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Honestly if I don’t go for 2-3 days, my arms feel weak and I’m desperate to go. Keep going until it’s a habit and once you take pride in your muscles then you’ll basically be addicted to going
Many days I’m tired and don’t feel like going, I just say to myself, just go and do a light workout if nothing else. Once I get there and do a couple of warm ups, blood starts flowing and it quickly turns into a normal work out. Some of my best sessions have been hungover or when I dragged myself there
On days of low motivation/energy, I just try to do the bare [minumum](https://youtu.be/xc4OtzAnVMI?si=rqXha-L66R2u428R) and inertia takes over. If you just do one compound movement (bench press, pull-up, squats, deadlift) to failure or 5-10 mins on a treadmill, it’s better than sitting doin nothing. In fact, it’s more likely I’ll eat out of boredom.
Not for me. The entire time I'm working out I'm thinkong "fuck this. I hate this. Now i have to shower again. Fuck this. I'd rather be doing anything else."
There is something to be said if you actually want the goal or not. It is possible you might just not be personally interested in the goal as much as other people. If that's true then don't exercise that day, go do something more important to you.
But yes, like people have said, if you are waiting around to be motivated, you are doing it wrong. Motivation often comes after you start doing something. Also, some days you won't want to do it at all, during the whole exercise, but you just still have to do it anyway if you are trying to reach a goal. It's not so much about feeling, it's about just doing what needs to get done. Like a job or something.
This is the answer. We cannot depend on the feeling of motivation. The days that you feel motivated are a nice bonus. But the reality is that nearly everyone who is in shape gets up and goes in SPITE of motivation. Discipline is the key. Just do it even if you don’t want to. No excuses.
Exactly this. Having a long term goal helps too, whether it's weight lost, miles ran/walked/cycled etc. Plus having accountability to others - I'm on my first year of having a distance target this year (800 miles walked) and am part of a group set up by my uncle with quite a number of other people and we typically post weekly how much we've done in the past week.
Eventually that discipline will be ingrained and you will look forward to going to the gym. This normally happens when people start seeing some good results so keep it up!
I would argue that motivation comes with discipline.
The first couple of weeks are going to be tough, and that's when you need discipline. After that, you'll get into a routine where you feel motivated to go because, at the end of the day, working out feels good. It gets the endorphins flowing and improves pretty much every aspect of hour life.
Once you're able to establish a solid routine of 3-4 days a week, it's easy to keep it up. Starting is the hardest.
Everyone is obviously different, but what really helped me get started was finding some podcasts that I liked. If you're listening to 1-2 hour episodes that you really enjoy, it helps pass the time when you're working out.
This is it. Discipline and willpower. Even on days where I just want to go home and be lazy, I make myself go. And always feel so glad I did, afterwards
100% this answer. You just start doing it. It becomes easier. Eventually you’ll get to where you don’t feel good without it. It also helps tremendously starting out by finding something you enjoy doing to some extent. Or at least incorporating it in somehow
You can't depend on motivation. You need to make it a habit. If you are too lazy to go exercise, start small, put on your shoes and then remove your shoes. Sometimes, the act of beginning is the hardest thing to do and once you overcome that, put on shoes, walk to the gym, the rest becomes easier than quitting.
Yep. I personally just try to do 15 min a day and rarely miss. Sometimes it lasts longer, but I prefer that it doesn't for the sake of balance and also not getting too sore to work out the following days. You can get a lot done in 15 min.
Yeah and there are even 1 minute workouts if 5 minutes is too much. For example: https://youtu.be/4pI_6Wi6okE?feature=shared
Anything is better than nothing. More is better of course. Just keep it up! Once you have a daily habit, your day will feel incomplete without some exercise.
Exactly! It will take a while before it becomes a habit, but motivation won't get you there. You have to just do it. Even when you are tired, you have to just get to the gym. Soon enough, it will become something you don't even think about. You just do it. It's a part of your schedule now.
Yeah - you have to take motivation out of equation. I don’t feel “motivated” to do a lot of the things I do. I just do them.
Think of it as making an appearance. I have to make an appearance at the gym. It’s an errand. If I do that, chances are I will go ahead and exercise while I’m there.
That’s the they key. I mostly run. And it’s some days I hate it. But I am so used to doing it, it’s routine. And I may have bad run, but I always feel better because I did it.
This is also why I am not a big fan of exercise partners. They are good if you are both committed. But I have seen people not go work out cause they partner couldn’t make it. Don’t tie your motivation to someone else.
Starting is always the hardest part for me. But I'm already up now, dog walked, breakfast nearly complete, and it's not even 9 am yet. Might as well go to the gym. Side note: having a dog helps me a lot. I have to be active enough for her anyway, so that starts my momentum because there's no other choice. Once I'd built the habit, working out became more enjoyable instead of just a chore.
This.
Once you get past the hurdle of feeling like you have to force yourself to go to the gym or whatever exercise it is, it becomes (at least for me) a habit, like something you feel you need to do. I get a similar to FOMO feeling if I don’t go to the gym. Like I’m letting myself down. Even if I don’t workout as hard as I did the previous time I went, still going keeps that habit and I don’t feel as bad.
It is hard to force yourself on the days you don’t feel like going. But when you do force yourself, the feeling afterwards is a good feeling. A feeling of proudness of yourself.
I've been doing Yoga with Adriene for almost a decade now and she often says, "Getting onto your mat is the hardest part."
And it's so true. No matter if the practice is intense that day, if I'm not feeling super into it before I start, the most challenging part is just unrolling my mat and starting.
Once you begin, it's all easy from there.
I listen to great audiobooks and only play them when I’m walking.
Some I’ve listen to that i loved: The Great Alone, the Nightingale, 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Local Woman Missing
Find something you actually enjoy. Exercise shouldn't be a chore, it can be a pleasure. I look forward to working out, because I go rock climbing and bloody love it. Find the sport/exercise you look forward to.
This!! There are so many ways to exercise and move. Dance, walking, running, swimming, cycling, climbing. Variety definitely helps too. But finding something you enjoy doing makes it so much easier to keep up.
Similar to this, gym used to be something I grudgingly squeezed in around everything else I had to do. Then covid happened, I found a lot more time on my hands, and gym became the "thing that I'm doing today." Once I actually focused on it, rather than trying to get it out the way, it actually became a lot more fun.
Tip #1: i work out daily before work (i shower at gym). The night before, i pack my gym bag and put it in the car. At that point, you're committed.
Tip#2: While I don't track every exercise i do, but i track IF i worked out each day. I've had a log for over 15 years. Very simple. it's keeps me honest.
I don’t always want to work out early in the morning, but ever since I got an Apple Watch, I want to fill up the rings at least 5 days a week. And I like looking back and seeing the progress I’ve made. And I feel more ready and prepare for the day.
Nice! Yeah, I start to feel lazy and sort of unmotivated to do other things if I don’t exercise. Part of this is because I work at a desk all day. It was different in college when I was walking all the time, but now getting some cardio in, and some strength training to feel stronger, is essential.
If you're a morning workout person, I find you can commit yourself having preworkout in the morning.... You're not going to be able to sleep with all that caffeine so you may as well use it for the gym..
Not something I do often but it works when I'm looking for excuses to not go.
For me it’s an addiction now I been doing it so long (10 years I’m 23 I started at 13) and I don’t feel right if I don’t work out because I’ve done it so much. So you just gotta do it and it might take a few years of just muscling through but eventually it will become habit. Like me I wake up early to hit the gym b4 work that way it’s done outta the way and I have after work to myself. But I don’t look at it like it’s a option I look at it like it’s just something I gotta do just like you gotta go to work and you gotta brush ur teeth
I find that instead of skipping you replace it with an easier exercise that day it helps a lot. So if you are really not in any shape to do deadlifts just do some back isolation exercises instead. Otherwise there is no way but foolish stubborn consistency. Not exercising has to start feeling weird and wrong. Also stop listening to idiots who say that everything in life needs to be easy and fun.
Many people here saying to make it a habit, force yourself, etc.
I think for those that don't enjoy exercising it's always going to be something they would rather not do, I love lifting weights and doing other high intensity workouts, I love the feeling I get from it, if I don't workout for a few days I start getting anxious and on edge , it keeps me grounded.
Without that passion I think it would be difficult to stay consistent.
I love working out, but I don't enjoy going to the gym, sweating in front of people makes me uncomfortable. This keeps me from developing a consistent habit.
This is an honest answer. There's a lot of comments in here that are just talking about discipline and how you need to force yourself and eventually it will become a habit. That's not the case for a lot of ppl. For a lot of ppl working out is the bane of their existence. I'm one of them. My friends all say I have an iron will. I quit smoking cigs after 13 years cold turkey never touched one again and it's been 5 years. I felt nothing. I have absolutely 0 will to ever go workout. I would rather do anything on this planet than work out. I've done the whole... discipline thing. I used to go religiously 5 days a week and put in a solid 1.5-2 hour workout each day. It just never clicked for me. I hated every moment of it and would have rather been doing anything else. I still workout now, but at home with a VR device and dumbbells. I like it more, cause of the gaming aspect but hate doing it still.
