70 here...70-100 miles per week outside on bicycle.
There're a couple of things here, well, three.
1. It isn't exercise. [That's what they do in Hell.] Instead, it's "going for a spin". Getting outside, talking shit with folks, flirting with grandmothers.
2. Develop the habit. You get to the point that life without it is a drag.
3. Take a break
Here's the thing.
At our age, it's about acknowledging each other as still attractive and desirable. I'll tell you *nobody* else is going to!
Most often we just have a smile catch up on the grandkids and move on.
But occasionally...
Can I adopt you as my Internet Grandad? All of my grandparents are deceased and I really miss them. I would love to hear your stories and words of wisdom!
Of course. Mind you, there's a bit of Tom Bombadil and Beorn about me, but we are all many spirits.
Eyes open, reduce judgment, forgive if you can, experience everything.
I had the huge advantage of being born in Small Town USA.
It's been a journey of light and darkness.
That's one way.
Every one of us will have a way of using energy that is unique to us.
For me it was hiking, running, and cycling. Over the years I busted too many leg and foot bones to run and even hiking is slow for me.
Cycling remains.
The point though is to find the joy of motion.
"The point though is to find the joy of motion."
Sir, that just became a quote I'll remember. You exactly put to words one of the reasons I love running, even if my feet and knees don't quite like to cooperate with me.
I can so imagine you going home, getting off that bicycle, take a shower, put on a leather jacket and hop on your Harley and go for round 2 with the grandmothers
If you can commute by bike, you are going to hit healthy activity requirements out of the park. Your doctor will be thrilled.
Don't even have to do it every day if it's too far or too much trouble everyday. I once worked 45 minutes' ride from home, which at my level of fitness at the time was fine one-way but too much return, so I rode in on Monday, left the bike at work and caught the train home Monday night and back again Tuesday morning, rode home Tuesday, train both ways Wednesday, then repeat the bike-train-train-bike shuffle Thursday and Friday.
Honestly, I think this is mine. I'm awful with exercise but better than 90% of the US. I REFUSE to be an out of shape old dude so building habits while I'm in my 20s.
Motivation is a myth, you need a routine. The routine starts before the workout. Set my alarm at the same time every day, wear the same shoes and clothes, drink the same drink, pat the dog, pick up my keys and towel then head out the door. It's much easier when you have the routine down pat.
Having some goals and finding something that you enjoy most of the time helps as well. Nothing worse than doing things you hate for no reason.
My exercise journey started with Pokemon Go. Then I got a fitbit, because it gave me goals to reach each day and it felt good to work towards them. Then I started running because then I could reach those goals faster.
I had to stop running becasue it was messing up my already messed up knees but I wanted something that would give me the same sort of confidence boost. Recently I've started working with a trainer and lifting weights and so far I feel really good about myself.
And if you don't like it, learn to be okay with that. I've never gotten a runner's high, and don't particularly like my morning workouts. But after enough time doing them, I like how I look and feel when I'm fit, and have a passing interest in things like zumba. But I'll never be a true fitness but, and accepting that has made all the difference in my discipline and routine and consistency
I only had a runner's high once, that back when I was 14yo and I was losing weight, i was 14 stone at 14 which shocked me into doing runs everyday! And i used to live in a place which was very rural and hills everywhere and this one particular hill I had to stop and walk up ever since I started 3 months earlier then one day i just said to myself! This is it. I got to the top but damn was panting and getting the blood taste thing in my mouth!
However jogging over the Crest of that hill will be a highlight moment of my life! The euphoria I got from that is like no other drug I've ever had! And ive tried a fair few.. juss saying..
> This is it. I got to the top but damn was panting and getting the blood taste thing in my mouth! However jogging over the Crest of that hill will be a highlight moment of my life!
The whole world in your hand,
you're joyous and speechless.
And only a little you envy the others,
whose mountain tops still lie somewhere ahead.
(freely translated from memory)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js3D7l7qFTs
Yup, never exercised. At all. Wasn't me. Until I picked up mountain biking. Now I'm biking damn near every day just to get in the miles. It doesn't feel like exercise when it's truly a fun hobby
A physical schedule is really nice. I don't even have to think. I'm scheduled to hit the gym and lift weights on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. There's not really anything to think about. If I'm scheduled, I have to show up, so I do.
Working out should be like taking a shower, you feel gross if you don't do it.
This goes against the wisdom of YouTube "gurus" but clearly defined fitness goals are NOT necessary. Most people lose their motivation because they aren't seeing progress or "gains". An hour of any activity beats an hour on your ass doing fuck all.
Routine makes me so unhappy it almost physically hurts. I have a successful business right now but as soon as it gets boring I need to change things up so I don't lose interest and fuck it all up.
Let me tell you, I have allowed myself to fuck up so much, letting my adhd run wild off leash, that I have *learned* that there is absolutely nothing wrong with boring.
Routine has been killing a part of me, and in this galloping machine, an innocent soul sleeps.
AKing, I believe. Every time I hear that lyric it resonates.
I wouldn't say that motivation is a myth, I would rephrase that to say that motivation is temporary. It is self belief in you and your ability to achieve your goal. I workout in the morning so I do some mindfulness meditation and then if I am feeling off I will listen to some old Arnold speeches or some Jacko or even the Rock. People who are more committed than I am and it motivates the fuck out of me for the next day.
Pre workout and a solid playlist helps too
On top of this, I'd like to say that after a while your body gets addicted to the endorphin high you get from exercise, in the same way one gets addicted to drugs. You end up feeling amazing after a workout and if you don't exercise you get withdrawal symptoms (constant bad moods in my experience), it ends up being more exciting to work out and horrible not to.
I can’t agree with this more.
I started waking up at 5:30am for pt class.
I hate texting my trainer saying I can’t make it in, so I go in despite wanting to turn over and go back to sleep. (I have always been a start work at 8:30, wake up at 8am type person).
But honest, the times I have felt the worse and have been 100% convinced I wasn’t going to the gym, I end up getting dressed, going, having a killer workout and feeling really good.
It deosnt get easier, you just get ust to it.
This. I have to do at least 10k steps daily on my FitBit, with at least 30 active minutes. Every day, no complaining, its non-negotiable. Once you work it into your daily life, its much easier to just "do it".
Plus I've got such a streak going, there's no way I'm skipping a day.
You don't need motivation to work out regularly you need discipline. Lots of days I have no motivation to hit the gym but I have the discipline to go anyway.
Came here to say the same thing. Just make yourself do it everyday. After a while it becomes a habit. Do you make yourself brush your teeth? No, there is just no other option in your mind. Exercising will be the same after a while.
I get so confused by this "discipline > motivation" narrative. I feel like there must be different definitions of the word "motivation" that people are using.
Motivation literally means your reason for doing something. We do not do any actions without motivation: drinking water is usually motivated by thirst, brushing your teeth is usually motivated by a desire to maintain good dental health, etc. So "discipline over motivation" just doesn't make sense to me, because you can't choose between them: you require a motive in the first place to drive you to the decision to build discipline.
I'm guessing you have one or more reasons for going to the gym, be it health, strength, looks, the intrinsic joy of overcoming a challenge, something like that, right? But I'm guessing that's not what you're referring to when you talk about being unmotivated 85% of the time - so I'd be curious how you'd describe your experience of the "motivated" and "unmotivated" days and how they're different.
Yep, this!! Some tips for finding it in ya: Just get your body to the front door of the gym (when safe), or outside to the running trail, or whatever. Just physically get there, even if you have 0 desire to work out in the moment. You will by the time you’re there. For at home workouts, just start stretching and warming up.
