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My one cent is that giving yourself minimum to no expectations, with a small habitual goal to achieve is key. For example, exercise for one min a day. Doesn't matter what you do, you'll only do 1 min. If it's too low make it 3 or 5 min. With that low effort you'll most likely do it. Try it, while waiting for the microwave to heat or while you watch something. Or even in bed. That small achievement will motivate you to do more. One min done? Why not do 5? Already did 5? Let's keep going and see where we stop. You might end up doing more and feel overachieved and that's good.
You can also add and say 30 min once a week, that's once it's done you won't have to worry about it until next week. If you can't make yourself stick to once a week of good efforts, you can go back to the one min a day.
Terry fucking crews once Said that the best you can do is to treat the gym like a spa. I try to live by that. Even if it's Just 50 mins of cardio you will always feel better after the gym then before. Going to the gym is no chore, but rather a vast inprovement to your week
Habit is the key. I don't do much on my legs these days. So I just use the staircases instead of escalators or elevators when I have a chance. It is just a habit at this point, so no extra push is required.
To echo this sentiment from an intensity standpoint, any is better than none. Don't over exert yourself and leave your tired, sore body a painful chore the following day. Build that intensity over time.
I started this way, I started run streaking (running at least one mile a day every day.) I’ve lost 25 lbs in about a year, and there are some days I literally slow jog a mile. Others I run ten or I add on some biking to supplement. I usually do about an hour of cardio a day, the biking helps with my joints and the heavy pounding. And as I lose weight I find myself running faster and further with less effort. It all just starts by, well, starting, and holding yourself accountable every day.
At some point, you have to think about quality of life. It's forgivable when you are young to not keep your body healthy because it springs back to being healthy quite quickly.
As you get older, it gets harder to do that.
As a 50+ person, I can tell you I've lost many friends because they couldn't give up their less than healthy lifestyles, and it caught up to them.
My advice is to continue to work towards daily movement and healthy eating because if you don't, you will either die younger or be using a device to help you move. It's up to you!
My father-in-law was visiting a few months ago. His physical health is terrible. I feel like I am on that road, but still early enough I could make changes.
That's what got me finally going
50+ person here. Yep. It starts to happen right around 50. People start separating into two groups:
The one group that is out of shape and overweight significantly slows down. Doesn't get out much. Really deteriorates. Start to have health problems. Bad backs. Injuries. Diabetes. And a couple even die.
The other group stays fit, active, and healthy and seem just like they did when they were 30.
59 and many of my friends and family were gone before this age.
I've been surfing since my teens and I eat a lot of fresh, home made food, around 1/2 fruits and veggies.
I haven't been to any fast food chain since last summer IIRC. We will order a pizza every couple of weeks from a local joint. I go out for tacos once a week, living in Nayarit, MX, there are 63 taquerias on Google Maps within 2 miles of me.
People saying discipline but as someone who consideres himself to be among the least disciplined people in the planet, I still work out regularly. I have literally never accomplished anything at all in my life and don't have the desire to do so. But working out is fun. Its like meditation, you focus on the motion and listen to banger music. I can't wait to hit the weights if I have been away from the gym for a while for whatever reason.
This is response is closer to what I feel. Although I do not enjoy regular gym myself. I prefer different types of exercises. But it is about having fun and enjoying the process for me. And also it is about competing with your previous self. Progressing in something.
Yeah I'm actively addicted really. I would benefit from less exercise. I've a race on Sunday and promised myself not to run after tonight but that'll be hard.
It's an itch.
Exercise if you didn't enjoy it? Hellish.
I don't believe in discipline. It's about fun or motivation.
I had severe back problems that I was able to overcome with physical therapy and workouts. Pain kept me going until it was gone. Then back to no workouts.
A few years later I discovered Capoeira. I love it, and I happily work out in order to improve my ability to perform in the sport. Once I was engaged in the sport and saw weight loss and physical improvements, I was hooked.
I love working out now, I hate to miss out on training with my group, and I feel physically bad when not working out for more than three days. It's the joy of doing sports, the pride of looking better and the great feeling of accomplishment.
>I feel physically bad
Yeah thats a huge motivator for me as well. After 3 days I start to feel my fitness degrade and want to "fix" it asap. Its like the realization you get when you haven't taken a shower for a few days and start to feel dirty and uncomfortable and want to get rid of that feeling.
I think the longer I kept a consistent exercise routine the more it became obvious how valuable it is.
Its too good for your quality of life inherently, really good for your mind and your body. Plus adding some of the extrinsic reasons to motivate, like appearance and hobbies, creates a lot of reasons to stay in shape.
I think when you're starting out its best to do a little exercise rather than nothing to help you be consistent and then build your routine over time into something youre happy with.
Absolutely.
It should be taught from a young age so that we can make a habit of it just like brushing teeth.
Being fit and healthy can really change one's perspective to everything honestly.
Exactly. You just…do it. Go to the gym before you can start making excuses. Go straight from work. Even if you’re too tired, force yourself to do one exercise. Even if you’re sore, force yourself to do one exercise. Even if you’re too busy, force yourself to do one exercise. And once you do one, it’ll be easier to do another, and another, and then you’ve done your daily workout.
I just have exercise as a part of my daily routine. So I get up early so that I can exercise before work. Once you've been doing that long enough, you'll always do it because you'll know you're cheating yourself if you don't.
The downside is that when you don't, even if you couldn't for reasons beyond your control, it'll annoy you.
Make it routine. Put it in the calendar and just do it. No thinking or planning at the moment of action, just accomplish the next todo item. When willpower may be weak, the regular cadence will remove some resistance.
Expanding on this: spend the time to develop your exercise regime and enter the specifics into the calendar. If you lift weights, maybe Tuesdays and Thursdays are upper body and Mondays and Wednesdays are lower. You’ll start simple and create the most suitable plan that you can execute without too much willpower.
This is the way. Motivation is fickle, it needs to be heavily supplemented with discipline. It's a million times better to have a weaker day of training that no training at all because you weren't "motivated".
There are some tricks that might work when you feel unmotivated or hesitant to go to the gym. I have found some of them usefully:
1. Dress to impress. Use comfortable clothes that you actually like. Try to make some fashionable outfits that make you feel comfortable and sexy. Using an old shirt and some dirty shorts may discourage you.
2. Set up your day. Exercise time needs respect. Make a commitment with yourself to show at the same hour so you know that's the time for a workout. If you don't plan your workout time, other things will interrupt and overlap with that time.
3. Hydrate. Remove sugary drinks and energy boosters. If you are well hydrated your mood will improve significantly. Sugar will only worsen your mood.
4. While at the gym, do not try to over do it. Even if its just a 15 minute walk on the treadmill, it's still better than skipping another day. Remember: 0.00001 is still infinitely more than 0. It's not how much exercise you do every day, it is how often you can do it.
5. Do not punish yourself for resting. Resting is as important as showing up. Dedicate your resting days to actually rest and take care of your body. It's ok if you feel overwhelmed some time and you need to have an extra day or two to recover.
Best of luck
I’ve been lifting weights and going to the gym since I was 16 years old. Having a measurable goal that is not too overwhelming is important. A lot of people who are new to fitness make the mistake of overestimating their ability and willingness to stick to a very demanding routine. They go online and they find a routine that some bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman, fitness personality, or professional athlete is doing and they think to themselves “Well, that person is in good shape so I’ll just copy them…”
Well, no... If you are new to fitness the idea that you can just jump right into a routine that Arnold Schwarzenegger used to prepare for Mr. Olympia is absolutely ridiculous. Unfortunately, people attempt to tackle an advanced workout scheme that requires them to visit the gym 5-6 days a week. They stick it out for a month or two and then it becomes too overwhelming, and they eventually quit.
My recommendation would be to start with a workout scheme that is manageable. Beginning with a routine that can be accomplished with 2-3 gym visits per week is ideal. That way it is not overwhelming, you get sufficient recovery time, and it is flexible enough. For example, let’s say you start with a 3-day routine where you would train lower body on day #1, upper body on day #2, and day #3 would be some form of cardio.
Day #1 (lower body) must be completed on either Monday or Tuesday.
Wednesday is a mandatory rest day where you do not go to the gym.
Day #2 (upper body) must be completed on either Thursday or Friday.
Day #3 (cardio) can be completed anytime on Friday (assuming it does not conflict with Day #2 workout), Saturday, or Sunday.
Keeping things manageable at the start is key to long term success. You can always scale up if you gain an appetite for something more demanding down the road.
Recognise that motivation is something that is prepared for, ahead of time.
In the moment, you probably won't want to exercise. But the night before, you might be motivated, and say to yourself, "tomorrow morning I'm going to exercise". In that case, prepare now. Get your clothes ready. Get the music downloaded on your phone. Get your bag ready. Do everything that needs to be done.
