how do you stay motivated?

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knucklesammie
knucklesammie Posts: 196 Member
in Motivation and Support
i have worked out on and off for a long time (mostly off, but that's neither here nor there :wink: ), but i have been sticking with it solid since the beginning of march. the first 3 months were easy for me to stay motivated. i was excited, even! i stalked tumblr and instagram for fitness motivation every day, and could barely sleep because i would be so excited to hit the gym. the past month has been complete torture. though i make myself do my work outs, i don't go into them with the same enthusiasm i did. i took a week off after 3 months and it was great, but it's been really hard to get back into it. i heard taking time off is important so you don't overtrain, but i am regretting that decision now.

the only thing that's really different now versus then is i am doing less cardio (which i love) and much more strength training now that i've shed a lot of the belly fat (not all, but a lot!). i like cardio because it is like therapy. i feel cleansed and refreshed afterwards, but i know strength training/circuit training/weight lifting is going to be more beneficial in the long run. right? i still do cardio, but not every day like i used to. and not for 40-60 minutes either lol.

so, how do you guys stay motivated?
and sorry, i'm sure this has been asked a million times, but hey i know more of you can probably relate to what im going through! help!! :heart: thanks!

Replies

  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    I have a schedule. I stick to my schedule. My motivation is the mirror.

    Cardio is waaaay better than not getting exercise at all. If lifting is bumming you out, take a break from it.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
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    Stop relying on motivation.

    The only person that can change things is you. Make the changes you want for a healthier lifestyle a habit. A routine. Day in, day out. Not every day is going to feel like a super awesome day to bust *kitten* and eat well. As Nike says, just do it!

    Hang in there, OP. Best of luck!
  • knucklesammie
    knucklesammie Posts: 196 Member
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    I mean I am getting my workouts done, I just miss being excited about it. I didn't know if maybe others had other ideas from where to pull motivation from bc it makes sticking to a schedule a lot easier -amirite? Well anyway, thanks ladies. I appreciate you taking time to reply! Guess it's just time to suck it up.
  • lisa77marie
    lisa77marie Posts: 46 Member
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    Set different goals that you can meet. Focus on how your body is changing because of exercise. Try a new type of exercise and mix it up. I really enjoy taking group exercise classes, which are fun and don't feel like exercise.
  • stevenbrookwood
    stevenbrookwood Posts: 12 Member
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    I used to be a very angry individual. Hated the world, and all that jazz.

    I now channel that into working out. It helps me take my aggression out, while also benefiting from it.

    Everyone has a different motivator, you just need to find yours :)
  • spendsitwell
    spendsitwell Posts: 59 Member
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    I have found I get bored quickly. I need to mix it up to keep things lively. I run 3 days a week. One day on the treadmill, one day with a running group, and one day is my long run outside. Then I take one day and do a deck of cards workout.

    I take each suit and assign a body part. Spades=legs Clubs=Arms Hearts=Cardio Diamonds=Abs Then have two moves per suit. Legs=squats and lunges Arms=dips and pushups Cardio=jumping jacks and burpees Abs=crunches and reverse crunches Aces=1 minute plank Jokers=1/2 mile run Shuffle the deck and draw a card. Match the suit to the move. 8 of spades= 8 squats and so on. Face cards=15 reps. All other cards are face value for reps. Do the entire deck of cards. Pick different moves next time you do this workout to keep it interesting.

    Then I take one or two days and I do a Jillian Michaels video. Never do the same video in a row. Too boring. This has seemed to help keep me motivated.

    Good luck
  • yuckidah
    yuckidah Posts: 290 Member
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    By remembering how *kitten* I felt before
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
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    I mean I am getting my workouts done, I just miss being excited about it. I didn't know if maybe others had other ideas from where to pull motivation from bc it makes sticking to a schedule a lot easier -amirite? Well anyway, thanks ladies. I appreciate you taking time to reply! Guess it's just time to suck it up.

    Change your workouts. I was calling in my workouts til I found a new sport, then I started to redesign my program to compliment th sport.
  • melfitnesspal13
    melfitnesspal13 Posts: 377 Member
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    I joined the best fitness group, free through meetup.com, and found a bunch of people in my area all with the same goal - to get fit! This group has been a Godsend, really. We provide support for each other through facebook daily posts. We meet 5-6 times a week, for those who want the one-on-one. We have monthly challenges, mini goals along the way. I can't say enough about our beachbody coach Robin, who does all this for free!! She is a retired nurse and just really keeps us going. I am so glad she entered my life and has really helped me to better understand about fitness vs. dieting. I wish you the same good fortune, there might be a group in your area too.
    Most of all, I love the way my clothes are falling off now!!..............:flowerforyou:
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    sign up for a race, like a spartan, warrior dash, tough mudder, triathlon, whatever.
  • pixie2mom
    pixie2mom Posts: 1
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    Love Love Love the deck of cards idea!!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I look at it this way: if everything I did in life (grocery shopping, paying bills, cleaning house, etc.) were optional depending upon whether or not I felt like it, I would never get anything done. I just make exercise part of my to do list and I get it done. It's paying off. I feel better. I look better. And one of the PTs at the gym today grudgingly admitted I look great even though I turned down his expertise and used my own program. :laugh:
  • naturallyme36
    naturallyme36 Posts: 155 Member
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    I have found I get bored quickly. I need to mix it up to keep things lively. I run 3 days a week. One day on the treadmill, one day with a running group, and one day is my long run outside. Then I take one day and do a deck of cards workout.