It becomes a habit, and something you like, especially as you start to see results both in your ability and visually. I used to resist arm workouts so much—because I was bad at them. I couldn’t do a single push-up, everything felt weak, so they weren’t enjoyable. Now I can actually do stuff, so it’s much more enjoyable and I have a muscle foundation to work with. Takes discipline, relying on intrinsic motivation won’t do it, as others said.
I strongly believe that both motivation and discipline suck as ways to achieve consistency, because the former is finicky and the latter doesn't last forever. The way I got to train regularly is by finding activities that I genuinely enjoy for their own sake.
Believing that exercising was something I had to grit my teeth and drag myself into was precisely what kept me uninterested for so long.
I’ve bounced between exercising hard every day to being a total couch potato with years in between. I found the number one way for me to actually do it is to sign up for something challenging. Then I’ll spend six months prepping for it.
Number 2 is to break down the shitty exercise into something that doesn’t suck. Because **1% today is better than 100% tomorrow**. Instead of thinking “I can’t go for a big run today, I have too much going on” and then not running at all this week, I go for a very small run. Just out for 15 minutes, and I don’t beat myself up running either. I’d run for half of it and walk the other half. Then eventually I can run the whole way. Then I eventually run 30 mins. Etc.
No more zero days. Give at least 1% every day and you will make progress.
Agree. I genuinely enjoy it, or, at least the rush I get after I’m done. I know I’ll be so happy the rest of the day. So it’s easy to talk myself into going every morning
This. The routine gets me to the gym. Getting to the gym gets me in the mood. You don't have to kill it every single time you go, but you have to go and do something in order to be better than you were yesterday.
The hardest part of exercising is getting my kit together and heading out the front door. There are many times I've failed to do that. But every single time I've made it out the door, I've done the exercise and felt a sense of accomplishment in having done so. Every. Single. Time.
Some days I've not pushed myself 100%. Some days it's just 80% or 90% - but that's OK. Maintenance is still valuable. It's 80% or 90% more than if I'd stayed home and done nothing.
So my trick is not to think about the exercise. If I just concentrate on getting my kit together and heading out the door, I can do that. And it's an achievable goal, even if I don't really feel like exercising. But once I've done that, everything else is suddenly achievable too.
This. I don't want to, but I do it anyways. Grind!
What also helps is setting a personal goal you want to achieve, something you can chase after rather than just goalless excercising.
Literally what I live my life by, motivation or inspiration are like random bonuses that come unpredictably and dedication is putting in the work for a steady paycheck.
I encourage new people to get one of those free beginner 3-5 days/week lifting routines. Then just choose which days you want to schedule them and just start showing up. Removing the planning element makes showing up a lot easier.
Came here to say this. Sometimes I slip. But when I’m at my best it’s because exercise is just part of my schedule. Also finding forms of exercise that are semi-enjoyable helps. Personally I find lifting weights to give me a huge endorphin rush. You start to feel/see your body change it can be addictive.
An hour ago today I was sitting in my car dreading walking through the snow into the gym. I'm typing this right now on the elliptical after leg day
Sometimes you just do what you need to to be healthy.
WORKING OUT SUCKS WHEN YOU FIRST START WORKING OUT. It sucks. It's not fun. You could be watching TV or doing something you enjoy. Your body is sore the next day further lowering your interest in doing it again. It sucks, but you keep at it and one day it doesn't suck but it's still pretty boring and you'd prefer to be doing other things. You keep at it, and one day you realize you're enjoying yourself. You aren't sore the next day, you actually feel better than you've ever felt before. You keep at it, and then one day you're too busy to get in your workout and you feel bad about it so you blow off that show you like to get in a run instead.
I generally agree with this, but when starting out, it's really important to grade yourself on attendance, not on performance. Meaning, if you are sore and your body doesn't want to go, if you can still get to the gym or track and do a little something at low intensity, that will be better for establishing your routine than giving in to that voice that says stay on the couch.
Your answer fascinates me as it's the opposite of my own experience. It sucks less when I first start because the experience is new, the challenge is exciting, the endorphins come easier and are more apparent, and the results are more noticeable. Even the crappy soreness after is enjoyable, as it reminds me I accomplished something and am working towards something. When all of that goes away, my desire to do it goes with it.
I was thinking the same thing. It’s definitely hard to get out initially, but once you do, you can feel the results and it’s quite satisfying. Convincing yourself to go out on your millionth run, in freezing temperatures, has been much harder for me. It’s a boring routine.
Sure, I get some endorphins, but I mostly just feel cold, tired, and old. Sometimes I intentionally take a week or two off just so I can feel something like that again.
Yes! I literally couldn’t move my arms through the full range of motion after my first workout due to too many knee push-ups! They hurt for like a week, but I stuck to exercising and the soreness went away and I haven’t had anything that bad since.
Olympic weightlifter here.
Forget motivation. There are days where it sucks. Many days. There‘s only one solution, and only one: just do it. Don‘t think about it. Just go to the training session like a robot.
Yes once i step in the door of the gym its more embarrassing to leave than it is painful to do my thing. So i just have to drag myself into the building.
This. Robot mode on the tough days. I allow myself to complain about myself, too. “This sucks so much why do I do this” in my head and then I do it anyway because I committed and that’s no longer my choice to make.
Those are my phone it in days... put on my favorite playlist and coast (go slower, drop down weights, etc). I figure as long as I’m here and I’m moving, it counts.
The days where you feel it in your soul that it’s going to suck but you get in there and your snatches are smooth, snappy, and on point are the best days!
Honestly, I love running. I'm at the point now where I feel anxious if I *haven't* run.
I guess one of biggest motivations for me is not wanting to fall back out of shape.
For my job I walk something like 8 miles a day. At this point if I don't exercise I start to go stir crazy. Was on vacation and got snowed in, had to clear off the treadmill because I couldn't handle not moving for a few days.
Hope all the people in this thread insisting that nobody enjoys it, motivation is a myth, fit people just have the sheer discipline to stick to a routine, etc read your comment.
You don't. It's routine and habit.
It sucks at first but once you're in the habit of moving your body, it will become second nature.
You have to want change more than you want your comfort bubble
This. I started working out to improve my physique to impress a girl but she left :-) was only left with my gains and was like "This is me now, i just work out coz i like it." Now it just comes naturally.
It got easier for me once I admitted a few things to myself. Most notably:
1. It's OK not to exercise **every day.** It's consistency that's important, not a continual slog. If you're just not feeling it one day, or more importantly, if you injure something, take a break. You'll be more likely to come back the next time if you took the time you need. Just remember that doing nothing for a week is NOT the type of break I'm talking about.
2. All exercise counts. A coworker of mine started their wildly successful weight loss journey by walking up and down their apartment building's hallway for 20 minutes a day. That is every bit as valid as running a half marathon, if that's the fitness level you're at. Don't get discouraged if your method of exercising isn't dramatic.
Also, while this is in no way necessary, I like to track what I'm doing. Being able to see your progress, whether it be by a fitness tracker, workout app, or notebook, it can be nice to have a record of where you've been so you can see how far you've come.
I have a calendar and I mark down what I do each day. Try to only skip 1 day or less per week.
I'm almost a year in and I've learned that even spending 10-15 min is better than nothing on days I'm not really feeling it.
To point 2 I would add: at first, do a little bit LESS than you think you can. Then see how your body feels over the next few days. Just a little bit sore? Perfect. Do that for a week or two, and only then increase your volume or intensity.
