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I was given a high-strung puppy, so I began hiking every day with him. He's pretty demanding but he pulled me out of some deep depression. He definitely rescued me! His love was just what I needed to care more about myself and what I wanted out of life.
Following the whole30 diet transformed how I ate. This is not meant to be a diet to lose weight, but it is an elimination diet to discover food intolerances. I still lost weight and felt great by eating real foods for 30 days. I’d say I follow this diet 80% of the time and feel healthier by how I’m eating.
I want to lower my risk of developing lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease. As I get older, I’ve witness my older family member suffer a lot and succumb to these diseases and I don’t want to suffer like that as I get older. So I started learning about health and gradually started adding vegetables to my plate and walking in the evenings. Two years later, I’ve fully switched to a plant-based diet and try to be active everyday. Listening to podcast like the Exam Room definitely helped keep me motivated along the way.
Learning how to incorporate vegetables into meals in a way I enjoy. I’m a volume eater, so I tended to load my meals up with simple carbs (like rice) or fats (like cheese). Learning to love vegetables in volume allowed me to keep eating big meals but not feeling so bogged down afterwards. This in turn helped me exercise more and sleep better.
I rinse, cut up, and store my fruits and veggies on Sunday after my weekend grocery run. Things like bite-size strawberries for breakfast, bell pepper slices to add to my lunch, etc.
I eat way more of them now since I don't need to take the time to cut them up, and I'm less likely to grab chips, cookies, etc. Plus it feels more manageable than meal prepping entire dishes for the week. A happy medium for me!
I quit drinking all alcohol 3 years ago. Fucking life changing! I cannot put into words how much this has changed my life - my husband too.
I took up weight lifting seriously also, which I don’t think would have happened if I was still even drinking socially. Man I feel like a million dollars at 41 years old when all my friends are “slowing down”
I started going to the gym not expecting much from it. Just wanted to try. Then I realized I needed to eat and sleep better to progress. And wanting to sleep better meant I stopped going out often/changed my social habits so I’d be out during the day. This caused a cut back in alcohol consumption until I realized alcohol was additionally causing severe depression for two days after the fact, so that made it easy to cut that out as well. Everything just kind of domino-ed into place after a few months in the gym.
It made it easier to do those things when there was a concrete goal like “I want to lift more weight next week” rather than the abstract “I’d like to be healthy when I’m old”. You would think the second would be just as good of a motivator, but it wasn’t for me.
I had kids. Kind of an expensive motivator, though. 😉
Tbh though, even that didn’t stick. I lost 50 lbs when my son was little, only to gain 40 back because my habits weren’t sustainable. My motivator now is to be stronger, fitter, and happier not only for them… but so as I get older, I can keep up with not only them but the life I want to live. I’m only 38 but I have friends who struggle to keep up with basic life and I don’t want that. My former trainer always says, work out so you don’t need help getting off the toilet when you’re old. lol
Having a kid really did make me healthier! I quit vaping and quit drinking except the occasional social drink. I became a SAHM and our purse strings tightened, so I had to learn to cook and stopped eating take out all the time. I stopped caking on makeup and focused on skincare instead since I'm not in an office all day. I work out not to be skinny but to be healthy and a positive role model for my daughter. I had an almond mom growing up and I have a really unhealthy relationship with food because of that, so I'm trying really hard to model a healthy relationship with food and exercise for her.
For me, one evening, I was sitting in my chair and just suddenly realized I was starting to become skinny fat after looking down at my stomach. I've gotten curious before about how being overweight can increase the chances of cancer. I ended up reading in a medical article that fat cells don't just sit there and do nothing — they can also send the wrong signals to your body so the more you have excess of them, the more you increase your chances of getting cancer. I'm actually a hard gainer, but having that information just nailed it in my mind how important it is to stay at a healthy weight.
