When you don’t want to work out?
meganreid163
Posts: 72 Member
Sometimes I’m just not in the mood to work out or have major lack of energy.
What do you do when you have days like this? I think I need to switch up my workouts. Go on more hikes and spend more time doing active things outside!
What do you do when you have days like this? I think I need to switch up my workouts. Go on more hikes and spend more time doing active things outside!
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Replies
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I'm often not in the mood for traditional forms of exercise. So I force myself to start, and give my permission to quit in 10 minutes if I need to, which I never do.
However, I am always in the mood for gardening! This can give me quite to workout, depending on my project.
Doing some form of exercise at lunchtime has become a habit, and I don't need to think about it. Getting some activity at lunchtime makes me more productive in the afternoon and evening, and less prone to afternoon snacking.
I bundled up and got outdoors at lunchtime all winter long. Helps me with my tendency towards "winter blues."9 -
I tend to focus on how good I'll feel after the workout, or how guilty I'll feel if I skip it, and then go Do It Anyway.
But if I have the option of doing something that's lower intensity, or if I've gone two weeks without a rest day, sometimes I'll take my body's hint and give it a break
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When I find myself feeling as you mentioned, I commit to giving it 10-15 minutes and almost always, I feel better and complete the workout. Getting to the workout is 1/2 the battle;-) Also, I try to change workouts up often-to keep it fresh.
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I am laying in bed, having already woken up gone back to sleep. Wrestling with my laziness about doing yoga. You guys have motivated me! Thanks!4
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Do it anyway. I've found that it's when I don't want to work out that I need it the most. Hit it hard, get those endorphins released and know that I did something good for myself that day.6
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Skip it. It's pretty rare for me not to want to, and the want comes back the next day.
Lifting at the gym is different, that's on an explicit schedule and not done for joy.3 -
...this morning, I woke up before 4am with anxiety over general life stuff. Believe me, I did not want to have to get up at 5am for my 7.15am BodyPump class.
But I reminded myself that skipping it would only have given me an extra hour in bed, and I generally don't manage to get back to sleep anyway so I wouldn't really have gained anything by being 'lazy'. And lazy is how I would feel about that decision, so I'd feel bad about myself if I didn't go. And exercise tends to burn off my nervous energy and make me feel mentally better. And if I was in the area of the gym I could maybe pop to a cafe for a decent coffee afterwards. And if I really wasn't feeling it I could always use lighter weights and half-*kitten* the whole thing. And besides, I'd just got some new pointers on my squat form and wouldn't it be interesting to try them out?
...reader, I turned up to that class and KILLED IT. It just required an awful lot of talking myself into it 9 -
For me, having a routine is what keeps me engaged, as well as having something to work towards. I like to run, and the best motivation for me is signing up for a race. It's a lot harder for me to let myself off the hook if I know I paid money to go and run with a bunch of people in a few weeks. The trick mentioned above about giving yourself permission to quit after 10 minutes is a good one as well.1
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...this morning, I woke up before 4am with anxiety over general life stuff. Believe me, I did not want to have to get up at 5am for my 7.15am BodyPump class.
But I reminded myself that skipping it would only have given me an extra hour in bed, and I generally don't manage to get back to sleep anyway so I wouldn't really have gained anything by being 'lazy'. And lazy is how I would feel about that decision, so I'd feel bad about myself if I didn't go. And exercise tends to burn off my nervous energy and make me feel mentally better. And if I was in the area of the gym I could maybe pop to a cafe for a decent coffee afterwards. And if I really wasn't feeling it I could always use lighter weights and half-*kitten* the whole thing. And besides, I'd just got some new pointers on my squat form and wouldn't it be interesting to try them out?
...reader, I turned up to that class and KILLED IT. It just required an awful lot of talking myself into it
This speaks to me, exactly how I feel some morning. And I wrestle with the same choice of "i could get more sleep", knowing that the extra hour makes no true difference. And then I end up feeling guilty/anxious that I missed a workout that day.
Much like other people have stated, I get past the initial hump by starting anyway and telling myself that at 10 mins in if I'm still not feeling it I can stop. I have not yet stopped a workout midway.
Around the holiday season last year I found I was getting consistently grumpy about doing my exercise (workout videos when I wake up), so I switched up my routine. Starting in January I created myself an 8 week rotation that had NO repeats, to avoid boredom. I am also allowing myself to attempt some of the challenge routines presented by Jess Smith (my fave trainer), for even more variety.2 -
Try to make myself go anyway. I have never regretted the workout that got done!5
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When I'm feeling super low energy, unmotivated or my body hurts I do Living Room Laps. Literal laps around my living room, up and down the apartment hallways, and sometimes climbing the 5 flights of stairs in my building. I find commercial breaks are best for getting up and moving around. Definitely helps reach my step and stair goals!4
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!I have never regretted the workout that got done!
Truer words never written.
But I have gotten into the habit of letting myself skip the last set or something like that if I feel tired.
But hey, when you've planned a 2 hour gym session and you leave after 1 hour 45 minutes, then that's quite alright.
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I don’t recall ever being in the mood to workout, like ever. The weather is always gloomy and cold where I am it just drains my mood right out. I go anyways and once I start moving I’m more pumped and it helps that I have a workout buddy so we motivate each other.