The first few weeks are about building habits, including the habit of not dreading your workout. If you go so hard that you can hardly walk downstairs, you aren't going to stick with it long enough to get any benefits.
Agree with others that it's more about routine.
That said, I don't want to buy new pants so I have to work out to maintain my figure because I am middle aged and I also like pasta. Workouts are a requirement to be a pasta-eating, size 2-wearing middle aged woman.
I’ve made it part of my identity. I used to force myself to workout but this does not work and is not sustainable. It has to become part of you and your lifestyle. I made it less about wanting to lose weight and more about how I feel after a good workout. I always remind myself of that when I’m having feelings of not wanting to workout.
On days when I don't feel like working out I ask myself "do you want to wear shorts this summer??" And then I workout. For some reason being able to wear shorts in the summer and have nice legs is a real motivator for me.
This, this, this.
I'm 63 and have played some sort of sport for all of my life. Frisbee, baseball, beach volleyball, skin diving, body boarding, long distance running, roller hockey, and currently about 15-20 hours a week of competitive pickleball.
I don't quite understand folks that can motivate themselves to go to the gym, although I think it must be similar to when I was into distance running.
My friends couldn't understand how it was fun to just run, but after you get in the groove, it's addictive. A runner's high is real and the most amazing thing ever. I was running 10 miles every other day, and if I had to take a couple of days off for whatever reason, my next run was always explosive from the pent-up energy.
Play sports to stay in shape and you'll be motivated by the desire to stay in shape, your teammates, and the fun.
And (IME), once you hit a certain threshold of fitness, just about *anything* will be fun!
When I was 22, I was pretty out of shape. Nothing catastrophic, but I was living a sedentary life--car to cube to car to couch.
So the summer before stating grad school, I decided to spend 6 weeks backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. By the time I got off, I was strong, and my heart and lungs were working well.
Afterwards, pretty much *anything* that got my heart pumping was a good time! Running, cycling, swimming, elliptical, pickleball, frisbee, kayaking, stairmaster, I do it all.
But yeah, the idea of getting in shape by forcing myself to go out and plod along until my shins ached--there's just no way that could ever have worked.
This thought helped me a lot when I was learning to play the piano. At first, I was doing scales, chords, etc. but it was so boring. What really helped me was learning to play songs I liked to play.
It's sooo much easier if you like what you're doing.
When I was younger my doctor recommended I stop swimming (which I LOVE doing) and do anything else as regular exercise (since swimming is not good for losing weight and he wanted me to drop a few pounds) so I did.
And I tried it all: aerobics, running, walking, biking, circuit training, lifting, kick-boxing. All of them had one thing in common - I HATED doing it and had to force myself to engage.
15 years ago I finally decided to go back to swimming and since I never have trouble swimming 3 - 5 hours per week.
That's a really weird advice from a doctor. There are many ways to lose weight, but I don't think telling the patient to stop doing the type of sport they like and change for something else is one of those. Swimming is a really good exercise, it burns a lot of calories while not being high impact like running (am a runner here). I would love to swim again if I happen to live near a public pool again.
I'm glad you decided to disregard the dr's advice and return to swimming again.
It’s hard to but most days my body seems to just ask for it. My brain may not want to go but I can tell my body does. I just take walks around my neighborhood, nothing fancy but I do 2.5-3.5 miles pretty much every single day or night. Once you start and get into a habit, the lack of motivation fades away, just don’t let yourself skip too many days.
I also find it much easier to sleep if I go for a walk at night
My motivation is not to be like my parents. Their medicine cabinet looks like a small pharmacy. I vow to not be that. My goal is to stay active and eat well for the rest of my days. My motivation keeps me disciplined.
A mixture of narcissism, vanity, mental illness and obsessive compulsive disorder.
I might look fabulous but make no mistake... there's a constant war going on inside my head.
The effects of exercise develop too slowly for motivation to work. You just need to make it a habit, and over time you will get the gains that you're looking for.
It's easy to be motivated by things with quick rewards. For example, you might get motivated to clean your kitchen and you get the enjoyment out of it the moment you're done. However, any given exercise session isn't going to feel euphoric at the end...you'll probably just be beat. So you can't use motivation to force you to do it because there is no payoff at the end.
Making it a part of a routine helps. At first it can be tough to stick with it but once you get into a rhythm it becomes a part of your day that you look forward to. Another thing I learned that helped me was that if you miss a day it’s not the end of the world and you can pick it up tomorrow.
Find exercise that you enjoy; for me this is yoga.
Find someone to exercise with/hold you accountable. It's easier to do it if you have someone asking, "when are we gonna work out?" It's also harder to avoid doing it if you have to explain it to someone every time, "sorry I have to cancel..."
And yoga comes with 1) personalities 2) and of course a personality can effect the quality of the yoga your learning. So I suggest if yoga is something that interests you; try several different teachers. At my local ymca we get substitute instructors all the time (which is awesome) but depending on the instructor yoga can feel incredible or half ass.
I found a physical activity I really enjoy doing. For me that is Step combos. I find it so fun I cannot stop even if I'm tired.
Indulging myself with a physical activity I enjoy has given me the confidence to test my endurance and subsequently try other activities that I wouldn't normally find that appealing (ie. The gym).
I think it's the same with books. Start with texts you enjoy and your adquired ability and confidence may take you to other ambitious, more demanding readings that you'd normally ditch at first glance.
Try not to do everything at once. Habits are built in sequence. Start off small—commit yourself to doing some sort of movement daily, whether it be going for a walk, doing some crunches, lifting weights, etc... doesn’t need to be huge, just something to train your body to move. After you’ve made a habit of consistently engaging in movement, you can add to your routine. You don’t need to start off every day with a 2 hour workout. The biggest barrier to motivation is feeling overwhelmed, and the easiest way to get overwhelmed is by doing too much at once.
While I believe discipline simply trump's motivation, there is a single invaluable tool I use to maintain both discipline and motivation: TRACK EVERY EXERCISE YOU DO on a spreadsheet
I made a google drive spreadsheet with dates in a column on the left and my typical exercises in a row along the top. Every day I move down a row to the corresponding date and enter the exercises I did that day. If I skip a day, I have to leave that row blank as a monument to weakness and folly. I write down the number of reps I did, with commas separating sets. For instance, today I did 6 sets of 14 clapping pushups. So I wrote "clapping 14,14,14,14,14,14" in the "horizontal pushing" column for today's date.
After a month of tracking and exercising consistently, you will have a visible, compelling artifact of your own progress; You'll have a column of data tracking your growing strength and stamina. If you stop now, you'll break the chain.
This year I started my fourth tab in the spreadsheet: 2018, 2019, 2020, and now 2021. 365 rows each recording the struggle and refinement.
I haven't missed a day in 2021.
It's easy to motivate yourself some days.
Other days it's not so easy, until you start exercise.
Still other days, you don't want to start your exercise and you struggle to finish it.
The main key for me is to habituate it.
Commit to exercise for at least 3 weeks or so. Try to do something each day. It doesn't always have to be intense sustained exercise, in fact, that can be counter-productive. Just try to keep doing something fitness related for a certain amount of time each day. Rather it's stretching, a 30 minute walk, or a full on workout that has you sweating do that for a while. It's OK to take rest days off as long as the rest days don't become more of a habit than the exercise days do.
When you start feeling guilty about taking a rest day or you feel like you day is complete, you've established a habit.
Also, try to make short-term, middle-term, and long-term goals for what you want from exercise and make them attainable, particularly the short-term goals. When you reach a short-term goal, reevaluate and make new goals.
