I need motivation!!!!?

Question

What is the best way to get motivated to workout? I am really struggling. I have used journals, a workout buddy, I have tired all the tapes and gadgets. Is it a worthless cause?

Answer 1

No, you are not a worthless cause. Health is important and wanting to be in shape is a great start. I run on a treadmill. When I started 10 weeks ago I couldn't run more than .5 miles at a time, now I do 3 miiles without much of a struggle. Like you I tried different methods to motivate myself and nothing worked, I always quit after aweek or so. I think the problem was that I was not enjoying myself and expecting too much too quickly. So my advice to you is to take it easy on yourself, in the beginning especially, part of a workout is better than none at all. Push, but not too hard. Know the difference between pain and discomfort. If you are really in pain you may feel like giving up altogether while discomfort can motivate you to keep going and move beyond it. Most people want to work out to look better (that's my #1 reason as well) but it takes a while to see the difference your looking for. This "lack of progress" can be very discouraging. That's why you have to remember the other benefits to exercise. If you are looking for quick, measurable progress, try checking your resting heart rate every morning, 1st thing, after you start working out. The cardiovascular system responds to exercise very quickly. My RHR went from the 70s when I started to the high 40s currently. It helps me to remember that there are other things going on inside me, the real reasons for taking care of myself beyond the vanity aspect. Finally it's up to you to make sure you get into the gym or out on the track or whatever so be tough and MAKE YOURSELF DO IT. Also good music helps kill the boredom. Hope all this is useful. Good luck.

Answer 2

Tall yourself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you can do it. Pump yourself up with good tunes, get up early - the morning is the best time of the day and then you can spend the rest of the day knowing you worked out. Find a buddy that wants the same thing and wants it bad for both of you. Give your self a time limit a follow through - then begin again knowing your finishing every time and keep pushing your self. Also shut the TV and computer down. Get your man into the action as well - try walking, go to a park or zoo, hiking is fun - try camping and hiking, Join a gym so you can do some weights as well - doing that 3-4 times a week for 45 min is great. Make sure you eat and drink foods that make you feel energized. Good luck to you!

Answer 3

Set a realistic goal for yourself. It is really all about what you want from life. You are only letting yourself down by not sticking to it. Try changing up the workout. Walk to work if you can. Go swimming. Take up an activity that always interested you but you never had the courage to try. Variety is the spice of life. Spice it up and you'll have no problem doing your workouts. Just make it fun rather than making it a chore.

Answer 4

This was hard for me as well when I first started exercising. I finally had to give up on "feeling motivated" and just treat it like part of my daily routine (like when I don't feel like cleaning the house but I do it anyway because it needs to be done). I set a time to do it (early morning works best for me) and then just did it. I didn't really allow myself to think about it because it's always easy to talk yourself out of something you don't want to do. After a while of that I started to really love exercise. I started exercising more often, longer, and trying different things. This was about 18 months ago when I started and I was a total couch potato. I lost over 100 pounds and I am still always looking for new ways to get in a workout. Don't give up! You can do it, it just takes a while for exercise to become a habit, and after that you can really start to enjoy it!

Answer 5

The best ways I have found to get motivated is #1-looking in my closet at all the clothes I cannot wear...#2-I see my boys who love to play sports, go to the lake, beach, etc....I WANT TO ENJOY THAT TOO!!!...#3- I am doing this for me, and for me to feel better, and be healthy.

Once you set your mind that this is what YOU want for YOU and no one else, then you will find your motivation and determination to lose weight or tone up. Set small goals for yourself, remember that you will not lose this too quickly, and if you do, it can come back just as quickly as you lost it, plus some. I know because it happened to me. I am a thyroid patient, and one year I dropped 30 pounds in 4 weeks.....it's back, and I am working with a weight loss doctor and regimine to get me back where I need to be healthy wise, and not to lose it too fast again, because now my thyroid is still messed up.

Eat healthy, drink no more than 120 oz of water, but no less than 90 oz. No fried foods, steamed, baked, or broiled foods are the best. You have to change your eating habits as well as working out for it to work.

Good luck!

Answer 6

I put myself on a reward program and it seems to be working. I set up a goal for the week (i.e. 4 days on the treadmill for 30 minutes, 20 push ups, 20 sit ups, 40 jumping jacks 4 days a week). If I meet my goal for the week, I buy myself a present, like a DVD or a peice of clothing. If there is something big I want, I say if I meet my goal for 1 month I get that big thing. Then you are exercising and it's a good reason to get things you don't actually need, just want to buy.

Answer 7

Well speaking from experience...its all up to you and whether you want it bad enough or not!

Me, i used to look like a toothpick, and i haad wednesday legs! (Wednesday gana break!)

But i started watching sports like wrestling and UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships...kinda like FIGHT CLUB...bt with u few rules)

And i used to watch it and see some of the AWESOME bodies those guys had, and one day i decided to just get my **** together and hit the gym!
The BEST thing to do is to take a picture of urself in boxers (or underpants if u still wear those savage things) standing against a white wall...dont pose or anything...just a normal fullbody picture, and after that, try not look at urself in a mirror for a month (i know its hard coz the gyms have mirrors everywhere, but try ur hardest)
And after a month, take another picture of urself in the SAME boxers against the SAME wall, in the SAME position as before....and then compare urself to the previous photo!

If u have been working hard enough, then u will see results (not HUGE results, but definate changes in ur body)
And if that isnt motivation enough to keep u going...then i dont know what else will be!?

Answer 8

Just remember it takes 21 days to make or break a habit..and working out is a great habit..but it takes self motivation..you have to say I am working out and that is that..make it a routine like taking a shower..tell yourself I am not gonna shower untill I work out..That shower after a good hard workout is the best reward..You will see results a lot faster then you think...

Answer 9

No! You can do this! Your mind has to be focused on wanting to lose the weight. Make it your passion, your hobby. Buy really nice workout clothes and sneakers. Invest in yoga and pilates DVDs, surround yourself with workout magazines, Taebo is great also. Its all in your mind. Visualize your thin self, how happy you will be. Change everything around you, how you go about your day, make diet and exercise your life, aside from your family and friends, make it your lifestyle. Soon enough it will be second nature to WANT to be physically fit and workout. I promise.

Answer 10

i say buddy that nothing else more appropriate and more powerful motivator than yourself... you should have a bit sel descipline regarding to workouts... try even for just 5 minute early in the morning... devote even 5 minutes first... simple exercises like walking and jogging... then day by day add 10-15 minutes... until ur body will be use to it...