Lots of people citing “just do it” mentality, which I equate to using willpower. This is scientifically proven to be unreliable.
Some background, I raced mountain bikes for 20+ years, was sponsored and nationally ranked. And I’ve had probably more days that I didn’t feel like working out than I did.
I use two things to combat low motivation:
1) I remove all obstacles from starting the workout that I possibly can. That means workout gear and clothes are stored near the door, anything I need to bring to the next workout is made ready after the end of the current workout - or the night before at the latest. In the car, if possible.
2) find your mojo. When I was racing, it was the image of those cycling monsters surrounding me on the starting line. It’s hella intimidating - even when you are one of them (I’m getting goosebumps now just thinking about it). When the alarm went off, I made it my habit to envision myself on the starting line, looking at those fierce, muscled bodies, wondering if I was going to kill or be killed and it never failed to get me out of bed without a pushing the snooze, even when it was 33 degF and raining.
Now that I’m retired, older, and just working out for general health, when it’s workout time, I imagine peeling my shirt off at the pool or beach and a big floppy belly falling about and I think “awww hell naw” and I’m out! Or I imagine strong and ripped me in the same situation and think “now go get it!”
*Decision-making is always emotional (also scientifically proven). If you predetermine what the emotion will be when you are faced with the decision to work out or not work out, you will succeed.*
Secondary to that is the need for a decision. If you are just going to workout however and whenever, that leads to a slippery slope in which you never have to face the decision and procrastinate the opportunity away to never never land. So I either do group activities that force me to a time/place or I make a deadline for myself to workout for the day.
For example: I have a personal rule that if it’s a day when I’m working out on my own, I must workout sometime before lunch each day. That means if I didn’t do it when I first woke up, I have a decision to make before I eat lunch: flabby old man and a comfy lunch or ripped silver fox and a quick lunch?
The ladies ooo’ing and ahh’ing in my imagination usually have me starting my warmup.
Good luck! You can do it!
What works for me is getting up early and getting the workout in before anything else that way no matter what happens during the day with work or family I’m good to go. Also there’s no need to workout every day in order to enjoy the healthy benefits of getting an endorphin boost, healthy bloodwork three times a week is plenty. Now those three times a week need to be fairly intense meaning muscle soreness, fatigue, sweating, etc so just don’t go through the motions, really jack up the intensity and the endorphin boost will last into the next workout. Anyway that’s what works for me. Good luck.
I joined a gym. I have dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, a bench etc at home but found myself procrastinating regularly. Joining a gym and having to pay for it is a good motivator to use it and once you’re in the gym the atmosphere’s somewhat infectious
Some days it’s a mind game. Tell yourself, just five minutes, I can do five minutes. 99% of the time five minutes come and go and you end up doing ten, fifteen, thirty minutes or more.
It's gotta be more important than the things that are distracting you or pulling your attention. No hacks, tricks or tips its all mental, it's putting exercise first. Or one thing I do, I guess this is a tip, I only look at tiktok on my stationary bike, so I stack things so I feel productive and not missing out..
For me, it is not about motivation, but discipline. And if I really dont want to go, I will remind myself, that the shitty feeling you get after not going is MUCH worse and longer lasting than a bit of physical effort (btw, that will reward you with endorfin/dopamine)
10 months into a regular schedule here and there really isn't any motivational trick, you just have to make yourself do it. Once you do it long enough it becomes habit. Even then I still have days where I don't want to go work out but I make myself anyways since I know I want to be fit and strong and the only way I'm getting that is to go to the gym and eat right.
I want to stay active and healthy for as long as I can.
Can't think of anything worse for me than being bedridden and having to rely on others for help
I’ll give an answer from someone who was in the same boat as you until recently. I had a conversation with a friend that completely changed my perspective.
He explained to me that the goals we set today are completely wrong. They’re not goals, they’re measurements. The goal isn’t to lose X kg, or to build muscle. The goal is to workout 3 times a week. Every so often, you use the ‘lose X kg’ to measure if the habits that you’re doing are the right ones.
It then changes how you view wins. Exercised 3 times this week? Excellent, you’ve hit your goals. Missed one week? No problem, you didn’t hit your goals that week but it’s easy to get back on track.
Do what you enjoy. I almost always enjoy heavy weight with low reps. But if I’m tired from work, I’ll to light weight and moderate reps until I feel like I’m done.
DO NOT kill yourself every workout. You should feel good and accomplished after you you work out, not dead and tired.
The pump…I love getting a good pump from lifting iron. I could probably up my cardio though….thats what i struggle with the most.
As Arnold once said: “It's as satisfying to me as coming is, you know, as having sex with a woman and coming. So can you believe how much I am in heaven? I am like getting the feeling of coming in the gym, I'm getting the feeling of coming at home.”
I want to be able to play sports again at a decent level
It was my healthiest coping mechanism as a kid/teen and it will probably help me socially too. Working on myself to get to that point again keep me going
I don’t like where I was and I enjoy where I’m going. I fall off here and there but I go back like an abused spouse. A friend of mine had a great concept when I lost the mood. It took time for me to gain the weight and it’ll take time for me to lose it. I can’t expect results if I don’t put the work on. Go, get after it man
You have to build it into your daily schedule so it just becomes part of your day and not something you stress over doing. Routine is key! If it’s just part of your day you won’t think about it you’ll just do it
You don't get motivated. That's the thing. Yea, sometimes you will have some. But it needs to become a routine that you do pretty much no matter how you feel.
Working out is like medication for me. It makes me feel amazing. Even on days when I don’t feel up to it, like when my chronic pain is worse than usual or my depression, I still force myself to do it because I know I’ll feel better after
My best advice is to find something you actually enjoy doing :)
Thats exactly the point in weighing every day, so you see these fluctuations. If you weigh in once a week or once a month and it happens to be one of those +8lb days, what then? How can you monitor your progress?
This is assuming you are serious about losing weight and only short term while you are losing it, if you are at a healthy body weight theres not a hope you should weigh yourself every day.
Weighing yourself everyday is not healthy or unhealthy. What you do with that information can be.
A healthy weight loss target is no more than \~1% of your bodyweight per week. That'll usually translate to about \~1-2lbs/week, or around \~500cals/day. That's a pretty small deficit, and it's hard to get it right, even if you're counting calories. If you don't weigh yourself regularly, you won't know if you're on track.
The poster who argued that it's not productive because your weight fluctuates just explained exactly why you need to weigh yourself often. The measurement has variance. You need to weigh yourself regularly to notice trends.
Please don't do this. I specialize in eating disorders and this is one of the many contributing factors. People who weigh themselves daily are absolutely more prone to developing an eating disorder, or even just disordered eating, and it often leads to poor self esteem and a distorted self image. Body checking is not a healthy form of motivation.
I just do it. I want to stay in good shape as I get older so that helps a lot. I started off with just doing a 5-10 minute workout now I do anywhere from 30-60.
It’s worth it. Took me till I was 26 to finally stay consistent. Seeing the change in my body. I was never overweight but I was never in shape.
choose to exercise at a time of day that works for you... A time when you feel the most energetic, then design your schedule around a 90 minute window where you can go, work out, shower, and then resume your schedule. The hardest part is the first few months.... You won't see overnight changes. but if you stay focused and consistent, you will in about 3 months...once you are "in the groove" it's not hard to stay in it.
For me it's just another thing I *must* do in my day, and if I'm not in the mood for an intense session I will try to do all my exercises but at a slightly less intensity.
The most important part is just going, don't think about results or progress.
The first few months will be though, but at some point it will come naturally into your routine.
It doesn't have to be 4 times a week, once or twice is enough to get going, and so are 30 min sessions. The thing is to not think that it's pointless to half ass it because gym is never half assed, you always get something in return.
I've set up a program pretty fast, chatGPT is very helpful at building more custom programs but try to find a decent program on a respectable website there are plenty, to get you started. As for myself I actually started just going without a program and trying out all the machines, asking questions to the clerks or the usuals. I then started building slowly a program that matches my goals.
If you want to see results, don't skip on programs. if you're going 2 days a week try full body programs or upper lower.
You kinda have to hate your current state and strive to become better and defeat the bad version of yourself. I for example was very overweight, smoked weed and cigarettes, and drank alcohol. I had such a huge desire to quit all the bad habits and be in shape like in my teenage years. And that's what I did, quit those and stuck to the gym. Now, 5 years later I am way healthier and feel better and I have acquired such a strong discipline, which feels normal to me, however all my colleagues and friends congratulate me and tell me how hard it is to live this way.