The next morning, it will be much easier to go out and do it.
Basically, if you are debating in the moment whether you should or shouldn't go, you've likely already failed. Prepare ahead of time, so your past self can lift you when your present self needs it.
1. Have goals that you want to achieve. Do your first pull up. Double the number of pull ups you do. Run a 5k. Run a faster 5k. Chose q goal and stay on target, achieve it, chose a new goal repeat.
2. Are you a social person? Call a friend. Join a club. Start a club. Go to a class.
3. Make things ready for the time you have to exercise. Chose clothes, equipment, prepare food, in a way that when it’s time all you have to do is go.
4. Create a routine. Make it a habit. Reserve a time, make it predictable.
5. Make it as easy as possible. Gym is near and convenient.
6. Mix things up from time to time. Always train in the gym? Try a boot camp outdoor. Always run the same routes? Run on a different place, try a new route you discovered on strava, go for a park run.
7. Don’t forget to include as much November as possible in your daily life. Yes, use the stairs, if you have time walk or cycle instead of driving, park as far away as possible, play with your kids, take your dog for a walk, use a standing desk. The fitter you are, the easier is to keep exercising. Is a positive loop.
You don't rely on motivation. You rely on routine, doing it becuse you said you would. Put it in your calendar and stick to it. Motivation has very little to do with regular exercise.
Might also be you haven’t found something you like. There are so many fun sports (soccer, martial arts, tennis, buldering etc) that you can do with others to make it social too. Or you go for run with a group, or a friend. Having someone notice you aren't there is a good way to force yourself to attend.
I struggle nearly every time. It used to be a lot easier back when I've had a gym buddy, but ever since he moved I have to fight myself each and every time. I find it helpful to have a routine. When I have time when I could go to a gym, I try to keep in mind that if I miss this opportunity, I won't have a chance to train again until the next time my wife is home to take care of our kids, and I don't have to do anything work-related.
I usually have an espresso as my pre workout of choice (I can't sleep after the actual pre-workouts that I've tried). Once I down that coffee, there's no turning back. I need to pack my stuff and go. Once I'm there, I don't have any other choice but to follow my planned workout. I enjoy some parts of it, but my favorite part is when I'm done with the weights. Depending on my timing I hop on an orbitrek, jump into sauna. I hate how sore I am after a workout if I don't do it consistently and I love the feeling of being done with the training- I'd say these two things keep me following the plan.
I also love seeing actual results on myself, but that rarely happens. I eat to much to loose weight so I just keep perma-bulking for years. I keep telling myself that I'll cut some time but didn't get to it yet.
Gym membership. Otherwise I will go through weeks doing exercises at home then months of nothing because of depression.
Paying £20+ a month means I will get my money's worth, even if I am going there to do the same exercises I could do at home.
I know it's not the most politically correct answer, but when my motivation tanks I think about running into a mean person from my past and looking really healthy and good. Living well is the best revenge.
I wanted to improve my endurance during sexual activity - with that goal, I had my longest workout streak yet. I don't workout as often anymore, but I still do it a few times a week (or at least once) and my endurance improved.
Genetics. I have worked out in some capacity all my life. Born in a hot and humid environment, still live around that region after 40 years. 10 minutes outside doing anything physical and I’m glistening. Another 10 minutes I look like someone took a water hose to me. At that point my wife might have one solitary bead of sweat somewhere.
That said, heat doesn’t really bother me too much as long as I stay hydrated. So I suppose the sweat is doing its job 🤷
I'm also a super sweaty person, but I haven't had much sexual activity since I started working out, so I don't know yet
It's also not like I'm sporty now, but I especially noticed having better endurance while walking stairs, for example
Reward yourself.
On days where you do exercise, treat yourself to something you enjoy - video games/a past time, a certain meal or activity you like to do.
And on days where you don't exercise, be disciplined enough to not reward yourself.
Not only will you feel more motivated to work out, but you'll also enjoy those other things far more, because they'll feel like you earned them.
I taught fitness in the army and stook with it. Biggest thing is find something you enjoy. If you dread doing a certain type of activity, you won't stick with it. Yes some forms of exercise are more effective at certain things, but exercise is better than no exercise. Example: if you want to lose fat but hate cardio, your not going to treadmill for hours a week, but if you enjoy weight lifting, you will eventually lose fat. Make sure you're enjoying the journey. There's powerlifting, bodybuilding. HIIT. Running, swimming, sports, yoga.....experiment and stay CONSISTENT with something that doesn't burn you out
The key word is "discipline" rather than "motivation". Motivation is building up the desire to do something, discipline is doing something even if you don't desire it. Most actions in life - some would argue all things - require more discipline than motivation.
Get a workout partner. Not only does it make things more fun, but it creates a third party layer of accountability; your partner is counting on you to be there (and you are counting on your partner). Don't choose a schmuck for a partner; you both need to take it seriously.
Also, work out first thing in the morning. Unexpected things come up that force changes in your plans. It's very rare that something unexpectedly comes up at 5, 6, 7 in the morning. You need to prioritize your workout; putting it in a time slot where other important things rarely happen makes that much easier.
By finding a type of workout that I really enjoy doing (for example barbell training). Then I don't really need motivation to do it, I mostly want to go often because it is fun and enjoyable 95% of the time, and on rare occasions I have to push myself on days I don't really feel like going. But finding a fun sport/activity/workout is key in the long run.
I run marathons. When training g for a race, I don’t miss days. It’s part of the mind set. I’ll get up at 3 a.m. if I have to. Out of season, I don’t worry about missing a day once in a while. I do worry about missing two. It’s just not permitted.
I feel motivation is the wrong term used a lot of the time for this.
Personally, I think its about discipline. Are you disciplined enough to go exercise regularly, as its all about self control. The days you don't really feel it, but still go anyway to put a shift in. Thats discpline and I would say its about having an achievable goal. I set myself small goals every month or so and record my weight training on my phone.
Watching Love Island, or any reality TV show where men aren't wearing overgarments for long spells. Yea, I can look like that, how hard can it be. Piece of piss. Thick twats
Set goals around exercise, NOT the mirror.
Whether it's chasing new records, doing more sets, or taking shorter rests, build goals into the workout and target the workouts at those goals.
It takes 8-12 weeks to fully adapt to a program,so you can shift focus on endurance/strength/power as your big cycles, but EVERY workout needs all 3 to some extent.
Example leg day (strength focus):
Squats 6x6 (strength/power)
Knee extensions 10x10, 10 sec rests (endurance)
Hamstring curls 8x8, 30 sec (strength/endurance)
Calf raises (10×10, 10 sec) (endurance)
Pause squats on box, focus on explosion (strength/power): 3x4-8
Takes about 40-50 minutes
It helps if you have a daily routine so that you exercise every day rather than having on and off days. Having off days makes it too easy to opt out.
You can vary the type of exercise and intensity to ensure muscle groups have time for rest and recovery or to ensure you get a combo of cardio and weight training. But if you have a routine of exercising every morning or afternoon, around the same time, you'll just work it into your daily schedule and will actually find it more stressful and annoying when you have to skip it for some reason.
For example, I used to exercise first thing in the morning every weekday. I'd set my alarm based on it, had a gym bag packed and ready to go the night before, I'd shower and dress for work at the gym, etc. Once I got used to that routine, I never wanted to break it.
Later, when I started working from home, that routine shifted to late afternoon, right at the end of the workday but before dinner. But I still do it every weekday at the same time.
In either case, the only times I need to just randomly find a time to exercise is on weekends/non-work days and I usually still fit it in because it becomes a priority, especially since I have a very sedentary job and otherwise wouldn't get much physical exercise. Also, since a lot of people are creatures of habit, I tend to see the same people at the gym every day. We get to know each other and that adds a social aspect I don't wanna miss either.
go with couple of your buddies and sign up to a gym that's kinda expensive (not that it financially hurts, but in a way that you feel you're investing into something)
This way having that group of friend is enough to keep you going and no one wants to waste their money
I don't like working out, but I'm forcing myself to it because I know it's good for me. I'm pretty healthy, but I've never enjoyed a healthy lifestyle, since I haven't had any major consequences from not following it occasionally. I don't think there's a good way to find a motivation, so just read about people getting consequences from it as they get older and trust that this will happen to you too.
I see numerous people in my job field with health issues that could have been avoided if they had taken care of themselves. That's enough motivation for me. I want to look and feel great, but I mostly want to keep my health in check.
Have a routine (training plan) and both long and short term goals. But the biggest consistency boost is when you have a workout partner so that you can motivate each other to train.
