Motivation for People who Complain About Working out

Cutemesoon · May 2019

I enjoy working out but sometimes I get lazy when it's time to start. I came across this article & video of a woman that has overcome many difficult obstacles. I've decided that whenever I complain about working out, i'll refer back to this article.

What motivates you to work out?

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/video/meet-1st-crossfit-level-trainer-cerebral-palsy-61452027

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6973773/Inspiring-cancer-survivor-cerebral-palsy-29-CrossFit-trainer-opened-gym.html#v-6102416511963150954

HermanLily · May 2019

I can't finish what I haven't started.
Believe in yourself, its half the battle.

Bry_Fitness70 · May 2019

Cheerleading, inspirational memes and motivational one-liners have never motivated me. I get inspired by observing what others actually do - being in the presence of active people, seeing exercise pics on social media, reading exercises posted by friends on MFP, etc.

aokoye · May 2019

Using other people who are dealing with significantly larger obstacles than I am is never actually a useful exercise for me in any realm - though it's not for lack of trying. If anything it can be at least somewhat counterproductive. What is successful when I'm in a rut and am out of the habit of exercising/working out is a. tell myself that once I get into the habit of exercising, it's easy for me to stick to said habit until something forcibly knocks me out of it (illness is typically that thing) and b. start very slowly even if physically I'm capable of doing more.

There are other things that I do that are more specific to the reason I might not want to bike, row (outside or inside), or do weight training - but if it's a general, "I just don't want to do anything related to exercise", the above tends to work for me.

AnnPT77 · May 2019

I'm a weak character who will only do things that are fun. When something is fun, motivation is irrelevant. (Fortunately, I found a good form of exercise that's very fun for me. I like it so much it sometimes even gets me to do things I don't enjoy quite as much, in order to improve at it.)

I definitely respect and admire people who overcome great challenges, or even people without special challenges who accomplish lots through hard work, persistence, and determination. I don't have their character. I'm pretty lazy and undirected.

I would comment that having faced one fairly common but minority physical challenge myself (stage III breast cancer and treatment), I did see that sometimes people can have confounding reactions to how other people manage their personal challenges, in a way that can be distancing or dislocating to the subject (i.e., the reaction involves "othering", or an implicit assumption that the challenged person is different (or lesser, broken), so it's inspiring when they do something otherwise common. Being considered "an inspiration" may not always feel like a compliment.

Larissa_NY · May 2019

Disability inspiration p*rn is super cringy. Please don't do that unless you yourself have cerebral palsy and it's inspiring to you to see someone else with your condition achieve.

NorthCascades · May 2019

Can't say, to be honest. I just enjoy most of the stuff I do. Riding a bike is fun. Hiking is beautiful and relaxing. Swimming in alpine lakes is one of the best things about summer. I don't love going to the gym and lifting, but it makes everything else I do easier, and it makes me look better.

Terytha · May 2019

I also just do fun stuff.

My motivation is often that my chosen exercise is more fun than anything else I could be doing. Fun compelled me through two solid days of climbing stairs, hiking paths, exploring parks and running for public transport while suffering a very bad cold.

On the third day I asked for medicine as it was clear I was going to die.*

*Not really.

Motivation for People who Complain About Working out

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