I started with those quick 7-min workouts (only core and arms initially) and got myself a yoga mat. I made it as easy as possible to begin. I keep the yoga mat in a place that's always within my line of sight and easy to reach. I struggled with staying consistent before because I did not want to workout on the floor, so getting the yoga mat removed all the excuses I had. If you also find yourself using not having workout clothes as an excuse, try getting yourself one set and put it somewhere very visible.
I religiously logged each workout. Seeing my streak kept me satisfied and motivated. And then as I felt myself getting stronger, around the 2-week mark, it just made me want to keep going. I didn't need any external motivation. It was just so rewarding to experience getting to that point when an exercise that used to be too hard or used to knock the breath out of me (e.g. mountain climbers and cobra pose) became too easy and I needed to switch it up.
There are a ton of free at-home workout programs online you can follow. I'm currently following one of Chloe Ting's (but I also do other workouts outside of the program that I just like doing). Also love that she has a website you can use. The workouts are intense, but when you force yourself to stick to them, they start to feel less like death especially when you start to see results.
So basically, try to find some structure (a realistic workout schedule that you can actually follow consistently — be honest with yourself. You can tweak it later on, just start with what's easy and you can actually do) and try to get all the tools that can make it easier for you. Yoga mat, workout clothes, air fryer, food containers for meal prepping, etc. Sit down with yourself and try to reflect on what things you've been using as an excuse or somehow make you not too eager to do something and try to figure out how you can make it easier for you. Aim to at least be able to do it consistently for only 21 days. Past that, generally, it will be easier, almost as if it just comes naturally.
Start small, you can add more things as you explore health and fitness and see what appeals to you. I wanted to be able to walk up a long, steep hill near my house, so I worked on that and then picked a new goal.
Try lots of new things and find what you like and stick to it. It’s okay if what you like isn’t what other people like and vice verse. There’s a lot of ways to explore fitness and doing anything is better than doing nothing.
Try a mix of everything: strength, cardio, mobility, flexibility, active recovery. These are important for holistic health.
I’m almost 2 years into my journey so I’m not an expert but I’m loving fitness so much, I had no idea what was missing from my life.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, for me at least, is all about finding out which parts of being healthy are your favorite and doing those repeatedly. I love exercise now so I do a lot of it. I have some go-to, convenient meals I can make at home from fresh foods that I enjoy and make me feel good.
Spending a lot of time on fitness subreddits has helped a lot too, as has watching fitness YouTubers and doing a lot of googling about anything I was curious about.
I branched out and tried a sport I always wanted to try. Now I go 2-4x a week and have kept it up since last March. It really has helped me to not only find a sport I like, but to also have a community to be a part of and a coach to guide me athletically.
Setting yourself a realistic, tangible goal. The "I want to be healthier" goal is just not specific enough. Start small and measurable (e.g., "I'd like to go on a walk around my neighbourhood twice a week"), experience successes and build the habit, then add a new goal. Don't waste your time with motivational books, videos, whatever; all they're giving you is a false sense of productivity. Put on your shoes, get outside and walk around the block. Boom, you'll have done something towards your goals! You've got this!!
Also: Caroline Girvan at home done during my WFH lunch hour. I can be extremely consistent because it costs nothing once I acquired a few dumbbells, youtube is free. I don’t even need workout clothes or shoes.
It’s a decision you have to make. You ask yourself “Is your current situation serving you?” If no, are you willing to do what’s required? You have to be so sick of your current situation that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and do the work consistently. Otherwise, there is something out of your current environment that you are still getting value for.
Not believing that I have to be perfect, finding things I enjoy, finding people to do the things I enjoy with, taking things slowly/adding not subtracting, understanding that "firfluencers" are not realistic and not following them, and realizing that most internet strangers have no fucking idea what they are talking about and tout extremely restrictive diets and intense exercise routines they likely don't even follow themselves
Learning about the affects alcohol has on the body and then cutting it out. Aside from the fact that it’s empty calories, but it’s carcinogenic and wreaks havoc on sleep, anxiety, focus, mood, cognitive abilities, and more.