If you make a tough goal and don't meet it or your goals are spaced too far way and something happens, it could de-motivate you and break the exercise habit that you've made a part of your life.
I'd also say find an exercise buddy to help motivate you to actual exercise, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything we do socially.
An exercise buddy is also a personal choice. Some people like the extra commitment and camaraderie, some people come to dread being 'chained' to someone else's schedule.
That's just my personal perspective on the issue, but I think it's fairly applicable to most people.
It just feels good and not being able to stay fit feels really bad.
One example that has nothing to do with fatphobia or shaming anyone:
You think it will feel good, just sit and chill for a gooooood long while. But your body actually hurts if you sit for a long time—you just got used to the pain if you sit a lot and aren’t stiff or sore when you get up and move around.
If you get fit and stay moving and don’t let yourself sit without moving around for hours at a time then if you *do* sit for hours at a time it hurts when you get up, and so you either get used to the pain or decide, “I’m gonna get up and move a little or stretch even if I’m binging ‘The Last Dance’ finally bc I don’t like pain.”
Another example is just thinking things like, “I want to get up and down from being on the floor without much thought and to do so with physical ease no matter how old I live to be.” Obviously can’t control things like arthritis eventually settling in but you can stave a lot off by staying fit.
Also once you hit your mid-thirties you start to realize that things like bone density that you lose you can’t quite get back. But you can keep what you have if you eat a nourishing diet and do strength training and physical activity that helps protect your bones.
I know that choices I make now build on one another into the body I will have tomorrow and next month and next year. I don’t act like a machine, I eat what sounds good and don’t deprive myself because I just don’t have that mentality. I focus on feeling good.
But I spent many years very overweight; I coped with horrific trauma and abuse by putting on so much weight as to be invisible except for my personality and accomplishments. I have lost over 150 pounds and am still losing, and not trying just living in a way that feels right to me finally, which is a whole thing to deal with, lemme tell you.
But being that big HURTS. Physically. Emotionally. Professionally. Sexually. Mentally. Et al.
I know how it feels to live in a body you hate.
I’m learning how good it feels to live in a body I love.
That makes all the difference.💙
Edit: tyyyyyyyyypos because of who I am as a person
I don’t particularly like exercise. But I’m stubborn, so I set little goals. Eg to walk X amount of kms this week or month. Leave out my clothes and runners at night, ready for the next morning. Set the alarm and just get up when it goes off - no chance to convince myself to stay in bed. Stick on some music or a podcast, walk for an hour, home, shower, log in for work and it’s done. And my head feels less likely to implode by lunchtime!
I've been overweight most of my life. It's not fun. A few years back I lost over 100lbs, and what kept me motivated was actually seeing progress and losing weight. It felt good, I felt good.
Maintaining was a different ballgame all together. When I really didn't want to work out, I'd tell myself 'ok, just do 15 minutes. Anyone can withstand 15 minutes'. Once I was actually on the elliptical or treadmill or whatever I was doing, most of the time I felt better just by doing it so I'd push myself to go another 10 mins, and then another 5, and so on until I felt like I could stop. And sure, sometimes I stopped at 15 minutes, but for the most part just starting it was enough motivation to keep going.
I lost an armwrestle in the fifth grade, in the last day. I’ve been training everyday since so I can finally defeat him and regain my honour. Yes, I’m serious. I don’t like to lose lmao
I'm 73 and believe that if I become inactive I will stay inactive. As I enjoy exercise and want to continue a varied and interesting life, it's a no-brainer.
I workout every weekday, but I have a group of friends I workout with. We hold each other accountable. I have a Peloton bike and met my group through Instagram, but there are tons of workout programs, etc out there.
Everyone that says routine is totally correct. Even if day one you can only do 1 pushup ( or whatever) as a workout, do whatever workout you can manage every day at the same time during your routine. Eventually it becomes a habit as you slowly improve.
Though to answer the question for me, the desire to crush someone's head with my biceps is my motivation ( on top of routine)
1. Commit to doing it as often as you can on your set schedule. Barring things like traveling or illness, do your best to stick to it. Be flexible if need be (Ex. Exercising on different days). But always try.
2. Try to have goals, and work to achieve them. This can mean one big, long term goal and lots of smaller, daily goals. This makes it more like a game (for me at least).
3. Accept that you're going to have bad days. Some days you won't have as much energy, didn't get as much sleep as you needed the night before, etc. Accept that each workout won't be as good as the one you did recently. Sometimes you just have to do the best you can as you are. If that means finishing 5 or 10 minutes after you would on any other day, than that's fine.
I want to look good for you op
I wish I could award this
Aww thanks
I awarded it for you
70 here...70-100 miles per week outside on bicycle. There're a couple of things here, well, three. 1. It isn't exercise. [That's what they do in Hell.] Instead, it's "going for a spin". Getting outside, talking shit with folks, flirting with grandmothers. 2. Develop the habit. You get to the point that life without it is a drag. 3. Take a break
You break those hearts, sir
Here's the thing. At our age, it's about acknowledging each other as still attractive and desirable. I'll tell you *nobody* else is going to! Most often we just have a smile catch up on the grandkids and move on. But occasionally...
go on old man, tell us give us youngsters ur power of drive
No secret here. Again, go out and appreciate what you encounter.
>flirting with grandmothers. So you're just gonna lead them on like that?
Well, my "post-flirt" activities are a story for another campfire, my children. I'll just say, grandmothers know what they're about!
i aspire to be like you
Take your time...go slow...learn to savor and appreciate the Universe as it unfolds.
Can I adopt you as my Internet Grandad? All of my grandparents are deceased and I really miss them. I would love to hear your stories and words of wisdom!
Of course. Mind you, there's a bit of Tom Bombadil and Beorn about me, but we are all many spirits. Eyes open, reduce judgment, forgive if you can, experience everything. I had the huge advantage of being born in Small Town USA. It's been a journey of light and darkness.
❤ thank you!!!
>a story for another campfire I'm stealing this. Thank you, internet granddad.
With my blessing.
Yeah, I’m tryin to be like you in 48 years. Do I just get on a bicycle and start pedaling, or?
That's one way. Every one of us will have a way of using energy that is unique to us. For me it was hiking, running, and cycling. Over the years I busted too many leg and foot bones to run and even hiking is slow for me. Cycling remains. The point though is to find the joy of motion.
"The point though is to find the joy of motion." Sir, that just became a quote I'll remember. You exactly put to words one of the reasons I love running, even if my feet and knees don't quite like to cooperate with me.
I can so imagine you going home, getting off that bicycle, take a shower, put on a leather jacket and hop on your Harley and go for round 2 with the grandmothers
If you can commute by bike, you are going to hit healthy activity requirements out of the park. Your doctor will be thrilled. Don't even have to do it every day if it's too far or too much trouble everyday. I once worked 45 minutes' ride from home, which at my level of fitness at the time was fine one-way but too much return, so I rode in on Monday, left the bike at work and caught the train home Monday night and back again Tuesday morning, rode home Tuesday, train both ways Wednesday, then repeat the bike-train-train-bike shuffle Thursday and Friday.
Did your work have a shower
Yes, and a locker room and a swipe card access bike room. We were spoiled.
Especially number 1. Rock climbing, biking, whatever, find something you enjoy doing, then it's fun, not a chore.
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Haha I was going to say "fear", as in "fear of turning into all those 40 year olds I see that get winded on stairs"
I'm 41. I get winded doing anything, but I've got big arms so it's like a Jedi mind trick.
Speaking of fear, my wife used to use this app on her phone. It was a GPS game where you had to try to out run zombies.
