How does anyone get motivated to go to the gym?

Until it becomes a habit, just always be thinking about what you're fighting for and why you're doing this.

It's all about habit. You are used to being lazy so your body wants to continue being lazy. You just have to do it. I was determined to create new healthy habits so I just kept going. Now I have tons of friends that I get to see when I go (I always know someone who is there it seems) so the days I'm feeling blah about it, I go to be social. My body also goes crazy if I sit around for a few days without doing anything.

in the beginning it's nice to have a friend go with you - hold each other accountable & makes you feel bolder to try the big boy weights or something new

Don't go home first. Change your clothes on your way out of work and head right to the gym!

You don't have to go to the gym. You can workout at home!

lol...true but hopefully by that time you have gotten into the habit of going & met some people & see some results.

when my daughter was a baby one of my (ex) husband's co-workers invited me to go to Jazzercise with her & her mom. We were new in town & I knew I needed exercise so I got him to commit to keeping our daughter a couple of times a week while I worked out. Needless to say the friends quit almost immediately & I was terribly out of shape & my husband suddenly had to work late & couldn't help me. But...people were nice there & let me bring my daughter. I potty trained her during class! Now she's 20 & I've an instructor for almost 13 years & I have friends I've known the entire time! One of my students now is the lady who sold me my very first ticket!

In the end we all go it alone. In the beginning it's nice to have company. It's kind of intimidating to walk through the doors the first day. Everyone seems to know everyone else & what they should be doing.

It is cliché, but you have to want to be better, more than you want to sit on your behind. I go in the middle of the day, that works for me. Also, once you get in the groove, you will feel so much better and you wont be shattered after work!

I agree with others that it takes creating a habit, however, if you dislike the gym so much why not find a different way to workout? I do a combination of walking and hiking outdoors, yoga classes at a yoga studio, and lifting weights at home. Figure out what you would enjoy, or the least objectionable exercise to do, then make a plan for when and treat it like an appointment or a job.

Honestly, even though I've had a gym membership and been doing this for a year, it wasn't until the past two months that I started going regularly (three days lifting, two days cardio). You just do it as a part of your day, like everything else. If you're not comfortable there and you live in a warmer climate, take a walk outside every day, or ride a bike.

I put it in my calendar and go. *shrugs* Mood is for cattle and making love...

Once it becomes a habit then it becomes easy to keep on going to the gym. Getting started is the hard part for sure. It helps a lot if you have someone you know to go with you to keep you motivated so you don't skip out when you're tired.
Other than that, just realize that it's not always about looking better but to start living healthier. The feeling when you start to notice progress is amazing.
Also regarding the work situation. Go before work if possible. Just make sure you sleep early. If you really want it then you will prioritize and manage your time for the things you that matter to you the most!
Good luck!

I get up at 4am and have my lunch and everything packed in my car and hit the gym by 5am. It gives me energy for the day and It goes by really fast. I use a personal trainer in a group setting which holds me accountable.

Pack a gym bag and take it to work with you, then head to the gym ASAP. Don't go home! Sometimes it's not about motivation, it's just about getting yourself into the habit. Or even just making that decision and sticking to it. Tell yourself, "We're going to the gym today" and don't let yourself back out of that decision. You'll feel better for it.

ALSO! Always go to the gym with a plan. Don't show up and wander aimlessly, because then it is kind of a waste of time and you won't feel like you've accomplished anything.

I like the idea of exercising at home or outdoors instead, but that's because for me the idea of going to a gym fills me with dread from the social anxiety of it. I can work with the public and give speeches but the very idea of having to interact (in ANY small way) with new people while also exercising just blows my mind. No thanks.