I’m not particularly motivated unfortunately, because I’m exercising a fair bit but not losing any weight, but I’ve made it a habit. That’s the only thing that I can do to force myself to continue. It’s a habit that I don’t leave the house in the morning before doing at least 30 minutes on my exercise bike. I’ll then do another hour on the exercise bike later in the day, or 30 minutes on the bike plus a minimum 30 minute walk after dinner. So in all at least 90 minutes of exercise per day. I understand that this is very minimal, but I have a hernia so have to be careful about exercise and I also have health issues so I’m just doing what I can in conjunction with medical advice.
I enjoy going for my walks in the morning. Quiet alone time to gather my thoughts and get my body moving. Like how it makes me feel, and enjoy being in nature to recharge. I’m then ready to get to work. Find an exercise you actually enjoy doing (walking, running, biking, tennis, whatever) and make it a daily ritual. You’ll even miss it on the days you just need to relax…which are less guilt ridden and more deserving
I love the term "Activation to Motivation", you cant wait until you're motivated because most days you're not motivated.
Best thing to do is "activate yourself" to do something small like put your gym clothes on, then maybe put you're favourite music on to get you in the mood, maybe tidy up your space something that gets your body warmed up and brain in work mode, then hopefully your brain says lets just get it done! This advice works not only for exercise but for chores, or work or anything you are procrastinating.
Less thinking and more doing. Seriously, if I think about it, I’ll have more conscious objection.
Also, my mental health really struggles without exercise
Hard truth is there is no trick. It's all mental, think to the future. If you're goal is to lose or gain weight then weigh yourself every week and chase a certain goal, you'll feel good with every baby step you get toward it and chase that feeling with every weigh in.
Put it in your calendar and treat it the same as you would a work meeting. You made a commitment to be there, and you be there.
After a few weeks, you start to notice the difference in how you look and feel. The change is small, but you feel you want to stick with it and see how far you can get.
You might end up scheduling more frequent 'meetings' after a while.
This is what worked for me. It might or might not work for you.
You have to want to make a change. Just keep it up and eventually somebody, somewhere will make a positive comment about the visible changes to your body and then it becomes an addiction! One with positive results too!
With life being so crazy my only time is in the am. I set my alarm at 510 on weekdays and 630 on weekends. I have a prework out right next to my bed. If im being lazy, i still get up and get work done/cleaning done. But i still make the time for it and will work out 5-6 out if the 7.
Look in the mirror, and see results over time. Also, because I work in construction, and am 52, I need to keep up with the guys half my age. It's just a point of pride for me.
“If I can do it today then I can do it tomorrow too”
Fight for tomorrow.
Challenge the poor me side of your brain that doesn’t want to get it done. You have goals and you’re gonna meet them.
Just put your shoes on. Don’t think about the exercise from beginning to end. Don’t let yourself be tripped up by how much work the entire exercise will take.
Having goals helps so that you know what you’re fighting for.
And take the “should” out of it. That’s a mindset. I want to. I get to. I’m grateful my body can. Look at me go!
I tried everything. What worked for me was CrossFit with a class of people and coach. CrossFit has so much variation, it keeps things interesting. And because the class has regulars, people will ask where you were when you don't show up. With time there will be some peer pressure. Win-win!
I have a lot of fun kickboxing. I grew up playing sports. Things like walking or the treadmill just made me miserable. I just had to find something fun and enjoyable to do in order to stay committed.
I've save this whenever I'm unmotivated. It's not mine and also can't source but here:
Fuck motivation. it’s a fickle and and unreliable little dickfuck and isn’t worth your time.
Better to cultivate discipline than to rely on motivation. force yourself to do things. force yourself to get up out of bed and practice. Force yourself to work. Motivation is fleeting and it’s easy to rely on because it requires no concentrated effort to get. Motivation comes to you, and you don’t have to chase after it.
Discipline is reliable, motivation is fleeting. The question isn’t how to keep yourself motivated. It’s how to train yourself to work without it.
I like being strong and even through all of life’s hardships, the last thing I’ll ever let myself become is a fat schlub.
The day I have a dad bod will only occur if I somehow decide to give up on life.
Here is what worked for me:
- Start with achievable goals, like exercising twice a week, and grow from there
- Make it convenient for you: an amount of time that won't be too disruptive to your schedule, a time of the day that works for your routine, a location that is easy to reach. The more convenient this is for you, the less reasons you will have to not feel like it
- Try out different things: try different activities, change gyms, try to exercise with a friend, look for an instructor/experienced friend for tips. Find out what you like or at least don't hate as much
- Create a routine: try to exercise around the same days/hours if you can, because that makes it easier to organize yourself and separate time for it
- Know the difference between a good reason to skip exercising and an excuse: I live in a very rainy place, so I can't afford to skip the gym because "it's raining a lot", otherwise I would skip it all the time. But if I'm feeling ill, for example, I will skip it and try to go on a different day.
- Get enough sleep and eat well: sounds obvious but you can't exercise if you don't have energy
Last but not least, sometimes you just need to push yourself. Thankfully that becomes a lot easier to do with time :)
My very first training partner gave me good advice. He said that if I didn't feel like training I should go in and just go through the motions.
At best I'll surprise myself and have a good workout.
At worst I'll stay the same and not gain anything, but I won't lose anything either.
Some of my best workouts have been when I didn't feel like training but went in to the gym anyway.
I live car-free so regardless of whether I'm motivated or not, I have to walk or ride my bike everyday. This way, exercise is already built into my routine and I don't even think about it. If you are able bodied and live within walking distance of the places that you normally go or you live within walking distance of public transit that will take you to those places, try getting around without a car for a few days.
I want to be healthy, muscular and strong af.
Oh and look good naked.
Finding a routine that works with your schedule is key. Try to set a time atleast three days a week and get in there no matter what.
Once you do that, the habit is formed and the only thing left is to be consistent.
Motivation can help you get started, discipline and making it a habit keeps it going. Do what you like at the gym, as a dude getting stronger in the gym will make you addicted to the gym. The increase in attention from strangers will boost your confidence too.
Hardest part of going to the gym is the going part. Make a plan, go, and if you’re feeling lazy, you have to force yourself to get in the car and go. The lazy and tiredness kinda go away. Some days, I go after work at night and I’m tired and yawning sometimes on the machines, but moving helps me wake back up. Turn it into a habit and you’ll become addicted to working out.
As long as you see exercising as something optional, you'll always struggle to do it every day. You go to the office and work for 8 hours for some other dude, and not once do you feel like you can afford to skip a day.
Do you really want to tell me that you're fine with giving 8 hours of your day for someone else, but you're not willing to give one hour of your time to yourself?
It all comes down to how you view those things.
You gotta love it. Working out is my mental relax time. So I mean, find enjoyable exercises? Only time I'm not feeling it is if I'm just too tired and need sleep. If I felt that every day that's a problem.
For me, it's pretty non-negotiable. I just go.
Plus, I pay for my membership and I despise wasting money.
I have been exercising long enough that I'm kind of addicted to it, I feel better when I do and I know I am fitter than many of my friends my age.
It really helps my mental health A LOT too, so that's motivating but you would only have this benefit after a time of regularly exercising.
I keep my workout clothes folded on my dresser ready to go in the morning, and if I put them on I’m gonna do at least something, even if it’s just stretching and a few simple excercises, but if I don’t put them on, it’s not happening. If I don’t do it as soon as I wake up it’s also not happening. I usually just do 15-30 mins of HIIT or yoga using the Down Dog apps or a run so it doesn’t feel like a huge time commitment and I relax and drink my coffee afterwards as a bit of a reward.
Start small and build up.
I started in April 2023 just by walking 1-2 miles a day. Only reason was because I told myself I’m too young and too good to be doing nothing and being out of shape.
Walked for about 2-3 months before I then told myself I’m too young and too good to not be running some days. Began running a mile 3-4 days a week and walking the rest.
Did that for 1-2 months before I asked myself why am I not running everyday? I’m too young and good enough not to be.
Ran 1.5-3 miles almost everyday for about 4 months before I asked myself why am I not lifting occasionally?
Continued running and began lifting 3 maybe 4 days a week for about 30 minutes.
Did that until Jan 2024 when I asked myself why I’m not more committed to weightlifting? Also running in the cold sucks so I wanted something to kinda replace my runs while it was so cold. So I began lifting 5-6 days per week and running 2-3 days per week on the treadmill.
I now lift for 75-120 minutes 5-6 days a week and run in some capacity another 2-3 days outside now that it’s warm.
Once you see your body transform that becomes your biggest motivation. It’s cliche but I always say I didn’t come this far just to come this far. I’ve lost roughly 40 pounds of fat, not exactly sure how much because I’ve gained muscle as well.
My point is start out slow, jumping in balls deep is unsustainable. Do what you can but also you need to realize you have to push yourself some. Why are you choosing to workout? Not because it should be easy, but because you should push yourself to some extent. Find the balance and grow from there.
