What do you do when you lack the motivation to train every day?

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  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
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    I use music to Flip the Switch and surf the urges. Urge surfing. I can ride my wave and stay out there on my boogie board until it's time to come into the shoreline. Music jacks me UP and I can spin a song for any corresponding mood I'm in. I can pull my self out of a tailspin by losing and immersing myself completely in music. It just takes practice, practice, practice. I can swim in it until my fingers get all pruny. Music is my ocean.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I don't train everyday. I have a certain amount of workouts I like to accomplish each week and I try to hit that number. If I don't then that's ok but over time I know I won't reach my goals and that pushes me to hit the gym.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I really enjoy my training, it's not a chore and it makes me feel "up" not down.
    If I'm in a down mood then cycling in beautiful countryside or throwing some weights around in the gym is my pick-me-up.
    There elements of my training that aren't actually enjoyable in the moment but the payback from those elements is simply how good being fit makes me feel.
    I'm also extremely goal-oriented, self-competitive and ticking off fitness/sporting goals is satisfying.

    Maybe have a good think about picking exercise you actually enjoy (at least the majority of the time!).

    Maybe also think if every day training is the right choice for you? Perhaps the flexibility of aiming for 5 or 6 (or whatever) sessions a week would mean you aren't feeling forced to go on the days when it doesn't come easily but still hit your overall goals?

    Maybe also think about quality of training and not just volume? I don't know if you are accustomed to everyday training but if you are fatigued or under-recovered then you could be failing to get a good payback from the effort you put in.
  • ZDub84
    ZDub84 Posts: 5 Member
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    Grind, you’re gonna feel better after. It’s always better for me having a gym to go to. When COVID hit I set up a home gym. It was easy to quit mid workout, found a gym that would ‘sneak’ us in the back door and got back it.
  • uppercutXpert
    uppercutXpert Posts: 23 Member
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    Diatonic12 wrote: »
    I use music to Flip the Switch and surf the urges. Music jacks me UP and I can spin a song for any corresponding mood I'm in.

    You are right, I should add music to my training. I'm thinking of the Rocky soundtrack ;)
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I don't train everyday. I have a certain amount of workouts I like to accomplish each week and I try to hit that number. If I don't then that's ok but over time I know I won't reach my goals and that pushes me to hit the gym.

    May I know how many days do you train per day?
    NovusDies wrote: »
    One thing I have learned about the brain is that it does not like to fail. Early in the habit forming process I made the rule that unless I am injured if I do not feel like doing it, that is when I absolutely must do it.

    Where discipline may fail is if you are pushing yourself too hard. You do need rest and recovery. In this situation too much discipline could be a bad thing because it may result in injury.

    Thanks for the example. I should go to bed early and get up early in the morning each day. That way, I wont be tired each morning.
    sijomial wrote: »
    I really enjoy my training, it's not a chore and it makes me feel "up" not down.

    Maybe have a good think about picking exercise you actually enjoy (at least the majority of the time!).

    Maybe also think if every day training is the right choice for you? Perhaps the flexibility of aiming for 5 or 6 (or whatever) sessions a week would mean you aren't feeling forced to go on the days when it doesn't come easily but still hit your overall goals?

    Maybe also think about quality of training and not just volume? I don't know if you are accustomed to everyday training but if you are fatigued or under-recovered then you could be failing to get a good payback from the effort you put in.

    You are right. I should check my schedule and maybe not train every day. I think I will take a day off and do three days of cardio (20 minutes) and three days of weight training (45 minutes max). On the last day, I could just do stretching exercises for 15 minutes or just relaxing.
    ZDub84 wrote: »
    Grind, you’re gonna feel better after. It’s always better for me having a gym to go to. When COVID hit I set up a home gym. It was easy to quit mid workout, found a gym that would ‘sneak’ us in the back door and got back it.

    I can't do that here because all the gyms are closed due to covid. I am checking now to buy a rowing machine to help me do cardio.
  • SwtHedgehog
    SwtHedgehog Posts: 173 Member
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    You can certainly try circuit training. I like the variety that you get in the one hour. If you believe g to a gym, and there wasn't this virus going around, I would suggest trying out different group classes. I used to love the variety and the friends I made. I can't wait until I can get back. I also found it helpful to have a routine where each day had it's own type of workout (Monday=zumba, Tuesday=running, Wednesday=yoga)

    In the mean time, there's a couple of threads on the fitness and exercise where people put in their workout for the day and/or what YouTube they worked out to. It could give you some ideas of things to try.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    You don’t have to train everyday. Set a schedule you can do, then plan it into your day regardless of how you “feel”. The motivation usually comes 10-15 min into the workout for me.
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    I have a home gym that I started to build pre covid. It still isn’t “done” and I don’t know if it ever really will be. My husband uses that as an excuse to NOT work out currently. The only think that needs to be done still is the dead lift platform. Then he wants to rearrange some things.

