What motivates you?

kluinstra · January 2011

I'm having a difficult time getting motivated to exercise. I walk daily, but doing the strenuous stuff that makes us sweat and release endorphines....I can't get into it. I have the tools. I have the energy. I don't have the "umph" to do it though.

So, what motivates you?

Frappuzzino · January 2011

I try to think about being healthier and the positives of being healthier. If I'm having a lazy day, I try to tell myself that I'll feel better and accomplished if I go ahead and get the exercise out of the way. It helps alot!

laineylee · January 2011

I had a hard time finding something that I enjoyed, and that left me unmotivated. I work out at home, I dont have time to go to a gym, and most of the DVD's either had complex routines, or, were full of jumping jacks, squatting, push ups that it killed my joints.

Then I found leslie Sansone. I LOVE her DVD's, I love that I can do them and the more effort I put in thew more I get out of it. They are fun, and they REALLY work. It is really hard to feel motivated if you dont like what you are doing. It also helps if you have a work out buddy, my daughter walks with me (she is 17) and my 6 and 3 yr old like to do her work outs too!

Depplover28 · January 2011

I try to think about how healthy and fit I'm going to be when I reach my goal. And how good I'll look in a bikini this summer

jparson714 · January 2011

You have to find something you love. I like getting on the eliptical but it was easy for me to quit. I am seriously addicted to Zumba. I wanted to Zumba twice today, but I knew I couldn't eat enough calories. I honestly can't wait to do it tomorrow. I have only taken 3 days off of it in the last 17 days. Two of those days were because I had company and no place to go.

bowserette · January 2011

I love the feeling I get after a hard workout, but I have a hard time getting started. I've found that once I start, it gets a lot easier. I can focus on numbers, and I give myself a time limit, encouraging myself for "just five more minutes" for as long as I need to. I also like certain distractions, like watching TV (our gym has little TVs attached to the cardio machines) or listening to my iPod. I found a few podcasts I save for listening to while working out, and that's helping. I want to finish Chapter 2, but I'm saving it for the bike tonight.

Switching it up also helps. I can't just do the same workout everyday. The bike and the treadmill are really the only cardio machines I can do right now, but some days I'll start with the treadmill, and other days I'll start with the bike. Some days I'll get my heart rate up on the treadmill by increasing the speed, and sometimes I'll do it by throwing in an incline. When I lost weight years ago, I had two workout videos I would play over and over -- a yoga video, which was more for stretching and relaxation (but still helped me be active for a bit), and a belly dancing video. I love music, so the belly dancing one was very fun, and I always worked up a sweat! My core was super strong from that one, too. (Speaking of, I'll have to find that video again for this time around...)

The important thing is to find something you like to do. You can also do little things throughout the day to help, like parking farther away from the store so you have to walk a little more, or dancing while you cook or clean. Don't think of exercise as this strenuous chore, or you'll never get into it. And even walking is great exercise! It's nice because you can go on different routes, take a friend, and get some fresh air.

You'll do just fine.

Try something new every day until you find a few things you enjoy, then alternate between those. You can do it!

melzteach · January 2011

For me I need to workout everyday to keep my motivation up. I can get bored with most workout dvd's pretty quickly so I have to pick ones that keep me interested. A friend of ours told us about P90X and I love it! There's something different everyday and even though it's at least an hour workout I feel great when I'm done.

With my schedule I have to get up pretty early but until I got serious about my health and what I want to accomplish motivation was pretty low. I'd suggest NOT doing the same thing every workout, mix it up! Give yourself a reward at the end of the week and eventually you have the motivation you need. My reward is workout day happens to fall on Fridays. I can either have a rest day or stretch. Since, stretching is my favorite and feels fantastic I only get to do it if I've done the rest of my exercises.

Good luck and continue to utilize the great support system here on MFP. I think we started on the same day (Jan 1) so maybe we can come up with a challenge or competition or something. What do you think?

bottom · January 2011

I just signed up to run a marathon! I'm running with Teams in Training (look 'em up!), and they totally train you. I have a whole mess of people encouraging me and training me to do it. And if I don't, I'm screwed, because I've told everyone I'm doing it, and asked them to donate to cancer research in my name.
Perhaps there's some goal you could work up to that would motivate you on a daily basis? Teams in Training trains for 1/2 marathons, marathons, triathlons, hikes, etc.

What motivates you?

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