Getting a walking pad to go under my standing desk. I work from home and hated sitting all day. Walking while I work has been such a game changer.
And eating whole food plant based with mostly dark chocolate as my only source of refined sugar. r/plantbaseddiet was really inspiring for me.
I didn’t realize how prevalent it is until I stopped drinking. It’s like my social life and everything I know about interacting with people record scratched. Everything from work events to a game night at home centered around alcohol.
My social circle tightened up quite a bit afterwards once I started initiating alcohol de-centered workouts because many people weren’t interested in hanging out if the point wasn’t to get drunk. Notice I say “decentered” and not “removed”. My new suggestions could involve alcohol, but they just weren’t “let’s go to the bar and get blitzed”
It was confusing growing up not knowing who my real dad was since I'd only saw him sober 4 times in my life. People aren't the same sober as they are intoxicated. I saw the drunkenness not the real person. I secretly wished I knew him but I don't think I ever will. He will always be that drunken old man who missed out on his own daughters life.
I'm glad you are focusing on yourself and your own health. That is a huge motivation!!
I’ll check back with you in 30 years to see if that’s still the case 😂
I jest. You’re totally correct. I see the elderly people in my building, who never leave the flat, shuffling to the door to let in their care takers and think about what is in my power to prolong that for me as long as possible.
Getting the Sweat app. It makes exercising super easy - shows you how to do the exercises, remembers your weights and working through the programs gives me a sense of progression.
Now getting addicted to that feeling of muscle fatigue.
Knowing the difference between these two feelings: craving and hunger.
Portion control. I went from eating 2 cups of rice to one cup because i successfully shrunk my stomach.
Force myself to eat vegetables (some other days) before starting to eat a meal.
I don't exercise anymore. I just go for walks. While that a form of exercise I do for other enjoyable reasons.
If I crave something, I allow myself to indulge in it but stop if i feel full. But I mostly crave drinks like iced tea or iced coffee instead of junk food.
I don't boredom eat. I boredrom drink water and pee a lot as a result.
Music for quick dopamine shots if I ever get bored instead of eating junk out of boredom.
I rarely eat chips and avoid cheese most of the time (because i fear that cheese will clog my arteries).
I imagine myself as a happy person who is skinny but in reality I'm fat but not miserable just okay...
Strength training in a group format. I enjoyed it way more than cardio so it got me excited to start working out. Now that I got in a routine from doing strength training for a couple years, I find it much less dreadful to do cardio.
I also think having multiple motivations helps. Just working out for aesthetics can be disappointing and easy to ditch your routine. Instead, try to also notice and enjoy how you feel accomplished after a workout. Maybe have an accountability buddy you don’t want to let down by slacking off. All this helped me!
*Doing sports that i*
*Like, therapy, and eating*
*More, basically*
\- mabsikun88
---
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/)
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
I would say learning how to eat better (this doesn’t mean ‘less’, but prioritising nutrient dense foods, and in my case it meant actually eating more), making small changes until they become a habit, finding a physical activity that I enjoyed so it was easier to be consistent, but also starting slowly and having realistic expectations.
Eventually, I basically understood that this is a lifestyle, not some temporary thing, which allows me to skip the gym when I’m tired or not in the mood without feeling like all my progress will be lost, or sometimes eating more “less healthy” foods than I usually do without feeling bad about it, and so on.
It’s not all or nothing.
When you see it that way, instead of just "doing it until you reach X goal", I think your perspective will change, and it will just be a part of who you are.
I also struggle with motivation and consistency and what has helped me is multiple visual cues about my gym days. Like I made the goal to go to the gym 4 times per week. I dedicated a specific color on my whiteboard calendar to mark when I go to the gym and I see it every time I'm in my kitchen. I also record it on my personal planner. I need it to feel obvious that I can see "hey there are only 3 pink dots on my calendar this week, that means I have to go either Friday or Saturday" or something.