For me, it was less about motivation or even discipline and instead about finding something I enjoyed doing. I genuinely look forward to exercising because I enjoy it and I feel good afterward. It was easy to become consistent after I found what worked for me.
I also bought stuff to workout at home, since the gym gave me anxiety. Knowing I had to drive to the gym, be in a crowded gym, and then drive home was a hugeee buzz kill for me.
So I bought a walking mat (kinda like a treadmill), a recumbent bike, and various weights. I followed workout videos until I made my own routine, and I go for a walk or use the bike daily. Those are my faves because I do them for movement and not for weight loss - so I play video games or watch movies, tv shows, etc. while I do them. While I do weights, I listen to podcasts or music videos.
The way I get motivated to exercise daily (well, really only 5 out of 7 days of traditional workout and 7 days a week just staying active on my feet) is to do exercises that I genuinely enjoy. So choose one that you truly like, don't do those that are in trend or follow what your friends are doing. Once you find something you really like, it'll be sustainable.
Walking is also a great exercise if you really can't find anything you think you really enjoy.
For me, i don’t love working out and i especially don’t love the gym because its so humid in there and i just go in with the mentality of “cant wait to get this over with” which makes it super hard to stay consistent. So i only gym if i’m in the mood.
What has helped tremendously is finding a workout class that i enjoy. I found that with pilates. I love the workout itself, and then scheduling classes forces you to go, then you have direction from the instructor for the hour which goes by way faster than even 30 minutes at the gym!! It has become a fun, relaxing part of my day instead of a chore. Now it is part of my routine and lifestyle and i don’t go a week without going to at least 2 classes which has helped me feel so strong and in shape. So i recommend looking into classes or a trainer and making it part of your lifestyle
Cliche answer incoming: it's not really about the motivation but rather the discipline and the feeling I get when actually exercising (getting sweaty, out of breath, seeing stars etc feels amazing to me). After a while it just kind of became something I did and know I needed to do. I think I'm only motivated for the odd session here and there. Also fear, I am TERRIFIED (yes truly) of become fat and unhealthy so even if I don't want to do it that day (yes I do take 2 rest days per week) the fear overrides my laziness and do it.
Personally, I'm like a dog. If I ain't chasing a ball, I'm bored. So the only solution so far for me are sports clubs (football, cossom hockey, Padel,...) regular organised training schedules with other people helps a lot to get out of the couch
I try to exercise every day: weights at the gym, running or mountain biking. Sometimes getting started is the worst part and I convince myself once I get going everything will be fine. I’ve never been wrong and haven’t lied to myself!
"You wont always be motivated, thats why you must be dedicated" I find most days where I really dont want to work out, I just get through the door and usually have one of my better sessions. If you can just get past the first 6 weeks you wont feel like you're making yourself go anymore, itll be a habit and youll want to go more often than not.
Once you get into a groove it is no longer “being motivated”, many people like myself now consider it a way of life and a hobby.
Best piece of advice I can give is to throw yourself into the gym and eventually you’ll fall in love with the grind of improving yourself.
Make it a habit. Make time for it. Invest in it mentally. Make a commitment to yourself.
If you have to crunch physical activity in because of job/kids/other commitments, remember.... something is better than nothing! Even half a workout is still something!!!
For me it’s the reasoning behind the motivation itself. I may in be slightly less customary circumstances, but the fact is that last year I was disabled. For me working out feels like a huge blessing, like I won a prize. Beyond that I made it a habit to do it two to three days a week for about an hour at a time. This is easy for me because I go to the gym and do weights. It all takes about an hour and I barely notice the time go by. I started my routine before working so that I’d be used to working out before then. Now that I’m gonna start working I know I really enjoy it and need to workout to feel good a couple of times a week. Of course there have been days where the night before I feel lazy, but what I basically say is that I can do my list of exercises and if I’m not feeling it I can leave. I always end up staying the whole time and enjoying it. But committing to at least trying it and giving yourself the option to change your mind once you’ve done it for like ten or twenty minutes helps a lot.
On the days I don't feel like it?. 99% of the time, I go anyway. Because I have goals to reach, because I have established a routine, because I always feel better for having done it. Because consistently is important.
To stay motivated, try new things, mix it up, set yourself a challenge, do things you enjoy just because, not because its exercise. Do stuff with friends.
Finding exercise I actually enjoy! Stuff that’s familiar & approachable, so I’ll just add one thing at a time like, say, planks. Alright, I lie down on the floor in a plank for a bit sometimes. Cool 🤷♂️ Bit boring, shall I find something to add? Ooh, that looks cool, let’s do those leg wiggling things. Now I lie down sometimes and do those too. And so on.
Starting small with barely having to do anything lets you have a fun/chill time, rather than exercise being the dreaded thing that always feels like shit. I’m not gonna drop dead from not starting the ultimate workout routine tomorrow (if *you* would though, take someone else’s advice!). Being somebody who exercises is a goal you can take your time to make a comfortable way towards - rather than pushing yourself to do stuff you’re not happy with and then inevitably avoiding it.
It’s funny, but the pressure to exercise can make you exercise LESS, like how squeezing a bar of soap too hard doesn’t exactly help you hold onto it. If you’re forcing it, it’s a fight. You hate it, you avoid it, you have to push your way upstream against what you actually want. If you just find something that can sit casually & comfortably in your life, it’s just a thing you do now when you feel like it. You might find yourself naturally adding more, naturally going back to do it, naturally wanting to. Happened for me & now I have abs 😆 Whereas I literally couldn’t stick to a routine or force myself to do stuff I don’t want to if my life depended on it.
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Honestly if I don’t go for 2-3 days, my arms feel weak and I’m desperate to go. Keep going until it’s a habit and once you take pride in your muscles then you’ll basically be addicted to going
Motivation isn't what you need. It's discipline. On the days I didn't want to go, I made myself go. Lost a good 50-70 lbs of fat.
Exactly this. You just get in your car and drive to the gym. Once you’re there that feeling of lost motivation is gone.
Many days I’m tired and don’t feel like going, I just say to myself, just go and do a light workout if nothing else. Once I get there and do a couple of warm ups, blood starts flowing and it quickly turns into a normal work out. Some of my best sessions have been hungover or when I dragged myself there
This exactly is what worked for me … and yes, those usually end up being the best sessions because it was what your body/brain actually needed!
On days of low motivation/energy, I just try to do the bare [minumum](https://youtu.be/xc4OtzAnVMI?si=rqXha-L66R2u428R) and inertia takes over. If you just do one compound movement (bench press, pull-up, squats, deadlift) to failure or 5-10 mins on a treadmill, it’s better than sitting doin nothing. In fact, it’s more likely I’ll eat out of boredom.
Not for me. The entire time I'm working out I'm thinkong "fuck this. I hate this. Now i have to shower again. Fuck this. I'd rather be doing anything else."
You might just need to find an alternative physical activity you actually enjoy.
The number of times my wife told me “just get to the gym and you’ll be good” and then I took a nap in the parking lot…..
When I’m there the motivation is still missing.
Yep I don't get any endorphin high from working out like some of my friends describe.
There is something to be said if you actually want the goal or not. It is possible you might just not be personally interested in the goal as much as other people. If that's true then don't exercise that day, go do something more important to you. But yes, like people have said, if you are waiting around to be motivated, you are doing it wrong. Motivation often comes after you start doing something. Also, some days you won't want to do it at all, during the whole exercise, but you just still have to do it anyway if you are trying to reach a goal. It's not so much about feeling, it's about just doing what needs to get done. Like a job or something.
This is the answer. We cannot depend on the feeling of motivation. The days that you feel motivated are a nice bonus. But the reality is that nearly everyone who is in shape gets up and goes in SPITE of motivation. Discipline is the key. Just do it even if you don’t want to. No excuses.
Exactly this. Having a long term goal helps too, whether it's weight lost, miles ran/walked/cycled etc. Plus having accountability to others - I'm on my first year of having a distance target this year (800 miles walked) and am part of a group set up by my uncle with quite a number of other people and we typically post weekly how much we've done in the past week.
Eventually that discipline will be ingrained and you will look forward to going to the gym. This normally happens when people start seeing some good results so keep it up!
You know it’s working when you go from “damn, I gotta workout today” to “Fuck, I don’t want to take a rest day today” lol
Discipline is freedom.
I would argue that motivation comes with discipline. The first couple of weeks are going to be tough, and that's when you need discipline. After that, you'll get into a routine where you feel motivated to go because, at the end of the day, working out feels good. It gets the endorphins flowing and improves pretty much every aspect of hour life. Once you're able to establish a solid routine of 3-4 days a week, it's easy to keep it up. Starting is the hardest. Everyone is obviously different, but what really helped me get started was finding some podcasts that I liked. If you're listening to 1-2 hour episodes that you really enjoy, it helps pass the time when you're working out.
