How do you keep the motivation to workout?

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  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    easy : i'm competitive and i'm goal oriented so exercise as never been an issue for me. ever.

    i like making progress.. i like getting closer to my personal bests when i was an athlete. i look forward to possibly surpassing some of those. all of that means WORK.

    i suppose if i didnt have fitness goals then i'd also have a hard time being motivated to do it
  • OddChoices
    OddChoices Posts: 244 Member
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    I look in the mirror
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    I enjoy my exercise now. 30 minutes at least every day with very rare exception. Sometimes its running, sometimes its lifting and sometimes its straight up cardio. Switch it up as you go. I feel so much better now that I've been exercising. I no longer feel limited physically and it's a wonderful thing. My motivation is to keep feeling like I feel right now.
  • MsJayeKaye
    MsJayeKaye Posts: 155 Member
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    Find something that you love to do and you'll find it easier to stick to it. I've been doing Jazzercise and it has been my only exercise other than walking for the past 2 years and I never get tired of it. Good luck to you.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Um just do it. In reality it's really not that hard. most people dont' want to get up and go to a job they hate - yet they do it every day, for years on end. so just go work out. afterall, it's not torture. (well sometimes it is, but it's a good kind of torture). ;)

    This. Stop looking for motivation and make a decision. Decide you want to get fit, develop a plan, stick to it. The people that succeed aren't magically motivated. They just made a decision and stuck to it.
  • MusicSweet
    MusicSweet Posts: 2
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    With blogs I follow, and my own blog: https://fitskinnyandhealthy.wordpress.com/
    :)
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
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    I want to be better than I am, and better than I was. I'm here to beat myself.
  • CassandraLove09
    CassandraLove09 Posts: 18
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    it's more me getting frustrated when the scale doesn't move
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
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    Learn to love it and make it your PRIORITY - nothing gets in the way!
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
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    it's more me getting frustrated when the scale doesn't move

    It's probably your diet and not working out. I've never belonged to a gym (and I'm 45) but I've always been a pretty clean eater, even before MFP. I bet if you log consistently you'll see results.

    That said, I've always been a runner and exercise does help. However, it's 99% diet and 1% working out...

    Open your diary so we can take a look. Go to Diary Settings and change it to Public.
  • iluvprettyshoes
    iluvprettyshoes Posts: 605 Member
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    I don't even think about if I'm motivated or not. I just do it.

    For sure I don't want to be a lazy, whiny quitter & if I quit that's exactly what I'd sound like.
  • sbrownallison
    sbrownallison Posts: 314 Member
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    The key seems to be consistency, i.e., do some kind of intentional exercise every day. It has to be built into your schedule the same way a basic habit is - like brushing your teeth. You can't wait until you "have time" to do it: You have to make the time. It can be as simple as a 15-minute walk (perhaps on a break at work). If you do this every day, and build from there and be consistent, you will see progress.

    When I have a day that I don't "feel like" going to my class, I tell myself "DO IT ANYWAY." Just a simply way to remind myself that this is important if I want to lose weight and keep it off. I also try to remind myself of the other benefits: better overall health, flexibility, improved balance, and feeling of well-being...
  • cklowery36
    cklowery36 Posts: 151 Member
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    Outside of work and routines in hygiene, that's the line where I "just do it."

    I believe that for some like me, motivation is a necessity. I'm nowhere near a type A personality, I've never been driven to exercise, and even right now I'm thinking about a pint of chocolate Hagen Daaz ice cream. So here are a few things that keep me off the couch and out the freezer:

    1. I found a mantra or motto and encourage myself. I read about finding the things that drive me to move in that direction and make it into a simple saying. I believe in living the best life possible, so I have to stoke that fire in the belly that makes me get up and move. I shortened it to "Live the life. Feed the fire." When I'm feeling like I'm my motivation's a bit low I say that and other positive things to myself to restart my cold engines.

    2. I work on consistency, not progress. Someone mentioned that your eye might be on the journey instead of the prize. It gets discouraging when numbers go up and down, but I found that I want my calendar to show the times that I worked out and not blanks. By changing my focus, I logged in 22 out of 24 workouts this month!

    3. I know my big goal, but I'm staying focused on my smaller goals. I have a goal to lose at least 40 pounds, but my small goal this week, is to see 165 on the scale and not 166. I write my weekly goal weight now on the inside of my wrist so when I pick up something to eat that's not exactly goal-worthy, it reminds me what my brass ring is.

    4. I work on building habits. This is a lifestyle, not a quick-fix and I can't just go back after I make the goal, so packing snacks, planning ahead, scheduling my workout, all that stuff seems like a lot now, but I see that they're getting easier and take less thought than when I started.

    5. I found a workout that I enjoy doing. I do Turbo Fire right now and I really like the pace and intensity and I look forward to doing it! You got to find something that you enjoy, otherwise you just won't do it.

    6. Lastly, I give myself a break occasionally. I'm going through a rough patch in my life at the moment, so after a 4-week stint of working out 6 days a week, I cut myself some slack for a week and promised myself, Monday I'm back in the game. It's given me a chance to remember my motivations and gave me something to look forward to tomorrow!

    Hope this helped and good luck finding your motivation!
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
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    well..i see results and tell myself that with all the hell i went for that..i'm not going to screw that up for that weak moment..so I push myself and do it.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    it's more me getting frustrated when the scale doesn't move

    You need to make sure you have a good plan, stick to the plan, trust in the plan and be patient. You will never get anywhere if you keep giving up after 2 weeks.
  • Marie294
    Marie294 Posts: 304
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    I am motivated by the results I get when I work out! :)
  • dbh3425
    dbh3425 Posts: 15 Member
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    I have promised myself that I will never have to start over again if I just keep going.
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
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    1. Convenience -- I exercise in my home, on my schedule. Everything I need is within arm's reach.
    2. Passion -- I do a routine that I love with music that I love. My workouts become mini-vacations for me.
    3. Endorphins -- My body is at the point where I *want* to exercise.
    4. Habit -- I make sure that what I do is sustainable, regardless of what the scale says.
  • PhiSigAmber
    PhiSigAmber Posts: 44 Member
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    I hired a personal trainer. At this point, I know I need to have someone to be accountable to, other than myself. Yes, it's expensive, but so, so worth it.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    What is your goal? I don't mean a number on a scale, that is just a way to get something you want. I mean whatever you fill into the blank: "I want to do this because ______." You don't have to tell anyone what that answer is, sometimes the answer might be embarrassing to tell others. ;)

    It could be something like "walking into a room and feeling sexy" or "being able to play sports" or "having lots of energy" or whatever. As long as it isn't something that other people can take away from you, like "this particular person will suddenly fall in love with me," or "my peers will finally respect me."

    Once you know what your real goal is, visualize it. See it happening. Fantasize about it, the same way as with any other fantasies, how will it feel, etc. The difference is that you can make this dream come true!

    When you need motivation, whether it's getting up off the couch to go work out, or when you're getting tired during your workout, call up that picture/scene/movie. If you cannot visualize accomplishing your goal, you will never accomplish it.

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