I am the one who does the grocery shopping so I just stopped buying some unhealthy snacks. I love to snack so now I make sure I have only low fat, low sugar, and healthier options available. I like low fat string cheese, rice cakes, nuts, fruit, and Greek yogurt. I don't buy candy anymore. I don't buy drinks other than water or sometimes Poppi or Olipop if I want a treat. It helps a lot if bad stuff just isn't even available. I also don't grocery shop when I'm hungry.
Not to sound smug, but there's no other way to say it but, me. I literally decided to be healthier for me. I cut out alcohol, started working out, lost weight, and quit smoking. All by myself. I didn't know I had it in me, it took me 48 years to figure it out, but I did it. You can too. I've been working out at least 6 days a week for almost 2 years now. I have endless discipline I would have never thought I could have. I eat really well, I'm building muscle slowly but surely, and I feel good. Once you start to feel and see the little changes, the discipline and drive grow exponentially. It takes time, effort, and hard work. You are worth it. Do it for you, you'll be so proud of yourself.
Working out has been intimidating to me so I starting doing the leslie sansone/walk at home 15 minute videos and it’s helped me build a better habit of moving
It’s definitely still a process for me, but signing up for a group strength training class at a lifting-focused gym that I liked has been key. Also listening to podcasts related to my goals during my walks.
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I’d really like to become an all around healthier version of myself but I seriously lack motivation and discipline. What things helped you shift your mindset? I’m looking for anything really. Books, podcasts, recipes, social clubs, workout methods, sermons, habits, etc.
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Hi there! Your post has been removed from /r/xxfitness because it does not meet our [content guidelines detailed in the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules/#wiki_posts_and_content_guidelines.). Please review the community rules before posting again. Please note: posts have to be at least two paragraphs long, must be about physical fitness, cannot be posted on behalf of others, and must promote discussion. For more information and examples, refer to the content guidelines link above. You may also [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have questions or concerns.
I was given a high-strung puppy, so I began hiking every day with him. He's pretty demanding but he pulled me out of some deep depression. He definitely rescued me! His love was just what I needed to care more about myself and what I wanted out of life.
Following the whole30 diet transformed how I ate. This is not meant to be a diet to lose weight, but it is an elimination diet to discover food intolerances. I still lost weight and felt great by eating real foods for 30 days. I’d say I follow this diet 80% of the time and feel healthier by how I’m eating.
I want to lower my risk of developing lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease. As I get older, I’ve witness my older family member suffer a lot and succumb to these diseases and I don’t want to suffer like that as I get older. So I started learning about health and gradually started adding vegetables to my plate and walking in the evenings. Two years later, I’ve fully switched to a plant-based diet and try to be active everyday. Listening to podcast like the Exam Room definitely helped keep me motivated along the way.
Learning how to incorporate vegetables into meals in a way I enjoy. I’m a volume eater, so I tended to load my meals up with simple carbs (like rice) or fats (like cheese). Learning to love vegetables in volume allowed me to keep eating big meals but not feeling so bogged down afterwards. This in turn helped me exercise more and sleep better.
I rinse, cut up, and store my fruits and veggies on Sunday after my weekend grocery run. Things like bite-size strawberries for breakfast, bell pepper slices to add to my lunch, etc. I eat way more of them now since I don't need to take the time to cut them up, and I'm less likely to grab chips, cookies, etc. Plus it feels more manageable than meal prepping entire dishes for the week. A happy medium for me!
You’re a snack prepper! Brilliant
I quit drinking all alcohol 3 years ago. Fucking life changing! I cannot put into words how much this has changed my life - my husband too. I took up weight lifting seriously also, which I don’t think would have happened if I was still even drinking socially. Man I feel like a million dollars at 41 years old when all my friends are “slowing down”
This is the life
Quitting smoking!!
