How do I stay motivated??

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  • runningjen74
    runningjen74 Posts: 312 Member
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    You have to make it a habit, and then a lifestyle.

    ^This

    There's no motivation. It's just what I do. The odd weekend/day where there are exceptional circumstances and I don't get to work out or don't eat my normal foods, just dust myself off and get back on course. I feel better when I'm eating good whole foods and getting out for some exercise. Simples.
  • farmers_daughter
    farmers_daughter Posts: 1,632 Member
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    You have to make it a habit, and then a lifestyle.

    ^ this and tell yourself... You sissy get your butt to the gym! You know you will feel better when your done!

    "You're Worthless and Weak, Now Drop n Give Me 20!" :bigsmile:

    Woo woo, talk dirty to me too! :bigsmile: :blushing: That's motivation!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Thanks everyone, great advise. I agree alot with the getting burned out. I did a drastic change and drastic exercise routine and then got injured and it all started back so now I'm going slow. I've already cut out sodas a few weeks back, i'm not trying to add walking or c25k in the afternoons - I'm not a morning person and already getting up at 6 to be at work by 8 is a push for me. That might be a later goal. If I can get a walk in as soon as I get home - maybe I'll bring my workout clothes to work and change so I can go straight to my walking path or gym on rainy days. Then I wont be tempted to park my butt and not move once I get home.

    it takes you two hours to get ready and commute to work?? i honestly wonder how much of this is wasted time, such as checking your phone or watching tv, preparing breakfast or lunch and coffee? not picking on you at all. i used to do this too.

    but i really never worked out in the afternoon/evening after work. so i started adjusting my habits. i had my alarm set for 4:30am, with the coffee pot set up and on automatic. my clothes were laid out for the gym, and my work clothes packed in a bag. i'd wake up to a warm pot of coffee and my lunch and breakfast already packed the night before. i'd go to the bathroom, get dressed pour my coffee in a travel mug and out the door by 5am the latest. gym by 530am to work out. by 7am i had to wrap it upand hit the showers. at work at 8am.

    the key to this is going to bed early. you can't stay up to watch leno. you need/want your 6-8 hours of sleep? well, be in bed by 9... or learn to sleep faster.

    now i work shift work, so it's a little different. i have to be AT work at 5:30am, so working out on days that i work is out. but on my days off, i still wake up at 4:30am.


    I get up at 6 get ready leave by 6:45 to be at work by 7:45. trust me no wasted time, i dont do breakfast at home or coffee do all that at work. but what works for some doesnt work for others and i know from experience trying to work out in the mornings does not work for me. like i said I might try to make that goal later on but for now it just doesnt work. plus when schools in i leave earlier to get my son to school. no worries i dont think you're picking on me - but if you know how to sleep faster please share that! I'd love to squeeze 8 hours into 6 lol :)

    if working out in the morning doesn't work for you, and you don't feel like it in the afternoon, then you have to figure it out.

    i gave you some suggestions, as did others. i really hope you find what works for you. remember, a work out doesn't have to be some three hour gym session that leaves you spent and sweaty. 30 minutes a day can be very effective.

    you wake up at six? start waking up at 5. do it before your body starts realizing what is going on.
  • cwaters120
    cwaters120 Posts: 354 Member
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    There's nothing really to "do", other than to have the strong enough desire to change your life. If you don't want it bad enough, no amount of gimmicky motivational tools is going to help.

    It ISN'T motivation - its this ^^^^. The DESIRE, the WANT TO, and the DETERMINATION to change your life, to change YOU. I say it isn't "motivation" because we all have "bad" days but no amount of "motivation" MAKES you make good choices when you would rather not. Its the desire and determination to change your life to become a healthier you, a better you that keeps you making good choices. MFP and others in your life can offer support, they can tell you what worked for them, they can try helping you adjust what you are doing - but none of that means crap when you REALLY want (and are ready) to change YOU. Only you can make the good choices, quit with excuses, squeeze in the exercise and meal planning and eat healthy. It ISN'T a "diet" - its a lifestyle that you need to make a habit so that you don't even think about the choices anymore (lets face it, junk food is a habit for 9 out of 10 people or they wouldn't keep turning to it like a smoker who keeps trying to quit without even thinking about it).