    I take each suit and assign a body part. Spades=legs Clubs=Arms Hearts=Cardio Diamonds=Abs Then have two moves per suit. Legs=squats and lunges Arms=dips and pushups Cardio=jumping jacks and burpees Abs=crunches and reverse crunches Aces=1 minute plank Jokers=1/2 mile run Shuffle the deck and draw a card. Match the suit to the move. 8 of spades= 8 squats and so on. Face cards=15 reps. All other cards are face value for reps. Do the entire deck of cards. Pick different moves next time you do this workout to keep it interesting.

    Then I take one or two days and I do a Jillian Michaels video. Never do the same video in a row. Too boring. This has seemed to help keep me motivated.

    Good luck

    I LOVE this idea. I am going to give this a try. :flowerforyou:
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    What sort of strength training? Are your lifts increasing? Do you have lifting goals? Can you deadlift 2x your body weight? Maybe it would be exciting to train toward a goal like that?
  • knucklesammie
    knucklesammie Posts: 196 Member
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    wow great ideas!! thank you everyone, genuinely! i am mixing it up a bit, but i think i need to mix it up more and get doing things outside of the gym and outside of my home. i think ideally i'd love to hike or surf, or something like that. love all the perspectives on how everyone stays motivated. i think my motivation has changed from time to time during the first three months, but i feel right now it's just sooo low. that's why i joined this community to find inspiration somewhere new, so thank you all again for taking your time to respond to help me out. i'm certainly not disappointed by your suggestions! i'm getting my workouts done, and doing them well, it's just not as a fulfilling when i'm not loving it. i am also slipping on my healthy "diet" (i don't like to think of it as a diet, just what i SHOULD be eating to not poison myself and to give myself the best future possible). so it's nice to read all these answers and feel a bit more motivated by all of your personal motivations! that is exactly what i was looking for!

    i would LOVE to do a tough mudder, and looked into one a few weeks ago. it would just be nice to have a goal like that to strive for (my realization from this post - i need more goals!!) then i saw the price and was so shocked. but i need to look into some other alternatives. i know tough mudder is a really big one, so probably more expensive. i also am really tight on funds at the moment, which is also why i haven't been doing any group classes. though i am sure if i do some research i could find free days per month for different kinds of group fitness groups and classes etc. so thanks for the suggestion, i'm going to have to make a point to look into that. i do better in my workouts when i am around other people, for sure.

    and i unfortunately cannot deadlift 2 x's my body weight (though i actually like deadlifting, which probably means i am not deadlifting enough :happy: ), but yeah i think adding goals like that would be great motivation. i am just really getting started with making weight lifting a major part of my regular schedule and overtaking my cardio. before i did mostly cardio, and some weight training (either weights that worked all body mixed in with cardio days before or after - or had some dedicated weight lifting days here and there), and also circuit training (like insanity). i have been doing a lot of insanity the last week and i think that's why i am so bored out of my mind. i feel sore, so im definitely doing things my body isn't used to, which is great, but it's just not a workout that i am chomping at the bit to do. you are right though, i need lifting goals - and more goals in general. i just started reading 'the new rules of weight lifting for women" and i think that will also help motivate me in this particular area. i am not yet at the suggestions for training, but i am really looking forward to getting to that part.

    i love the deck of cards idea! that is fun. i could see that being great in a group setting, too! that is just so creative, and i know my friends will also love that idea. thanks for sharing!

    i also love the idea of a local meet up. it would just be great for more friends that are interested in the same goals as me. yall are just full of some great ideas, and i am so grateful. i am definitely going to implement these into my life. because i would really prefer to not just workout because i have to.

    anyway, thank you all very much! i didn't expect such a response. so my lesson from all this is, mix it up - and make GOALS. thanks guys!! :flowerforyou:
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
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    I'll be honest here and say that the human yearning for seeking a mate is what keeps me motivated. When I begin to slip up I just remember why I'm doing it in the first place and that I'm trying to reach that state of being highly confident in myself. When I'm not confident it shows and repels people away from me. I know it all sounds very cheesy and basic. haha
  • redladywitch
    redladywitch Posts: 799 Member
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    I'm motivated because I want a squashed fairy tattoo on my butt as a reward.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    I'll be honest here and say that the human yearning for seeking a mate is what keeps me motivated. When I begin to slip up I just remember why I'm doing it in the first place and that I'm trying to reach that state of being highly confident in myself. When I'm not confident it shows and repels people away from me. I know it all sounds very cheesy and basic. haha

    so you're doing this for boys??


    thats cool.

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