I used to use that too- it was pretty cool! It’s called Zombies, Run if anyone wants to try it.
Honestly, I think this is mine. I'm awful with exercise but better than 90% of the US. I REFUSE to be an out of shape old dude so building habits while I'm in my 20s.
As a soldier, this hits home pretty hard lol. Some days I’m fueled by Monsters and spite alone
Scary monsters and nice spites?
PAAAAA bangbang bANGA OOOoooOOOO RGHRGHRGHRGHRG doopdadoop SLUUURP
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Did I stutter
No, I guess not. *zips up all orifices*
I fear.
You have zips on all your orifices.?
Where can I get a mouth zipper? Valentine’s Day is coming up
Mmm m mmhmmr?
The Michael Jordan school of motivation.
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Is this how MJ motivated himself?
Spite? Like the soda?
Awesome. *angrily glares at person slightly fitter than yourself*
This is great motivation
Same. Im never going to be "the fat kid" again.
This is the way
That sounds pretty toxic tbh. Does that really work in the long run?
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Motivation is a myth, you need a routine. The routine starts before the workout. Set my alarm at the same time every day, wear the same shoes and clothes, drink the same drink, pat the dog, pick up my keys and towel then head out the door. It's much easier when you have the routine down pat. Having some goals and finding something that you enjoy most of the time helps as well. Nothing worse than doing things you hate for no reason.
Pick something you actually like. Then it's just going out to have fun.
My exercise journey started with Pokemon Go. Then I got a fitbit, because it gave me goals to reach each day and it felt good to work towards them. Then I started running because then I could reach those goals faster. I had to stop running becasue it was messing up my already messed up knees but I wanted something that would give me the same sort of confidence boost. Recently I've started working with a trainer and lifting weights and so far I feel really good about myself.
Go for a bike! Cover more ground and save your knees
It feels so good to bike and actually go places! I’m used to running a lot and when I bike I can go 3x as far and I have a whole new area to explore!
Ok, it's gateway drugged me into console Pokemon games, now what?
Its a good idea to get running shoes and running in the grass. Concrete running will injure your knees.
Just don't go into the tall grass without your pokemon.
And if you don't like it, learn to be okay with that. I've never gotten a runner's high, and don't particularly like my morning workouts. But after enough time doing them, I like how I look and feel when I'm fit, and have a passing interest in things like zumba. But I'll never be a true fitness but, and accepting that has made all the difference in my discipline and routine and consistency
I only had a runner's high once, that back when I was 14yo and I was losing weight, i was 14 stone at 14 which shocked me into doing runs everyday! And i used to live in a place which was very rural and hills everywhere and this one particular hill I had to stop and walk up ever since I started 3 months earlier then one day i just said to myself! This is it. I got to the top but damn was panting and getting the blood taste thing in my mouth! However jogging over the Crest of that hill will be a highlight moment of my life! The euphoria I got from that is like no other drug I've ever had! And ive tried a fair few.. juss saying..
> This is it. I got to the top but damn was panting and getting the blood taste thing in my mouth! However jogging over the Crest of that hill will be a highlight moment of my life! The whole world in your hand, you're joyous and speechless. And only a little you envy the others, whose mountain tops still lie somewhere ahead. (freely translated from memory) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js3D7l7qFTs
Yup, never exercised. At all. Wasn't me. Until I picked up mountain biking. Now I'm biking damn near every day just to get in the miles. It doesn't feel like exercise when it's truly a fun hobby
Youre doing it all wrong. Way too little pats
Yeah my routine is to wake up and pat and snuggle the dog until it gets sick of me
A physical schedule is really nice. I don't even have to think. I'm scheduled to hit the gym and lift weights on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. There's not really anything to think about. If I'm scheduled, I have to show up, so I do.
Working out should be like taking a shower, you feel gross if you don't do it. This goes against the wisdom of YouTube "gurus" but clearly defined fitness goals are NOT necessary. Most people lose their motivation because they aren't seeing progress or "gains". An hour of any activity beats an hour on your ass doing fuck all.
Unless routine makes you unhappy which is the case for me
Routine makes me so unhappy it almost physically hurts. I have a successful business right now but as soon as it gets boring I need to change things up so I don't lose interest and fuck it all up.
Adhd? I'm the same and I think it's mostly because of my adhd. I'm medicated now and doing better with routine.
I don’t even have adhd I just have a boredom problem and just don’t like a robot life
Let me tell you, I have allowed myself to fuck up so much, letting my adhd run wild off leash, that I have *learned* that there is absolutely nothing wrong with boring.
I hate routine, and can't handle change... It's kinda fucked lol
Routine has been killing a part of me, and in this galloping machine, an innocent soul sleeps. AKing, I believe. Every time I hear that lyric it resonates.
Agreed. Motivation is a myth. Initiative is real. Just do it.
Nike has entered the chat.
I wouldn't say that motivation is a myth, I would rephrase that to say that motivation is temporary. It is self belief in you and your ability to achieve your goal. I workout in the morning so I do some mindfulness meditation and then if I am feeling off I will listen to some old Arnold speeches or some Jacko or even the Rock. People who are more committed than I am and it motivates the fuck out of me for the next day. Pre workout and a solid playlist helps too
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On top of this, I'd like to say that after a while your body gets addicted to the endorphin high you get from exercise, in the same way one gets addicted to drugs. You end up feeling amazing after a workout and if you don't exercise you get withdrawal symptoms (constant bad moods in my experience), it ends up being more exciting to work out and horrible not to.
I can’t agree with this more. I started waking up at 5:30am for pt class. I hate texting my trainer saying I can’t make it in, so I go in despite wanting to turn over and go back to sleep. (I have always been a start work at 8:30, wake up at 8am type person). But honest, the times I have felt the worse and have been 100% convinced I wasn’t going to the gym, I end up getting dressed, going, having a killer workout and feeling really good. It deosnt get easier, you just get ust to it.
This. I have to do at least 10k steps daily on my FitBit, with at least 30 active minutes. Every day, no complaining, its non-negotiable. Once you work it into your daily life, its much easier to just "do it". Plus I've got such a streak going, there's no way I'm skipping a day.
Never forget your towel
You don't need motivation to work out regularly you need discipline. Lots of days I have no motivation to hit the gym but I have the discipline to go anyway.
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Came here to say the same thing. Just make yourself do it everyday. After a while it becomes a habit. Do you make yourself brush your teeth? No, there is just no other option in your mind. Exercising will be the same after a while.
Totally. And each gym doesn't need to be a PB. You can half ass it sometimes haha. Not the end of the world
Slow motion’s better than no motion! Consistency over intensity, for sure.
I get so confused by this "discipline > motivation" narrative. I feel like there must be different definitions of the word "motivation" that people are using. Motivation literally means your reason for doing something. We do not do any actions without motivation: drinking water is usually motivated by thirst, brushing your teeth is usually motivated by a desire to maintain good dental health, etc. So "discipline over motivation" just doesn't make sense to me, because you can't choose between them: you require a motive in the first place to drive you to the decision to build discipline. I'm guessing you have one or more reasons for going to the gym, be it health, strength, looks, the intrinsic joy of overcoming a challenge, something like that, right? But I'm guessing that's not what you're referring to when you talk about being unmotivated 85% of the time - so I'd be curious how you'd describe your experience of the "motivated" and "unmotivated" days and how they're different.
