Countermotivation- why you're lose motivation

ninerbuff
ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
edited October 7 in Motivation and Support
Most people view lack of exercise as a motivation problem: people just aren't motivated enough to work out. My job as a fitness professional is to provide the motivation. But the latest research shows that this is not the most helpful way to think about why people choose not to exercise. It's not that they lack the motivation to work out; it's that they have strong COUNTERMOTIVATIONS NOT to exercise.

Common motivations for not exercising include:

Wanting to spend more time with friends or family
Trying to get more done at work
Avoiding anticipated pain, fatigue, injury or embarrassment.

These motivations aren't just distractions; they are compelling goals that often trump exercise motivations like losing weight or improving health. Whatever the countermotivation, if not addressed, it will continue to compete with a person's fitness/weightloss goal.

What is holding you back? From my standpoint, it's usually setting intentions and having unrealistic optimism, but not realize how external events, and other forces will undermine their motivation. They fail to plan for obstacles and expect that it will be easy to act on their good intentions. Ironically, interventions designed to strengthen a person's intention only increase optimistic predictions, not the behavior itself. So just psyching people up about the benefits of getting fit and committing to working out may make them feel good for the moment, but it won't help with them change the behavior.
So here are some questions that you can ask yourself to help overcome some of the countermotivation:

1.What is your most important exercise goal?

2. What would be the most positive outcomes of meeting this goal?

3. What is the biggest obstacle to this goal?

4. When and where is this obstacle most likely to occur?

5. What can I do to prevent the obstacle from occurring?

6. What SPECIFIC THING will I do to help get back to my exercise goal when this obstacle happens?

Write it down each day that you lack motivation. I got this from my monthly IDEA magazine (January 2012). Although it's a rehash from previous issues, it has really helped many of my clients who I encounter that start to lose their motivation.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Replies

  • CountryGal83
    CountryGal83 Posts: 640 Member
    Thanks for sharing this! Def needed to read this today. I can feel myself slipping back into my old habits and I don't want to.
  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
    This is a good post, thanks for sharing the stuff you have read on motivation and keeping it up.
  • FitN50s
    FitN50s Posts: 179 Member
    Excellent perspective. I never thought that the reasons I don't work out are actually counter-motivations. Gives me a way to focus on the problems and find ways to fix them instead of just feeling like a lazy quitter. Thanks for posting.
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    Great points!!!!!!!!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    Thanks for sharing this! Def needed to read this today. I can feel myself slipping back into my old habits and I don't want to.
    Sometimes reassessing helps to reenforce why you do this. Good luck.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    Excellent perspective. I never thought that the reasons I don't work out are actually counter-motivations. Gives me a way to focus on the problems and find ways to fix them instead of just feeling like a lazy quitter. Thanks for posting.
    Seeing yourself from the outside helps to bring it too. I never thought I spoke bad and nagging to my daughter till I saw a video of it. Totally changed the way I speak to her now.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • cheree1965
    cheree1965 Posts: 29
    I lost motivation and lost muscle mass. When I get going I love it. I also kept playing around with what way should I eat. I want to get back to where i was. How easily the fat goes on over muscles. I am doing low carb and cardio and weights now. Hard to get motivation when you get out of the rountine.
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    Good read!! I think also that sometimes people don't think that their health is that important and that staying in shape isn't a priority for them at all. Even in my own family I have to keep reiterating to people who have gotten off the fitness wagon how important it is to do all that they can to stay fit and healthy. It's a matter of life and death... or at the very least, the quality of your life!! For example, if you are blessed with the ability to walk and workout, why wouldn't you do it? Why would you neglect yourself in that area of your life? I think that sometimes people don't give their health any priority at all... or very little.
  • vegetarian218
    vegetarian218 Posts: 40 Member
    Thanks for sharing this great information. I will definitely use it.
  • wachmonster
    wachmonster Posts: 26 Member
    I use Newton's theory, an object in motion tends to stay in motion. An object stopped tends to stay stopped. On the days where my motivation is lacking I think about how often taking an extra day off has stretched into another extra day off. Bad habits are a dominoes lined up just waiting to be tipped. I also try to never think about fitness in long terms. Every day is a new day with one goal, Calorie Deficit. Just because yesterday was mistake riddled doesn't mean I have to make up for it today, just have a good day today.
  • eisenmansandy
    eisenmansandy Posts: 15 Member
    Thank you for such a great Quote "Just because yesterday was a mistake riddled doesn't mean I have to make up for it today, just have a good day today". And everyday is a new day!
  • jrmc83
    jrmc83 Posts: 77 Member
    bump for those days!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    Things like parties, going out to eat, get togethers, etc. are obstacles for people. Yes you can try to "will" your way through not eating cake, desserts, high calorie foods or you can learn how to plan a way to eat them and comp the calories. I prefer the latter.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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