    Lack of time isn't a "REASON" its an EXCUSE. I get up at 230 am for work, leave by 3am and I don't get home until 2pm or after. I can get it in along with regular family and household "chores" and living my life. Its making myself get up off my butt and prep meals, exercise, and plan to use every available minute of my day without making it a stressful load by procrastinating.
  • BadassCrossfitMama
    BadassCrossfitMama Posts: 110 Member
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    Thanks everyone, great advise. I agree alot with the getting burned out. I did a drastic change and drastic exercise routine and then got injured and it all started back so now I'm going slow. I've already cut out sodas a few weeks back, i'm not trying to add walking or c25k in the afternoons - I'm not a morning person and already getting up at 6 to be at work by 8 is a push for me. That might be a later goal. If I can get a walk in as soon as I get home - maybe I'll bring my workout clothes to work and change so I can go straight to my walking path or gym on rainy days. Then I wont be tempted to park my butt and not move once I get home.

    it takes you two hours to get ready and commute to work?? i honestly wonder how much of this is wasted time, such as checking your phone or watching tv, preparing breakfast or lunch and coffee? not picking on you at all. i used to do this too.

    but i really never worked out in the afternoon/evening after work. so i started adjusting my habits. i had my alarm set for 4:30am, with the coffee pot set up and on automatic. my clothes were laid out for the gym, and my work clothes packed in a bag. i'd wake up to a warm pot of coffee and my lunch and breakfast already packed the night before. i'd go to the bathroom, get dressed pour my coffee in a travel mug and out the door by 5am the latest. gym by 530am to work out. by 7am i had to wrap it upand hit the showers. at work at 8am.

    the key to this is going to bed early. you can't stay up to watch leno. you need/want your 6-8 hours of sleep? well, be in bed by 9... or learn to sleep faster.

    now i work shift work, so it's a little different. i have to be AT work at 5:30am, so working out on days that i work is out. but on my days off, i still wake up at 4:30am.


    I get up at 6 get ready leave by 6:45 to be at work by 7:45. trust me no wasted time, i dont do breakfast at home or coffee do all that at work. but what works for some doesnt work for others and i know from experience trying to work out in the mornings does not work for me. like i said I might try to make that goal later on but for now it just doesnt work. plus when schools in i leave earlier to get my son to school. no worries i dont think you're picking on me - but if you know how to sleep faster please share that! I'd love to squeeze 8 hours into 6 lol :)

    if working out in the morning doesn't work for you, and you don't feel like it in the afternoon, then you have to figure it out.

    i gave you some suggestions, as did others. i really hope you find what works for you. remember, a work out doesn't have to be some three hour gym session that leaves you spent and sweaty. 30 minutes a day can be very effective.

    you wake up at six? start waking up at 5. do it before your body starts realizing what is going on.

    I'm going to start bringing my workout clothes with me to work so that I can change and go straight to it when I get off work. Then there's no excuse b/c I wont be going straight home, up 3 flights of stairs and be tempted with sitting down and catching up on what's on my DVR. Once I get this down for 90 days I might try to spice it up and add 1 morning work out in a week - and gradually increase it till I get them all in the morning.
  • BadassCrossfitMama
    BadassCrossfitMama Posts: 110 Member
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    Just for an update I completed my C25K Day 1 today with no missed runs!!!!
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
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    Congrats on your completion!

    So this is going to sound super stupid, and sorry if it does. About 12 years ago, I just "decided" I was going to be optimally fit. I was overweight and the idea had been lurking around in my head, but one day I got up and said I was going to just go to the gym. Didn't know what I was doing, so of course, being a guy I started bench pressing. 12 years later, I can't tell you what kept me going...maybe just small milestones along the way, or compliments from friends (at first there's always doubt, but eventually they start asking you how you did it...so then you get to rub their noses in it...and that's very motivating).

