Struggling without a goal..... just a moan really!

jo_marnes
jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
edited October 6 in Motivation and Support
Hey all,

Long story short - I've lost the weight I needed to, changed my goals to fitness orientated ones, reached those and now I'm stuck. My last goal was a half marathon, which I completed in August. I reached that goal, despite realising I HATE RUNNING. LOL. So, naturally, one would assume the next goal would be a marathon, but to be quite honest, no bloody way.

So now I'm slowly seeing signs of decline in my motivation. Exercise is becoming 'hard'. Not physically, but mentally. I've been binging on chocolate... one of my 'old habits'. I exercise 6 days a week and people tell me 'you don't need to'. This may or may not be true. But I don't want to back off, for fear of losing my level of fitness. It took so long and I worked so hard to get to this point, I can't bear the thought of fighting to get it back. It's such a pain that the fitter you are, the harder you have to work to maintain it!!

Sorry to moan.... just feeling disillusioned. Can anyone else relate? Has anyone else overcome this sort of thing?

Thanks

Replies

  • lisaf222
    lisaf222 Posts: 19
    Why don't you trying doing something more fun for fitness...a team sport...meet new people - it won't even feel like your doing exercise!
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    bump
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    What about a triathlon?
  • BobbyClerici
    BobbyClerici Posts: 813 Member
    At some point enough is enough.
    The risk is in sliding back down once you reach a peak, so really think about what else you could accomplish, and if your honest answer is nothing, then reach out to others.

    This will remind you of where you never want to return. And you'll get much satisfaction being of service to others seeking to obtain what you have.

    Wow! What a GREAT place to be!
  • EMc4452
    EMc4452 Posts: 187 Member
    By reducing the number of times you workout, you won't necessarily be reducing your level of fitness. One of the best things to do would be to switch it up...try new group classes or do shorter HIIT workouts. Find something you enjoy doing. You probably are just burnt out from training for that half marathon and hating it.
  • crux
    crux Posts: 454 Member
    I suspect what you described is very common for most people who have achieved their wieght loss and fitness goals.

    The only way I know how to not move backwards is to continue forwards, and for me, that can only be archived by a having a goal to aim at. You don't fancy a marathon, fine I don't blame you! But it would be a shame to lose that running ability, so yeah, have you considered a triathlon? Or how about an adventure race?

    It may not have to be a race goal, maybe just a new activity you wish to get better at and so motivates you to train, how about kick boxing, or even getting real good at yoga etc..

    Just need to find something you actually love to do!
  • Sabineslims
    Sabineslims Posts: 70
    I would try finding something that you absolutely love. I, for example, love to go to Spin class and hate to miss out. I have made friends there and I love seeing them every day. I really feel like they hold me accountable too. It could be something like hiking, joining a team sport, spending time with family bike riding, etc.

    Also, I love to make myself weekly schedules to keep me in line. It always feels so good to 'check' off the days work out routine. I always switch it up to keep it fun.

    I hope that helps. Congrats on reaching your goal :)
  • hettylair
    hettylair Posts: 86 Member
    I was going toward a running goal and then got shin splints. Ick. So, I changed to spinning so I could keep my endurance while I heal. I love the burn it gives me. BUT... its hard in a different way. I wonder if maybe you could try a new kind of class or try a new sport? Are you near mountains? Snow shoe, ski, cross country skiing is supposed to be fun? I bet its a burn out from all that hard work. Maybe try something you never thought of before. Raket ball, indoor soccer. Keep it up. The accomplishment of finishing a half-marathon is inspirational to me. I am seriously proud of you and I don't even know you. lol
    Hetty
  • bbbbb33333
    bbbbb33333 Posts: 1,107 Member
    I struggle without goals also. I lost over 69lbs a couple years ago and ended up gaining up about half when it was over. I am now back down to goal wait and working to keep motivated This time I am not giving up logging after achieving my goal. This site is much easier than the last one I used, so I don't see that being an issue.

    I have run for years and it make me feel good about myself. I don't say I love it, but it makes me feel better about my self. I do 1 or 2, 10Ks a year to give me something to train for and stay motivated.

    One thing I started doing a few years ago is biking again. Me and a couple friends started doing a Sprint Triathelon as a team. A Sprint triathlon is a short one (ours it 3 mi cross country run, 6 mile bike, 400 Meters swim). One friend ran and one used to swim in high school, so we needed a biker. I found that all my running has given me very good endurance for biking and I really enjoy biking. I would recommend you try it if you don't like biking.

    Other suggestions, racquetball or tennis. For me, I play full out and burn calories without it even feeling like exercise.


    BTW, I have done a few 1/2 marathons and enjoy that distance. 2 years ago I trained for and completed (slowly) a full marathon. The marathon run and training burned me out on running for a while. I didn't like it at that point. Cross train in a differnet activity for a while. The enjoyment may come back.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    What about weight lifting? My goal is to build muscle through the winter. I eat a lot, lift a lot. It's fun. I've got weight goals (I wanna squat and deadlift the big plates!). Then in the spring I'm going to try to cut fat again. Maintain through summer. Then repeat next winter. Theoretically this could continue indefinitely, always giving me something to work for.
  • crux
    crux Posts: 454 Member
    What about weight lifting? My goal is to build muscle through the winter. I eat a lot, lift a lot. It's fun. I've got weight goals (I wanna squat and deadlift the big plates!). Then in the spring I'm going to try to cut fat again. Maintain through summer. Then repeat next winter. Theoretically this could continue indefinitely, always giving me something to work for.

    Yeah, lifting can become really really motivating! Get it right and adding wieght and gaining lifting PR's is a fun & powerful motivator.
  • Libby81
    Libby81 Posts: 734 Member
    I am totally struggling too. I hit my goal weight a few months back and started switching up my exercise. I started the new rules of lifting for women programme which is great fun, but I'm limited because of gym facilities. I mixed it with cardio on off lifting days. I was having a blast and then I got a knee injury, which I had to rest so no exercise at all for a week!!! went back and aggravted it so now its worse and its just getting me down. Which is having a bad affect on me in general as all the other pressures in life are getting to me more than they normally would. It's tough but hopefully once my knee fixes I can get back at my lifting/cardio routine
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Thanks for all the replies everyone..... mixing it up is right, I often go through cycles of what I enjoy doing. I've often thought of doing a team sport but nothing particularly grabs me as something I want to do. I have even joined up with the State Emergency Service here in South Australia, but while being fit helps, it isn't something that 'keeps you fit'. Currently I'm doing classes, which I enjoy and missed while training for the half marathon, walking lots and DVDs at home. I'm hoping to get some new DVDs for Christmas to shake things up a bit. I should probably add in some more weight training.... I just need a decent programme to follow I think.

    I have 3 young kids and many other commitments so sometimes evening sports don't fit in. I'm often up at 6am to workout before everyone else gets up. I'm sure I'll find something that fits in with me..... hopefully sooner rather than later! xxxx
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