How do you get motivated to work out?

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Replies

  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    There are day when I am not motivated to workout but I get up, get moving and I never regret it :smile: Take Wednesdays and Fridays for instance. Wednesdays are boot camp and I always get in an hour of cardio before class and on Fridays it is core class and the same, at least an hour of cardio prior to the class. This means I am up at 4am and at the gym by 4:30. It makes for an early morning but I always feel great afterwards so it is all worth it!
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
    I don't fit any of my jeans. I'm between sizes. And I REALLY want to get down to the next size.
  • jriehl08
    jriehl08 Posts: 157 Member
    For me the motivation comes from me wanting to be healthy. If I had more time in my day I would work out more. I started out slow and have pushed myself to do more and more everyday. I have a treadmill, stationary bike, free weights and getting an elliptical for my home gym plus I goto the gym by my office on my lunch hour 5 days a week. I cant get enough. Last week on my rest day I put 12.28 miles on my stationary bike and the day before I did 10 miles. Hating exercise and eating to much got most all of us into the position we are in now. The only way out is to work for it. If you cant find the motivation go look in the mirror every time you cant get motivated and ask yourself 1 simple question. Am I really happy with what I see? If you answer yes then head back to the couch. If the answer is no then get to moving.
  • angeliqueann
    angeliqueann Posts: 213 Member
    I read success stories on myfitnesspal. lol. =D
  • icmuse
    icmuse Posts: 263 Member
    I love being in motion, and the feeling after a workout.

    Also remembering what it feels like to be super fit - that motivates me a lot!
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    Working out is my: anti-aging, butt-lifting, anti-depressing, anti-anxiety, thigh-slimming, feel-good, look-good, life-altering medication. I take my dose daily. :-)

    Well said :flowerforyou:
  • xybernaut
    xybernaut Posts: 39 Member
    I really comes down to what do YOU want.

    YOU have to be committed to change your life, it is a lifestyle change.

    I would start with Nutrition, figure out your BMI, Body Fat%, find out your daily calorie needs.

    If you can watch what you eat you will be surprised at how fast the weight comes off.

    Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, put down your phone, get on your feet and go for a walk.

    There is no silver bullet, no magic pill, it takes time and effort.

    I wish you strength in your journey.....
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I hated exercise. Of any type. I mean, really, really, REALLY hated it. HATE HATE HATE HATE.

    HATE.

    RAGE QUIT kind of hate.

    So I talked myself into a little walk. Just to get out into the fresh air.

    Wasn't horrific. Didn't like it, but it didn't kill me.

    Tried it again a couple days later.

    It took a while, for me to start liking that. And slowly, this weird thing happened. I started looking forward to it.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Just do it! I get loads of energy from it and I love feeling like a badass!
  • damelasc
    damelasc Posts: 2
    Well, there is no better "stress-buster" for me than exercise. Most days I say "nah" to, but then I do it anyway. The calm, relaxed feeling when you've had a nice workout can't be beat, and it's healthy for you! Start light, don't push it too much. Find ways to track your progress. I keep a calendar and mark the days I work out (stationary bike) with the minutes I worked out and the distance I went. I've slowly worked my way up to 60 minute workouts that go 3 miles farther than they used to. Whenever I break a record, I give myself a treat, a Cadbury chocolate crème egg or a Lindt Truffle. Once you get going and the weight starts coming off, all those things work together to turn your "nah" into "yah!" every time!
  • MeIShouldB
    MeIShouldB Posts: 578 Member
    I come here and look at the success stories, and I look at the pics on the Fitness World page on facebook.
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
    When I first started on here I had similar questions. I had lot of people tell me to find one thing I enjoyed, but that seemed to stump me more. Instead I found the people saying do it anyway to be more helpful. We all have lots of things in are life that we don't want to do, but have to anyways. I simply added working out to that list. In the past year I have logged tons of workouts and while I haven't enjoyed them all, I have never regretted one minute of them!
    Good luck!!!
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,641 Member
    A lot of these things are good suggestions. Things that help me:

    -get new workout clothes (i get excited to use them)
    -sign up for a race or event you need to train for. that gives you a deadline (sense of urgency)
    -schedule all your workouts on your calendar and plan what time
    -go with friends/other people to hold you accountable
    -take energy supplements to pump you up (5 hr energy, energy chews, energy powder drink, energy drink like redbull etc)
    -put on some upbeat music to get you pumped up
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    I schedule it in my calendar and just like any other appointment in my calendar, I turn up.