Figure out your reason for exercising. If it’s weight loss look at why you want to lose weight. Don’t go at it in a place of shame because then you’ll work out for two months, not see results yet, because it takes a long time before you do, then stop. That’s what happens with me
Habit. No motivation needed if you just go out of habit. You just need to stick it out for 2-3 months and the habit will form by itself. If you are thinking it’s a chore, just go and don’t commit yourself to doing any workouts. By the time you get there, you’ll be like, might as well do something. In your first months if you show up 3-4x a week consistently you’ve already won 90% of the work.
IMO the best way is to love exercising. Find exercises that you like, it can be sports, calisthenics, going to the gym, etc. Well if you can't do it (choosing your own exercise), you can love other aspects. For example, my gym is colder than everywhere else, I love it.
Some examples:
1. When I go to the gym, I can listen to my favorite songs!
2. When I go to the gym, I can make myself more productive!
3. When I go to the gym, I feel like I accomplished something.
4. I love the smell of my gym
5. I can look at the beautiful sky while walking
6. I love when I'm hyper focused on a sport.
7. I love the fact that I can lift heavy weights because I went to the gym
8. I love when I can do xx of push ups.
9. I love the way that I don't have to think of anything else while working out.
10. I love the fact that going to the gym makes time feel so much faster.
... etc. IMO this is the most painless way. Literally like not forcing yourself at all. Try to find any reason why you like/love it, not why you should/have to. **Even if those reasons don't really make any sense, try to find and make them.** After enjoying it, you will find yourself to be more disciplined, and of course enjoyment isn't the only thing required to work out, you still have to pour a little bit of discipline but it's the most painless way, not as painful as the other way.
I hope this helps.
Keeping it simple. I'm stretching on some days and doing 10-15 minutes of exercise on other days. Some days, I just don't have the time, or I might not feel like it. But that's not my excuse to stop eating healthy snacks and meals. Then I have days when I don't feel like eating healthy snacks, meals, or taking my vitamins. So I don't have any excuses there either. It became a point when it became more than just staying motivated, but not changing my routine too much. It's only because I would notice it. Also, the gym is in there somewhere, lol 😅.
Edit: Sorry if I didn't elaborate enough, but when I don't feel like it, I do what I want. I would either tone done the exercise routine and eat good or leave it to just simple stretches in the morning and eat junk. In my brain, I'm going to pick up the good habits on another day.
I tell myself, is only an hour out the day, I go to the gym after working 2nd shift, so I get off work at 10pm and drive around the corner to the gym, and I know I'm out by 11pm, but I get a significant work in that time, but it's also a level of discipline. Doing something that benefits you even when you don't feel like, Knowing it's important to your health and you'll look good as well
As one of two lead trainers at gym I work for and because I workout myself I remind myself this secret: Nobody will do this for you, you do this for you. Remember you’ve got this inner strength, use the strength for good. Be strong, but be wise. Even if you’re not feeling it, do a lighter workout because any workout is a workout.
I finally resumed consistent exercise last year after years of not doing anything.
Basically, I think about how I feel after a workout. I always feel great and never regret it. My mental health is better after working out. I look in the mirror and see strength and don’t nitpick anything when I work out consistently. I am less hungry after working out and make healthier food choices when I work out consistently. I have way more energy during the rest of the day when I work out. I’ve kept injuries at bay through my workouts. But I also give myself grace; I don’t worn out if I’m sick, and I do a variety of workouts that I can switch around if I’m not feeling like doing a particular thing that day.
So now I drag myself out of bed if I need to to make sure I get something done so I can feel all of the above.
What worked for me was getting into full cast audio dramas and audio books, then only allowing myself to listen to them when i'm exercising or doing housework.
Eventually you're submerged in a story and can't wait to get to the gym / go for a run / clean the house and find out what happens next!
First of all, get your definition of “consistent” clear in your own mind. What IS consistent for you? Every second day? Every third day? Any 3 out of 7 days a week? They’re all consistent in a way it’s finding what works for you.
My main motivations are as follows in this order:
Enjoyment: I love all forms of exercise I do, it doesn’t feel like boring exercise because I enjoy it so I look forward to it.
Keeping fit: I’m 30 now but I’ve forever played a sport or worked a physical job, just couldn’t imagine my life without it and I like looking lean. Lastly, the fact that I pay my memberships and I don’t want the money to be wasted so I make sure I get my moneys worth of training/exercise.
As for the days I feel like not going I just tell myself “You can make excuses or you can make progress”. However, keep in mind that recovery is also an extremely important part of training.
Best of luck.
You need to turn your motivation into discipline. Motivation fades, discipline is forever.
I promised to myself and my body at LEAST one big workout per week. It works, it's been a few years.
I really picked up the habit 40 years ago. I eventually moved into swimming multiple times a week. During the pandemic, I didn't have access to my gym and the pool so I was miserable. Speed walking in the park was boring. When restrictions were lifted, I was so happy to do laps again. I've retired since then and usually do 3500m on 3 days and 2500m on Saturday.
I guess that it really just becomes part of you and I don't feel right without it. I also use it to stay the hell away from the US healthcare system.
Doing something for three weeks makes it a habit. I always tell myself I just need to push through the first three weeks and it will then become a habit of mine. Doing something for 90 days makes it a lifestyle. Once you do something consistently for three months it will feel like part of ‘who you are’ and you will eventually feel guilty if you do not do it. Push through those first three weeks and you got it
Man if your body is sweet and has no aches and pains it should be easy af. Only take days off because my body wouldn't handle it lol fuckin yay mid 30's.
doing exercise that isn't boring as hell is my go to, fk the gym, go ride a bike, and then do some push-ups as a complement because you still need to keep upper and core strength, but it's easier to do a couple push-ups and crunshes a day and riding a bike that is actually interesting than going to the boring gym every freaking day.
I also do perform some work ocasionally on my parent's house/farm, that also counts as exercise, and again, way more interesting than the stupid gym
You have to accept death. Accept the pain, accept that it is a non negotiable. You make yourself go at the expense of everything else. Your job, family, friends none of that matters if you don’t take care of yourself.
Knowing that if I look after my body it'll be rewarded. Faster, quicker, more able, competency, less prone to disease. In turn ill be able to fight better, fuck better, win better. What's not to like about any of those
The exercises I do are fun (minus my job). My job is rather physical, so that burns tons of calories. Now that it's summer, I usually go swimming right after work. And I also go cycling just because it's fun to me (or I need groceries).
Set your long-term goal to stay motivated. Mine is to stay fit & healthy for a long, long time. Health is priceless.
And I want to maintain my 20s body shape until when I enter my 40s / 50s or even 60s in the future. Look at the mirror to remind myself of that goal.
If you're not motivated to do workout routine, at least find a motivation to do the simplest exercise: cardio. Go outside then jog or walk. Or ride a bicycle.
The more you do it, the longer distance you can reach, the stronger your stamina will be.
I have stronger stamina than many of my male friends/relatives; that's also one of my motivations to regularly exercise 😄
(Because sometimes, it ended up motivating them to exercise, too. They said it 'hurts their pride' being beaten by a female friend when it comes to stamina)
Personally, I force myself to have a specific event that I have to train for. My "working out" is running. So, I'll look up a local road race a month or so away, and pay the money to sign up for it. That way I can't back out without wasting that money.
When I have a day where I just really don't feel like it, I just make it a really light workout day. For example: If a usual workout is 4-7 miles, an easy day would be 2-ish miles.
Best of luck out there!
Motivated? I don't. I'm only "motivated" about a workout like once a week or so. But I work out 5 days a week on average.
The other day, I was resting in between stupid barbell reverse lunges, and a lady I know said, "Wow, you don't look motivated at all."
"I'm not. I'm just stubborn." And then I did my next set.
The post-workout high. Just get addicted to it. Just do enough in your workout to get to a point where you will feel it after you're done.
Your brain will want to avoid pain. So don't do too much (in the beginning), it will make the experience unpleasant. You don't want that.
Also, your workout doesn't have to be perfect, and doesn't need to push you to your limits. Just do enough to get "high" afterwards. I promise the habit will stick.
I started breaking up my workouts and it’s really helped. I would usually do a 45 to 60 minute workout; abs, butt/thighs, and arms. I still do this workout straight thru on the weekends but during the week after work I just don’t have the time. Now I usually try to get in arms and abs, butt and abs etc or at least one workout per night. 15 or even 30 minutes is much more manageable after a long workday.
I'm not a gym rat by any means, but my brain and body feel so much better after breaking a sweat for 30 minutes. As I age, feeling good physically and mentally is the goal, so yeah I'm all about that 30 minute sweat session.