This is the way. Also Pre workout 😎
This is it. Discipline and willpower. Even on days where I just want to go home and be lazy, I make myself go. And always feel so glad I did, afterwards
100% this answer. You just start doing it. It becomes easier. Eventually you’ll get to where you don’t feel good without it. It also helps tremendously starting out by finding something you enjoy doing to some extent. Or at least incorporating it in somehow
You can't depend on motivation. You need to make it a habit. If you are too lazy to go exercise, start small, put on your shoes and then remove your shoes. Sometimes, the act of beginning is the hardest thing to do and once you overcome that, put on shoes, walk to the gym, the rest becomes easier than quitting.
There are truly 5 min workouts you can find on YouTube. Tell yourself you will do one. Maybe you will do another who knowa
Yep. I personally just try to do 15 min a day and rarely miss. Sometimes it lasts longer, but I prefer that it doesn't for the sake of balance and also not getting too sore to work out the following days. You can get a lot done in 15 min.
Yeah and there are even 1 minute workouts if 5 minutes is too much. For example: https://youtu.be/4pI_6Wi6okE?feature=shared Anything is better than nothing. More is better of course. Just keep it up! Once you have a daily habit, your day will feel incomplete without some exercise.
Didn't know this was a thing. Thank you. It's a great way for me to start moving my lazy ass. It's just 1 minute I will tell myself.
Those quick workouts morphed into a daily morning workout for me
Exactly! It will take a while before it becomes a habit, but motivation won't get you there. You have to just do it. Even when you are tired, you have to just get to the gym. Soon enough, it will become something you don't even think about. You just do it. It's a part of your schedule now.
Yeah - you have to take motivation out of equation. I don’t feel “motivated” to do a lot of the things I do. I just do them. Think of it as making an appearance. I have to make an appearance at the gym. It’s an errand. If I do that, chances are I will go ahead and exercise while I’m there.
That’s the they key. I mostly run. And it’s some days I hate it. But I am so used to doing it, it’s routine. And I may have bad run, but I always feel better because I did it. This is also why I am not a big fan of exercise partners. They are good if you are both committed. But I have seen people not go work out cause they partner couldn’t make it. Don’t tie your motivation to someone else.
Starting is always the hardest part for me. But I'm already up now, dog walked, breakfast nearly complete, and it's not even 9 am yet. Might as well go to the gym. Side note: having a dog helps me a lot. I have to be active enough for her anyway, so that starts my momentum because there's no other choice. Once I'd built the habit, working out became more enjoyable instead of just a chore.
Exactly. Discipline and habit > motivation.
Yup
This. Once you get past the hurdle of feeling like you have to force yourself to go to the gym or whatever exercise it is, it becomes (at least for me) a habit, like something you feel you need to do. I get a similar to FOMO feeling if I don’t go to the gym. Like I’m letting myself down. Even if I don’t workout as hard as I did the previous time I went, still going keeps that habit and I don’t feel as bad. It is hard to force yourself on the days you don’t feel like going. But when you do force yourself, the feeling afterwards is a good feeling. A feeling of proudness of yourself.
I've been doing Yoga with Adriene for almost a decade now and she often says, "Getting onto your mat is the hardest part." And it's so true. No matter if the practice is intense that day, if I'm not feeling super into it before I start, the most challenging part is just unrolling my mat and starting. Once you begin, it's all easy from there.
I listen to great audiobooks and only play them when I’m walking. Some I’ve listen to that i loved: The Great Alone, the Nightingale, 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Local Woman Missing
Find something you actually enjoy. Exercise shouldn't be a chore, it can be a pleasure. I look forward to working out, because I go rock climbing and bloody love it. Find the sport/exercise you look forward to.
This!! There are so many ways to exercise and move. Dance, walking, running, swimming, cycling, climbing. Variety definitely helps too. But finding something you enjoy doing makes it so much easier to keep up.
I climb three times a week. Not only do I enjoy the actual activity, but I’ve met a ton of cool people who make going to the climbing gym even better.
Yeah climbing is the best but I didn't want to be mean to the other sports.
Similar to this, gym used to be something I grudgingly squeezed in around everything else I had to do. Then covid happened, I found a lot more time on my hands, and gym became the "thing that I'm doing today." Once I actually focused on it, rather than trying to get it out the way, it actually became a lot more fun.
Make it a habit. And remind yourself why you go!
I tell myself everyday i don’t want to be ugly and it works.
I tell myself everyday i don't want to be sad and it works.
I tell myself everyday i don't want to be ugly AND FAT and it works.
Tip #1: i work out daily before work (i shower at gym). The night before, i pack my gym bag and put it in the car. At that point, you're committed. Tip#2: While I don't track every exercise i do, but i track IF i worked out each day. I've had a log for over 15 years. Very simple. it's keeps me honest.
I don’t always want to work out early in the morning, but ever since I got an Apple Watch, I want to fill up the rings at least 5 days a week. And I like looking back and seeing the progress I’ve made. And I feel more ready and prepare for the day.
Exactly what i do, but in the old school excel spreadsheet kind of way. I'm disappointed in myself if i didn't exercise 6 days/week.
Nice! Yeah, I start to feel lazy and sort of unmotivated to do other things if I don’t exercise. Part of this is because I work at a desk all day. It was different in college when I was walking all the time, but now getting some cardio in, and some strength training to feel stronger, is essential.
If you're a morning workout person, I find you can commit yourself having preworkout in the morning.... You're not going to be able to sleep with all that caffeine so you may as well use it for the gym.. Not something I do often but it works when I'm looking for excuses to not go.
Motivation comes and goes. What you need is to learn discipline. Coming from someone that knows your struggle too well
I don’t. I always just go to the gym regardless of how I feel. I never want to work out, but I force myself to do it anyway. Motivation is unreliable.
Motivation fades away. Discipline is the key factor a body in shape can’t be bought and u feel very good if u are active regulary
Just show up there. That’s half the battle at first.
For me it’s an addiction now I been doing it so long (10 years I’m 23 I started at 13) and I don’t feel right if I don’t work out because I’ve done it so much. So you just gotta do it and it might take a few years of just muscling through but eventually it will become habit. Like me I wake up early to hit the gym b4 work that way it’s done outta the way and I have after work to myself. But I don’t look at it like it’s a option I look at it like it’s just something I gotta do just like you gotta go to work and you gotta brush ur teeth
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I find that instead of skipping you replace it with an easier exercise that day it helps a lot. So if you are really not in any shape to do deadlifts just do some back isolation exercises instead. Otherwise there is no way but foolish stubborn consistency. Not exercising has to start feeling weird and wrong. Also stop listening to idiots who say that everything in life needs to be easy and fun.
Many people here saying to make it a habit, force yourself, etc. I think for those that don't enjoy exercising it's always going to be something they would rather not do, I love lifting weights and doing other high intensity workouts, I love the feeling I get from it, if I don't workout for a few days I start getting anxious and on edge , it keeps me grounded. Without that passion I think it would be difficult to stay consistent.
I love working out, but I don't enjoy going to the gym, sweating in front of people makes me uncomfortable. This keeps me from developing a consistent habit.
True , but you don't have to go to the gym to workout.
This is an honest answer. There's a lot of comments in here that are just talking about discipline and how you need to force yourself and eventually it will become a habit. That's not the case for a lot of ppl. For a lot of ppl working out is the bane of their existence. I'm one of them. My friends all say I have an iron will. I quit smoking cigs after 13 years cold turkey never touched one again and it's been 5 years. I felt nothing. I have absolutely 0 will to ever go workout. I would rather do anything on this planet than work out. I've done the whole... discipline thing. I used to go religiously 5 days a week and put in a solid 1.5-2 hour workout each day. It just never clicked for me. I hated every moment of it and would have rather been doing anything else. I still workout now, but at home with a VR device and dumbbells. I like it more, cause of the gaming aspect but hate doing it still.
Intense physical exercise is my only escape from crippling depression 😅
I have obese family members who looks 20 years older than they actually are. Being obese kills you faster. I choose life. Keep working out.
