Beginner Needs Motivation

mrsxtal
mrsxtal Posts: 1 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
When starting to exercise again, howner do you motivate yourself to get up to exercise every day?

I am trying to get myself to exercise after a long hiatus. I have asked family & friends if they want to start also, which every one said no except for 1 friend that lives many miles away. Some of my family / friends even make jokes about how terrible it is to exercise, how nobody ever sticks to it for more than a week, aski me why would I want to walk on a treadmill, and some even discourages me by offering all of these yummy unhealthy foods almost daily. I have no one but myself when it comes to eexercising. My one long distance friend is only available to chat like once every 2 weeks.

So I wanted to know any tips you have in motivating yourself when it seems like everyone you know is against the idea. I'm trying to do something good, but it gets hard when everyone laughs at the idea.

Replies

  • Unknown
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  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited October 2016
    Set a goal, do what ever it takes for you to achieve it and don't bother talking to anyone else about it (except those who are supportive of your desire to achieve that goal).

    Good luck!
  • Unknown
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  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    i've always benefitted from having at least one person i could report my daily whatever to. i'm cagey about telling rl people too much about it for a range of reasons, but internet friends or some kind of group has always been helpful to me.

    doesn't need to be much. but when you've just done something it is nice to be able to say 'i did it!'
  • gorple76
    gorple76 Posts: 162 Member
    I think it's probably a very personal thing finding motivation, but FWIW, I've found it by doing the following. Making sure the exercise I do doesn't hurt so much it puts me off (I run and I took it so slowly and gently, no session felt tough for the first few months). I had to get up early but find that if I've set my alarm for 5am, not getting up and exercising feels like I disturbed my sleep for no good reason, so it's better to just get up and do it whatever the weather. I sign up for races and follow plans - ticking stuff off feels good and announcing a race keeps me accountable (I did my first marathon a few weeks ago so it really works for me!). Finally, I've spent a lot of time considering why I want to be fit and healthy and the biggest motivation is so that my daughter grows up thinking women are strong and determined. In her main role model right now and that pushes me out of the door like nothing else.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Find something you enjoy. It is very hard to stick to exercise on the long run unless you actually look forward to it. Find some activity that you think you will like, or that at least looks interesting: walk or jog outdoors, get a bike, walk to work instead of taking the car/bus, find a pool and try swimming, look for a class that sounds interesting (and being part of a group usually helps with motivation too), try a new (for you) type of exercise, like lift if you have never tried it before, or get into a bodyweight routine if you have only tried lifting in the past, try something like zumba or spinning if you used to walk/run so far for cardio etc.
  • nicoleexo2015
    nicoleexo2015 Posts: 98 Member
    edited October 2016
    What motivated me to exercise was to release the stress I was experiencing and I had trouble with insomnia. I was going through rough time . I would exercise at gym at night as a way to clear my mind and time to myself. I would read a book or listen to music while doing cardio . I would study for my college classes at the gym or listen to podcasts .Setting a certain time a day to exercise is helpful. Make a schedule. Keeping track by logging in exercise on my fitness pal or using a fitness tracker or steps tracker. Make small goals for yourself. Ex: I'm going to workout on treadmill for 10 mins once a day and walk 3 laps around the track everyday. Start small and then aim higher . You can find a fitness buddy and hold yourself accountable . Find different ways to exercise . For example , I found fitness videos on YouTube but dance ones. I suggest try Fitness Marshall on YouTube . He's very funny and humorous , uses current music , and the dances aren't hard for beginners. I made extra cash as a dog walker and walked dogs. I would park further distances In my car to walk, take the steps in the building instead of the elevator, make reading goals for when u exercise , and etc . Just incorporate exercise and physical activity into what you do everyday and what you enjoy
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I enjoy the exercise that I do and look forward to it because it makes me feel good. That's all the motivation I need. Have you found activities that you enjoy or are you exercising for the sake of exercising?
  • CindyFooWho
    CindyFooWho Posts: 179 Member
    You'll feel more motivated when exercise becomes less about how it makes you LOOK and more about how it makes you FEEL. Start your workout plan and forget about what it does to your waistline and pay close attention to what it does for your spirit.

    We've all heard about endorphins, but exercise, by nature, forces you to breathe deeply. It's hard to feel stress, if only for a time, when you're breathing deeply.

    After a while, you'll notice that you are stronger. Do not underestimate how AMAZING this is. Having a lighter, stronger body to cart you through life is exactly the same as having a really sweet car. It runs fast, it runs well, it's fun to drive and you can rely on it to take you anywhere.

    When you notice these things, it's becomes difficult NOT to exercise.
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