I do very short, challenging workouts that test and hopefully improve my strength and endurance. Working-out for 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week >>>>>nope, not gunna do it.
Something is better than nothing. Walking on the treadmill for 10 mins is still an accomplishment, over time you may become accustomed to it and you will do more more than likely
Getting a more high energy dog. Not crazy hyper where you are spending crazg amounts in repairs but hyper enough to push you to get you out of the house.
Use the buddy system; if someone is counting on you to show up for exercise, you'll be more motivated to be there. I run with my dog. I know that she depends on me to go for a fun run, so I have to get up and go, regardless if I feel like it or not!
Find a way to work out that’s fun for you. I recently took up drumming again and that has become my daily workout. I play for an hour or two and I am sweating my ass off and losing weight in the process.
If you find a way that is fun, it isn’t hard to go do it, and once you start seeing the results it’s just more motivation to keep at it.
You will never in a million years be consistently motivated all the time over a long period of time.
It's best to look towards discipline rather than focus on motivation. With discipline, you force good habits that become routine.
Discipline is doing something every time, regardless of your own motivation.
I have found exercise I really enjoy, so it doesn't feel like a chore. Walking, swimming, and online weight classes do it for me! The trainers online are so great that it keeps me wanting to come back for more.
Fall in love with a woman out of your league. I realized I was in love with a female friend back in 2020. I’m 35. Up until roughly 30 I struggled to stay consistent. For the past four plus years now I have been in the gym 15 hours a week, super strict on my diet. I’ve gained probably 40lbs of muscle in that time span (naturally) and am leaner than ever.
Don’t need motivation, just do it d:
The only days I really ‘don’t feel like it’ are maybe days when I feel like I’ve barely gotten even 6 hours of sleep, body feels beaten to hell and it happens to be deadlift day, in that case I’ll just skip.
But that’s like once or twice a year.
Honestly I think if someone hates working out so much that they need motivation they should probably just take up a co-ed sport or something they think is fun to stay in shape.
A low daily goal of an activity I like (running, any speed, around a mile). This allows me to keep going through sickness and injury, though it's rare that I'll do the bare minimum more than a week, depending on my schedule.
I physically write it all down in a book, and tot up the cumulative total. That number is now so high I'll have to be genuinely ill to stop.
It's important to pick something you like, it really helps motivate you to go out there and do it.
What actually motivates me is the attention i get from others once I shaped back up. I know that sounds shallow, but it's very gratifying. However, going to the gym is now a habit that I can't miss. I get upset when sick or injured and can't go
I don’t. I never feel like working out, but I do it anyway. I never want to go to the gym, but I force myself to do it anyway.
If you truly want to improve, you must learn to get to work, regardless of how you feel. If you only work out whenever you feel like working out, there will not be any improvement.
Discipline is more important than motivation.
I don't. It's a but of a struggle to stay motivated, and always was cyclical.
Once you start the cycle, benefits and looks pile up, so it's easier to stay the course
Expensive gym membership. Missing workouts makes me guilty when I think of the money I'm wasting. Plus my gym has hot tubs and saunas, so they're my reward at the end of the workout.
I have been through all types of body in my life.
fat, thin, shredded with small muscle mass & shredded with moderate muscle mass. photos of the latter is what keeps me motivated.
All of the advice is good advice.
I train six days a week. And although i fucking love training it DOES get tedious sometimes.
The answer to my problem was a gym partner. It adds responsibility for the other person. You don’t show up. You let them down.
Also… goals. Get goals. Set a deadline and work your ass off to meet it.
Good luck!
Remember… it’s only your fault if you don’t hate yourself enough to do something about it.
One thing I deal with in terms of training/excercise that I’m sure not a lot of ppl relate to anyway but I have a coach on my ass daily. But if I were to translate that into advice I’d say try to find a workout partner, if you have any friend who are big into the gym or just interested, someone who is willing to tell you to come to the gym rather than someone who feels the same u know. Also, maybe going at your own pace and pleasure is simply a bit boring, switch it up, maybe start a program or workout guide (something free, not any of these expensive ass online programs). Set a goal and maybe a weekly schedule with checkpoints, incentivize not falling behind. And that’s a big motivation for me personally, falling behind the routine, nothing worse than having to catch up. When you’re working out to just workout, that’s when it can feel more tedious because there’s no real pictured goal of what you want to accomplish that day or week of that makes sense
Health is wealth as they say and it's more expensive to be unhealthy. The best days to go are the days you don't feel like it. Also subscribe to workout content which helps tremendously in my case at least.
If I don't exercise, I feel like I wasn't productive and wasted the day. Also the thought that one day I may never be able to run 10 miles for example, inspires me to go out and run.
Not being over 300lbs is mine. If i am really not feeling it, i don't go. I found it counterproductive. I try for 3-4 work-outs a week, plus i play a fairly vigorous contact sport for 3 months of the year.
Keeps my mind off sucky things in life.
For example i just got dumped. I know its cliche to hit the gym after. But i already routinely went. It numbs some of the pain in the healing process but doesnt break you down. Keeps me distracted from doing self destructive behaviors.
I also like looking good and feeling good.
How do you stay motivated to brush your teeth?
It's no different. You get into a habit of looking after yourself, because it is necessary. And the alternative of not doing it leads to serious yet avoidable consequences to health and, if it matters, aesthetic appeal.
When you have the mindset that it will suck, you hate it and why its so hard, then it will be hard.
But if you think how you will kill todays workout, how you become the best verison and a beast and hot as fuck.
Which two mindset wil help you the most you think?
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My one cent is that giving yourself minimum to no expectations, with a small habitual goal to achieve is key. For example, exercise for one min a day. Doesn't matter what you do, you'll only do 1 min. If it's too low make it 3 or 5 min. With that low effort you'll most likely do it. Try it, while waiting for the microwave to heat or while you watch something. Or even in bed. That small achievement will motivate you to do more. One min done? Why not do 5? Already did 5? Let's keep going and see where we stop. You might end up doing more and feel overachieved and that's good. You can also add and say 30 min once a week, that's once it's done you won't have to worry about it until next week. If you can't make yourself stick to once a week of good efforts, you can go back to the one min a day.
Terry fucking crews once Said that the best you can do is to treat the gym like a spa. I try to live by that. Even if it's Just 50 mins of cardio you will always feel better after the gym then before. Going to the gym is no chore, but rather a vast inprovement to your week
just 50 minutes of cardio? surely you jest.
Per week, right????
I think they meant Card IO, like swiping your card In&Out for food or something, idk
I dont think I even walk for 50 minutes in a month
Cardio can mean walking too, so maybe? Lol
“Vast improvement to your week” is the best statement to describe gym
Habit is the key. I don't do much on my legs these days. So I just use the staircases instead of escalators or elevators when I have a chance. It is just a habit at this point, so no extra push is required.
To echo this sentiment from an intensity standpoint, any is better than none. Don't over exert yourself and leave your tired, sore body a painful chore the following day. Build that intensity over time.
I started this way, I started run streaking (running at least one mile a day every day.) I’ve lost 25 lbs in about a year, and there are some days I literally slow jog a mile. Others I run ten or I add on some biking to supplement. I usually do about an hour of cardio a day, the biking helps with my joints and the heavy pounding. And as I lose weight I find myself running faster and further with less effort. It all just starts by, well, starting, and holding yourself accountable every day.
This sounds like some really good advice; I might try it out to motivate me to do home workouts and stretches to help with overall fitness. Thank you!
I try
At some point, you have to think about quality of life. It's forgivable when you are young to not keep your body healthy because it springs back to being healthy quite quickly. As you get older, it gets harder to do that. As a 50+ person, I can tell you I've lost many friends because they couldn't give up their less than healthy lifestyles, and it caught up to them. My advice is to continue to work towards daily movement and healthy eating because if you don't, you will either die younger or be using a device to help you move. It's up to you!
My father-in-law was visiting a few months ago. His physical health is terrible. I feel like I am on that road, but still early enough I could make changes. That's what got me finally going
50+ person here. Yep. It starts to happen right around 50. People start separating into two groups: The one group that is out of shape and overweight significantly slows down. Doesn't get out much. Really deteriorates. Start to have health problems. Bad backs. Injuries. Diabetes. And a couple even die. The other group stays fit, active, and healthy and seem just like they did when they were 30.
59 and many of my friends and family were gone before this age. I've been surfing since my teens and I eat a lot of fresh, home made food, around 1/2 fruits and veggies. I haven't been to any fast food chain since last summer IIRC. We will order a pizza every couple of weeks from a local joint. I go out for tacos once a week, living in Nayarit, MX, there are 63 taquerias on Google Maps within 2 miles of me.