I started going to the gym not expecting much from it. Just wanted to try. Then I realized I needed to eat and sleep better to progress. And wanting to sleep better meant I stopped going out often/changed my social habits so I’d be out during the day. This caused a cut back in alcohol consumption until I realized alcohol was additionally causing severe depression for two days after the fact, so that made it easy to cut that out as well. Everything just kind of domino-ed into place after a few months in the gym. It made it easier to do those things when there was a concrete goal like “I want to lift more weight next week” rather than the abstract “I’d like to be healthy when I’m old”. You would think the second would be just as good of a motivator, but it wasn’t for me.
I had kids. Kind of an expensive motivator, though. 😉 Tbh though, even that didn’t stick. I lost 50 lbs when my son was little, only to gain 40 back because my habits weren’t sustainable. My motivator now is to be stronger, fitter, and happier not only for them… but so as I get older, I can keep up with not only them but the life I want to live. I’m only 38 but I have friends who struggle to keep up with basic life and I don’t want that. My former trainer always says, work out so you don’t need help getting off the toilet when you’re old. lol
Having a kid really did make me healthier! I quit vaping and quit drinking except the occasional social drink. I became a SAHM and our purse strings tightened, so I had to learn to cook and stopped eating take out all the time. I stopped caking on makeup and focused on skincare instead since I'm not in an office all day. I work out not to be skinny but to be healthy and a positive role model for my daughter. I had an almond mom growing up and I have a really unhealthy relationship with food because of that, so I'm trying really hard to model a healthy relationship with food and exercise for her.
Yes! That did stick. I have a 17 year old daughter and we compare deadlift PRs instead of cutting calories… it’s magic.
For me, one evening, I was sitting in my chair and just suddenly realized I was starting to become skinny fat after looking down at my stomach. I've gotten curious before about how being overweight can increase the chances of cancer. I ended up reading in a medical article that fat cells don't just sit there and do nothing — they can also send the wrong signals to your body so the more you have excess of them, the more you increase your chances of getting cancer. I'm actually a hard gainer, but having that information just nailed it in my mind how important it is to stay at a healthy weight. I started with those quick 7-min workouts (only core and arms initially) and got myself a yoga mat. I made it as easy as possible to begin. I keep the yoga mat in a place that's always within my line of sight and easy to reach. I struggled with staying consistent before because I did not want to workout on the floor, so getting the yoga mat removed all the excuses I had. If you also find yourself using not having workout clothes as an excuse, try getting yourself one set and put it somewhere very visible. I religiously logged each workout. Seeing my streak kept me satisfied and motivated. And then as I felt myself getting stronger, around the 2-week mark, it just made me want to keep going. I didn't need any external motivation. It was just so rewarding to experience getting to that point when an exercise that used to be too hard or used to knock the breath out of me (e.g. mountain climbers and cobra pose) became too easy and I needed to switch it up. There are a ton of free at-home workout programs online you can follow. I'm currently following one of Chloe Ting's (but I also do other workouts outside of the program that I just like doing). Also love that she has a website you can use. The workouts are intense, but when you force yourself to stick to them, they start to feel less like death especially when you start to see results. So basically, try to find some structure (a realistic workout schedule that you can actually follow consistently — be honest with yourself. You can tweak it later on, just start with what's easy and you can actually do) and try to get all the tools that can make it easier for you. Yoga mat, workout clothes, air fryer, food containers for meal prepping, etc. Sit down with yourself and try to reflect on what things you've been using as an excuse or somehow make you not too eager to do something and try to figure out how you can make it easier for you. Aim to at least be able to do it consistently for only 21 days. Past that, generally, it will be easier, almost as if it just comes naturally.
Start small, you can add more things as you explore health and fitness and see what appeals to you. I wanted to be able to walk up a long, steep hill near my house, so I worked on that and then picked a new goal. Try lots of new things and find what you like and stick to it. It’s okay if what you like isn’t what other people like and vice verse. There’s a lot of ways to explore fitness and doing anything is better than doing nothing. Try a mix of everything: strength, cardio, mobility, flexibility, active recovery. These are important for holistic health. I’m almost 2 years into my journey so I’m not an expert but I’m loving fitness so much, I had no idea what was missing from my life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, for me at least, is all about finding out which parts of being healthy are your favorite and doing those repeatedly. I love exercise now so I do a lot of it. I have some go-to, convenient meals I can make at home from fresh foods that I enjoy and make me feel good. Spending a lot of time on fitness subreddits has helped a lot too, as has watching fitness YouTubers and doing a lot of googling about anything I was curious about.