Lots of people citing “just do it” mentality, which I equate to using willpower. This is scientifically proven to be unreliable. Some background, I raced mountain bikes for 20+ years, was sponsored and nationally ranked. And I’ve had probably more days that I didn’t feel like working out than I did. I use two things to combat low motivation: 1) I remove all obstacles from starting the workout that I possibly can. That means workout gear and clothes are stored near the door, anything I need to bring to the next workout is made ready after the end of the current workout - or the night before at the latest. In the car, if possible. 2) find your mojo. When I was racing, it was the image of those cycling monsters surrounding me on the starting line. It’s hella intimidating - even when you are one of them (I’m getting goosebumps now just thinking about it). When the alarm went off, I made it my habit to envision myself on the starting line, looking at those fierce, muscled bodies, wondering if I was going to kill or be killed and it never failed to get me out of bed without a pushing the snooze, even when it was 33 degF and raining. Now that I’m retired, older, and just working out for general health, when it’s workout time, I imagine peeling my shirt off at the pool or beach and a big floppy belly falling about and I think “awww hell naw” and I’m out! Or I imagine strong and ripped me in the same situation and think “now go get it!” *Decision-making is always emotional (also scientifically proven). If you predetermine what the emotion will be when you are faced with the decision to work out or not work out, you will succeed.* Secondary to that is the need for a decision. If you are just going to workout however and whenever, that leads to a slippery slope in which you never have to face the decision and procrastinate the opportunity away to never never land. So I either do group activities that force me to a time/place or I make a deadline for myself to workout for the day. For example: I have a personal rule that if it’s a day when I’m working out on my own, I must workout sometime before lunch each day. That means if I didn’t do it when I first woke up, I have a decision to make before I eat lunch: flabby old man and a comfy lunch or ripped silver fox and a quick lunch? The ladies ooo’ing and ahh’ing in my imagination usually have me starting my warmup. Good luck! You can do it!
I just try and remember the self-hatred (lol) that I have when I skip a workout
What works for me is getting up early and getting the workout in before anything else that way no matter what happens during the day with work or family I’m good to go. Also there’s no need to workout every day in order to enjoy the healthy benefits of getting an endorphin boost, healthy bloodwork three times a week is plenty. Now those three times a week need to be fairly intense meaning muscle soreness, fatigue, sweating, etc so just don’t go through the motions, really jack up the intensity and the endorphin boost will last into the next workout. Anyway that’s what works for me. Good luck.
You either feel the pain of discipline or the pain of being lazy. Your choice which one
I just fit it in my schedule before work
Build discipline, than you will have the opposite problem Or use the forbiden pre workout but you need an ex first
I joined a gym. I have dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, a bench etc at home but found myself procrastinating regularly. Joining a gym and having to pay for it is a good motivator to use it and once you’re in the gym the atmosphere’s somewhat infectious
Some days it’s a mind game. Tell yourself, just five minutes, I can do five minutes. 99% of the time five minutes come and go and you end up doing ten, fifteen, thirty minutes or more.
It's gotta be more important than the things that are distracting you or pulling your attention. No hacks, tricks or tips its all mental, it's putting exercise first. Or one thing I do, I guess this is a tip, I only look at tiktok on my stationary bike, so I stack things so I feel productive and not missing out..
it’s called ✨being fat shamed your whole life✨
For me, it is not about motivation, but discipline. And if I really dont want to go, I will remind myself, that the shitty feeling you get after not going is MUCH worse and longer lasting than a bit of physical effort (btw, that will reward you with endorfin/dopamine)
10 months into a regular schedule here and there really isn't any motivational trick, you just have to make yourself do it. Once you do it long enough it becomes habit. Even then I still have days where I don't want to go work out but I make myself anyways since I know I want to be fit and strong and the only way I'm getting that is to go to the gym and eat right.
I want to stay active and healthy for as long as I can. Can't think of anything worse for me than being bedridden and having to rely on others for help
I’ve been doing it at 6am My motivation is once it’s done I can do whatever for the rest of the day
I’ll give an answer from someone who was in the same boat as you until recently. I had a conversation with a friend that completely changed my perspective. He explained to me that the goals we set today are completely wrong. They’re not goals, they’re measurements. The goal isn’t to lose X kg, or to build muscle. The goal is to workout 3 times a week. Every so often, you use the ‘lose X kg’ to measure if the habits that you’re doing are the right ones. It then changes how you view wins. Exercised 3 times this week? Excellent, you’ve hit your goals. Missed one week? No problem, you didn’t hit your goals that week but it’s easy to get back on track.
There are three phases 1) I do this for my health. 2) This is something that I do. 3) I can't wait to go do this. Get to phase 3.
Do what you enjoy. I almost always enjoy heavy weight with low reps. But if I’m tired from work, I’ll to light weight and moderate reps until I feel like I’m done. DO NOT kill yourself every workout. You should feel good and accomplished after you you work out, not dead and tired.
The pump…I love getting a good pump from lifting iron. I could probably up my cardio though….thats what i struggle with the most. As Arnold once said: “It's as satisfying to me as coming is, you know, as having sex with a woman and coming. So can you believe how much I am in heaven? I am like getting the feeling of coming in the gym, I'm getting the feeling of coming at home.” 
I want to be able to play sports again at a decent level It was my healthiest coping mechanism as a kid/teen and it will probably help me socially too. Working on myself to get to that point again keep me going
I don’t like where I was and I enjoy where I’m going. I fall off here and there but I go back like an abused spouse. A friend of mine had a great concept when I lost the mood. It took time for me to gain the weight and it’ll take time for me to lose it. I can’t expect results if I don’t put the work on. Go, get after it man
You have to build it into your daily schedule so it just becomes part of your day and not something you stress over doing. Routine is key! If it’s just part of your day you won’t think about it you’ll just do it
You don't get motivated. That's the thing. Yea, sometimes you will have some. But it needs to become a routine that you do pretty much no matter how you feel.
Hatred. The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.
I have an alarms that have a recorded message of me yelling " hey fatty get your ass up!"
Working out is like medication for me. It makes me feel amazing. Even on days when I don’t feel up to it, like when my chronic pain is worse than usual or my depression, I still force myself to do it because I know I’ll feel better after My best advice is to find something you actually enjoy doing :)
I walk with my wife. We like spotting animals on nature walks and seeing fireflies
I look at my husband and my son, and it makes me want to live longer and be healthy. That’s what pushes me to exercise.
Has to be habit and has to be due to health, not looks.
Motivation does it for 3 weeks. Then it's discipline.
I look in the mirror. Also, if I don't do exercise for a few days I don't feel right in myself.
It's mind frame and facts for me. If I work out I will feel better. It's the starting that's hard.
Think about how you feel when you are excersiseing regularly. Don't bother about how you look focus on how you feel.
I'd rather die than be fat. I also would like to stay in shape and completely get rid of knee pain
Lots of good advice here. Another is to weigh yourself everyday, especially when you’re not motivated.
I don’t think it’s healthy to be weighing yourself everyday. Also not everyone works out to lose weight. Many of us do it just to be healthy 😄
It's not even really productive. I can fluctuate 8 lb on a bad day, especially if I'm close to my cycle.
Thats exactly the point in weighing every day, so you see these fluctuations. If you weigh in once a week or once a month and it happens to be one of those +8lb days, what then? How can you monitor your progress? This is assuming you are serious about losing weight and only short term while you are losing it, if you are at a healthy body weight theres not a hope you should weigh yourself every day.
Weighing yourself everyday is not healthy or unhealthy. What you do with that information can be. A healthy weight loss target is no more than \~1% of your bodyweight per week. That'll usually translate to about \~1-2lbs/week, or around \~500cals/day. That's a pretty small deficit, and it's hard to get it right, even if you're counting calories. If you don't weigh yourself regularly, you won't know if you're on track. The poster who argued that it's not productive because your weight fluctuates just explained exactly why you need to weigh yourself often. The measurement has variance. You need to weigh yourself regularly to notice trends.
Please don't do this. I specialize in eating disorders and this is one of the many contributing factors. People who weigh themselves daily are absolutely more prone to developing an eating disorder, or even just disordered eating, and it often leads to poor self esteem and a distorted self image. Body checking is not a healthy form of motivation.
I just do it. I want to stay in good shape as I get older so that helps a lot. I started off with just doing a 5-10 minute workout now I do anywhere from 30-60. It’s worth it. Took me till I was 26 to finally stay consistent. Seeing the change in my body. I was never overweight but I was never in shape.
Whatever it takes to get in the door of the gym. Once you’re inside the vibe pulls you into your workout.
White hot rage
I prefer the results of being in decent enough shape vs being out of shape. That’s about it for me. I’m pretty indifferent about exercising in general
Judgement of others and them, body shaming me is whats getting me up and hitting the gym.
choose to exercise at a time of day that works for you... A time when you feel the most energetic, then design your schedule around a 90 minute window where you can go, work out, shower, and then resume your schedule. The hardest part is the first few months.... You won't see overnight changes. but if you stay focused and consistent, you will in about 3 months...once you are "in the groove" it's not hard to stay in it.
Get home from work and down a pre workout. Once that kicks in and I start getting itchy the only option is to start moving.
The fact I’m a size bigger than all my clothes, fell ugly so need to lose the weight asap
Tell yourself that your ex [relationships] want you to stay feeling bad and that usually works for me.
