| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/20/2009 10:30:16 PM | I have fun learning new exercises, trying out new equipment, meeting new people there with similar interests. When I push myself really hard on the cardio machines, it brings back memories of those days in ROTC where we'd run till we could barely stand.
The only downside is having to act like young women there don't exist. You talk to everyone else, but they don't want to hear from you. I have had occasion where a woman on the next machine would say something to me, then get irate about something she thought that I would say or do. Once, I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear anything the lady was saying. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/21/2009 5:59:17 AM | Congrats OP on your success to date.
When you don't feel like exercising, or eating right, think back to how hard it was to get to where you are right now. Do you want to backslide and start all over. It's much easier to stay in shape then get into shape. That helps keep me going!
Also, having a realistic plan that recognizes that you will plateau and that you will start losing less weight per week as you thin down. It's easy to lose 3-5 pounds in a week when you weigh 250, but much harder when you weigh 180. Keep it realistic, don't set yourself up for failure. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/21/2009 8:52:20 AM | CONGRATULATIONS on your weight loss!!!! That should be enough to motivate you!
What I do is I sign up for classes, pay in advance so I have to go or I lose my $$.
I also have a personal trainer for "Boxing for Fitness" & he's a great motivator.
Find a list of classes thru your community centers & sign up w/a friend. That should help some.
Good luck & keep up the GREAT WORK!! | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/21/2009 11:56:19 PM | well I do get a lot of support from my family which helps a great deal
I have been rereading the book that really got me started on this journy and that's helping to .i am also looking at new ways to deal with the changes I am going through. also I found that going through my clothes and getting rid of the things that don't fit anymore because they are huge on me is pretty big motivation to.
I know this is just a bump in the long road I am on right now but i will get past it.
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/22/2009 3:25:09 AM | What do you, or what would you like to do that requires a little exercise? Dancing?
Hiking? Site Seeing? It could be just about any physical activity that you do with friends, or family.
Physical fitness can't be all about work, or you will burn out. You have to play and have fun.
Also, you should take a look at Muscle & Fitness magazine. That could be another form of encouragement. I see and read the testamonials of guys and gals in their 30's, 40's and 50's. They're looking good. But they've all had weight issues prior.
Heck, even I had weight issues in the past. I went from skinny, to fit, to over-weight, to fit again, then to skinny again, then to fit and man, it's been a rollercoaster. But I've balanced it out now that I know what the heck I'm doing.
It's all about the frame of mind. You have to find some happiness in it. That's all. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/23/2009 10:16:45 AM | I dunno, right now the ground is completely covered in snow, and I live near the beach. Short of spending a bunch of money on wetsuits and surfboards, there's not that much to be done here outdoors.
I just hit the gym in the winter time (living on the seacoast of NH, btw) and start doing the really fun outdoorsy stuff when the ground thaws. I wish that I could go swimming right now without fear of hypothermia, but that's New England, you know.
You can have a lot of fun at the gym by going with a partner, and you'll push yourselves much harder than if you just go by yourself. When the competitive spirit hits you, you'll have all the motivation you need. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/23/2009 10:16:26 PM | Well its all about keeping your workouts relevant.
For example if you continue to do the same repetitive task over and over its gets a bit mundane.
Key factors:
Stay at daily recommended caloric intake.
Eat healthy
Exercise (cardio 20 minutes a day etc).
P.S i heard they are getting a pill to lose wait for people but tis undergoing clinical trial!
For all of the anti workout folks out there. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/23/2009 11:02:11 PM | | Maybe you should talk to your PT about goal-setting. If you set goals beyond "Lose 5lbs in the next month," you'll find new reason to go. Maybe an increase in performance results would help motivate you. I always find that a good way to stay motivated to exercise is for functional benefits [eg endurance, strength, power] rather than focusing on size. And change what aspect of your fitness you want to achieve certain goals with. So you might spend one month focusing on trying to increase your VO2MAX by 10mL/lb/min, then the next month trying to increase your pain threshold on the bike by 3 levels of resistance, then the next month trying to increase the weight you lift on a certain exercise by 10lbs. All the while, as you continue to eat healthy and keep calories in less than calories out, you'll continue to lose weight by doing something that seems more purpose-oriented. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/26/2009 4:21:31 PM | After reading all the thoughtful comments on this thread, you have many good ideas to choose from. Here's one that is a little different: because enthusiasm tends to be contagious, try spending some time on interests that may or may not have anything to do with fitness, such as gardening, poetry, playing the piano, art, helping a friend, etc. A lifelong passion for living in many dimensions will likely keep you motivated about eating healthy and working out enough to be able to zestfully pursuing your passions.
