Finding the motivation to exercise

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  • kellysmith410
    kellysmith410 Posts: 58 Member
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    When I first started to exercise regularly, I went to a gym that I had to pass on my way home from work, packed my gym bag in the morning and brought it with me and then told myself everyday when I was leaving work that I was going to my second job - aka the gym.

    We all get up and go to work everyday even if we don't want to, right?
    So for the first part of my fitness journey, that's what I did. 90% of it is just making it through the door. I even find the act of changing into my gym clothes enough to get me there.

    Now that I've been doing it for long enough and incorporating training in that I enjoy, I no longer need motivation to go. I just go because it feels right, I enjoy it, and it's what I do.
    I recognize it takes a bit to get there, but if you take those steps to help create it as a habit, it eventually gets easier and even enjoyable :)

    Best of luck to you!
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
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    For me, my motivation is two fold

    For lifting, how my body looks, i like the muscles I am building.

    For cardio, I enjoy being able to eat what I want and still lose weight. I doubt I would be able to accomplish that without exercise.
  • Stella3838
    Stella3838 Posts: 439 Member
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    I sure can't wait until the weather gets a little warmer where I'm at. All the things I do that are exercise, but never really feels like it, such as kayaking, push mowing the lawn (yes, I enjoy that!), riding my bike, walking more (it's still too dark in the morning and night to do it during the week), sailing.... My point is I know I get locked in that stigma of working out is at the gym or on a cardio machine. We can do lots of things, fun things, that get the heart rate up and are good for us. Seasonality permitting. :)
  • coleg04
    coleg04 Posts: 126 Member
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    Stella3838 wrote: »
    I sure can't wait until the weather gets a little warmer where I'm at. All the things I do that are exercise, but never really feels like it, such as kayaking, push mowing the lawn (yes, I enjoy that!), riding my bike, walking more (it's still too dark in the morning and night to do it during the week), sailing.... My point is I know I get locked in that stigma of working out is at the gym or on a cardio machine. We can do lots of things, fun things, that get the heart rate up and are good for us. Seasonality permitting. :)

    Do what I did- Move to South Florida haha
  • jennyi27
    jennyi27 Posts: 114 Member
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    I feel your pain. I am definitely not a fan of exercising now, but it was far worse when I first started. Therefore, going to the gym required a lot of reminding myself that I was wasting money if I didn't go. Then I discovered an evening water aerobics class in my town. And I have always LOVED the water. I did water aerobics twice a week. I rationalized that if I go to water aerobics plus only one day at the gym, that's 3 days of exercise. Basically I found a way to establish a routine with exercising AND limit the amount of time I had to spend getting all sweaty in a gym. WIN WIN!
  • rdmitch
    rdmitch Posts: 278 Member
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    Not a big fan of the gym scene. But you can have some fun while you get in some cardio at home.
    I bought a Nintendo wii and there are fun games to do like tennis, bowling, sword fighting etc.
    It's fun to do and does get you a good little exercise. There are also lots of wii fitness things like
    Workouts that you go right along with the instructor and it trackers and scores for you.
    More like playing than excersize and helps get you to a point where you look forward to the experience.
    This helped me work up to other videos and tapes to work out with.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    TigerLily100 wrote: »
    Can exercise be fun so that you really want to do it?

    Yes. And that's what it should be for everyone. If squats and lunges aren't fun for you (I don't know how anyone could enjoy and look forward to them!) try hiking, canoeing, cycling, etc, until you find something you want to do.
  • TigerLily100
    TigerLily100 Posts: 81 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Thanks all, I just returned to the post today and only seen many of the replies.
    Lots to think about.

    Well I bought an indoor exercise bike, the logic being I can listen to rock music which I love and really give it a burst on energy and I can do it at home and hop on even if I only have a spare 15 mins. I have a real bike as well that I love getting out on in the warmer months.

    Have persevered with some body weight exercises and they are most definitely getting easier, it's also easier as I've managed to fit it in at work, meaning I get paid for the pain ;)

    So I think quick bursts of energy, high intensity is going to work for me, and from talking to people this can work for fat burning.....I hope. My colleague at work who is in really good shape swears by it, he says give it all you have got for a short time and lay off and do it again. I think he said something about HIIT which I need to look into further.

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