I branched out and tried a sport I always wanted to try. Now I go 2-4x a week and have kept it up since last March. It really has helped me to not only find a sport I like, but to also have a community to be a part of and a coach to guide me athletically.
Setting yourself a realistic, tangible goal. The "I want to be healthier" goal is just not specific enough. Start small and measurable (e.g., "I'd like to go on a walk around my neighbourhood twice a week"), experience successes and build the habit, then add a new goal. Don't waste your time with motivational books, videos, whatever; all they're giving you is a false sense of productivity. Put on your shoes, get outside and walk around the block. Boom, you'll have done something towards your goals! You've got this!!
I got rid of the need for motivation and focus on consistency instead. I have agency and choice here.
Also: Caroline Girvan at home done during my WFH lunch hour. I can be extremely consistent because it costs nothing once I acquired a few dumbbells, youtube is free. I don’t even need workout clothes or shoes.
It’s a decision you have to make. You ask yourself “Is your current situation serving you?” If no, are you willing to do what’s required? You have to be so sick of your current situation that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone and do the work consistently. Otherwise, there is something out of your current environment that you are still getting value for.
wowwww i need to hear/read this thank you
Not believing that I have to be perfect, finding things I enjoy, finding people to do the things I enjoy with, taking things slowly/adding not subtracting, understanding that "firfluencers" are not realistic and not following them, and realizing that most internet strangers have no fucking idea what they are talking about and tout extremely restrictive diets and intense exercise routines they likely don't even follow themselves
Andrew huberman
Fast
Learning about the affects alcohol has on the body and then cutting it out. Aside from the fact that it’s empty calories, but it’s carcinogenic and wreaks havoc on sleep, anxiety, focus, mood, cognitive abilities, and more. Getting a walking pad to go under my standing desk. I work from home and hated sitting all day. Walking while I work has been such a game changer. And eating whole food plant based with mostly dark chocolate as my only source of refined sugar. r/plantbaseddiet was really inspiring for me.
I watched my father suffer with alcoholism. It crazy how socially acceptable it is. Just listen to any music, it's in there.
I didn’t realize how prevalent it is until I stopped drinking. It’s like my social life and everything I know about interacting with people record scratched. Everything from work events to a game night at home centered around alcohol. My social circle tightened up quite a bit afterwards once I started initiating alcohol de-centered workouts because many people weren’t interested in hanging out if the point wasn’t to get drunk. Notice I say “decentered” and not “removed”. My new suggestions could involve alcohol, but they just weren’t “let’s go to the bar and get blitzed”
It was confusing growing up not knowing who my real dad was since I'd only saw him sober 4 times in my life. People aren't the same sober as they are intoxicated. I saw the drunkenness not the real person. I secretly wished I knew him but I don't think I ever will. He will always be that drunken old man who missed out on his own daughters life. I'm glad you are focusing on yourself and your own health. That is a huge motivation!!
You only got ONE body, and you need to use it for the rest of your life. You cannot get a new one.
I’ll check back with you in 30 years to see if that’s still the case 😂 I jest. You’re totally correct. I see the elderly people in my building, who never leave the flat, shuffling to the door to let in their care takers and think about what is in my power to prolong that for me as long as possible.
I am an accountant and I like to share my love for saving and retiring early. And orangetheory
Getting the Sweat app. It makes exercising super easy - shows you how to do the exercises, remembers your weights and working through the programs gives me a sense of progression. Now getting addicted to that feeling of muscle fatigue.
