How do YOU stay consistent

What got me out of my rut was the commitment to meet up with others to exercise. I have a few people from work I run with a few days/week - we meet before work and run for about an hour. I rely on them and they rely on me to show up. If you're accountable to someone, you're more likely to follow-through.

After I got into a regular routine with them, it made me want to do more on my own so on the days when I'm not meeting up with friends, I'll do a DVD at home or run solo.

Do you have a potential workout partner or someone to help keep you motivated?

I struggle with this myself. I have found that if I can make it to the gym first thing in the morning then all is good. Afternoon workouts are not going to happen for this girl. Too many distractions!!!

I've always found it difficult to get to a gym regularly, too. What works for me is making the workout as easy to *get to* as possible. Run in my neighborhood, do weights or cardio at home... that sort of thing. If I have to get over a hurdle to get TO the workout, I'm more likely to take a pass, while if it's something that's immediately accessible from your couch... it makes it very difficult to let yourself just sit on the couch.

I couldn't agree more.

I've made it a habit to go to the gym. It is part of my daily routine (except for my rest day). I missed a month of the gym early on after starting back, but then I made it about me and "I want this" and started going consistently. It was a matter of do or do not, there is no try. I chose do and haven't looked back.

I change up my workouts all the time. I might do a bunch of Just Dance for wii, I might jog, I might do pilates, I might do yoga, I might do 30 day shred and I always add some at home weight training using body weight exercises, kettlebells or dumbbells... I like trying new things and keeping it new all the time. I work different muscles and don't feel bored with what I'm doing.

i like having someone important accountable to.

at work a bunch of us have a table with our names and days and we tick when we do more then 30 min exercise.
great way to track and get 'guilted' into going. my husband has also started being heaps more supportive and will call me on my gym routine 'don't you have gym tonight?'

My biggest problem is staying consistent. For a week I'll go to the gym 3 times, next week I'll go twice and maybe walk the dog, week after that I'll sort of walk the dog (around the block) and make excuses that it's to cold, or I don't have enough time after work. I KNOW that when I am consistent I feel great, I see results, I get all these benefits. How do you stop falling off the wagon? Is it all self talk? "This is for me, this is for my health, this is because I'm amazing" or is it punishment? "If I don't go to the gym, I'm not going out with the girls either". What's your strategy?

Don't mean to sound snarky, but I'm not sure how else to say this. If the bolded part isn't enough to keep you consistent, I'm not sure anything will. I mean - if you feel great and see results - what more motivation do you really need?

I know that feeling great and seeing results should be all the motivation I need to bust my @ss, but clearly it's not, hence the questions.

Then you need to find a reason to do it. If there is no real reason to continue, it is easy to stop. You have a few reasons listed in your profile, but are they worth it to you? Is it worth doing the work to change all the things you listed from desires into accomplishments? When you find the reason to do it, you make the decision to do it and it happens. I'm not trying to be mean. It is hard to get to the point where you are consistent. Often the change has to start with your attitude and an evaluation of what you really want to achieve and what work you are willing to put into it.

I work out every day at the same time. "I'll just go tomorrow" is not a usable excuse.

I do a different workout every day of the week, and use an undualting periodization for strength workouts, so I only repeat exact workouts weekly for running/yoga and every 3 weeks for strength. Every day is a new and interesting challenge.

No matter what the situation, no excuse exists that can override a few minutes of walking on the treadmill at home. If I don't feel up to my normal workout for whatever reason, I at least get on the treadmill and walk for a bit. Having an easy failsafe fallback option prevents ever skipping. There is simply no way I can justify skipping to myself.

Once its a habit, its not hard to keep at it.

I got a trainer for 1 day a week - more for the motivation and the accountability than anything else. that helped me stay consistent for the first months until now I really want the exercise on my own and miss it when I don't go. the trainer was key

You need to find something you enjoy!!! Exercise doesn't it have to be a task.... It almost becomes an addiction when you love

I agree. It does become something your body craves.

Different things keep me consistent. Sometimes its the challenge of mastering a new dvd. Sometimes its looking at myself in the mirror (and NOT liking what I see). Sometimes I'll just do an 8 minute workout so I don't feel bad. But most times my body just craves the activity and movement and I respond. Whenever it hits me I do it. I think that is one of the greatest benefits of working out at home - doing it whenever you want.

For me personally, I have self-motivating signs on my computer, which is where I spend all my "lazy" time. "No one is forcing you to do this. Cheating is only hurting yourself, and no one else will even know or care. You're doing this for YOU, so decide if you want it badly enough!" This usually gets me off my behind and working out, at the very least.

But like others have said, I have two classes a week in karate, which is something I really love doing. Even if I'm lazy all week, I never have any trouble getting out of the house to go to class. It's fun, I feel strong and empowered, and I burn 1,200 calories in a single class most nights. (We train for two hours.)

I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't drink during the week, that I would cut crap out of my diet. I treat it like any other task/job... I hate coming last, and I hate not finishing something.

I think of all the overweight people who act like I'm crazy working out 5 days/week and logging my food. By the time I get though my warmup, I'm ready to hit it hard

That's why they call it WORKING-out. It's not easy.

I just stopped looking at it as an option. Working out is NOT an option for me. I HAVE to do it. When I don't I feel like I'm committing a crime. Its extreme but it works. lol