How do you motivate yourself and stay consistent?

My motivation is knowing how I will feel afterward. Plus I taught myself to get into my work out clothes at my scheduled time Sorta feels like cheating if I then don't go for the workout. Last but not least I have a gym workout playlist I just put it on when I don't feel like working out and ut usually gets me in the mood.

I used to be a gym regular, for many years, but I cancelled my membership over a year ago because of the expense vs the amount of time I had free to use it, it just wasn't worth it for me.

Since then, I have discovered just how much you can achieve fitness wise without a gym membership. I cycle, run, walk, dance at home to music - you really only need a small amount of free space for this. I have a few bits at home that help but they're not essential, like kettle bells and a pull up frame and TRX, even that was a cheap substitute one which was heaps cheaper than the branded one but does exactly the same job.. And you can get great results using just your own body weight for strength exercises.

Point is, try mixing it up and if you feel bored, that's ok! I always find doing the same exercise bores me eventually, and I only exercise when I feel like it. Generally, if I take the pressure off myself and stop thinking I HAVE to exercise, I feel like doing it because I want to instead. Although I realise not everyone has such a fickle brain as I do!

It started with a 'stick'. My weight impacted my health, leading to refluxed veins in my legs and an impaired lymphatic system. The vascular surgeon told me that I had two ways to manage the condition: compression stockings and lose weight. I spent over two months with a weeping wound on my leg that needed multiple courses of antibiotics to heal due to that impaired lymphatic system. Daily visits from home-care nurses to change the dressing. If losing weight will help me avoid flare-ups, so I don't need to go through that again, that's my major motivation right there.

I started exercising with a daily 25-minute walk—to help my circulation and because, although for weight-loss, calories are the most important thing, 'diet and exercise' was ingrained in my head. And, unlike starvation mode, ACV, etc., nobody was saying that exercise was a weight-loss myth, just that it wasn't as important as keeping to a calorie deficit.

Over time, I got a few carrots to add to my 'stick'. Like:

• How I feel overall. I've got more energy. I've been diagnosed with mild anxiety issues, but they haven't been anywhere near as bad since I started exercising.
• People have been noticing for a while and complimenting me.
• I look forward to adding new 'toys' to my home gym, whether they be the next heavier set of dumbbells, ankle weights, a cardio step, etc.
• Noticing real progress. A month ago, I could barely do 10 lunges without weights. Now I can do 12 with light (3-lb) weights. Did I mention I'm uncoordinated and usually have a hard time keeping my balance? Maybe sitting on a stability ball every day is helping my core and improving that balance, even if it doesn't feel like a workout. I'm doing biceps curls with 10-lbs.
• Once a week, I've got a walking buddy. One of those people who's been noticing. And our walk? Is more like 2 hours now.
• Haven't gone clothes shopping in a while; I've been getting stuff taken in and wearing things with elastic waistbands. But when I do, I think I'm going to be able to find a decent number of things that aren't in the plus-sized stores. 239 days ago when I started MFP, I was a 3X. Now a size 18 skirt I dug out of my closet two weeks ago is loose on me.
• I've come this far and I've worked *kitten* hard for it. I am extremely motivated in not backsliding.
• Exercise is mandatory. Same-old, same-old isn't. My goal is 60 minutes on a glider or 2 hours of walking (not necessarily all at once) daily. Strength training may be a full-body workout every other day or alternating between upper and lower body 6 days a week. And if I've walked at least an hour and I don't feel like doing the glider or going out again, and yesterday wasn't a strength-training day? I do two cardio-and-dumbbell interval workouts from my strength-training book (the first one is beginner level and the book states it can be used as a warmup for the more advanced ones, once it becomes easier. The second uses dumbbells and a 9" bouncy ball. Total workout time is about 50 minutes.)

moonglowfae999 wrote: »

I always get bored and give up on exercise even if I like it. I think it may be because I'm doing it alone but I have nobody to work out with or any money for classes or a gym membership. Are any of you on the same boat? How do you do it?

MFP helps! Having a gym buddy who I work with really makes me be accountable! Also, if I fall off I allow myself to feel sorry for myself for one day then get off my arce and workout because the workouts give me endorphins! Remember it is not the destination, it's the journey!

Just as another point of view from everyone else:

I always said I couldn't afford a gym membership, but the problem was as hard as I tried I couldn't stay consistent with working out at home. I get distracted too easily and I don't really like working out outside regularly nor do I have a place nearby to do so. I also tried increasing activity in general, but I have a desk job and I just wasn't getting enough exercise.

One day I realized if I had the money to spend on xyz I could spend money on the gym aka my health.

I also recommend watching/listening to things on Youtube while working out to get rid of the boredom. Creepypasta stories are great IMHO. (amateur written horror. Many are really good.)

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

I rely more on following a routine than motivation. I do my best to not have to think about it, just get up and do what I have to do.

That part.

For me it was figuring out my "why" and reminding myself of that "why" when I feel less than motivated to continue. Once it's routine, things feel "off" if I don't stick to it.

YouTube has a lot of good aerobics videos. I do them every now and then. Denise Ausmen I grew up watching and still I find her videos the best