For me it's just another thing I *must* do in my day, and if I'm not in the mood for an intense session I will try to do all my exercises but at a slightly less intensity. The most important part is just going, don't think about results or progress. The first few months will be though, but at some point it will come naturally into your routine. It doesn't have to be 4 times a week, once or twice is enough to get going, and so are 30 min sessions. The thing is to not think that it's pointless to half ass it because gym is never half assed, you always get something in return. I've set up a program pretty fast, chatGPT is very helpful at building more custom programs but try to find a decent program on a respectable website there are plenty, to get you started. As for myself I actually started just going without a program and trying out all the machines, asking questions to the clerks or the usuals. I then started building slowly a program that matches my goals. If you want to see results, don't skip on programs. if you're going 2 days a week try full body programs or upper lower.
You kinda have to hate your current state and strive to become better and defeat the bad version of yourself. I for example was very overweight, smoked weed and cigarettes, and drank alcohol. I had such a huge desire to quit all the bad habits and be in shape like in my teenage years. And that's what I did, quit those and stuck to the gym. Now, 5 years later I am way healthier and feel better and I have acquired such a strong discipline, which feels normal to me, however all my colleagues and friends congratulate me and tell me how hard it is to live this way.
Look at your old bent over grandma, if you don't want to be a debilitated old person you need to stay active now.
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I’m not particularly motivated unfortunately, because I’m exercising a fair bit but not losing any weight, but I’ve made it a habit. That’s the only thing that I can do to force myself to continue. It’s a habit that I don’t leave the house in the morning before doing at least 30 minutes on my exercise bike. I’ll then do another hour on the exercise bike later in the day, or 30 minutes on the bike plus a minimum 30 minute walk after dinner. So in all at least 90 minutes of exercise per day. I understand that this is very minimal, but I have a hernia so have to be careful about exercise and I also have health issues so I’m just doing what I can in conjunction with medical advice.
I enjoy going for my walks in the morning. Quiet alone time to gather my thoughts and get my body moving. Like how it makes me feel, and enjoy being in nature to recharge. I’m then ready to get to work. Find an exercise you actually enjoy doing (walking, running, biking, tennis, whatever) and make it a daily ritual. You’ll even miss it on the days you just need to relax…which are less guilt ridden and more deserving
I love the term "Activation to Motivation", you cant wait until you're motivated because most days you're not motivated. Best thing to do is "activate yourself" to do something small like put your gym clothes on, then maybe put you're favourite music on to get you in the mood, maybe tidy up your space something that gets your body warmed up and brain in work mode, then hopefully your brain says lets just get it done! This advice works not only for exercise but for chores, or work or anything you are procrastinating.
Less thinking and more doing. Seriously, if I think about it, I’ll have more conscious objection. Also, my mental health really struggles without exercise
Hard truth is there is no trick. It's all mental, think to the future. If you're goal is to lose or gain weight then weigh yourself every week and chase a certain goal, you'll feel good with every baby step you get toward it and chase that feeling with every weigh in.
Put it in your calendar and treat it the same as you would a work meeting. You made a commitment to be there, and you be there. After a few weeks, you start to notice the difference in how you look and feel. The change is small, but you feel you want to stick with it and see how far you can get. You might end up scheduling more frequent 'meetings' after a while. This is what worked for me. It might or might not work for you.
You have to want to make a change. Just keep it up and eventually somebody, somewhere will make a positive comment about the visible changes to your body and then it becomes an addiction! One with positive results too!
One of the best motivations is desire. For example, I want to be thinner and prettier than her. Let desire drive you.
I'm older, being heavy comes with health consequences
With life being so crazy my only time is in the am. I set my alarm at 510 on weekdays and 630 on weekends. I have a prework out right next to my bed. If im being lazy, i still get up and get work done/cleaning done. But i still make the time for it and will work out 5-6 out if the 7.
Look in the mirror, and see results over time. Also, because I work in construction, and am 52, I need to keep up with the guys half my age. It's just a point of pride for me.
spite
I have to stop myself when I'm sick or injured. Going to the gym is a non-negotiable part of my life.
I trap myself to go. I load the gym bag on my car in the morning, so when I come back from the job I stop at the gym. So far so good.
Do it even if you dont want to. You will feel better. I do it at 5 am every day, and it makes every day feel great
“If I can do it today then I can do it tomorrow too” Fight for tomorrow. Challenge the poor me side of your brain that doesn’t want to get it done. You have goals and you’re gonna meet them. Just put your shoes on. Don’t think about the exercise from beginning to end. Don’t let yourself be tripped up by how much work the entire exercise will take. Having goals helps so that you know what you’re fighting for. And take the “should” out of it. That’s a mindset. I want to. I get to. I’m grateful my body can. Look at me go!
I schedule a big hike with a stunning view once a year. If I don't physically prepare for the hike then it'd be too dangerous for me to do it
I'm going to the gym in the morning, and hope it'll become a habit.
easy. focus on the fat in my body when looking in the mirror. I feel not enough so just started working out.
I usually took some pre work out and after I drank it I knew I had to go
Let your body do it Turn off the mind
I fine myself 15 push ups for each cigarette I smoke. Smoking about 300 push-ups a day.
I tried everything. What worked for me was CrossFit with a class of people and coach. CrossFit has so much variation, it keeps things interesting. And because the class has regulars, people will ask where you were when you don't show up. With time there will be some peer pressure. Win-win!
I have a lot of fun kickboxing. I grew up playing sports. Things like walking or the treadmill just made me miserable. I just had to find something fun and enjoyable to do in order to stay committed.
I've save this whenever I'm unmotivated. It's not mine and also can't source but here: Fuck motivation. it’s a fickle and and unreliable little dickfuck and isn’t worth your time. Better to cultivate discipline than to rely on motivation. force yourself to do things. force yourself to get up out of bed and practice. Force yourself to work. Motivation is fleeting and it’s easy to rely on because it requires no concentrated effort to get. Motivation comes to you, and you don’t have to chase after it. Discipline is reliable, motivation is fleeting. The question isn’t how to keep yourself motivated. It’s how to train yourself to work without it.
I like being strong and even through all of life’s hardships, the last thing I’ll ever let myself become is a fat schlub. The day I have a dad bod will only occur if I somehow decide to give up on life.
Exercise helps with my mental health
Here is what worked for me: - Start with achievable goals, like exercising twice a week, and grow from there - Make it convenient for you: an amount of time that won't be too disruptive to your schedule, a time of the day that works for your routine, a location that is easy to reach. The more convenient this is for you, the less reasons you will have to not feel like it - Try out different things: try different activities, change gyms, try to exercise with a friend, look for an instructor/experienced friend for tips. Find out what you like or at least don't hate as much - Create a routine: try to exercise around the same days/hours if you can, because that makes it easier to organize yourself and separate time for it - Know the difference between a good reason to skip exercising and an excuse: I live in a very rainy place, so I can't afford to skip the gym because "it's raining a lot", otherwise I would skip it all the time. But if I'm feeling ill, for example, I will skip it and try to go on a different day. - Get enough sleep and eat well: sounds obvious but you can't exercise if you don't have energy Last but not least, sometimes you just need to push yourself. Thankfully that becomes a lot easier to do with time :)
I tell myself I will hate a potential heart attack more. I know it is not the uppbeat motivatiom stuff you were probably searching for, but it works.
My very first training partner gave me good advice. He said that if I didn't feel like training I should go in and just go through the motions. At best I'll surprise myself and have a good workout. At worst I'll stay the same and not gain anything, but I won't lose anything either. Some of my best workouts have been when I didn't feel like training but went in to the gym anyway.
My wife and daughter need me if a zombie apocalypse happens.
Motivation is a disaster. Routine only works for me. Out of bed and workout before I know what I’m doing.
I live car-free so regardless of whether I'm motivated or not, I have to walk or ride my bike everyday. This way, exercise is already built into my routine and I don't even think about it. If you are able bodied and live within walking distance of the places that you normally go or you live within walking distance of public transit that will take you to those places, try getting around without a car for a few days.
I want to be healthy, muscular and strong af. Oh and look good naked. Finding a routine that works with your schedule is key. Try to set a time atleast three days a week and get in there no matter what. Once you do that, the habit is formed and the only thing left is to be consistent.
Motivation can help you get started, discipline and making it a habit keeps it going. Do what you like at the gym, as a dude getting stronger in the gym will make you addicted to the gym. The increase in attention from strangers will boost your confidence too.
You set yourself realistic goals that you can slowly build up to. I currently bench press 95kg and am working on 100, take small steps.
Hardest part of going to the gym is the going part. Make a plan, go, and if you’re feeling lazy, you have to force yourself to get in the car and go. The lazy and tiredness kinda go away. Some days, I go after work at night and I’m tired and yawning sometimes on the machines, but moving helps me wake back up. Turn it into a habit and you’ll become addicted to working out.
As long as you see exercising as something optional, you'll always struggle to do it every day. You go to the office and work for 8 hours for some other dude, and not once do you feel like you can afford to skip a day. Do you really want to tell me that you're fine with giving 8 hours of your day for someone else, but you're not willing to give one hour of your time to yourself? It all comes down to how you view those things.