I am a 62 yr old xNavy SEAL, currently waiting to return to Afghanistan for my 7th deployment to the war zone. I was a child with severe asthma who learned to focus my will and passion in many domains. Life can be an experience full of beauty, love, and freedom. Health and fitness are tools to reach the goal of a joyful life.
Best wishes...Tom | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/26/2009 4:38:25 PM | | I keep track of my workouts. It shows you what you've done (or haven't) and lets you set some goals. Even if you say, "Febraury has 28 days and I'm going to the gym for 20 of them", suddenly you have a goal. Once it becomes part of your life you will make time for it. Sometimes you need to treat your workouts like an appointment. I don't break my appointments.... | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/26/2009 7:01:06 PM | | It's human to lose motivation sometimes.....but you can tell yourself to get up and do it anyway....lol....tell yourself that 20 times even though you don't feel like doing that thing you've not done....my dad tells me life is like that....there are just times we need to 'recharge" and forgive ourselves for not being perfect.....if ya take a breather and meditate for moment it won't hurt ya....perhaps at this point you need to reevaluate what your weight loss goal is...are you where you want to be? do you need to just do something to maintain where you are?....etc etc... | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/26/2009 11:32:49 PM | | Old pictures works wonders for me. I look at what I used to look like and well that gets my ass in gear to prevent looking and feeling that way again. I look at old pictures almost every single day to see what happens if I go back to old habits. I love the gym but I do need that extra motivation to eat good. That and I do take breaks from time to time just to rest and recharge. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/28/2009 12:39:17 AM | Motivated for which one,... going to the gym or losing weight? I have lost a good 20 pounds over these past few months since I gave up my main excercise, biking, because I have ate smaller meals and reduced my caloric intake. I'm still eating the 1/2 cup of almonds a day, too. Maybe you need a break from the 'gymrat routine' ?I agree with this statment because health either becomes a way of life or it doesn't.
Here's one that is a little different: because enthusiasm tends to be contagious, try spending some time on interests that may or may not have anything to do with fitness, such as gardening, poetry, playing the piano, art, helping a friend, etc. A lifelong passion for living in many dimensions will likely keep you motivated about eating healthy
shoveling snow is excercise and around here it simply must get done. But gardening is great and has many reasons to get motivated about it beyond simple gymrat-self-vanity. Plus I like doing a great variety of things -- I just have to have my hands involved in doing SOMETHING if at all possible. I did some plumbing just before supper, new washers in the sink to stop a drip, then installed LED lighting above the sink for a new look that is also very energy efficient. I always have a list of "rainy day" sort of projects and am constantly multitasking -- beans were soaking for chili while I did those projects for later in the week. I had fresh homegrown basil on my pizza tonight, in MN, where we are having daytime highs of 0 degrees. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/28/2009 12:07:08 PM | I feel like crap when I don't exercise--that's how. When I feel lethargic, chronically fatigued and depressed, I know it's time to hop on the bike again and ride to the gym to work out (3 times a week).
Also, the fear of dying is a big motivator. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/28/2009 5:14:38 PM | Motivated for which one,... going to the gym or losing weight?
It is for going to the gym. between the weights, cardio, core , and my eating plan it gets pretty overwhelming.