    I can work out without a deadlift platform because I’m not lifting particularly heavy and I don’t EVER drop the weights.

    You mention getting up early to work out. You have to find what works for you. I hate mornings. I work out after dinner at night. Morning people would probably hate that schedule. Personally, whenever possible I prefer a routine. “I go to the gym between this time and this time” type of routine. Otherwise I might do the “I’ll go later” and then it gets too late. Then I feel like crap. I follow the routine. If I don’t feel like going, I go anyway because 10-15 min into my workout, I feel great.
  • stephie_nyc
    stephie_nyc Posts: 96 Member
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    You do until you don't have to rely on motivation anymore. Until it's a habit you are dedicated to. If you end up being passionate about it, it's even easier.
  • TurquiseTurtle7
    TurquiseTurtle7 Posts: 16 Member
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    I tell myself that my day might be going lousy but that I'll feel better if I get at least one thing accomplished - a workout.
  • uppercutXpert
    uppercutXpert Posts: 23 Member
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    SwtHedgehog wrote: »
    You can certainly try circuit training. I like the variety that you get in the one hour. If you believe g to a gym, and there wasn't this virus going around, I would suggest trying out different group classes. I used to love the variety and the friends I made. I can't wait until I can get back. I also found it helpful to have a routine where each day had it's own type of workout (Monday=zumba, Tuesday=running, Wednesday=yoga)

    Thanks. You are right, training with other people is always more motivating but everything is closed now because of covid-19. I will use my little gym.

    Finally, I have decided to build my training based on the book "Body For Life" by Bill Philips. I will be doing three days/week of cardio and three days/week of weight training.

    I have just ordered a rowing machine so I will do this and also include boxing eventually cross-country skiing in my cardio workouts.
    lorrpb wrote: »
    You don’t have to train everyday. Set a schedule you can do, then plan it into your day regardless of how you “feel”. The motivation usually comes 10-15 min into the workout for me.

    Thanks. I will finally train six days/week up to a maximum of 45 minutes. It's true that after 10-15 minutes, we feel more motivated.
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    I have a home gym that I started to build pre covid.

    You mention getting up early to work out. You have to find what works for you. I hate mornings. I work out after dinner at night. Morning people would probably hate that schedule.

    I have a home gym that is completed. I have just ordered a rowing machine so this will be a great improvement.

    Maybe I should post a thread about how I created my home gym. I really like the look even if it's not very big.
    stephie_nyc wrote: »
    You do until you don't have to rely on motivation anymore. Until it's a habit you are dedicated to. If you end up being passionate about it, it's even easier.

    Thank you stephie. I will do it. But now I need to build my routine, add each exercises ... I will really start training tomorrow morning.
  • SwtHedgehog
    SwtHedgehog Posts: 173 Member
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    "Maybe I should post a thread about how I created my home gym. I really like the look even if it's not very big."
    I would like to see it. Our gym area is small with a table in the middle. We were thinking of a treadmill but decided it may not be worth the investment because we can run outside until the gym opens. We also have the bike setup on the trainer to help with cardio. Maybe this year will be the year we can utilize our snowshoes and cross-country skis. WFH will give us the flexibility to go during the day, provided we get the right weather.
  • rickifaidley
    rickifaidley Posts: 129 Member
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    I follow the same routine everyday. It’s no longer a motivation thing I’ve been doing it for so long and made it a habit!
  • uppercutXpert
    uppercutXpert Posts: 23 Member
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    SwtHedgehog wrote: »
    "Maybe I should post a thread about how I created my home gym. I really like the look even if it's not very big."
    I would like to see it.

    I will post a thread here on this forum in a couple of days. I am also not into social media but I have just created a Twitter account so I can post my workouts, what I learn ... just to be accountable.
    rickifaidley wrote: »
    I follow the same routine everyday. It’s no longer a motivation thing I’ve been doing it for so long and made it a habit!

    Do you do the same workout all the time or if you increase the load and change your exercises after a while?

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