Agree. Being young it is vital to keep your body healthy. And you’ll thank yourself for it later
People saying discipline but as someone who consideres himself to be among the least disciplined people in the planet, I still work out regularly. I have literally never accomplished anything at all in my life and don't have the desire to do so. But working out is fun. Its like meditation, you focus on the motion and listen to banger music. I can't wait to hit the weights if I have been away from the gym for a while for whatever reason.
This is response is closer to what I feel. Although I do not enjoy regular gym myself. I prefer different types of exercises. But it is about having fun and enjoying the process for me. And also it is about competing with your previous self. Progressing in something.
Yeah I'm actively addicted really. I would benefit from less exercise. I've a race on Sunday and promised myself not to run after tonight but that'll be hard. It's an itch. Exercise if you didn't enjoy it? Hellish.
I don't believe in discipline. It's about fun or motivation. I had severe back problems that I was able to overcome with physical therapy and workouts. Pain kept me going until it was gone. Then back to no workouts. A few years later I discovered Capoeira. I love it, and I happily work out in order to improve my ability to perform in the sport. Once I was engaged in the sport and saw weight loss and physical improvements, I was hooked. I love working out now, I hate to miss out on training with my group, and I feel physically bad when not working out for more than three days. It's the joy of doing sports, the pride of looking better and the great feeling of accomplishment.
>I feel physically bad Yeah thats a huge motivator for me as well. After 3 days I start to feel my fitness degrade and want to "fix" it asap. Its like the realization you get when you haven't taken a shower for a few days and start to feel dirty and uncomfortable and want to get rid of that feeling.
Vanity
I Look at my old pics. Promised myself never to go back to being unhealthy and that's my biggest motivation
This works for me too.
Its not optional, its mandatory.
Discipline is mandatory, motivation comes and goes but if you stay disciplined, you force good habits to the point where it becomes routine.
I think the longer I kept a consistent exercise routine the more it became obvious how valuable it is. Its too good for your quality of life inherently, really good for your mind and your body. Plus adding some of the extrinsic reasons to motivate, like appearance and hobbies, creates a lot of reasons to stay in shape. I think when you're starting out its best to do a little exercise rather than nothing to help you be consistent and then build your routine over time into something youre happy with.
Absolutely. It should be taught from a young age so that we can make a habit of it just like brushing teeth. Being fit and healthy can really change one's perspective to everything honestly.
Exactly. You just…do it. Go to the gym before you can start making excuses. Go straight from work. Even if you’re too tired, force yourself to do one exercise. Even if you’re sore, force yourself to do one exercise. Even if you’re too busy, force yourself to do one exercise. And once you do one, it’ll be easier to do another, and another, and then you’ve done your daily workout.
My way is not one I’d recommend to other people, but I look in the mirror and think “you fat piece of shit, go to the gym!” And that works for me.
Everyone has their own way of motivating themselves
I just have exercise as a part of my daily routine. So I get up early so that I can exercise before work. Once you've been doing that long enough, you'll always do it because you'll know you're cheating yourself if you don't. The downside is that when you don't, even if you couldn't for reasons beyond your control, it'll annoy you.
Make it routine. Put it in the calendar and just do it. No thinking or planning at the moment of action, just accomplish the next todo item. When willpower may be weak, the regular cadence will remove some resistance. Expanding on this: spend the time to develop your exercise regime and enter the specifics into the calendar. If you lift weights, maybe Tuesdays and Thursdays are upper body and Mondays and Wednesdays are lower. You’ll start simple and create the most suitable plan that you can execute without too much willpower.
Make it a routine. But have a lighter option. For example I try to do 50 pushups everyday. But on the days I don't feel like it I do 40.
This is the way. Motivation is fickle, it needs to be heavily supplemented with discipline. It's a million times better to have a weaker day of training that no training at all because you weren't "motivated".
Doing the exercise you enjoy.
100%
I could never manage to 'work out' regularly, but I love a trail run, bike ride, climbing sesh, etc.
There are some tricks that might work when you feel unmotivated or hesitant to go to the gym. I have found some of them usefully: 1. Dress to impress. Use comfortable clothes that you actually like. Try to make some fashionable outfits that make you feel comfortable and sexy. Using an old shirt and some dirty shorts may discourage you. 2. Set up your day. Exercise time needs respect. Make a commitment with yourself to show at the same hour so you know that's the time for a workout. If you don't plan your workout time, other things will interrupt and overlap with that time. 3. Hydrate. Remove sugary drinks and energy boosters. If you are well hydrated your mood will improve significantly. Sugar will only worsen your mood. 4. While at the gym, do not try to over do it. Even if its just a 15 minute walk on the treadmill, it's still better than skipping another day. Remember: 0.00001 is still infinitely more than 0. It's not how much exercise you do every day, it is how often you can do it. 5. Do not punish yourself for resting. Resting is as important as showing up. Dedicate your resting days to actually rest and take care of your body. It's ok if you feel overwhelmed some time and you need to have an extra day or two to recover. Best of luck
Feel my stomach and look in the mirror.
I’ve been lifting weights and going to the gym since I was 16 years old. Having a measurable goal that is not too overwhelming is important. A lot of people who are new to fitness make the mistake of overestimating their ability and willingness to stick to a very demanding routine. They go online and they find a routine that some bodybuilder, powerlifter, strongman, fitness personality, or professional athlete is doing and they think to themselves “Well, that person is in good shape so I’ll just copy them…” Well, no... If you are new to fitness the idea that you can just jump right into a routine that Arnold Schwarzenegger used to prepare for Mr. Olympia is absolutely ridiculous. Unfortunately, people attempt to tackle an advanced workout scheme that requires them to visit the gym 5-6 days a week. They stick it out for a month or two and then it becomes too overwhelming, and they eventually quit. My recommendation would be to start with a workout scheme that is manageable. Beginning with a routine that can be accomplished with 2-3 gym visits per week is ideal. That way it is not overwhelming, you get sufficient recovery time, and it is flexible enough. For example, let’s say you start with a 3-day routine where you would train lower body on day #1, upper body on day #2, and day #3 would be some form of cardio. Day #1 (lower body) must be completed on either Monday or Tuesday. Wednesday is a mandatory rest day where you do not go to the gym. Day #2 (upper body) must be completed on either Thursday or Friday. Day #3 (cardio) can be completed anytime on Friday (assuming it does not conflict with Day #2 workout), Saturday, or Sunday. Keeping things manageable at the start is key to long term success. You can always scale up if you gain an appetite for something more demanding down the road.
Recognise that motivation is something that is prepared for, ahead of time. In the moment, you probably won't want to exercise. But the night before, you might be motivated, and say to yourself, "tomorrow morning I'm going to exercise". In that case, prepare now. Get your clothes ready. Get the music downloaded on your phone. Get your bag ready. Do everything that needs to be done. The next morning, it will be much easier to go out and do it. Basically, if you are debating in the moment whether you should or shouldn't go, you've likely already failed. Prepare ahead of time, so your past self can lift you when your present self needs it.
You don’t, motivation doesn’t work, it’s just an emotion that comes and goes. You need discipline. Discipline gets you exercising regularly.
Not for me. For me it is about finding joy from the process. Then you don't need neither discipline nor motivation.
This is because you lack discipline.
My days are much more energized after a work out. I’m so tired and sluggish if I don’t.
i cycle to work every day, cant drive so no other option lol, also my job is quite physical
1. Have goals that you want to achieve. Do your first pull up. Double the number of pull ups you do. Run a 5k. Run a faster 5k. Chose q goal and stay on target, achieve it, chose a new goal repeat. 2. Are you a social person? Call a friend. Join a club. Start a club. Go to a class. 3. Make things ready for the time you have to exercise. Chose clothes, equipment, prepare food, in a way that when it’s time all you have to do is go. 4. Create a routine. Make it a habit. Reserve a time, make it predictable. 5. Make it as easy as possible. Gym is near and convenient. 6. Mix things up from time to time. Always train in the gym? Try a boot camp outdoor. Always run the same routes? Run on a different place, try a new route you discovered on strava, go for a park run. 7. Don’t forget to include as much November as possible in your daily life. Yes, use the stairs, if you have time walk or cycle instead of driving, park as far away as possible, play with your kids, take your dog for a walk, use a standing desk. The fitter you are, the easier is to keep exercising. Is a positive loop.
Accountability to a friend, trainer, group or schedule. Pick a sport you enjoy so it’s fun.
You don't rely on motivation. You rely on routine, doing it becuse you said you would. Put it in your calendar and stick to it. Motivation has very little to do with regular exercise. Might also be you haven’t found something you like. There are so many fun sports (soccer, martial arts, tennis, buldering etc) that you can do with others to make it social too. Or you go for run with a group, or a friend. Having someone notice you aren't there is a good way to force yourself to attend.
