Workout motivation

mklalwry
mklalwry Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone!

I’m a student in college (let’s go Penn state) and I want to go to the gym again. I went in HS and would be active 2 summers ago, but because of my busy schedule and how much I worked this last summer, I haven’t been able to go to the gym. I walk a decent amount on campus and I work, but I need help finding motivation to go to the gym. Any tips or recommendations? I know that getting in better shape is a big one, but even if I want to, I still find it hard to bring myself to actually going to workout.
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Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,854 Member
    The best foundation for working out is not motivation, motivation is fleeting:
    - focus on building habits. Just like, for example, brushing your teeth or doing laundry, it should just be one of those things you simply do, whether you are 'in the mood' or not.
    - don't go all gung ho and immediately aim for, for example, 7 1-hour workouts per week. Build up gradually, shorter sessions, less frequently. Gradual changes tend to stick better 🙂
    - find the time that fits best for you: morning person versus evening person, your schedule, etc.
    - above all: choose exercise you enjoy doing! The best exercise is the exercise you'll actually do. Whether it's walking, running, sailing, tennis,
    rebounding, yoga, climbing... it doesn't have to be in a gym! (Small caveat: a mix of resistance training and cardio would be ideal, but even there you have different options to explore)
  • NotGvnUp_EJ
    NotGvnUp_EJ Posts: 65 Member
    I recommend getting a small mp3 player and downloading your favorite music to exercise to. This should help keep you going in the gym, tune out any insecurities and distractions.

    Best wishes!
  • StruggleBusDriver
    StruggleBusDriver Posts: 2 Member
    Personally, I think of motivation as a sliding scale. That's why I can't wait for motivation to workout; there are some days when I don't even want to do fun or easy exercises. So instead I look at it as something that must be done as a matter of routine. I even bought a planner where I laid out my workouts for the week, weigh-ins, measurements, etc. Then I let my motivation level influence the workout intensity. I figured out my baseline workout that I'm capable of doing even on my lowest motivation days and if I happen upon a high motivation day I do more until I'm satisfied with myself.
  • SuzanneC1l9zz
    SuzanneC1l9zz Posts: 458 Member
    Seconding the idea of putting it in your calendar as an appointment. Pre-dedicate the time so you don't feel like you're trying to "steal" time from other committments.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,496 Member
    NotGvnUp_EJ wrote: »
    I recommend getting a small mp3 player and downloading your favorite music to exercise to. This should help keep you going in the gym, tune out any insecurities and distractions.

    Best wishes!

    Why not use the phone she already has for music, podcasts, whatever?

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