How did you get into the gym habit?

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  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    What triggered me to finally do itwas a quote - If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If it's not, you'll find an excuse.

    Now I set the alarm for 4:00 every morning and just go do it. I had been making excuses all my life why I couldn't exercise. Once I broke through that barrier, it was pretty easy after that.
  • gramarye
    gramarye Posts: 586 Member
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    I don't go to the gym, but I do walk every night. I found having a goal helps. I spent one week seeing how far/fast I walked on average. The next week, I tried to beat my usual distance. The third, I upped it even further. I find that pushing myself to do better has been very motivating.

    I don't see any reason why that wouldn't work for a gym, e.g. "This week I'm going on Monday and Friday," then doing MWF the next week, or whatever motivates you to keep doing it.
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
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    Kept going because I knew being fat wasn't okay anymore. Now I've been going 5-6 days a week for 9 months now and I feel awful on days where I don't go.
  • JamieM8168
    JamieM8168 Posts: 248 Member
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    Start going and find something you like to do there...

    I first started going doing personal training 1x/week, then I added in bootcamp so I was going 2x/week. Now I'm up to 5 days/week. 2 personal training, 2 bootcamp and 1 family workout :) I love it
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
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    Thank you all so much for your advice! I had a feeling it was going to come down to just doing it whether or not I want to, although I was still praying there was some magical thing that happens one day where I become uber motivated and just get to it!

    I literally told myself that I only have to do 10 minutes on the eliptical and then if I want I could leave. The magic is that once I got into the gym and did the10 minutes, the realization that this ain't so bad kicks in and an hour and a half later I have completed a full cardio / weight lifting session. BAM - just like that! Even after 8 months I still have to play this silly little game with myself every once in awhile in order to make myself go - LOL...

    Also, don't even think about going without signing up for at least one personal training session...being afraid of not knowing how to do a particular exercise was a HUGE deterrent for me. My Dad, mom and brother are all title holding bodybuilders so I felt really stupid not knowing how to use the weights and machines. I had a trainer for 3 full sessions - yes it was an extra $100.00 for that one week, but then I KNEW I was doing it right. Totally worth every penny.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    I invensted in a bunch of equipment for my home, now I have no excuse.
  • Salt_Sand_Sun
    Salt_Sand_Sun Posts: 415 Member
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    Thank you all so much for your advice! I had a feeling it was going to come down to just doing it whether or not I want to, although I was still praying there was some magical thing that happens one day where I become uber motivated and just get to it!

    Honestly there *IS* a magical thing that happens. Its the day you wake up or the moment you see yourself (in a picture, the mirror, through someone else's eyes) and realize enough is enough. Going to the gym or walking or running or lifting or whathaveyou is pretty much useless if your mind is not fully engaged!!

    YOU have to want it. YOU have to dig deep and find YOUR reason for going. You made the first step my joining MFP and logging in.... so you're already ahead of those still sitting on the couch doing nothing. But we all can tell you why WE workout.... but you have to stop, look at yourelf and find YOUR reason!!
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    For me, it's always the little things that get in my way and cause me to make excuses, so I try to get rid of those.

    First, I always make sure to have clean gym clothes, and I set them up the night before so all I have to do is grab them and go.

    I have a little bag that I keep just for gym stuff, and keep stuff like deodorant, hair ties, and shoes in it 24/7 so I don't have to go hunting for them.

    I create a set time for working out - I say "I will workout at 2:00" instead of "I will work out in the afternoon" or else I'll just put it off.

    I create fun new music playlists that last me the week so I always have something different to listen to.

    I also like to go when a show I like is on tv - I go to a very little gym, so generally I have control of the tv. Or, I bring my iPad and watch something on youtube while I do my cardio. Having a little entertainment helps if you're not feelin' it on a particular day.
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
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    I wrote a check knowing I had to go,there are no refunds. After 7-8 wks,still going. Checks keep me honest:bigsmile:
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
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    Decided that it wasent going to change itself. I was not going to wake up thin no matter how much i wished it. Once i started going i enjoyed it. Once i got a trainer i LOVED it. Now i have to be told to take a rest day. The rest is history :)
  • jlcrph
    jlcrph Posts: 41 Member
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    I did two things.... 1. I made a few appointments with a trainer to get me started 2. I met friends at the gym Both made it more fun/interesting and also built in some accountability so I had to show up.
  • 40andFindingFitness
    40andFindingFitness Posts: 497 Member
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    I just got fed up with being tired. I have two young kids who are wearing me out and I though, "Man, I have to do something about this." So I convinced a coworker to come with me. When she couldn't come anymore I just kept going. I feel better and have more energy afterwards. To get me going I have a dance mix on my iPhone so it helps to keep me there once I get there.
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
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    Never did because there is no way I’d do it. I have gym anxiety and if I attempt to do anything other than cardio I feel like I’m being watched and judged constantly. So I removed myself from that situation and got myself a home gym (yoga mat, free weights, pull up bar, a chair, and wall are honestly all I need to get it done). I love lifting and having everything right at home there is ZERO excuse to not do it the second I get home. As for cardio, I just run around my neighborhood.

    Edit: I'm aware it's all in my head :)
  • romach79
    romach79 Posts: 277 Member
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    Find a buddy - challenge each other and git er done!
  • wormstrup14
    wormstrup14 Posts: 45
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    I joined a weight loss competition at a local gym...which included two group workout sessions a week with a personal trainer. My sessions were at 6am two days a week, and after the 12 week competition was over I just continued going on those days as it was already part of my routine. I gradually increased the days and now go 3-5 mornings a week.
  • smarionette
    smarionette Posts: 260 Member
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    I don't go home before I go to the gym. When I go home I'm done for the day and don't go out again, so rather than a gym close to home I have a gym close to work. It helps a lot. Also financial penalties (classes with late cancel policies for example) tend to get me to go.
  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
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    Ditto that of Bluebombers - I invested in a treadmill, a recumbent seat bicycle, an elliptical, a universal weight machine, and free weights.......I have a variety of equipment, it's in my house, I have NO EXCUSE NOT to work-out everyday. When I get home from work, the first thing I do is change my clothes and work-out - no excuses. It also 'helps' in that I have an 81 year-old Father who works out 4 times a week - if he can do it, at 47, I REALLY shouldn't have any excuses.............! Blast the tunes, and GO!
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    To be honest, it's a pain in the *kitten* to get there. We are all really busy and a lot of the time, something else has to give to make time for this, but so be it. It's that important that you need to rearrange your schedule to ensure that there is time. Ultimately, once you start seeing results, it gets easier. Good Luck!
  • jesand86
    jesand86 Posts: 5
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    I had the same problem for many years. Due to lack of funds atm I am not going but exersize from home, but when I did and got into the habit this is how I did it.

    I Went to a gym, most of my friends that go recommend. I hate, absolutely hate standing in the gym lifting weights, doing cardio is fine but not weights. So I found a few weight lifting classes, like body pump and the likes instead. Forced myself to try all of them and then chose 2 classes that I found more fun. I forced myself to attend each class atleast 5 times Before i got to give up. Since I have stayed with one type of class and learned to love it. Even find myself missing it atm.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
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    Persistence. When I first started, it was easy to consider skipping a day because I was "tired" or "too busy." I did my best to power through those times and now I have a hard time not working out on a scheduled day.

    I started working out at home, which did a great job of starting to get me into shape and to develop the habit of working out. Eventually, there was a lot more that I wanted to do exercise-wise, so I joined a gym so I could keep expanding my routine.

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