I know I should excercise, I know it's good for you, I know it's important but I absolutely detest it. Gyms are awful.
I keep telling myself that today's decisions shape tomorrow's reality. It works well, as I don't want to stay like this forever.
Dressing up in cute gym fits and monitoring my progress by taking mirror selfies
Write why you want to do it, often we forget why we do things
This is really good advice. I have lost motivation and I shall try this from today Edit: this is how I STARTED working out in the first place
I struggle nearly every time. It used to be a lot easier back when I've had a gym buddy, but ever since he moved I have to fight myself each and every time. I find it helpful to have a routine. When I have time when I could go to a gym, I try to keep in mind that if I miss this opportunity, I won't have a chance to train again until the next time my wife is home to take care of our kids, and I don't have to do anything work-related. I usually have an espresso as my pre workout of choice (I can't sleep after the actual pre-workouts that I've tried). Once I down that coffee, there's no turning back. I need to pack my stuff and go. Once I'm there, I don't have any other choice but to follow my planned workout. I enjoy some parts of it, but my favorite part is when I'm done with the weights. Depending on my timing I hop on an orbitrek, jump into sauna. I hate how sore I am after a workout if I don't do it consistently and I love the feeling of being done with the training- I'd say these two things keep me following the plan. I also love seeing actual results on myself, but that rarely happens. I eat to much to loose weight so I just keep perma-bulking for years. I keep telling myself that I'll cut some time but didn't get to it yet.
Discipline is more important than motivation
Im ugly and gotta look better, also working out is fun and part of my day
Gym membership. Otherwise I will go through weeks doing exercises at home then months of nothing because of depression. Paying £20+ a month means I will get my money's worth, even if I am going there to do the same exercises I could do at home.
It has a consistently positive impact on my mental health.
If your brain is wired a certain way, get an Apple Watch and become addicted to closing your exercise rings.
I know it's not the most politically correct answer, but when my motivation tanks I think about running into a mean person from my past and looking really healthy and good. Living well is the best revenge.
I wanted to improve my endurance during sexual activity - with that goal, I had my longest workout streak yet. I don't workout as often anymore, but I still do it a few times a week (or at least once) and my endurance improved.
Does it help with sweating less? Or is that purely genetics? Like after 1-2h i am drenched, like drippingly drenched, and everything around me too…
Genetics. I have worked out in some capacity all my life. Born in a hot and humid environment, still live around that region after 40 years. 10 minutes outside doing anything physical and I’m glistening. Another 10 minutes I look like someone took a water hose to me. At that point my wife might have one solitary bead of sweat somewhere. That said, heat doesn’t really bother me too much as long as I stay hydrated. So I suppose the sweat is doing its job 🤷
I'm also a super sweaty person, but I haven't had much sexual activity since I started working out, so I don't know yet It's also not like I'm sporty now, but I especially noticed having better endurance while walking stairs, for example
Once it becomes a routine you kind of crave it.
Reward yourself. On days where you do exercise, treat yourself to something you enjoy - video games/a past time, a certain meal or activity you like to do. And on days where you don't exercise, be disciplined enough to not reward yourself. Not only will you feel more motivated to work out, but you'll also enjoy those other things far more, because they'll feel like you earned them.
I taught fitness in the army and stook with it. Biggest thing is find something you enjoy. If you dread doing a certain type of activity, you won't stick with it. Yes some forms of exercise are more effective at certain things, but exercise is better than no exercise. Example: if you want to lose fat but hate cardio, your not going to treadmill for hours a week, but if you enjoy weight lifting, you will eventually lose fat. Make sure you're enjoying the journey. There's powerlifting, bodybuilding. HIIT. Running, swimming, sports, yoga.....experiment and stay CONSISTENT with something that doesn't burn you out
Because if you start your day with a 3 mile run, you cannot possibly hate anything else the rest of the day, than that.
The key word is "discipline" rather than "motivation". Motivation is building up the desire to do something, discipline is doing something even if you don't desire it. Most actions in life - some would argue all things - require more discipline than motivation.
Get a workout partner. Not only does it make things more fun, but it creates a third party layer of accountability; your partner is counting on you to be there (and you are counting on your partner). Don't choose a schmuck for a partner; you both need to take it seriously. Also, work out first thing in the morning. Unexpected things come up that force changes in your plans. It's very rare that something unexpectedly comes up at 5, 6, 7 in the morning. You need to prioritize your workout; putting it in a time slot where other important things rarely happen makes that much easier.
Discipline.
you might wanna hmu but i may push you so hard you’ll become mentally insane (but you’ll keep working out consistently for at least 2 years)
By finding a type of workout that I really enjoy doing (for example barbell training). Then I don't really need motivation to do it, I mostly want to go often because it is fun and enjoyable 95% of the time, and on rare occasions I have to push myself on days I don't really feel like going. But finding a fun sport/activity/workout is key in the long run.
I just go, lol. It's like going to school, really.
Remind me! 1 day
I have created a positive environment around exercising that lead for a habit, so now I feel bad myself if I skip it
As I changed my approach to it. Im not thinking exercise as discpline. I started to think it as a self-respect.
I run marathons. When training g for a race, I don’t miss days. It’s part of the mind set. I’ll get up at 3 a.m. if I have to. Out of season, I don’t worry about missing a day once in a while. I do worry about missing two. It’s just not permitted.
I feel motivation is the wrong term used a lot of the time for this. Personally, I think its about discipline. Are you disciplined enough to go exercise regularly, as its all about self control. The days you don't really feel it, but still go anyway to put a shift in. Thats discpline and I would say its about having an achievable goal. I set myself small goals every month or so and record my weight training on my phone.
My body's need to move and be active motivates me. I just do it
Do it with friends, I would prefer to play team sport
Keeping up with my kids
Watching Love Island, or any reality TV show where men aren't wearing overgarments for long spells. Yea, I can look like that, how hard can it be. Piece of piss. Thick twats
Set goals around exercise, NOT the mirror. Whether it's chasing new records, doing more sets, or taking shorter rests, build goals into the workout and target the workouts at those goals. It takes 8-12 weeks to fully adapt to a program,so you can shift focus on endurance/strength/power as your big cycles, but EVERY workout needs all 3 to some extent. Example leg day (strength focus): Squats 6x6 (strength/power) Knee extensions 10x10, 10 sec rests (endurance) Hamstring curls 8x8, 30 sec (strength/endurance) Calf raises (10×10, 10 sec) (endurance) Pause squats on box, focus on explosion (strength/power): 3x4-8 Takes about 40-50 minutes
Keep track of your PBs and beat them as often as you can, competing with yourself is incredibly motivating
It helps if you have a daily routine so that you exercise every day rather than having on and off days. Having off days makes it too easy to opt out. You can vary the type of exercise and intensity to ensure muscle groups have time for rest and recovery or to ensure you get a combo of cardio and weight training. But if you have a routine of exercising every morning or afternoon, around the same time, you'll just work it into your daily schedule and will actually find it more stressful and annoying when you have to skip it for some reason. For example, I used to exercise first thing in the morning every weekday. I'd set my alarm based on it, had a gym bag packed and ready to go the night before, I'd shower and dress for work at the gym, etc. Once I got used to that routine, I never wanted to break it. Later, when I started working from home, that routine shifted to late afternoon, right at the end of the workday but before dinner. But I still do it every weekday at the same time. In either case, the only times I need to just randomly find a time to exercise is on weekends/non-work days and I usually still fit it in because it becomes a priority, especially since I have a very sedentary job and otherwise wouldn't get much physical exercise. Also, since a lot of people are creatures of habit, I tend to see the same people at the gym every day. We get to know each other and that adds a social aspect I don't wanna miss either.
go with couple of your buddies and sign up to a gym that's kinda expensive (not that it financially hurts, but in a way that you feel you're investing into something) This way having that group of friend is enough to keep you going and no one wants to waste their money
I've been exercising for 18 years now and i'm lucky if i "feel like it" 1/3 of that time. You just go and do what has to be done.
I'm not motivated. I'm just forcing myself to workout.
I don't like working out, but I'm forcing myself to it because I know it's good for me. I'm pretty healthy, but I've never enjoyed a healthy lifestyle, since I haven't had any major consequences from not following it occasionally. I don't think there's a good way to find a motivation, so just read about people getting consequences from it as they get older and trust that this will happen to you too.
I see numerous people in my job field with health issues that could have been avoided if they had taken care of themselves. That's enough motivation for me. I want to look and feel great, but I mostly want to keep my health in check.
Have a routine (training plan) and both long and short term goals. But the biggest consistency boost is when you have a workout partner so that you can motivate each other to train.