    That's it.

    No motivation required.
  • downsizinghoss
    downsizinghoss Posts: 1,035 Member
    Don't look for a Rocky moment every day where you are jumping up and down and cheering before winning the big battle.

    Think of it as earning a college degree. Show up every day. Get most of the work done. Don't skip too many days. Then in a few years you have made it to your goal.

    Just go. Sometimes it sucks.

    I have not wanted to workout thousands of times, but I have yet to regret working out.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    The avoidance of hunger motivates me. I know if I work out, I get to eat most of the calories back!
  • dkmilton
    dkmilton Posts: 15 Member
    Find an exercise that you actually enjoy doing! I have found that Zumba is a great workout and a ton of fun for me! This makes me want to go workout. Once you get the habit of doing something you enjoy you will likely want to do other forms of working out - such as lifting weights.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    You. Just. Go.

    My husband had to drag me to some workouts in the beginning. I wish I was kidding, but I'd be making excuses in the passenger seat and he'd be ignoring me and driving me to gym. And I'd participate. And I'd feel AMAZING afterward. Rinse and repeat until it became routine.

    A good support network is key, for me. Hence MFP. =)
  • baileybiddles
    baileybiddles Posts: 457 Member
    Well, the first step is to find something that you really enjoy and DO IT.

    For me, I've found that. TurboJam is amazing. And when I look at Chalene Johnson and her gorgeous body, it gets me motivated to use her program and get that body too.

    Think of your goals, the body you want, and think of how much longer it will take if you are skipping workouts.
  • lachesissss
    lachesissss Posts: 1,298 Member
    The one thing that motivates me now with exercise is that I see gains in distance and intensity that I can sustain and that keeps me going. When I first started, I saw exercise as a challenge. I didn't want to do it, but I understood that I needed to do something. So I started small. Lunchtime walks. Gym 30 mins three times a week. I started small and as I started to see progress, I wanted to do more. It was a nice self-fulfilling cycle. I would try lots of things, see what you like and what you don't. The more effort you put into it, the more results you'll see. Good Luck!
  • kimberly702
    kimberly702 Posts: 369 Member
    Start with small workouts... Youtube has some really great 10 minute workouts, and check out fitsugar.com. They are quick and fun!! I just found this chick on youtube, zumba with amber... I'm hooked! :) Good luck! Feel free to add me!
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
    i look for the light at the end of the tunnel. i see the goals i want to achieve and i work hard everyday to get there. I wake up every morning grab my cup of coffee and think i how awesomely sore(maybe) i will be after my workout at the gym. I hate when i miss a day of bootcamp...i feel it puts me behind the others in the class...but then i start to think, im doing this for me, not them, and push 10x's harder.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    I am motivated to work out because I enjoy the process. I look forward to the gym. I hate rest days.


    I would suggest setting multiple metrics for both fitness and body composition. Progress can be motivating and the more means you have to show progress the better, IMO.

    ^^^^^^ Absolutely this. The number on the scale is not so important to me now, it's how far can I run? How much can I lift? Can I stay balanced while doing one legged squats? Everything I've asked my body to do, it's done. There have been injuries along the way, and no, I'm not at my goal size yet, but I couldn't be happier with my progress.

    Additionally, I have some incredible people on my FL, and seeing their daily accomplishments makes me itch to get out there and put in the work to get to where they are.
  • Princess_RaeRae
    Princess_RaeRae Posts: 5
    Wow, thank you all so much! I was not expecting so much wonderful advice and it is all so varied! I think I will start by either finding some dance fitness dvds at the library or downloading some heart-pumping music and doing the elliptical for 30 minutes or so. I really like the idea people had of skipping over the thinking part and the excuses by just seeing it as an appointment to keep and doing it. I hope I can get to that point. If the above does not work, I will try some of your other advice.

    Thank you so much everyone! :)
  • loosesealbluth
    loosesealbluth Posts: 46 Member
    Definitely music. I don't really like to listen to music when I'm just sitting down – especially fast-paced music – so if I'm not feeling like working out, I download a really good, fast-paced new song, or I'll make a really good gym playlist on my phone (I have a few now...pop, rap, rock, reggaeton; one for every mood). It makes me want to get up and listen to it. I can do a full workout as long as I have the right music. If I don't have the right songs, it's simply not possible; I can't focus!

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