Maybe you could use the curling up with a blanket and cup of hot cider as a reward for doing "x" minutes of exercise.

katematt313 wrote: »

garber6th wrote: »

It can be so hard to get motivated. I get up at 4:30 every morning to go to the gym. I am not thrilled about it, but once I get there I am so glad I did. Seriously, I lay in bed negotiating with myself sometimes - "I will stay in bed 10 more minutes, then I will go", or "Maybe I will just go after work". I have to remember every day how life was for me pre-surgery, and that I made the choice to change my life to make it better. I know how much happier I am and how much better I feel, and that is what motivates me. I had trouble with water at one point too, so I downloaded an app called wateryourbody. It reminds me to drink water and it really does help.

All that said, sometimes we just get tired, and sometimes we just need down time to decompress. Do everything you need to do, but also be good to yourself. It's a balancing act. Last Saturday I took a spin class at 8 am, then I spent the rest of the day in my jammies watching crappy TV and drinking coffee. It was awesome, because I hardly ever do that, and I need to do more of that. And one last thing - I don't force myself to have the correct attitude when I work out at 5 am. I don't have to be a ray of sunshine. I just have to get there :-)

I tried this. On Saturday morning, the baby woke me up at 5:30 and I could not go back to sleep. So, I got out of bed, put on my running gear, and went out and did 3 miles. Granted, I froze my tush off (18 degrees) and learned the hard way that I need fleece lined pants to exercise outside, but I felt so good about myself that it colored the rest of my day.

So awesome! This morning I was up at 3:30 and I couldn't go back to sleep, so I ironed (only quiet thing I could think of!) and then at 4:30 I left for the gym. It's such a good feeling to start off the day with a real accomplishment, isn't it?

I used Crystal Lite all the time to get my water in. It's only got 5 calories per 8 ounces and my doctor said it was okay since it was just flavor and it was getting me to get all my water in.

I'm terrible at making myself do what I just don't feel like doing. But sometimes you've got to kick your own behind and force yourself to do it. It's only X minutes out of my day, then it'll be over and I can chill. In the winter it's hard to get me to the gym... if I don't go on my way home from work, it's not happening.

Two weeks in the grand scheme of things isn't a huge setback. It's winter, it's cold, it's tough to stay on the grind. Cut yourself a little slack, but keep your goals top of mind. Look at your old before pictures and ask yourself if that's where you ever want to be again. If not, kick your own booty and make some moves.

jkern9110 wrote: »

Thank you for this post! It was a great read. I had a follow up question for all of you morning gym bunnies...do you find it easier to work out in the morning and what is it like trying to get ready at the gym? It always seemed like a logistical nightmare to get ready there. Just curious. TIA.

I used to work out in the evenings after work but I prefer mornings now. Sometimes I do NOT want to get out of bed, but once I get there I am glad I did! I have no problem getting ready in the morning. I just have my clothes ready the night before so I can roll out of bed, get dressed, and go. Fortunately I live about a two minute drive from the gym, so I go home after my workout to shower and change and get ready for work. One of the best things for me about working out in the morning is that it really sets a good tone for the rest of the day because I start off accomplishing something, I feel great after working out, and it keeps my evenings free.

Where do you live? The reason I ask is I have a moderately severe case of Seasonal Affective Distorder. That means in the winter months, even here in Texas, I can find it hard to get moving. My body and mind go into "hibernation" ("depression") mode. What helps me is having a very regular bedtime and wake up time, and the use of full spectrum lamps a couple of times a day.

It's VERY hard to be motivated if you have any form of depression, including just a "physical reaction" depression. You have to work to get past it, or see a medical professional for pharmaceutical intervention.

I'm not saying that you HAVE "S.A.D.", but it is something to look into if this happens whenever there are "gray skies" for more than one or two days. In my case, it's less than 12 hours of "gray skies" that will trigger the physical reaction. I think it may be more barometric pressure response than sunlight response, but the effect is the same. I have to work at not being a slug. So far, I have not had to use drugs, but I did move from Virginia to Central Texas and I did invest in those full spectrum lights. That notwithstanding, I still have days I have to "tough out," but not nearly as many.

I hope this helps.

I am glad that someone hit on this topic. I am at a slacking point and I think that @glyndalin is right about the S.A.D. When it's cold and gloomy here in Illinois, all I want to do is sit and sleep, watch tv and do nothing.
The other is that I get so frustrated that I don't have time. I would love to go to the gym and work out, but with work and school, and a kid, I am hard pressed to even find time to sleep. So I struggle to find things that I can do at home, quickly. I have the materials, (yoga ball, resistance bands, hand weights), I just need direction.