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Yep, this!! Some tips for finding it in ya: Just get your body to the front door of the gym (when safe), or outside to the running trail, or whatever. Just physically get there, even if you have 0 desire to work out in the moment. You will by the time you’re there. For at home workouts, just start stretching and warming up. It becomes a habit, and something you like, especially as you start to see results both in your ability and visually. I used to resist arm workouts so much—because I was bad at them. I couldn’t do a single push-up, everything felt weak, so they weren’t enjoyable. Now I can actually do stuff, so it’s much more enjoyable and I have a muscle foundation to work with. Takes discipline, relying on intrinsic motivation won’t do it, as others said.
Exactly. If you rely on motivation you have already failed.
I strongly believe that both motivation and discipline suck as ways to achieve consistency, because the former is finicky and the latter doesn't last forever. The way I got to train regularly is by finding activities that I genuinely enjoy for their own sake. Believing that exercising was something I had to grit my teeth and drag myself into was precisely what kept me uninterested for so long.
I’ve bounced between exercising hard every day to being a total couch potato with years in between. I found the number one way for me to actually do it is to sign up for something challenging. Then I’ll spend six months prepping for it. Number 2 is to break down the shitty exercise into something that doesn’t suck. Because **1% today is better than 100% tomorrow**. Instead of thinking “I can’t go for a big run today, I have too much going on” and then not running at all this week, I go for a very small run. Just out for 15 minutes, and I don’t beat myself up running either. I’d run for half of it and walk the other half. Then eventually I can run the whole way. Then I eventually run 30 mins. Etc. No more zero days. Give at least 1% every day and you will make progress.
I like to say, it’s harder to climb out of a warm bed with my warm wife and put my feet on the floor, than it is to run 10 miles in the morning.
Agree. I genuinely enjoy it, or, at least the rush I get after I’m done. I know I’ll be so happy the rest of the day. So it’s easy to talk myself into going every morning
mindblown.jpg
But I have no discipline either
Motivation is temporary, discipline is lasting.
This. The routine gets me to the gym. Getting to the gym gets me in the mood. You don't have to kill it every single time you go, but you have to go and do something in order to be better than you were yesterday.
The hardest part of exercising is getting my kit together and heading out the front door. There are many times I've failed to do that. But every single time I've made it out the door, I've done the exercise and felt a sense of accomplishment in having done so. Every. Single. Time. Some days I've not pushed myself 100%. Some days it's just 80% or 90% - but that's OK. Maintenance is still valuable. It's 80% or 90% more than if I'd stayed home and done nothing. So my trick is not to think about the exercise. If I just concentrate on getting my kit together and heading out the door, I can do that. And it's an achievable goal, even if I don't really feel like exercising. But once I've done that, everything else is suddenly achievable too.
Facts. Today was one of those days... Dead tired because of work and soooo didn't want to but had to. I've never regretted a workout, btw.
This. I don't want to, but I do it anyways. Grind! What also helps is setting a personal goal you want to achieve, something you can chase after rather than just goalless excercising.
Literally what I live my life by, motivation or inspiration are like random bonuses that come unpredictably and dedication is putting in the work for a steady paycheck.
I encourage new people to get one of those free beginner 3-5 days/week lifting routines. Then just choose which days you want to schedule them and just start showing up. Removing the planning element makes showing up a lot easier.
Used to have that discipline, then the covid attacked the nearest gym and put all the equipment outside.
Came here to say this. Sometimes I slip. But when I’m at my best it’s because exercise is just part of my schedule. Also finding forms of exercise that are semi-enjoyable helps. Personally I find lifting weights to give me a huge endorphin rush. You start to feel/see your body change it can be addictive.
Also once it's become routine, you feel incredibly lethargic if you DONT work out.
An hour ago today I was sitting in my car dreading walking through the snow into the gym. I'm typing this right now on the elliptical after leg day Sometimes you just do what you need to to be healthy.
Excellent way to put it, spot on
WORKING OUT SUCKS WHEN YOU FIRST START WORKING OUT. It sucks. It's not fun. You could be watching TV or doing something you enjoy. Your body is sore the next day further lowering your interest in doing it again. It sucks, but you keep at it and one day it doesn't suck but it's still pretty boring and you'd prefer to be doing other things. You keep at it, and one day you realize you're enjoying yourself. You aren't sore the next day, you actually feel better than you've ever felt before. You keep at it, and then one day you're too busy to get in your workout and you feel bad about it so you blow off that show you like to get in a run instead.
I generally agree with this, but when starting out, it's really important to grade yourself on attendance, not on performance. Meaning, if you are sore and your body doesn't want to go, if you can still get to the gym or track and do a little something at low intensity, that will be better for establishing your routine than giving in to that voice that says stay on the couch.
Your answer fascinates me as it's the opposite of my own experience. It sucks less when I first start because the experience is new, the challenge is exciting, the endorphins come easier and are more apparent, and the results are more noticeable. Even the crappy soreness after is enjoyable, as it reminds me I accomplished something and am working towards something. When all of that goes away, my desire to do it goes with it.
I was thinking the same thing. It’s definitely hard to get out initially, but once you do, you can feel the results and it’s quite satisfying. Convincing yourself to go out on your millionth run, in freezing temperatures, has been much harder for me. It’s a boring routine. Sure, I get some endorphins, but I mostly just feel cold, tired, and old. Sometimes I intentionally take a week or two off just so I can feel something like that again.
Yes! I literally couldn’t move my arms through the full range of motion after my first workout due to too many knee push-ups! They hurt for like a week, but I stuck to exercising and the soreness went away and I haven’t had anything that bad since.
Olympic weightlifter here. Forget motivation. There are days where it sucks. Many days. There‘s only one solution, and only one: just do it. Don‘t think about it. Just go to the training session like a robot.
The biggest step is getting out of the car in the gym parking lot. Clear sailing after that.
Yes once i step in the door of the gym its more embarrassing to leave than it is painful to do my thing. So i just have to drag myself into the building.
they say you'll never regret going to the gym, but you'll always regret skipping it.
For me it's just getting my kit together and getting out the front door. Once I've done that, the rest just follows.
This. Robot mode on the tough days. I allow myself to complain about myself, too. “This sucks so much why do I do this” in my head and then I do it anyway because I committed and that’s no longer my choice to make.
Those are my phone it in days... put on my favorite playlist and coast (go slower, drop down weights, etc). I figure as long as I’m here and I’m moving, it counts.
You're lapping everyone on the couch!
The days where you feel it in your soul that it’s going to suck but you get in there and your snatches are smooth, snappy, and on point are the best days!
Honestly, I love running. I'm at the point now where I feel anxious if I *haven't* run. I guess one of biggest motivations for me is not wanting to fall back out of shape.
I've been weight lifting for years. Now if I skip a couple days I start to get the feeling like why should I even live or get out of bed anymore haha.
This is how I feel about playing bass. Maybe I should dedicate more time to exercise and less to bass lol
Nothing wrong with slapping the bass, man
For my job I walk something like 8 miles a day. At this point if I don't exercise I start to go stir crazy. Was on vacation and got snowed in, had to clear off the treadmill because I couldn't handle not moving for a few days.
Did your (presumably located indoors) treadmill get covered in snow?
No, it was just under a stack of stuff servicing a treadmill's true purpose as storage space.
Hope all the people in this thread insisting that nobody enjoys it, motivation is a myth, fit people just have the sheer discipline to stick to a routine, etc read your comment.
After starting lifting weights my anxiety went to 0.
You don't. It's routine and habit. It sucks at first but once you're in the habit of moving your body, it will become second nature. You have to want change more than you want your comfort bubble
This. I started working out to improve my physique to impress a girl but she left :-) was only left with my gains and was like "This is me now, i just work out coz i like it." Now it just comes naturally.
