Staying motivated while lifting alone?

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  • csventek
    csventek Posts: 3
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    When I lift at home, I always listen to music just as I would at the gym. The beat keeps pushing me. I also write down what I plan on doing, so I can stay focused and see the finish line! Hope this helps.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    What at the gym was pushing your pace?

    Do you have the TV or some other distraction at home making you not focus?

    Start your workout with a plan... set amount of lifts to be done and give yourself a time to be finished and something to do once your done.

    Or just rejoin the gym!

    It may have just been paranoia but having the guys in the weight room watching me kept me moving. I wanted to prove I wasn't a weak little girl.

    When I lift I have no distractions- no tv, music, and I do it when the kids are asleep.

    I wrote out a workout plan. It wasn't enough.

    Unfortunately I can't rejoin a gym at this time.

    Thank you all for your advice- I'll look up the apps mentioned and throw a mirror down there as well. I don't have any set lifting goals so I'll make up a list to try and keep me focused.

    I was in a crummy mood this morning when I posted- I appreciate all the great feedback.

    You WILL figure this out. There is a way to motivate yourself to do what you need to get done. It can be a struggle when you are trying things that aren't working, but there is something out there that can make you catch fire.

    Some kind of reward? A star chart?

    Accountability buddies can be a good tool if they are used well. One of my friends has an accountability buddy that she swaps post-workout pictures with. I'm using one to motivate me to be active every day.

    Is it hard for you to concentrate because you are tired? I sometimes use a timer to keep bedtime on track. Exhaustion can make it hard for me to get motivated to organize teeth brushing.

    Are you feeling frustrated or bad about your lifting in some way?
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
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    Maybe you need to go back to the gym? There are a lot of pros and cons for both side, but different things work for different people. If going to the gym works for you, why you want to force at home workouts when they are clearly do not work for you?
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I train at home in my garage. Definitely time your rest periods. You don't realize how much time you're wasting until you do that. Also, don't allow yourself any other distractions. No TV or Internet access nearby. No phone. Nothing that gives you something to do during rest periods other than actual rest. Maintaining your focus is important.

    Agree with this, with the exception of the phone. I have a timer set on mine, preset to countdown my planned rest time. Finish a set, hit the button, when the phone beeps back to the bar. Rinse and repeat.
  • paygep
    paygep Posts: 401 Member
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    I, too, agree with those who suggested Jefit App. You can set up your program, schedule it, it leads you through each set and you can even time your rests between sets. It keeps track of how much weight and your reps too, so you can track your progress :)
    I love it
  • shane_tac1
    shane_tac1 Posts: 35 Member
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    How long have you been training alone? It takes awhile to get into the groove of training alone if you have trained with a workout partner.
    When I started out lifting I used to always train with a partner but I found when my partner didn't show, I would often either do a half assed workout or not bother going at all so I decided to just focus on training alone. It took quite awhile to get used to this though. It's like breaking a habit. Keep doing it enough and it will become second nature.

    I have my own gym in my basement and train alone all the time now. I prefer it that way. I can train on my schedule any time I want.
    I know for some that just isn't possible as the equipment is right there they just procrastinate instead of actually doing it telling themselves well it will be there tomorrow I will do it tomorrow and they just never do. As i said above it needs to become a habit.
    To help me workout though and focus I purchased some inexpensive bluetooth speakers so I could hook my phone up to them. I went through my music and made all the music that got me pumped into a folder on my cloud so I could stream it all on random and it wouldn't feel like I'm listening to the same play list every time. I also picked up a magnetic oven timer. I used to use my phone but the magnetic timer just clips onto the posts of my functional trainer and I can easily set the time up and down without having to keep reaching for my phone. When I have days where I don't want to train or my workout feels sluggish I just tell myself its 1 hour out of my day so suck it up and do it! Most people spend much more time watching junk tv.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
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    I'm downloading the Jefit App- this many people suggest it and it's free might as well give it a try.
    How long have you been training alone?

    I just set up our home gym and today marked my first week of Lifting alone. Much tougher than I thought.

    I've been doing Insanity and Les Mills at home Body Pump, but was dissatisfied with the results. They worked OK but nothing was as good as the results I got from heavy lifting at the gym.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    One way I'm motivated to workout alone is that 1.) I usually have to hurry and do what I need to do to get back to the kids and 2.) I LOVE that ME TIME.

    I checked your profile and since you're a mom, I'm sure you feel me.

    Do pictures motivate you? I have an instagram and follow lots of fitness people. I usually take a quick look before working out and it motivates me!
  • phuckingbadasscutie
    phuckingbadasscutie Posts: 1,619 Member
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    How long have you been training alone? It takes awhile to get into the groove of training alone if you have trained with a workout partner.
    When I started out lifting I used to always train with a partner but I found when my partner didn't show, I would often either do a half assed workout or not bother going at all so I decided to just focus on training alone. It took quite awhile to get used to this though. It's like breaking a habit. Keep doing it enough and it will become second nature.

