What motivates you to work out, when you'd rather not?

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  • ReinventingLisa
    ReinventingLisa Posts: 104 Member
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    For me, I know that the scale will be lower every day that I go to the gym. Also, I know I will feel great after I work out. Even if I only end up doing 15 minutes, there are days that I feel like doing an hour once I force myself to get at the gym.
  • Cmandy67
    Cmandy67 Posts: 108 Member
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    What motivates me is the fact that i've paid for the gym membership and spent time making a plan for myself and not following thru makes me feel guilty. I don't like to waste time or money ... that makes me go and I try to remember how good it feels after. I feel great after exercise always!!
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Three things motivate me

    A. Getting to eat my exercise calories
    B. The fact that my appetite is easier to control when I do exercise (bit ironic aint it?)
    C. If A and B dont get me off my butt a peek at the little bit of flab left on my tummy usually does.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    This was me yesterday! I choose to do programs that have determined length (Ripped in 30, 30 Day Shred) because I like accomplishing tasks. That's what keeps me going when I want to quit the most.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
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    My hot and sexy wife, my kids and my photos of me a year and a half ago.
  • jolarocknrolla
    jolarocknrolla Posts: 236 Member
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    I tell myself "if i wait for a day when i feel good enough to work out i'll only work out once a month!" I tell myself to toughen up and gut it out. My pride will usually not let me give in.

    I cut myself a break if i'm hurting badly or if i've worked hard for a LONG time and i really and honestly need a rest ... but i'm afraid of that slippery slope where one missed day turns into 2 or 3 etc.
  • AliciaStinger
    AliciaStinger Posts: 402 Member
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    One thing that motivates me is looking at people who have the same body that I could have if I stick to my diet and stay active. I found a bunch of pictures on Google (sounds kind of creepy, I know) who have about the same body as I do, but with a lot less fat/flab. I think about how much better I'll feel about myself when I can look in the mirror and not only say I reached my goal, but that the person in the mirror matches the person I keep picturing in my mind.

    Edit: Changing the exercise helps, too...if walking looks like a chore, I find some kind of exercise that looks more fun, or someone to go with. Also, my town has an indoor track that's free to the public. If I can't stomach the heat (live near Chicago, 90's and 100's most/all of the week), I can go there. There's also a gym near me (a Lifetime Fitness) that will charges like $15 if you just want to get in for the day. Any chance you have an indoor track near you or a gym that'll allow you to "visit"?
  • linda1243
    linda1243 Posts: 166
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    I don't think I ever manage to motivate myself. I just force myself into the car and force myself into the gym and force myself onto the treadmill. The entire hour I am running, everything in me is screaming at me that it doesn't want to do this today and can't we just do it tomorrow. I guess for me sometimes it's not about motivation, some times its just about discipline. There are days I don't want to go into work and I would never allow myself to just not go so I try to treat exercise with the same kind of discipline.

    However, if I am really sore and it is just one of those days where I am totally run down, I will let myself have a night off and just have a light dinner but I absolutely will not allow this two days in a row.
  • fitpilatesqueen
    fitpilatesqueen Posts: 337
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    If your muscles are sore then go walk instead of do exercise. It helps my when I feel sore.
    The motivating thing for me is to exercise so I can eat more than 1580 cals per day
  • bsinno
    bsinno Posts: 358 Member
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    i just KNOW that TOMORROW i will have wished id done it.....

    can't get to the "after" without putting in the work :)
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
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    Long story short I AM STILL FAT lost alot of weight but still have almost 50 pounds to go
    was going to do a 5 miler wednesday had to stop after 2.5 miles and drink another 20 ozs bottle of water and cool of for 10 minutes then went out and did another 2.5 mile lap yesterday and today over 90 easy to stay home but I went out the door did a walk jog each day why I lose on average 1 pound a week or a little less and this week since last friday weight has been dropping off so I had to go out
  • CalJur
    CalJur Posts: 627 Member
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    vanity
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
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    sometimes the only motivation is knowing that you will be done...and that I can eat more
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Knowing that
    1) I'll regret having wasted the time.
    2) I'll take longer to achieve my goal.
    3) Knowing that saying I didn't train inspires nobody. (I know various people who need encouragement to train/get fit/lose weight so if I start slacking off, they have a reason to not bother.)
  • ThatzRight
    ThatzRight Posts: 3
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    People often believe they should rest on days when they are sore but that is not true. I mean you need a day or two of rest per week in general but not just because you are "sore."

    The muscles need oxygen pumped to them, so minimal - do cardio. This helps with reducing the soreness. I promise on days after a hard workout, waking up barely able to move....if you commit to at least 30 minutes of cardio it will make the body feel much better.

    I also agree with another poster that some motivation comes from "if I miss today, then it might slip into missing tomorrow, then another, etc...." I find that when I do workout on days that I would have rather not; that it doesn't take long to feel great that I made the choice to do so. Sometimes it is motivating enough....."I know I will feel good as soon as I start the workout"
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
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    I just have to look in th mirror and remind myself why I started the journey in the first place. I want to be healthy. I know I will feel better after working out so there's that too. Yesterday was a little tough because I was sore from too much exercise and walking around a carnival for 4 hours but I got on the elliptical for 30 mins anyway. I felt better after but that was all I was up for.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    And having that sore feeling makes me know I've got one step closer to my goal.
  • jamiem1102
    jamiem1102 Posts: 1,196 Member
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    My dog and the scale. :)
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
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    FOOOOOOOD! I know if I go to the gym, I don't feel guilty eating what I want. I REALLY love food! Oh, and beer. Lol.
  • lornaheron
    lornaheron Posts: 72
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    The thing that motivates me is, the fact that i'm paying a bloody fortune each month to be a member of the gym. lol I always go even if i'm tired or just finished work, because i know when iv'e finished i feel way better. Plus i'm a bit addicted now. I just whack the i pod full blast, and forget there's lots of ther people in the room with me. I always end up singing to myself, while going hell for leather on the step up machine like some crazy woman. :tongue:

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