How do you guys motivate yourself to exercise
NutellaByTheSpoon
Posts: 41
I have finally decided to lose weight and I want to know how do you motivate yourself to exercise?
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Replies
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I found something I love to do
I love lifting heavy weights so it's not a chore..I look forward to it as stress relief.
I like walking with my husband
I love being on my bike
Find something you love to do and it wont feel like exercise...
That being said you don't need exercise to lose weight...you need a calorie deficet.
Exercise can add to your deficet and is good for health but not necessary for weight loss.0 -
I love lifting weights, but honestly, I only go about half the times I say I intend to unless my sister is also going. Having someone else to hold you accountable REALLY helps.
My husband loves taekwondo, so we do that 3 nights a week too He doesn't need any accountability partner, he'd go 5 days a week all by himself if I'd let him.
Like Sezxy said, you do need a calorie deficit to lose weight, but definitely try to work out too. It will keep your body in better shape and when you do lose weight, you'll only look better for it. Very few people regret exercising or lifting weights once they reach their goal weight0 -
I love my gym sessions so generally motivation isn't a problem for me.. But on some of those gloomy rainy horrible days (that are oh so typical for London) , when all you want to do is stay in bed I find really helpful leaving my house wearing the gym clothes already. As I train at college it leaves me with no excuses and I have to go.. I'm the master of tricking myself.:D0
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I found exercise that I love that has an awesome social community. If I'm not feeling up to going, I just think of all the fun I have by starting the day with my friends.0
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I have a training plan. Mine is 16 weeks, but if you do two weeks at a time, it's easier to stick to. Start small - 10 minutes a day or 30 minutes a day. I do it first thing in the AM so nothing else interrupts my day.0
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Find a workout that gives you some kind of joy/find a way to bring fun into your workouts. I like walking the dogs because they love it, they keep me going, and I can go further and further along the trails each time. Some people like the running apps like Zombies! Run (something like that?) that has you pretend you're being chased by zombies. There are also other apps for group fitness, like Pact (formerly GymPact) that you pledge money in. For example, I could have a $3 pledge to work out 2X per week. If I don't work out that week, I am out $6. But, if I do work out that week, I get a few dollars from someone else who didn't work out.0
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I have a Pinterest board with pics of women in bikinis that I look at when I need motivation.
I think about how much money I've committed to spending for our gym membership and how I don't want that to go to waste.
My 18 year old son is my workout buddy at the gym, so time with him before he flies the coop is important to me.
And finally, I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of quitting smoking. Exercise has become my substitute so if I don't exercise, I have more time to think about the cravings that I still get. I want to stay quit and I want to be in good shape.0 -
I found something I don't hate doing. It makes me look and feel better so I keep doing it.0
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Find something you enjoying doing that isn't too much of a chore for you.
For instance, I do zumba at home on my xbox 360 (I have tried the videos and such but I find the game is much closer to being in a class which I love but just don't have someone to watch my daughter while I go so this works for me).
My family has chosen to have only one car which my hubby takes to work so if I want to go anywhere I either have to walk, rollerblade, or bike (which I bike of course most of the time). This allows you to get some nice exercise in and you become less lazy.
If you want to do workout videos at home because that works more for you than going to the gym then do them...but try out a few and make them enjoyable. Not easy, but enjoyable. Focus on the feeling. Add your own music in the background if you want.0 -
I have always had a tough time with this in the past. I bought an elliptical and stuck it in a central room in my house--the most central as a matter of fact. Guests will have to deal. It reminds me daily I need to do something, if not the elliptical then something else. I also have my resistance bands, etc. in that same room. I am making fitness a focal point of my life so why not make it a focal point in my living space? I really had to get past the "who cares if this stuff is all over this room" and embrace it. It's working.0
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1. Find a type of exercise you love to do
2. Find good tunes to get you through, if that's your thing
3. Motivate with the food you'll eat later after you burn those extra calories (this alone gets me through plodding hour+ long runs)
Sometimes the perks of exercise are enough to motivate you: you get an endorphin burst, and as you feel yourself getting stronger, there's more appeal to exercise0 -
I only needed one more credit to graduate, so i took a PE class that was exactly one credit. If I didn't go and exercise then I wouldn't get my degree. LOL0
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Have a specific goal in mind to accomplish with your workouts.
For me, the concept of "working out is just something you do until you die" never stuck with me, and I hated it. But I set a goal in my mind to complete a triathlon race. So now when I work out, it's to get stronger so that I can meet my goal. It could be a race, maybe a specific weight you get to on a lift or maybe it's a distance you want to ride a bike...just make something your carrot to chase.0 -
When I started exercise, it was difficult, I wasn't used to that kind of stuff so to motivate me I usually thought about the treat that those calories would have allowed me
Now, I started to like moving!0 -
Definitely find something you love to do. But there is also this: Getting started exercising sucks sometimes. BUT, once you've kicked your own butt with some hard core exercise, when you stop you feel great. My motivation is those endorphins. Nothing feels as good as the sense of accomplishment and well-being you get after a good workout. I run. I love it, but sometimes I just don't want to do it. On the 'I don't wanna' days, I do it just because I know I'll feel great when I stop. LOL!0
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For me, vanity doesn't work for pooh!
I need to have a performance, event based, dates on the calendar.
This Saturday I am registered for a 10K with my fiance. When we come home that afternoon, we will be looking for our next 10K, or possible a 15K for cancer run we are already eyeing and then register.
In January, I am registered for the Goofy, that is 13.1 on Saturday, and then 26.2 on Sunday.