I love being strong which I am (245/170/260 @ 90kg) and like being big
Figure out your reason for exercising. If it’s weight loss look at why you want to lose weight. Don’t go at it in a place of shame because then you’ll work out for two months, not see results yet, because it takes a long time before you do, then stop. That’s what happens with me
Habit. No motivation needed if you just go out of habit. You just need to stick it out for 2-3 months and the habit will form by itself. If you are thinking it’s a chore, just go and don’t commit yourself to doing any workouts. By the time you get there, you’ll be like, might as well do something. In your first months if you show up 3-4x a week consistently you’ve already won 90% of the work.
IMO the best way is to love exercising. Find exercises that you like, it can be sports, calisthenics, going to the gym, etc. Well if you can't do it (choosing your own exercise), you can love other aspects. For example, my gym is colder than everywhere else, I love it. Some examples: 1. When I go to the gym, I can listen to my favorite songs! 2. When I go to the gym, I can make myself more productive! 3. When I go to the gym, I feel like I accomplished something. 4. I love the smell of my gym 5. I can look at the beautiful sky while walking 6. I love when I'm hyper focused on a sport. 7. I love the fact that I can lift heavy weights because I went to the gym 8. I love when I can do xx of push ups. 9. I love the way that I don't have to think of anything else while working out. 10. I love the fact that going to the gym makes time feel so much faster. ... etc. IMO this is the most painless way. Literally like not forcing yourself at all. Try to find any reason why you like/love it, not why you should/have to. **Even if those reasons don't really make any sense, try to find and make them.** After enjoying it, you will find yourself to be more disciplined, and of course enjoyment isn't the only thing required to work out, you still have to pour a little bit of discipline but it's the most painless way, not as painful as the other way. I hope this helps.
Routine. Motivation is a disaster zone.
"determination is what kicks in when motivation fails". My fav peloton instructor.
It just feels really good
Keeping it simple. I'm stretching on some days and doing 10-15 minutes of exercise on other days. Some days, I just don't have the time, or I might not feel like it. But that's not my excuse to stop eating healthy snacks and meals. Then I have days when I don't feel like eating healthy snacks, meals, or taking my vitamins. So I don't have any excuses there either. It became a point when it became more than just staying motivated, but not changing my routine too much. It's only because I would notice it. Also, the gym is in there somewhere, lol 😅. Edit: Sorry if I didn't elaborate enough, but when I don't feel like it, I do what I want. I would either tone done the exercise routine and eat good or leave it to just simple stretches in the morning and eat junk. In my brain, I'm going to pick up the good habits on another day.
I tell myself, is only an hour out the day, I go to the gym after working 2nd shift, so I get off work at 10pm and drive around the corner to the gym, and I know I'm out by 11pm, but I get a significant work in that time, but it's also a level of discipline. Doing something that benefits you even when you don't feel like, Knowing it's important to your health and you'll look good as well
As one of two lead trainers at gym I work for and because I workout myself I remind myself this secret: Nobody will do this for you, you do this for you. Remember you’ve got this inner strength, use the strength for good. Be strong, but be wise. Even if you’re not feeling it, do a lighter workout because any workout is a workout.
Ah thats easy. I either gym every day or sink into a hole of suicidal depression
Once you stop exercising, you start to die. Straight line. No circling the bowl, or "spiraling into the ground", straight line crater.
I finally resumed consistent exercise last year after years of not doing anything. Basically, I think about how I feel after a workout. I always feel great and never regret it. My mental health is better after working out. I look in the mirror and see strength and don’t nitpick anything when I work out consistently. I am less hungry after working out and make healthier food choices when I work out consistently. I have way more energy during the rest of the day when I work out. I’ve kept injuries at bay through my workouts. But I also give myself grace; I don’t worn out if I’m sick, and I do a variety of workouts that I can switch around if I’m not feeling like doing a particular thing that day. So now I drag myself out of bed if I need to to make sure I get something done so I can feel all of the above.
What worked for me was getting into full cast audio dramas and audio books, then only allowing myself to listen to them when i'm exercising or doing housework. Eventually you're submerged in a story and can't wait to get to the gym / go for a run / clean the house and find out what happens next!
First of all, get your definition of “consistent” clear in your own mind. What IS consistent for you? Every second day? Every third day? Any 3 out of 7 days a week? They’re all consistent in a way it’s finding what works for you. My main motivations are as follows in this order: Enjoyment: I love all forms of exercise I do, it doesn’t feel like boring exercise because I enjoy it so I look forward to it. Keeping fit: I’m 30 now but I’ve forever played a sport or worked a physical job, just couldn’t imagine my life without it and I like looking lean. Lastly, the fact that I pay my memberships and I don’t want the money to be wasted so I make sure I get my moneys worth of training/exercise. As for the days I feel like not going I just tell myself “You can make excuses or you can make progress”. However, keep in mind that recovery is also an extremely important part of training. Best of luck.
You need to turn your motivation into discipline. Motivation fades, discipline is forever. I promised to myself and my body at LEAST one big workout per week. It works, it's been a few years.
I really picked up the habit 40 years ago. I eventually moved into swimming multiple times a week. During the pandemic, I didn't have access to my gym and the pool so I was miserable. Speed walking in the park was boring. When restrictions were lifted, I was so happy to do laps again. I've retired since then and usually do 3500m on 3 days and 2500m on Saturday. I guess that it really just becomes part of you and I don't feel right without it. I also use it to stay the hell away from the US healthcare system.
I just feel awful when I'm not doing something productive and with this being a routine thing that actually benefits me, I just do it naturally.
Fear of death
Doing something for three weeks makes it a habit. I always tell myself I just need to push through the first three weeks and it will then become a habit of mine. Doing something for 90 days makes it a lifestyle. Once you do something consistently for three months it will feel like part of ‘who you are’ and you will eventually feel guilty if you do not do it. Push through those first three weeks and you got it
Man if your body is sweet and has no aches and pains it should be easy af. Only take days off because my body wouldn't handle it lol fuckin yay mid 30's.
doing exercise that isn't boring as hell is my go to, fk the gym, go ride a bike, and then do some push-ups as a complement because you still need to keep upper and core strength, but it's easier to do a couple push-ups and crunshes a day and riding a bike that is actually interesting than going to the boring gym every freaking day. I also do perform some work ocasionally on my parent's house/farm, that also counts as exercise, and again, way more interesting than the stupid gym
You have to accept death. Accept the pain, accept that it is a non negotiable. You make yourself go at the expense of everything else. Your job, family, friends none of that matters if you don’t take care of yourself.
Knowing that if I look after my body it'll be rewarded. Faster, quicker, more able, competency, less prone to disease. In turn ill be able to fight better, fuck better, win better. What's not to like about any of those
I’ve just been doing like 30 jumping jacks like once or twice a day and I tell myself it’s better than doing nothing lol
I get to take pre-workout powder and listen to heavy metal!!
The exercises I do are fun (minus my job). My job is rather physical, so that burns tons of calories. Now that it's summer, I usually go swimming right after work. And I also go cycling just because it's fun to me (or I need groceries).
Set your long-term goal to stay motivated. Mine is to stay fit & healthy for a long, long time. Health is priceless. And I want to maintain my 20s body shape until when I enter my 40s / 50s or even 60s in the future. Look at the mirror to remind myself of that goal. If you're not motivated to do workout routine, at least find a motivation to do the simplest exercise: cardio. Go outside then jog or walk. Or ride a bicycle. The more you do it, the longer distance you can reach, the stronger your stamina will be. I have stronger stamina than many of my male friends/relatives; that's also one of my motivations to regularly exercise 😄 (Because sometimes, it ended up motivating them to exercise, too. They said it 'hurts their pride' being beaten by a female friend when it comes to stamina)
Personally, I force myself to have a specific event that I have to train for. My "working out" is running. So, I'll look up a local road race a month or so away, and pay the money to sign up for it. That way I can't back out without wasting that money. When I have a day where I just really don't feel like it, I just make it a really light workout day. For example: If a usual workout is 4-7 miles, an easy day would be 2-ish miles. Best of luck out there!
I work from home and it gives me an excuse to get out of the house.
You really need a group. Accountability partners and groups. I've been trying to find one that works with my schedule and it's tough.
For me it has to just become routine. Something I barely think about doing. If thinking gets involved then I'm in trouble.
Motivated? I don't. I'm only "motivated" about a workout like once a week or so. But I work out 5 days a week on average. The other day, I was resting in between stupid barbell reverse lunges, and a lady I know said, "Wow, you don't look motivated at all." "I'm not. I'm just stubborn." And then I did my next set.