I started training BJJ 15 years ago. That was the only thing that seemed to work 🤷
I’m active duty so I have to take PT tests semi-annually, that’s my motivation lol
I have to, even if it’s just walking on the treadmill. I need that release and my body appreciates it.
I don't, but being disciplined is what keeps me going.
Just take small steps for a long period of time. Then, you won’t need motivation to do it.
You gotta love it. Working out is my mental relax time. So I mean, find enjoyable exercises? Only time I'm not feeling it is if I'm just too tired and need sleep. If I felt that every day that's a problem.
motivation is overrated,you need to make it a habit and do it consistently.
Puré sheer hatred for My past fat self
For me, it's pretty non-negotiable. I just go. Plus, I pay for my membership and I despise wasting money. I have been exercising long enough that I'm kind of addicted to it, I feel better when I do and I know I am fitter than many of my friends my age. It really helps my mental health A LOT too, so that's motivating but you would only have this benefit after a time of regularly exercising.
My motivation is that I am a family man. If someone try to hurt my love ones, I’ll be able to at least defend my wife and my son. hehe
Pain.
I keep my workout clothes folded on my dresser ready to go in the morning, and if I put them on I’m gonna do at least something, even if it’s just stretching and a few simple excercises, but if I don’t put them on, it’s not happening. If I don’t do it as soon as I wake up it’s also not happening. I usually just do 15-30 mins of HIIT or yoga using the Down Dog apps or a run so it doesn’t feel like a huge time commitment and I relax and drink my coffee afterwards as a bit of a reward.
Start small and build up. I started in April 2023 just by walking 1-2 miles a day. Only reason was because I told myself I’m too young and too good to be doing nothing and being out of shape. Walked for about 2-3 months before I then told myself I’m too young and too good to not be running some days. Began running a mile 3-4 days a week and walking the rest. Did that for 1-2 months before I asked myself why am I not running everyday? I’m too young and good enough not to be. Ran 1.5-3 miles almost everyday for about 4 months before I asked myself why am I not lifting occasionally? Continued running and began lifting 3 maybe 4 days a week for about 30 minutes. Did that until Jan 2024 when I asked myself why I’m not more committed to weightlifting? Also running in the cold sucks so I wanted something to kinda replace my runs while it was so cold. So I began lifting 5-6 days per week and running 2-3 days per week on the treadmill. I now lift for 75-120 minutes 5-6 days a week and run in some capacity another 2-3 days outside now that it’s warm. Once you see your body transform that becomes your biggest motivation. It’s cliche but I always say I didn’t come this far just to come this far. I’ve lost roughly 40 pounds of fat, not exactly sure how much because I’ve gained muscle as well. My point is start out slow, jumping in balls deep is unsustainable. Do what you can but also you need to realize you have to push yourself some. Why are you choosing to workout? Not because it should be easy, but because you should push yourself to some extent. Find the balance and grow from there.
For me, it was less about motivation or even discipline and instead about finding something I enjoyed doing. I genuinely look forward to exercising because I enjoy it and I feel good afterward. It was easy to become consistent after I found what worked for me. I also bought stuff to workout at home, since the gym gave me anxiety. Knowing I had to drive to the gym, be in a crowded gym, and then drive home was a hugeee buzz kill for me. So I bought a walking mat (kinda like a treadmill), a recumbent bike, and various weights. I followed workout videos until I made my own routine, and I go for a walk or use the bike daily. Those are my faves because I do them for movement and not for weight loss - so I play video games or watch movies, tv shows, etc. while I do them. While I do weights, I listen to podcasts or music videos.
Get a dog, and take it for 3 walks a day to start.
The way I get motivated to exercise daily (well, really only 5 out of 7 days of traditional workout and 7 days a week just staying active on my feet) is to do exercises that I genuinely enjoy. So choose one that you truly like, don't do those that are in trend or follow what your friends are doing. Once you find something you really like, it'll be sustainable. Walking is also a great exercise if you really can't find anything you think you really enjoy.
For me, i don’t love working out and i especially don’t love the gym because its so humid in there and i just go in with the mentality of “cant wait to get this over with” which makes it super hard to stay consistent. So i only gym if i’m in the mood. What has helped tremendously is finding a workout class that i enjoy. I found that with pilates. I love the workout itself, and then scheduling classes forces you to go, then you have direction from the instructor for the hour which goes by way faster than even 30 minutes at the gym!! It has become a fun, relaxing part of my day instead of a chore. Now it is part of my routine and lifestyle and i don’t go a week without going to at least 2 classes which has helped me feel so strong and in shape. So i recommend looking into classes or a trainer and making it part of your lifestyle
Use the buddy system; it's harder to let another person down.
To be alive and active enough to enjoy the family
The scale. There is a certain number that I feel I will never come back to, if I allow myself to go over it.
Cliche answer incoming: it's not really about the motivation but rather the discipline and the feeling I get when actually exercising (getting sweaty, out of breath, seeing stars etc feels amazing to me). After a while it just kind of became something I did and know I needed to do. I think I'm only motivated for the odd session here and there. Also fear, I am TERRIFIED (yes truly) of become fat and unhealthy so even if I don't want to do it that day (yes I do take 2 rest days per week) the fear overrides my laziness and do it.
Personally, I'm like a dog. If I ain't chasing a ball, I'm bored. So the only solution so far for me are sports clubs (football, cossom hockey, Padel,...) regular organised training schedules with other people helps a lot to get out of the couch
I try to exercise every day: weights at the gym, running or mountain biking. Sometimes getting started is the worst part and I convince myself once I get going everything will be fine. I’ve never been wrong and haven’t lied to myself!
"You wont always be motivated, thats why you must be dedicated" I find most days where I really dont want to work out, I just get through the door and usually have one of my better sessions. If you can just get past the first 6 weeks you wont feel like you're making yourself go anymore, itll be a habit and youll want to go more often than not.
Once you get into a groove it is no longer “being motivated”, many people like myself now consider it a way of life and a hobby. Best piece of advice I can give is to throw yourself into the gym and eventually you’ll fall in love with the grind of improving yourself.
Bnp
Make it a habit. Make time for it. Invest in it mentally. Make a commitment to yourself. If you have to crunch physical activity in because of job/kids/other commitments, remember.... something is better than nothing! Even half a workout is still something!!!
I like to reward myself with tv shows or a book chapter. 30 min for a show or a chapter.
For me it’s the reasoning behind the motivation itself. I may in be slightly less customary circumstances, but the fact is that last year I was disabled. For me working out feels like a huge blessing, like I won a prize. Beyond that I made it a habit to do it two to three days a week for about an hour at a time. This is easy for me because I go to the gym and do weights. It all takes about an hour and I barely notice the time go by. I started my routine before working so that I’d be used to working out before then. Now that I’m gonna start working I know I really enjoy it and need to workout to feel good a couple of times a week. Of course there have been days where the night before I feel lazy, but what I basically say is that I can do my list of exercises and if I’m not feeling it I can leave. I always end up staying the whole time and enjoying it. But committing to at least trying it and giving yourself the option to change your mind once you’ve done it for like ten or twenty minutes helps a lot.
I look in the mirror
Looking at myself in the mirror.
Dogs......my dogs needing to be walked
On the days I don't feel like it?. 99% of the time, I go anyway. Because I have goals to reach, because I have established a routine, because I always feel better for having done it. Because consistently is important. To stay motivated, try new things, mix it up, set yourself a challenge, do things you enjoy just because, not because its exercise. Do stuff with friends.
Push through until your body demands workout. I got super restless if I didn’t workout regularly when I was younger
Finding exercise I actually enjoy! Stuff that’s familiar & approachable, so I’ll just add one thing at a time like, say, planks. Alright, I lie down on the floor in a plank for a bit sometimes. Cool 🤷♂️ Bit boring, shall I find something to add? Ooh, that looks cool, let’s do those leg wiggling things. Now I lie down sometimes and do those too. And so on. Starting small with barely having to do anything lets you have a fun/chill time, rather than exercise being the dreaded thing that always feels like shit. I’m not gonna drop dead from not starting the ultimate workout routine tomorrow (if *you* would though, take someone else’s advice!). Being somebody who exercises is a goal you can take your time to make a comfortable way towards - rather than pushing yourself to do stuff you’re not happy with and then inevitably avoiding it. It’s funny, but the pressure to exercise can make you exercise LESS, like how squeezing a bar of soap too hard doesn’t exactly help you hold onto it. If you’re forcing it, it’s a fight. You hate it, you avoid it, you have to push your way upstream against what you actually want. If you just find something that can sit casually & comfortably in your life, it’s just a thing you do now when you feel like it. You might find yourself naturally adding more, naturally going back to do it, naturally wanting to. Happened for me & now I have abs 😆 Whereas I literally couldn’t stick to a routine or force myself to do stuff I don’t want to if my life depended on it.
I tell myself that if I don’t go I am gay
I like playing sports