In Feb I have a 50K I am registered for, and should I survive, I have a 50 miler I'd like to do in March.
I also play on a softball team Sunday nights.
I am motivated by people, and events.
that is all
Todd0 -
I like things where I am constantly able to challenge myself, like running, where I can always up my pace or my distance or my intervals. Makes it fun to see how much more you can do today than the day before.0
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I agree with what has been said here. I've also found that, for me, it is more about discipline than motivation. Motivation comes and goes in waves like most emotions. When I am most successful, however, it is because I've made a decision to do something and then just do it without relying on how I feel about it at the moment.
I still feel it is important to find something you really enjoy and surround yourself in an encouraging environment as much as possible.0 -
Things that make me motivated:
-I go onto the web, and look at before and after pics and read weight loss testimonials
-look at a picture of myself that I hate
-hang up a small dress that I want to slim into0 -
Step 1 Take My Shirt Off
Step 2 Look In the Mirror
Step 3 Turn Sideways
Step 4 Shake Head In Disappointment
Step 5 Go Burn More Calories
Step 6 *Have An Awesome Playlist (optional)
* May result in more calories burned than originally planned and/or overuse injuries.0 -
Find things that you enjoy...try things you think you won't enjoy because sometimes you'll surprise yourself, and keep a good variety going. Even your favorite type of workout will no longer be fun or terribly helpful if you focus on it 24/7. I'm a very visual person; I like having inspiration board(s) with some fitness goals, little reminders, etc. Also, I make my goals fit the "SMART" criteria...Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time oriented. Holding yourself accountable on multiple levels like that will help avoid having goals that are too abstract or don't feel rewarding as you're progressing.0
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Sometimes it's tough. Like right now for example I have to do a brick and it's drizzly outside so I am trying to muster up the energy to get my *kitten* out there and do my run and bike. While I could do it inside I am sick of hitting the TM and trainer (plus it doesn't help me much for the race).
But in all honesty sometimes you just have to suck it up and just go. Think about how good you'll feel when it's done.0 -
It looks like everyone is saying the same things but I personally sports train instead of workout. I play hockey, box and swim. I take lessons for each. That way I work on seeing improvement in my skills not on the scale. Its more rewarding for me. I guess the common theme here is to try to find something you like to do and do it. Focus on fun not calories. Make small goals like running a 5K or joining a team. Good Luck!0
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I'm one of those people who enjoys exercising while I'm doing it, but the hard part is getting started. Also because I have plantar fasciitis I'm restricted in what I can do - no long walks, running, or stairs. So I have to get my exercise in formal workouts instead of walking miles a day like I used to.
So I've made it a routine. Monday and Thursday I do spin class, Wednesday I swim with a friend. Every morning I do 10 minutes of weight training, rotating between core, arms, and legs. It's gotten to be automatic for me.
Another motivator for me is this game called HabitRPG. It's a role playing game that you play by getting things done. If I'm not motivated to exercise, I know that I'll hurt my team members if I don't click that box.0 -
Step 1 Take My Shirt Off
Step 2 Look In the Mirror
Step 3 Turn Sideways
Step 4 Shake Head In Disappointment
Step 5 Go Burn More Calories
Step 6 *Have An Awesome Playlist (optional)
* May result in more calories burned than originally planned and/or overuse injuries.
Pretty much this.0 -
Step 1 Take My Shirt Off
Step 2 Look In the Mirror
Step 3 Turn Sideways
Step 4 Shake Head In Disappointment
Step 5 Go Burn More Calories
Step 6 *Have An Awesome Playlist (optional)
* May result in more calories burned than originally planned and/or overuse injuries.
Pretty much this.
Yep, this method is also effective.0 -
So I've made it a routine. Monday and Thursday I do spin class, Wednesday I swim with a friend. Every morning I do 10 minutes of weight training, rotating between core, arms, and legs. It's gotten to be automatic for me.
This is what I was going to suggest. I'd recommend finding something that you enjoy doing to start with, and then do it regularly, consistently for 30 days. Even if its something you enjoy you;ll find it tough to make yourself do it at first. I've read that it takes a human about 30 days of consistently doing something to make a habit out of it, so if you start out slow with something that you can enjoy you'll be able to last long enough so you don't have to force yourself to do it as much, and can move on to other/maybe more intense workouts.
I started out my fitness journey with Insanity, and once I managed to get through month 1, the "recovery" week felt like I was cheating since I'd made the hard workouts a habit. After I finished that I started a habit of hitting the gym for weight lifting in the morning before work 2x a week. Getting up at 5:30 to go lift heavy stuff was hard at first, but now its a habit and I've trained my brain that Wednesday is deadlift day so I'd better be ready to enjoy it.
Start with something you can stick with, and make it a habit. Once you do that you don't have to motivate yourself at all, your body does it without conscious thought.0 -
Step 1 Take My Shirt Off
Step 2 Look In the Mirror
Step 3 Turn Sideways
Step 4 Shake Head In Disappointment
Step 5 Go Burn More Calories
Step 6 *Have An Awesome Playlist (optional)
* May result in more calories burned than originally planned and/or overuse injuries.
Pretty much this.
Yep, this method is also effective.
ETA: remember what I used to look like and know I don't want to look like again
and Step 5a - Go Lift Heavy Things / Put Them Down / Repeat0 -
Having a great playlist is the key to having a great workout/run!!!! I always feel like a super woman after a run so that kinda drives me too.0
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I just find working out fun. I really like strength training, that's what gets me the most excited. Good music, good atmosphere at the gym, seeing results in the mirror, the scale, your power, the "lifter's high", just something fun to do0
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