When it’s the time of the month when I feel
lazy and drained I just put on something on Netflix and start using my resistant bands, nothing too crazy.0 -
I watch "My 600 lb Life" on occasion even though I get super annoyed at the people making excuse, after excuse for their failures, so I remind myself when I start trying to talk myself out of going to the gym that those excuses are annoying AF and none of those excuses are really any good anyway!3
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When I'm feeling super low energy, unmotivated or my body hurts I do Living Room Laps. Literal laps around my living room, up and down the apartment hallways, and sometimes climbing the 5 flights of stairs in my building. I find commercial breaks are best for getting up and moving around. Definitely helps reach my step and stair goals!
Yes, when I was living in a place with more trees and was debilitated by my TOM I would go outside and pick up sticks.1 -
I'm just coming off a two week break. I had fun, ate a bit more than I should have, got rested up and don't even feel a little bit bad about it. What's also nice is the renewed sense of energy I have now. Moving on 0
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are you super motivated to brush your teeth every day? do you do it anyway? building a routine and habits is so much more important than motivation.9
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InspectorRed wrote: »I watch "My 600 lb Life" on occasion even though I get super annoyed at the people making excuse, after excuse for their failures, so I remind myself when I start trying to talk myself out of going to the gym that those excuses are annoying AF and none of those excuses are really any good anyway!
Oh, yes, I find watching the "My 600 lb Life" patients' denial to be helpful spotting my own.3 -
I happily (a little guilty but happily) do nothing some days. I know im active i know im moving most the time i deserve to be lazy sometimes. I have however split my "happiness" up so its not entirely on exercise to make me feel like a healthy adult. Sometimes that means if i dont feel like the gym, I clean. Or go for a walk. Or get my nails done. I try to do something that makes me happy and keeps me feeling productive daily, Mostly either exercise, Work, Or house cleaning. I know I can pick between the 3 that is non optional. The extent i do them is optional, If i start and only do 10 minutes of whatever, Cool atleast i did it. Generally i will continue to do it and call it a win. Aslong as im productive lol.4
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My workouts involve weight training. If I feel off for what ever reason, I still train.
There is simply too many pros not to and is better for my health and quality of life.
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I remember my goals, and how I won't be able to reach them without working out.2
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If it feels more like I am just not motivated, I tell myself "just go and do your warm-up routine. You can call it good after that." 100% of the time, I keep going and am really glad I did. But I also notice that every few months I just get tired - it's like my body is telling me to rest it. If I push through that and work out, I notice that my performance has dropped off - can't load the bar as heavy, can't push through the required reps/sets and keep form, etc. That was happening to me a few weeks ago and I was really wanting to push through and then have the rest break come during my planned vacation. Couldn't do it - actually, I ended up pulling a muscle. So I took a week off. Should have done that before the injury.
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We sometimes may not want to do the work, but we'll always want the results. Sometimes that's all we have and it has to be enough.5
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Living room laps here too. I often listen to podcasts while walking my tiny laps.3
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I try really hard to find activities I enjoy so much that I'd do them even if they weren't good for me: That way, I rarely want to skip.
Not always possible in the real world, especially in Winter, so reasons involving deferred gratification need to kick in (like being independent and able to do for myself for at least another decade or so beyond my current age 63).3 -
meganreid163 wrote: »Sometimes I’m just not in the mood to work out or have major lack of energy.
What do you do when you have days like this? I think I need to switch up my workouts. Go on more hikes and spend more time doing active things outside!
Go for a walk. 0 -
I put on my workout clothes, lace up my shoes, and get in my car. Then I drive to the gym, the park, the hiking trail or pick up my friend to join me on a walk. Believe me, it's the getting out of the door that's the hardest part! Once or twice, I've got my athletic clothes on and sat down to read a book (those clothes are comfy!). After a cup of coffee and 15 minutes, I've got my head on straight and grab my keys.
I think getting outside for a hike, run or bike is really great. I still like my Zumba class, but being outdoors is a treat.5 -
It's okay to take time off occasionally. Sometimes it's an indication that you're training too much or not getting enough rest. Just don't make a HABIT of taking time off just cause you don't feel like it. There are going to be many times you will, but have push through.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I needed to read these. The bad part about motivation is that it's fleeting. I havent seen mine in a few months! (If you see it running around, will someone PM me?
) But, what I think I need to do is reassess my goals. I crushed it last year, but it's a different year and what I want to gain out of fitness has changed. Unfortunatly "Look hot in bikini" Is never good enough. I usually default to " Eh, I have a body and I'm on the beach! What more do I need?" I need more solid goals, and I haven't really sat down to decide what those are. I suppose I should do that. Then work on the routine and discipline part. 2 -
Crafty_camper123 wrote: »I needed to read these. The bad part about motivation is that it's fleeting. I havent seen mine in a few months! (If you see it running around, will someone PM me?) But, what I think I need to do is reassess my goals. I crushed it last year, but it's a different year and what I want to gain out of fitness has changed. Unfortunatly "Look hot in bikini" Is never good enough. I usually default to " Eh, I have a body and I'm on the beach! What more do I need?" I need more solid goals, and I haven't really sat down to decide what those are. I suppose I should do that. Then work on the routine and discipline part.
Me too. I always think of that quote, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels," but I know for a fact that tacos do (it's science). I need a better reason than looking pretty.
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