    So I would say, as simple, and stupid as it sounds. To just decide like you were about to buy a house, or invest your life savings into a company. Decide in a way that leaves you no way out. Decide!
  • Garlicmash
    Garlicmash Posts: 208
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    over thinking about things stops you from doing it.
    I just do things and remind my self how boring being fat and doing nothing really is,plus my little girl would be very bored.
    I remind my self how much time and nice days i've wasted in the past and I'm not going to waste anymore or miss out on things.
  • BadassCrossfitMama
    BadassCrossfitMama Posts: 110 Member
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    Week 1 check in - down 3.2lbs. on c25k w1d3 but i'm improving my times already. Signed up for my first 5k this september. Thanks for all the great advise. I'll check in weekly if y'all want to follow. If you want to add me feel free!! :)
  • BadassCrossfitMama
    BadassCrossfitMama Posts: 110 Member
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    month and half check in.

    Thanks to my wonderful support group, and apparent mindset change I am no longer the same person as I was when I originally posted this.

    I'm down 14lbs and just finished running my longest burst yet (right at half a mile) nonstop!
    Motivation, how to stay motivated? I can answer that now, by publicly posting my results, getting other people involved and helping to motivate others. I've started writing blogs, I've been very active in my fitness pal and Facebook groups.

    I'm eating cleaner, exercising 4x or more per week and since I increased my calories from 1200 to 1600 I'm losing about 1.5-2lbs per week.

    I am what's keeping me motivated. This time it's for life!
  • zdawg77
    zdawg77 Posts: 7 Member
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    This is so great! I've enjoyed reading your posts (and other people's replies). Thanks for sharing, and keep us updated!

    Your last post was clearly one when you were riding the motivation wave, and I hope it keeps going. I'd also love to hear how you cope with those lows - when you feel like stagnation or old habits are creeping in - even if you are not successful with your efforts. Sometimes we learn the most from our failures.
  • BadassCrossfitMama
    BadassCrossfitMama Posts: 110 Member
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    This is so great! I've enjoyed reading your posts (and other people's replies). Thanks for sharing, and keep us updated!

    Your last post was clearly one when you were riding the motivation wave, and I hope it keeps going. I'd also love to hear how you cope with those lows - when you feel like stagnation or old habits are creeping in - even if you are not successful with your efforts. Sometimes we learn the most from our failures.



    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1040702-progress here is a good example http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/getfitwithtamela/view/where-to-start-550562 and this blog in particular.

    I dealt with 2 deaths my grandmother and my husbands grandmother within 2 weeks of each other in June/July. My husband has been without a pay check now for 8 weeks and we have yet to be able to come up with the money for our July rent. I take my issues out to the track, it clears my mind and I avoid becoming depressed about these things. When I would get depressed is when I would not want to do anything and eat whatever I wanted. So I found a way to avoid that and so far it's been working. My boss' buy our lunch on Fridays, not that it's a bad thing but they don't really pick the healthiest places to go, so I adapt, I find something healthy on the menu or it there is something that's not very healthy I allow myself to get it but I split the portion in half and have the other half for dinner. I really think it's all in the mindset to weather I succeed or fail this time.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
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    I don't post anything on mirrors
    I don't have workout buddies



    what motivates me-
    getting out of obese category and into over weight- im almost there
    buying smaller clothes
    getting to my goal weight- im almost there- 22 more pounds
  • aschlender30
    aschlender30 Posts: 7
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    Hi everybody!

    Motivation is a tricky thing. I have actually googled how to get motivated before while in a slump. I've read numerous articles trying to find my inspiration. Well, maybe I internalized some of the stuff I read, but I don't know that it helped all that much. Really it's up to you to devise a plan that works for you. I've had the most luck going day by day. Practice mindfulness all the time. You will not become a "zen master" over night, but I promise it does help. Be mindful of the voice in your head that tells you to cheat on your diet or skip your workout. Tell yourself that you are not saying no or denying yourself anything. You are not making yourself do anything. Tell yourself you are choosing to be healthy, you are saying yes to a better lifestyle. Listen to yourself, note your emotions. Maybe you don't have it in you to run 4 miles today, but a 20 minute yoga video might do you a world of good. Your brain might be screaming Haagen Das, of course you can't eat a pint of ice cream, but you can allow yourself a little dark chocolate. Try not to straight up deny every craving you get. Try to outsmart it. Want salt? Make popcorn. Drink plenty of water. You get the idea. We are very stubborn creatures. Embrace your stubborness and get it to work for you! Best of luck!!

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