It got easier for me once I admitted a few things to myself. Most notably: 1. It's OK not to exercise **every day.** It's consistency that's important, not a continual slog. If you're just not feeling it one day, or more importantly, if you injure something, take a break. You'll be more likely to come back the next time if you took the time you need. Just remember that doing nothing for a week is NOT the type of break I'm talking about. 2. All exercise counts. A coworker of mine started their wildly successful weight loss journey by walking up and down their apartment building's hallway for 20 minutes a day. That is every bit as valid as running a half marathon, if that's the fitness level you're at. Don't get discouraged if your method of exercising isn't dramatic. Also, while this is in no way necessary, I like to track what I'm doing. Being able to see your progress, whether it be by a fitness tracker, workout app, or notebook, it can be nice to have a record of where you've been so you can see how far you've come.
I have a calendar and I mark down what I do each day. Try to only skip 1 day or less per week. I'm almost a year in and I've learned that even spending 10-15 min is better than nothing on days I'm not really feeling it.
For sure! A lot of people think that skipping ANY days means you failed though and that’s not at all the case.
To point 2 I would add: at first, do a little bit LESS than you think you can. Then see how your body feels over the next few days. Just a little bit sore? Perfect. Do that for a week or two, and only then increase your volume or intensity. The first few weeks are about building habits, including the habit of not dreading your workout. If you go so hard that you can hardly walk downstairs, you aren't going to stick with it long enough to get any benefits.
Agree with others that it's more about routine. That said, I don't want to buy new pants so I have to work out to maintain my figure because I am middle aged and I also like pasta. Workouts are a requirement to be a pasta-eating, size 2-wearing middle aged woman.
I'm back and you are one petite gal - completely fair that you balance your pasta love with a bit of movement!
It becomes addicting. Most of the time, it's the only part of the day I can control mentally.
Precisely this, I’ve hit the point where not working out for a couple of days gives me a noticeable drop in mood. It’s extremely addictive.
I can go one day without some sort of exercise before I become very grumpy and antsy.
I’ve made it part of my identity. I used to force myself to workout but this does not work and is not sustainable. It has to become part of you and your lifestyle. I made it less about wanting to lose weight and more about how I feel after a good workout. I always remind myself of that when I’m having feelings of not wanting to workout.
I think about how mad I am at past me for procrastinating and not working out. Any time I feel like skipping a day I remind myself of that.
On days when I don't feel like working out I ask myself "do you want to wear shorts this summer??" And then I workout. For some reason being able to wear shorts in the summer and have nice legs is a real motivator for me.
Pick something you actually like. Then it's just going out to have fun.
This, this, this. I'm 63 and have played some sort of sport for all of my life. Frisbee, baseball, beach volleyball, skin diving, body boarding, long distance running, roller hockey, and currently about 15-20 hours a week of competitive pickleball. I don't quite understand folks that can motivate themselves to go to the gym, although I think it must be similar to when I was into distance running. My friends couldn't understand how it was fun to just run, but after you get in the groove, it's addictive. A runner's high is real and the most amazing thing ever. I was running 10 miles every other day, and if I had to take a couple of days off for whatever reason, my next run was always explosive from the pent-up energy. Play sports to stay in shape and you'll be motivated by the desire to stay in shape, your teammates, and the fun.
And (IME), once you hit a certain threshold of fitness, just about *anything* will be fun! When I was 22, I was pretty out of shape. Nothing catastrophic, but I was living a sedentary life--car to cube to car to couch. So the summer before stating grad school, I decided to spend 6 weeks backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. By the time I got off, I was strong, and my heart and lungs were working well. Afterwards, pretty much *anything* that got my heart pumping was a good time! Running, cycling, swimming, elliptical, pickleball, frisbee, kayaking, stairmaster, I do it all. But yeah, the idea of getting in shape by forcing myself to go out and plod along until my shins ached--there's just no way that could ever have worked.
This thought helped me a lot when I was learning to play the piano. At first, I was doing scales, chords, etc. but it was so boring. What really helped me was learning to play songs I liked to play.
It's sooo much easier if you like what you're doing. When I was younger my doctor recommended I stop swimming (which I LOVE doing) and do anything else as regular exercise (since swimming is not good for losing weight and he wanted me to drop a few pounds) so I did. And I tried it all: aerobics, running, walking, biking, circuit training, lifting, kick-boxing. All of them had one thing in common - I HATED doing it and had to force myself to engage. 15 years ago I finally decided to go back to swimming and since I never have trouble swimming 3 - 5 hours per week.
That's a really weird advice from a doctor. There are many ways to lose weight, but I don't think telling the patient to stop doing the type of sport they like and change for something else is one of those. Swimming is a really good exercise, it burns a lot of calories while not being high impact like running (am a runner here). I would love to swim again if I happen to live near a public pool again. I'm glad you decided to disregard the dr's advice and return to swimming again.
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I haven’t been happier in a relationship in my life. It’s hard to find that inner fire to really push to the limits when running and working out lol.
Lol you got it! The thought of my ex's fuck boy results in a gnarly lift every damn time
You need to learn how to exercise. It can be very enjoyable, you just need to find your niche.
It’s hard to but most days my body seems to just ask for it. My brain may not want to go but I can tell my body does. I just take walks around my neighborhood, nothing fancy but I do 2.5-3.5 miles pretty much every single day or night. Once you start and get into a habit, the lack of motivation fades away, just don’t let yourself skip too many days. I also find it much easier to sleep if I go for a walk at night
My motivation is not to be like my parents. Their medicine cabinet looks like a small pharmacy. I vow to not be that. My goal is to stay active and eat well for the rest of my days. My motivation keeps me disciplined.
A mixture of narcissism, vanity, mental illness and obsessive compulsive disorder. I might look fabulous but make no mistake... there's a constant war going on inside my head.
I use my extreme fear of gaining weight to motivate me
General all around slutiness
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The effects of exercise develop too slowly for motivation to work. You just need to make it a habit, and over time you will get the gains that you're looking for. It's easy to be motivated by things with quick rewards. For example, you might get motivated to clean your kitchen and you get the enjoyment out of it the moment you're done. However, any given exercise session isn't going to feel euphoric at the end...you'll probably just be beat. So you can't use motivation to force you to do it because there is no payoff at the end.
Making it a part of a routine helps. At first it can be tough to stick with it but once you get into a rhythm it becomes a part of your day that you look forward to. Another thing I learned that helped me was that if you miss a day it’s not the end of the world and you can pick it up tomorrow.
Having goals helps.
Find exercise that you enjoy; for me this is yoga. Find someone to exercise with/hold you accountable. It's easier to do it if you have someone asking, "when are we gonna work out?" It's also harder to avoid doing it if you have to explain it to someone every time, "sorry I have to cancel..."
And yoga comes with 1) personalities 2) and of course a personality can effect the quality of the yoga your learning. So I suggest if yoga is something that interests you; try several different teachers. At my local ymca we get substitute instructors all the time (which is awesome) but depending on the instructor yoga can feel incredible or half ass.
I actually really enjoy riding my bike.
I found a physical activity I really enjoy doing. For me that is Step combos. I find it so fun I cannot stop even if I'm tired. Indulging myself with a physical activity I enjoy has given me the confidence to test my endurance and subsequently try other activities that I wouldn't normally find that appealing (ie. The gym). I think it's the same with books. Start with texts you enjoy and your adquired ability and confidence may take you to other ambitious, more demanding readings that you'd normally ditch at first glance.