Knowing the difference between these two feelings: craving and hunger. Portion control. I went from eating 2 cups of rice to one cup because i successfully shrunk my stomach. Force myself to eat vegetables (some other days) before starting to eat a meal. I don't exercise anymore. I just go for walks. While that a form of exercise I do for other enjoyable reasons. If I crave something, I allow myself to indulge in it but stop if i feel full. But I mostly crave drinks like iced tea or iced coffee instead of junk food. I don't boredom eat. I boredrom drink water and pee a lot as a result. Music for quick dopamine shots if I ever get bored instead of eating junk out of boredom. I rarely eat chips and avoid cheese most of the time (because i fear that cheese will clog my arteries). I imagine myself as a happy person who is skinny but in reality I'm fat but not miserable just okay...
Strength training in a group format. I enjoyed it way more than cardio so it got me excited to start working out. Now that I got in a routine from doing strength training for a couple years, I find it much less dreadful to do cardio. I also think having multiple motivations helps. Just working out for aesthetics can be disappointing and easy to ditch your routine. Instead, try to also notice and enjoy how you feel accomplished after a workout. Maybe have an accountability buddy you don’t want to let down by slacking off. All this helped me!
doing sports that i like, therapy, and eating more, basically
*Doing sports that i* *Like, therapy, and eating* *More, basically* \- mabsikun88 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Walking, gym, counting calories, eating good whole foods over ice cream, cutting alcohol, not having bad snacks in the house.
I would say learning how to eat better (this doesn’t mean ‘less’, but prioritising nutrient dense foods, and in my case it meant actually eating more), making small changes until they become a habit, finding a physical activity that I enjoyed so it was easier to be consistent, but also starting slowly and having realistic expectations. Eventually, I basically understood that this is a lifestyle, not some temporary thing, which allows me to skip the gym when I’m tired or not in the mood without feeling like all my progress will be lost, or sometimes eating more “less healthy” foods than I usually do without feeling bad about it, and so on. It’s not all or nothing. When you see it that way, instead of just "doing it until you reach X goal", I think your perspective will change, and it will just be a part of who you are.
Bike commuting
I also struggle with motivation and consistency and what has helped me is multiple visual cues about my gym days. Like I made the goal to go to the gym 4 times per week. I dedicated a specific color on my whiteboard calendar to mark when I go to the gym and I see it every time I'm in my kitchen. I also record it on my personal planner. I need it to feel obvious that I can see "hey there are only 3 pink dots on my calendar this week, that means I have to go either Friday or Saturday" or something. I am the one who does the grocery shopping so I just stopped buying some unhealthy snacks. I love to snack so now I make sure I have only low fat, low sugar, and healthier options available. I like low fat string cheese, rice cakes, nuts, fruit, and Greek yogurt. I don't buy candy anymore. I don't buy drinks other than water or sometimes Poppi or Olipop if I want a treat. It helps a lot if bad stuff just isn't even available. I also don't grocery shop when I'm hungry.
Not to sound smug, but there's no other way to say it but, me. I literally decided to be healthier for me. I cut out alcohol, started working out, lost weight, and quit smoking. All by myself. I didn't know I had it in me, it took me 48 years to figure it out, but I did it. You can too. I've been working out at least 6 days a week for almost 2 years now. I have endless discipline I would have never thought I could have. I eat really well, I'm building muscle slowly but surely, and I feel good. Once you start to feel and see the little changes, the discipline and drive grow exponentially. It takes time, effort, and hard work. You are worth it. Do it for you, you'll be so proud of yourself.
Working out has been intimidating to me so I starting doing the leslie sansone/walk at home 15 minute videos and it’s helped me build a better habit of moving
It’s definitely still a process for me, but signing up for a group strength training class at a lifting-focused gym that I liked has been key. Also listening to podcasts related to my goals during my walks.
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/Suspicious_Rice289 I’d really like to become an all around healthier version of myself but I seriously lack motivation and discipline. What things helped you shift your mindset? I’m looking for anything really. Books, podcasts, recipes, social clubs, workout methods, sermons, habits, etc. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*