Why is it so hard to stay motivated?!

dewd2 wrote: »

Find something you like. I like to run. I hate going to the gym or running on a dreadmill so I go outside... With friends. And I setup early morning runs. I also have goals (future races and paces). It keeps me motivated and accountable. Find something that keeps you motivated and accountable.

Good luck.

I second the goal setting. I had a medical scare last year and said enough was enough. I signed up for a 5k, paid for RunKeeper app for the training program and tracking (although there are plenty of free options available), and told people about my goal. Occasionally they would ask how things were going. My husband would help encourage as well.

You have to turn it into a habit and keep an eye firmly on your goal. They say that if you want it enough you will find a way, and if you don't you will find an excuse. You also need to find things you enjoy about exercise - or find ways of enjoying what you don't initially like. For instance, I used to shun exercise because I am not sporty or physically gifted. I was the girl who was always picked last for any school games team. The fear of being bad at physical activity meant I was not prepared to risk doing any of it, especially in public.

However I have always been good at 'fake it till you make it' and when I took an interest in physical exercise, I guess that is what I did. Instead of trying to hide in the background I just swallowed my pride and did weird and wonderful challenging stuff. In public. Nobody else in our gym does Turkish Get Ups, let alone starting out without any weight but balancing a yoga block on their fist to practice getting the balance right. I quickly discovered nobody stared and laughed. The only comments I get are from people genuinely interested in what I am doing and why.

I'm off at a tangent now, so will stop, but my basic point is that telling myself it was OK to do something uncomfortable and doing it resulted in my finding out it was not only OK but became enjoyable. It could be as simple as saying "that was really fun" after every work out even if it didn't feel like fun while you were doing it.

Set goals.

Prioritize your goals for best time to adhere to them.

Not to beat you up, but excuses involving time are just that...excuses.

Find someone to tell you to get off your lardy a55. When you start getting into it Nd seeing results, you will physicalky start to feel withdrawal symptoms if you do NOT work out. Dont be afraid to ask someone to kick your *kitten* for the first while. Thats why MFP exists.

Any fun activity that involves moving your body will burn calories. Any fun activity that challenges you a little (and continues to do so over time) will build fitness.

A lot of people think exercise has to be miserable and exhausting in order to be good for you. It's a lie.

There are hundreds of ways to move more: Group classes of many kinds, machines (elliptical, cross trainer, stair climber, etc.), sports (basketball, tennis, golf, badminton, soccer, ice hockey, etc.), swimming, cycling, active video or VR games, skating (ice, roller, inline), canoeing/kayaking/rowing, running/jogging, dozens of kinds of dance (ballet, tap, swing, line, belly, pole, square, polka, etc.), hiking, parkour, skiing (snow or water), playing tag and other games with children, Crossfit, strength training, disc golf, curling, bowling . . . I could go on and on.

Find some fun way of moving your body - ideally one you personally find so much fun you'd do it even if it weren't good for you. That's the sweet spot. Make friends who do it, too, as a bonus motivator.

Now? You're missing out. For real.

If motivation were easy, you wouldn't need it!!