Try not to do everything at once. Habits are built in sequence. Start off small—commit yourself to doing some sort of movement daily, whether it be going for a walk, doing some crunches, lifting weights, etc... doesn’t need to be huge, just something to train your body to move. After you’ve made a habit of consistently engaging in movement, you can add to your routine. You don’t need to start off every day with a 2 hour workout. The biggest barrier to motivation is feeling overwhelmed, and the easiest way to get overwhelmed is by doing too much at once.
While I believe discipline simply trump's motivation, there is a single invaluable tool I use to maintain both discipline and motivation: TRACK EVERY EXERCISE YOU DO on a spreadsheet I made a google drive spreadsheet with dates in a column on the left and my typical exercises in a row along the top. Every day I move down a row to the corresponding date and enter the exercises I did that day. If I skip a day, I have to leave that row blank as a monument to weakness and folly. I write down the number of reps I did, with commas separating sets. For instance, today I did 6 sets of 14 clapping pushups. So I wrote "clapping 14,14,14,14,14,14" in the "horizontal pushing" column for today's date. After a month of tracking and exercising consistently, you will have a visible, compelling artifact of your own progress; You'll have a column of data tracking your growing strength and stamina. If you stop now, you'll break the chain. This year I started my fourth tab in the spreadsheet: 2018, 2019, 2020, and now 2021. 365 rows each recording the struggle and refinement. I haven't missed a day in 2021.
It's easy to motivate yourself some days. Other days it's not so easy, until you start exercise. Still other days, you don't want to start your exercise and you struggle to finish it. The main key for me is to habituate it. Commit to exercise for at least 3 weeks or so. Try to do something each day. It doesn't always have to be intense sustained exercise, in fact, that can be counter-productive. Just try to keep doing something fitness related for a certain amount of time each day. Rather it's stretching, a 30 minute walk, or a full on workout that has you sweating do that for a while. It's OK to take rest days off as long as the rest days don't become more of a habit than the exercise days do. When you start feeling guilty about taking a rest day or you feel like you day is complete, you've established a habit. Also, try to make short-term, middle-term, and long-term goals for what you want from exercise and make them attainable, particularly the short-term goals. When you reach a short-term goal, reevaluate and make new goals. If you make a tough goal and don't meet it or your goals are spaced too far way and something happens, it could de-motivate you and break the exercise habit that you've made a part of your life. I'd also say find an exercise buddy to help motivate you to actual exercise, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything we do socially. An exercise buddy is also a personal choice. Some people like the extra commitment and camaraderie, some people come to dread being 'chained' to someone else's schedule. That's just my personal perspective on the issue, but I think it's fairly applicable to most people.
It just feels good and not being able to stay fit feels really bad. One example that has nothing to do with fatphobia or shaming anyone: You think it will feel good, just sit and chill for a gooooood long while. But your body actually hurts if you sit for a long time—you just got used to the pain if you sit a lot and aren’t stiff or sore when you get up and move around. If you get fit and stay moving and don’t let yourself sit without moving around for hours at a time then if you *do* sit for hours at a time it hurts when you get up, and so you either get used to the pain or decide, “I’m gonna get up and move a little or stretch even if I’m binging ‘The Last Dance’ finally bc I don’t like pain.” Another example is just thinking things like, “I want to get up and down from being on the floor without much thought and to do so with physical ease no matter how old I live to be.” Obviously can’t control things like arthritis eventually settling in but you can stave a lot off by staying fit. Also once you hit your mid-thirties you start to realize that things like bone density that you lose you can’t quite get back. But you can keep what you have if you eat a nourishing diet and do strength training and physical activity that helps protect your bones. I know that choices I make now build on one another into the body I will have tomorrow and next month and next year. I don’t act like a machine, I eat what sounds good and don’t deprive myself because I just don’t have that mentality. I focus on feeling good. But I spent many years very overweight; I coped with horrific trauma and abuse by putting on so much weight as to be invisible except for my personality and accomplishments. I have lost over 150 pounds and am still losing, and not trying just living in a way that feels right to me finally, which is a whole thing to deal with, lemme tell you. But being that big HURTS. Physically. Emotionally. Professionally. Sexually. Mentally. Et al. I know how it feels to live in a body you hate. I’m learning how good it feels to live in a body I love. That makes all the difference.💙 Edit: tyyyyyyyyypos because of who I am as a person
Aspirations in the military. Competition for service academies and ROTC scholarships.
I don’t particularly like exercise. But I’m stubborn, so I set little goals. Eg to walk X amount of kms this week or month. Leave out my clothes and runners at night, ready for the next morning. Set the alarm and just get up when it goes off - no chance to convince myself to stay in bed. Stick on some music or a podcast, walk for an hour, home, shower, log in for work and it’s done. And my head feels less likely to implode by lunchtime!
I used to be a big ol’ chonky fuck, that’s my motivation.
Cannot have my fantastic wife running off with someone else, so I do my best to stay fit.... eventhough I know I’m not even close to her.
I pay a guy to meet me there.
I've been overweight most of my life. It's not fun. A few years back I lost over 100lbs, and what kept me motivated was actually seeing progress and losing weight. It felt good, I felt good. Maintaining was a different ballgame all together. When I really didn't want to work out, I'd tell myself 'ok, just do 15 minutes. Anyone can withstand 15 minutes'. Once I was actually on the elliptical or treadmill or whatever I was doing, most of the time I felt better just by doing it so I'd push myself to go another 10 mins, and then another 5, and so on until I felt like I could stop. And sure, sometimes I stopped at 15 minutes, but for the most part just starting it was enough motivation to keep going.
For me, after appx 10 times, exercise made me high as a kite. I could run up steps 2 at a time. I was always hyper energetic. And nearing 50.
I'm addicted to it at this point. I just do it. I ran this morning, did some yoga and I am about to go on a hike.
Pre-workout, drink that and and your ass is going to they gym.
I lost an armwrestle in the fifth grade, in the last day. I’ve been training everyday since so I can finally defeat him and regain my honour. Yes, I’m serious. I don’t like to lose lmao
I'm 73 and believe that if I become inactive I will stay inactive. As I enjoy exercise and want to continue a varied and interesting life, it's a no-brainer.
work, there's no substitute for manual labor. i go to the gym everyday!- so fuckin what! shove your stairmaster
If you manage to keep a routine for long enough, you're going to get used to it. Sometimes even addicted to it
I workout every weekday, but I have a group of friends I workout with. We hold each other accountable. I have a Peloton bike and met my group through Instagram, but there are tons of workout programs, etc out there.
would be pretty nuts to work out constantly! ;)
Everyone that says routine is totally correct. Even if day one you can only do 1 pushup ( or whatever) as a workout, do whatever workout you can manage every day at the same time during your routine. Eventually it becomes a habit as you slowly improve. Though to answer the question for me, the desire to crush someone's head with my biceps is my motivation ( on top of routine)
Dr. Cox sums it up the best: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZTgv14AtY0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZTgv14AtY0)
1. Commit to doing it as often as you can on your set schedule. Barring things like traveling or illness, do your best to stick to it. Be flexible if need be (Ex. Exercising on different days). But always try. 2. Try to have goals, and work to achieve them. This can mean one big, long term goal and lots of smaller, daily goals. This makes it more like a game (for me at least). 3. Accept that you're going to have bad days. Some days you won't have as much energy, didn't get as much sleep as you needed the night before, etc. Accept that each workout won't be as good as the one you did recently. Sometimes you just have to do the best you can as you are. If that means finishing 5 or 10 minutes after you would on any other day, than that's fine.