    I have my own gym in my basement and train alone all the time now. I prefer it that way. I can train on my schedule any time I want.
    I know for some that just isn't possible as the equipment is right there they just procrastinate instead of actually doing it telling themselves well it will be there tomorrow I will do it tomorrow and they just never do. As i said above it needs to become a habit.
    To help me workout though and focus I purchased some inexpensive bluetooth speakers so I could hook my phone up to them. I went through my music and made all the music that got me pumped into a folder on my cloud so I could stream it all on random and it wouldn't feel like I'm listening to the same play list every time. I also picked up a magnetic oven timer. I used to use my phone but the magnetic timer just clips onto the posts of my functional trainer and I can easily set the time up and down without having to keep reaching for my phone. When I have days where I don't want to train or my workout feels sluggish I just tell myself its 1 hour out of my day so suck it up and do it! Most people spend much more time watching junk tv.

    I agree with this. I lift at home by myself. For me it's easier because I can do it on my schedule not someone else's. I have 4 kids so I plan it around nap times etc. I also crank some good tunes and just keep telling myself I won't get the results I want if I don't do it and push myself.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    I've been lifting alone in my garage since June of last year. You have to want it. Deep down, there has to be that fire that pushes you. Remember why you train and who you train for. I went out there 3-4 times a week in negative degree weather. Put on my thickest winter coat, doubled up socks and gloves. I pushed through and knowing I wanted it that bad...That I would risk comfort because I wanted to improve both mentally and physically, it really kept the fire burning. I take my phone out and listen to Pandora. Music helps keep me in the zone and non - distracted
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
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    I work out at home by myself. I agree with using a timer for rest. Have you examined what you do when you get off track during a rest period? Picking up socks, answering the phone or any number of household distractions can put you off track. What works for me is to try to do my workout when hubby is still sleeping and to block everything else out of my mind. This is my time and when I am working out, I tolerate no distractions. I don't have children at home anymore, but I can sympathize.
  • shane_tac1
    shane_tac1 Posts: 35 Member
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    Ah so not long then. Yeah don't get discouraged. It takes awhile to get used to. In the long run if you can get over that hurdle of motivating yourself it becomes awesome and means you can workout when you want to! My buddies in the UK (I moved to Canada) all train together still, about 4 of them at times and we all chat in a group on viber. Watching them all chatting and having to move their schedules around to make it fit for everyone just makes it overly complicated to me.
    Like tonight I have worked right through till 7 (my office is next door to my gym in the basement) and I don't have to head off to a gym to rush in a workout and rush home again. I can go train at 9 or 10 if I want to.

    My gf bought insanity. She tried to get me to do it but I didn't like the looks of the program.I tend to steer away from massive amounts of cardio. Weights and diet are all I need to gain weight and lose weight.
    What equipment did you kit your gym out with?
  • dweat62
    dweat62 Posts: 12 Member
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    Hey man find someone to train with everyday! If you don't want to do that you can take the iPod headphone approach. But at my gym, when my training partners have a different schedule than me I will just recruit someone for the day! It helps meet new people and who knows, you could find a long term partner..... Lifting partner.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
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    I will be the first to admit I'm slow when it comes to technology. But that Jefit App is a little confusing. I'm turned it on this morning and realized that I need to do some pre-programming with it before I work out, so next time.
    My gf bought insanity. She tried to get me to do it but I didn't like the looks of the program.I tend to steer away from massive amounts of cardio. Weights and diet are all I need to gain weight and lose weight.
    What equipment did you kit your gym out with?

    I like being told what to do and just having to do it. No thinking involved- just follow along. Plus there were circumstances and I knew I wasn't going to have weight access for a while and didn't want to fall behind.

    So far we have 2 barbells - enough plates for 100lbs (total bar weight - which more than enough for me at this point). And an incline trainer (like a treadmill but has a much higher incline level). We're working on getting a bench and rack.
  • shane_tac1
    shane_tac1 Posts: 35 Member
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    I will be the first to admit I'm slow when it comes to technology. But that Jefit App is a little confusing. I'm turned it on this morning and realized that I need to do some pre-programming with it before I work out, so next time.
    My gf bought insanity. She tried to get me to do it but I didn't like the looks of the program.I tend to steer away from massive amounts of cardio. Weights and diet are all I need to gain weight and lose weight.
    What equipment did you kit your gym out with?

    I like being told what to do and just having to do it. No thinking involved- just follow along. Plus there were circumstances and I knew I wasn't going to have weight access for a while and didn't want to fall behind.

    So far we have 2 barbells - enough plates for 100lbs (total bar weight - which more than enough for me at this point). And an incline trainer (like a treadmill but has a much higher incline level). We're working on getting a bench and rack.

    Everyone is different so if you like having the workout planned out and following along to it there is nothing wrong with that.

    The bench and rack would be well worth while purchases! Can do everything once you have those.
    I kitted out our workout room with nearly the works (I still need to get a power rack) by looking on sites like Kijiji (A Canadian site) and Craiglist and just looking around at stores offering items on clearance. Can get amazing deals.

    You could even get away with using a swiss ball, which you can pick up dirt cheap from Walmart, to use as temp bench?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    you answered yourself in the first line of your original post.

    put on your big girl panties and dig deep.

    you'll only have yourself to thank later when you're stronger, leaner, and kicking *kitten* all over the place.


    yeah, this.


    maybe have some music playing. i know that i'll start a set at the beginning of a song, and usually stop and rest until the start of the next song.

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