How do you get motivated to exercise?

i do stuff i like to do and look forward to doing it.

maybe you need to figure out what you like doing and do those things?

and you start off slow by starting off slow. first get in the habit of doing it without worrying about heart rate zones, how many calories you're burn, how to burn more, etc. just get in the habit (and you get in the habit by doing) it takes about a month to make a new habit, so if you have to force yourself during that month to go then so be it.

if you're going at the correct pace (a pace that you can easily keep up for 45-60 minutes) then there shouldnt be any issues with injuries.

finally swimming is good if you have joint issues

I hate exercising early in the morning. i dont want to get up to do it and then I skip it. So my advice first is to find a time that works for you. I exercise everyday. If I skip, it is too easy to skip again, and again. Doing it everyday, it just becomes part of my day and what I HAVE to get done. Next, find an exercise you can do that doesn't feel like all your thinking about is doing exercise. For example, I use a stationery bike but I read when i am doing it. I love to read so I am more engrossed in the book than I am in the exercise. Next thing you know, I have an hour done and I am finished. I also do step aerobics. I dont use a video or anything but I have a step that I step up and down on for sets of 20 minutes while I am watching a good show on TV so my mind is on the show rather than counting the minutes. I guess I DO count the minutes but not as much as I would if it was all I was thinking about!

The thing with exercise is you WILL see results. It is amazing once it happens and when it does, that is movitation to keep going!

Good luck to you.

Try a Zemba class, its fun, social and usually not in the morning! I find a mix of exercise and finding things like zumba or skiing that I actually enjoy doing help a lot. Also an hour zumba is 500 calories!! That is 500 more you can eat!

I like the way I feel when I'm done. Sweat, endorphins, feeling like a badass, having extra energy. I love doing what's right for my body. I think about my family and how they are all overweight. How my gramma's body was falling apart from misuse my whole life of knowing her, and how my dad's body cannot do what it used to because he hasn't exercised properly.

I want to be fit. I refuse to get old.

That is my motivation.

I don't.

I look at it like going to work.

A necessary evil.

I started by using Leslie Samson 'Walking Away the Pounds". She has a bunch of them, but you can find one that's easy, low impact and you can pick your 'mileage' with each mile = @ 15 minutes. You can do them in your PJs & sneaks in an area about 6' x 6'...and you will work up a sweat. Google it and check out some of her free stuff on YouTube. I'm planning on doing my 1st Marathon in Jan 2015 at age 60, but I started with Leslie Sansone doing 1 mile in my living room.

I don't. I love it, and when I can't exercise, it drives me nuts. Ask my friends how elated I was when I received full clearance to lift again last Monday. I know it's a privilege to be able to move my body, and I take full advantage of it.

by checking out some hot bird ...gives me all the motivation i need

I find it easier if I have a class---like it is happening at THIS time at THIS place! This way, I have it on my calendar for a specific time and not just when I get to it. Also helps if you have someone going to the same things---that way you have someone to show up FOR.

Find something you love to do and do it.

Try walking, elliptical machine, or water aerobics...water exercise is great resistance and very gentle on the joints.

Some days, I hate every minute of my time at the gym. And that's okay. I work out because I have to and overall, I want to. I agree with finding something you like and make sure to listen to your body if you're hurting. Good luck!

Get naked take a pic

I'm a night owl. Working up the will to get up early to exercise will never happen for me--if I ever manage it I'll be shattered all day. It's hard enough getting up early enough for breakfast before work. So I exercise in the evening.

I found it easier to make exercise a habit when I found something with obvious personal benefits and limited much personal cost. For me, it's running on a trampoline at home. I don't have to worry about the time, effort, money and social issues associated with going to a gym; using the trampoline means I get a really good cardio workout with very little impact on my knees and ankles; running burns calories at a fantastic rate; I put something on tv or streaming that I really enjoy watching so the time goes quickly; and I can measure my progress (I use a step counter and convert that to approximate distance/speed) so I get the feeling of mastering a skill that helps you stick with it.

Not long after starting I've found myself looking forward to my evening run, and excuses that I would have made in the past don't entice me. Recently I've begun bodyweight strength exercises at home and am getting to enjoy that too.

I never thought I would be the kind of person who would look forward to exercising. Seriously! I always looked at it as a chore. That's changed for me in the last year. Now I truly miss it when I don't get my workouts in.

I think the key is to figure out what sort of activity/venue works for you and everyone is different. I have found that I enjoy outdoors circuit training.

Personally, I also do best when there is the accountability of having someone waiting for you to show up and work out with them. Find a friend who is committed to working out & plan "exercise dates."

I pay for a month of group circuit-training bootcamps/training sessions at a time and know that my trainer and "workout buddies" are there waiting for me to show up. I purposefully pay ahead of time, so that I know I'd be losing out on the money I spent if I flake on a session. Most of the time, the sessions are outdoors in a park so I also get to enjoy my surroundings while working out. (I live in CA & we are fortunate to be able to do that almost year-round. :flowerforyou:)

I don't know where you live, but I would suggest going on meetup-dot-com and looking for exercise groups in your area or experiment with different physical activities through groupon or livingsocial deals. Try out various things & see whats works for you. I've tried Zumba classes, yoga studios, cardio classes, etc. through special deals like that. If you like something - great! If you try it & don't like it - you didn't blow a ton of money and it was a new experience.

I hope you find the physical activity that works for you. It really helps not only with weight loss, but with mood and stress reduction.


Edit: P.S.: I bought a FitBit & that also motivates me. I like checking my activity level on it throughout the day.

Wine motivates me. Extra exercise = extra wine.