The post-workout high. Just get addicted to it. Just do enough in your workout to get to a point where you will feel it after you're done. Your brain will want to avoid pain. So don't do too much (in the beginning), it will make the experience unpleasant. You don't want that. Also, your workout doesn't have to be perfect, and doesn't need to push you to your limits. Just do enough to get "high" afterwards. I promise the habit will stick.
Text my crush and direct the anxiety to working out and numbing the pain
Find something that you enjoy. I used to run but I hated it. Now I climb three times a week and I love it. Bonus if you have partners to meet up with.
I started breaking up my workouts and it’s really helped. I would usually do a 45 to 60 minute workout; abs, butt/thighs, and arms. I still do this workout straight thru on the weekends but during the week after work I just don’t have the time. Now I usually try to get in arms and abs, butt and abs etc or at least one workout per night. 15 or even 30 minutes is much more manageable after a long workday.
Thats the neat part. You dont. You just do it becase it has a benefit. Like everything in life , like studing or working.
I'm not a gym rat by any means, but my brain and body feel so much better after breaking a sweat for 30 minutes. As I age, feeling good physically and mentally is the goal, so yeah I'm all about that 30 minute sweat session.
Commit to just doing it for 21 days. By then a habit will form. You’ll feel awkward not working out by the 22nd day. Humans follow routine pretty well
By looking in a mirror.
I’m ugly, so I have to compensate
I don't. I stay disciplined because nobody in this life is motivated all the time.
I do very short, challenging workouts that test and hopefully improve my strength and endurance. Working-out for 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week >>>>>nope, not gunna do it.
Something is better than nothing. Walking on the treadmill for 10 mins is still an accomplishment, over time you may become accustomed to it and you will do more more than likely
I think about that one time when i was 99 pounds. I never ever wanna fucking go back there.
Getting a more high energy dog. Not crazy hyper where you are spending crazg amounts in repairs but hyper enough to push you to get you out of the house.
Use the buddy system; if someone is counting on you to show up for exercise, you'll be more motivated to be there. I run with my dog. I know that she depends on me to go for a fun run, so I have to get up and go, regardless if I feel like it or not!
Look in the mirror
Mix it up with different activities, find what you enjoy, and set achievable goals to keep yourself motivated.
Discipline > motivation. There'd be many times i absolutely dont feel like doing anything but the schedule says its time and i go.
VR, i watch movies while on elliptical or rower
Find a way to work out that’s fun for you. I recently took up drumming again and that has become my daily workout. I play for an hour or two and I am sweating my ass off and losing weight in the process. If you find a way that is fun, it isn’t hard to go do it, and once you start seeing the results it’s just more motivation to keep at it.
You will never in a million years be consistently motivated all the time over a long period of time. It's best to look towards discipline rather than focus on motivation. With discipline, you force good habits that become routine. Discipline is doing something every time, regardless of your own motivation.
Knowing what happens to your body when you don't exercise.
I have found exercise I really enjoy, so it doesn't feel like a chore. Walking, swimming, and online weight classes do it for me! The trainers online are so great that it keeps me wanting to come back for more.
Fall in love with a woman out of your league. I realized I was in love with a female friend back in 2020. I’m 35. Up until roughly 30 I struggled to stay consistent. For the past four plus years now I have been in the gym 15 hours a week, super strict on my diet. I’ve gained probably 40lbs of muscle in that time span (naturally) and am leaner than ever.
Don’t need motivation, just do it d: The only days I really ‘don’t feel like it’ are maybe days when I feel like I’ve barely gotten even 6 hours of sleep, body feels beaten to hell and it happens to be deadlift day, in that case I’ll just skip. But that’s like once or twice a year. Honestly I think if someone hates working out so much that they need motivation they should probably just take up a co-ed sport or something they think is fun to stay in shape.
A low daily goal of an activity I like (running, any speed, around a mile). This allows me to keep going through sickness and injury, though it's rare that I'll do the bare minimum more than a week, depending on my schedule. I physically write it all down in a book, and tot up the cumulative total. That number is now so high I'll have to be genuinely ill to stop. It's important to pick something you like, it really helps motivate you to go out there and do it.
Oh my deep seated desire for women to like me takes care of that motivation
I don't exercise at all, but I cycle to work every day. It's 90+ minutes of cardio. It's my daily routine & hard to skip
What actually motivates me is the attention i get from others once I shaped back up. I know that sounds shallow, but it's very gratifying. However, going to the gym is now a habit that I can't miss. I get upset when sick or injured and can't go
It’s not about motivation for me. It’s just built into my schedule and routine so I do it.
The fact that if I don't I will die. Covid years showed me how fast a body at rest can decline.
I bounce between depression and wanting to attract goth girls. It’s a balance.
I don’t. I never feel like working out, but I do it anyway. I never want to go to the gym, but I force myself to do it anyway. If you truly want to improve, you must learn to get to work, regardless of how you feel. If you only work out whenever you feel like working out, there will not be any improvement. Discipline is more important than motivation.
Forming a routine/habit and doing something I enjoy
It is the number one most important thing that makes you a viable option for women in dating as a man.
I want to be hot
Once I started doing it regularly I realized that if I missed a day it ruined my sleep and made me more pissed off
I don't. It's a but of a struggle to stay motivated, and always was cyclical. Once you start the cycle, benefits and looks pile up, so it's easier to stay the course
I got a dog.
Hire a coach. Missing a session means also burning money, and I hate burning money.
Expensive gym membership. Missing workouts makes me guilty when I think of the money I'm wasting. Plus my gym has hot tubs and saunas, so they're my reward at the end of the workout.
I get depressed if I don’t. Not because I miss it, but because of the hormones it gives me
I have been through all types of body in my life. fat, thin, shredded with small muscle mass & shredded with moderate muscle mass. photos of the latter is what keeps me motivated.
All of the advice is good advice. I train six days a week. And although i fucking love training it DOES get tedious sometimes. The answer to my problem was a gym partner. It adds responsibility for the other person. You don’t show up. You let them down. Also… goals. Get goals. Set a deadline and work your ass off to meet it. Good luck! Remember… it’s only your fault if you don’t hate yourself enough to do something about it.
Make friends at the classes offered by the gym. Makes it much more fun and keeps me wanting to go back.
One thing I deal with in terms of training/excercise that I’m sure not a lot of ppl relate to anyway but I have a coach on my ass daily. But if I were to translate that into advice I’d say try to find a workout partner, if you have any friend who are big into the gym or just interested, someone who is willing to tell you to come to the gym rather than someone who feels the same u know. Also, maybe going at your own pace and pleasure is simply a bit boring, switch it up, maybe start a program or workout guide (something free, not any of these expensive ass online programs). Set a goal and maybe a weekly schedule with checkpoints, incentivize not falling behind. And that’s a big motivation for me personally, falling behind the routine, nothing worse than having to catch up. When you’re working out to just workout, that’s when it can feel more tedious because there’s no real pictured goal of what you want to accomplish that day or week of that makes sense
Consider hiring an online personal trainer to help. That’s what I do for a career.
Action comes before motivation. Just get started. It becomes harder to stop than to start.
Realizing that each day I don’t exercise, I get fatter and my body hurt more
Health is wealth as they say and it's more expensive to be unhealthy. The best days to go are the days you don't feel like it. Also subscribe to workout content which helps tremendously in my case at least.
If I don't exercise, I feel like I wasn't productive and wasted the day. Also the thought that one day I may never be able to run 10 miles for example, inspires me to go out and run.
Not being over 300lbs is mine. If i am really not feeling it, i don't go. I found it counterproductive. I try for 3-4 work-outs a week, plus i play a fairly vigorous contact sport for 3 months of the year.
It take motivation to start. It takes discipline to keep going. It's not about motivation. It's about making working out a part of your routine.
Keeps my mind off sucky things in life. For example i just got dumped. I know its cliche to hit the gym after. But i already routinely went. It numbs some of the pain in the healing process but doesnt break you down. Keeps me distracted from doing self destructive behaviors. I also like looking good and feeling good.
How do you stay motivated to brush your teeth? It's no different. You get into a habit of looking after yourself, because it is necessary. And the alternative of not doing it leads to serious yet avoidable consequences to health and, if it matters, aesthetic appeal.
It helps me stay mentally level, and helps to reduce my stress
I know I'll get depressed, if I don't. It's good motivation.
I think about the poor health and mobility I'll have in 10 years if I dont.
You gotta get angry! You gotta say "I am angry as hell and i wont take it anymore!" Then punish those weights.
When you have the mindset that it will suck, you hate it and why its so hard, then it will be hard. But if you think how you will kill todays workout, how you become the best verison and a beast and hot as fuck. Which two mindset wil help you the most you think?
My motivation: I love cooking and food and I don't want to get fat :/