *kitten* every single time and you will dread going.
Good luck to you
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Yes, not a bad website that.
However, there was an article that says " When you start to exercise, you start to feel better about yourself, you get addicted to the feeling. And then you chase it – exercising more, making better diet decisions, taking better care of your body."
I still dont get this 'addicted' feeling. Some of that website has some good advice & good case studies but it still hasnt unlocked the secret to motivation.
Another article says: " I’ve been running Nerd Fitness for over three years now, and I can say without a doubt that the question I get asked above ALL else goes something like this:
“I know what I should do, I just can’t motivate myself to do it. Can you help?” My answer has always been “I can’t give you motivation, only the tools to use once you FIND your motivation.”
So there you go, we still need help to find our motivation.
That's exactly right. No-one else is going to motivate you. You must find it in yourself. You may get a bit closer to finding it if you cut through all of your cleverly disguised excuses (i.e. every reply you've made thus far on this thread). Good luck!0 -
I do love a bit of golf too, but I dont count that as exercise.
Golf DEFINITELY counts as exercise! You use every muscle in your body to swing the club, bend down to pick up the ball and to walk through the course. You can burn over 500 calories per hour if you carry your own clubs 0 -
This is going to sound so simple, but I struggle with finding the motivation to go to the gym as well. What has helped me is getting a playlist of my absolute most upbeat, favorite songs and listening to them as I work out. I know it sounds simple, but it really does work for me.
Another thing, is just go to the gym whether you feel like it or not. Once you get started it isn't so bad.
Good luck and I hope your motivation to hit the gym finds you soon!0 -
Try something completely different like indoor rock climbing. No one can say that isn't a full-body workout. Its also a great stress reliever because you have to figure out the puzzle of the route and it also takes the soreness out of all your muscles. I'm the biggest person there but I don't care, I love it!0
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Its odd, but I find that if I know someone in the gym when I am there, I work out more. It doesn't happen often, but it helps.
Maybe you can try some small group instruction and that will motivate you to go further.
Best of luck to you.0 -
That's exactly right. No-one else is going to motivate you. You must find it in yourself. You may get a bit closer to finding it if you cut through all of your cleverly disguised excuses (i.e. every reply you've made thus far on this thread). Good luck!
Thats exactly my point. I'm looking for it (within myself or elsewhere) but I haven't found it yet and I dont know where else to look. My only excuse for not exercising more is that I'm not motivated enough to do so. Which brings me right back to where I started.....how do you find motivation?!0
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