On another note i have had a few injuries at the gym strained muscles, pulled muscles, bruises, most of them i have been kinda proud of ( i dont know if proud is the right word ) but now i have a fat lip which is pretty stupid i got hit in the face with a ball at the gym i missed it when it was thrown at me. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 1/29/2009 5:08:44 PM | I have found another motivator Anger and frustration.
when i am pissed about something or frustrated or stressed from work going spending a hour at the gym makes me feel great after. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/4/2009 8:35:31 AM | | Well i am getting back into the gym thing again took a break (much longer then i planned on) trying a new gym and a new trainer pretty pumped about it . I am hoping that the change will help me stay motivated. The lack of energy i have had lately has been a huge motivator for getting back into it all. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/4/2009 9:14:28 AM | Glad you bumped this thread...I have been losing a large amount of weight over the last 15 months after having health problems....motivation has dipped at a couple of plateaus and kinda getting overwhelmed with the amount of weight that I still had ahead of me..
I like the point of looking at pictures of what you looked like before putting on the weight...that has worked....also changing routines has worked several times also since at times not focusing on the weight loss and rather the fitness gains can be more motivation.
I dont think I could go long without my workouts either since they make me feel much better... | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/4/2009 10:40:32 PM | | End result is what keeps me motivated. Sure, it's not easy to get in shape/stay in shape, you have to work hard for it. Sometimes it's difficult for me because the change is so slow, at times like this I just keep thinking of where I want to be and reassure myself that I will eventually get there. I suppose you can call it seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. If you can clearly see your goal and how you will benefit from it, you'll have much easier time keeping yourself motivated. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/4/2009 11:39:14 PM | When I get sick and tired of all of it..
I try something I never thought I could do.
I also buy a shirt, or something I think is really cute, just a size to small. Then I hang it by my mirror. It is such a thrill to put it on,,and it fits!!!
I only go down 1 size at a time. It has helped me,,hope that is helps you.
Congratulations on all your hard work. Keep it up.,.
Lbiker | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/5/2009 8:02:22 PM | | I have to agree with the previous posters about finding something you enjoy. I go bicycling and hiking, which I love to do. Takes no motivation for me at all to get on a bike and ride. As for going to the gym, the scenery can be motivating sometimes. | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/5/2009 8:39:10 PM | What I did was get on the scale once a week and as I saw I continued to lose lbs, I wanted to continue
I also was happy about my body changing, and I felt better
but to each thier own as to what will keep ya going :)
keep going strong :) | |
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/5/2009 8:48:12 PM | Kat you're looking great. Congrats on the progress you've made.
If you're in a slump and lack energy, I suspect you may be carbohydrate deficient. Are you getting enough carbs? Some people on diets will avoid them like the plauge, but your body needs some carbos to burn fat.
WIthout them, you'll lack energy and your body will shut down the fat burning process because it senses famine. You won't lose a pound, even with excecise.
Here's a gym tip. If you're having problems getting pumped up to go. Then forget motivation, but go anyways. Get on the tread mill with no ambition and start walking at an easy gate. When your body warms up, your brain will kick and want more. Start your gym time with things that you enjoy. I start with stretching and ab work.
So I don't fear the gym.
I just dropped 20 lbs and here's one thing that worked for me, and it does sound weird. I quit tv as part of my diet. WIthout tv, I am now in the real world without comercial influence, so I've lost most craving for all those foods I shouldn't eat.
It's been nice.
CHeers,
Mike | |
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lakis7
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Joined: 10/28/2007
Msg: 49 | |
| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/6/2009 10:28:46 AM | Hi maybe you should change your workout plan to another one, also set a date to when you are going to start training again and don't let any distractions get in your way, once you start your training routine you should be fine, we all need a break sometimes,
also ask your personal trainer about a nutrition meal plan with your workout, let me know and i will send you one free ,
best regards .
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| How do you stay motivated
Posted: 7/6/2009 6:30:13 PM | I get excited about trying new routines that I read about.
New music energizes me.
Change of diet could actually get through that slump.
I used to take pictures every month and compared the new pics to the old ones and that definately encouraged me to keep going at it hard.
Taking a week off every 10 weeks isn't a bad idea either...your body needs a break every so often.
I train with different people and that keeps things fresh for me.
Overall, I just love working out though. Like one of the womem above me said, don't think about it...just go! :)
Finally, congrats! Eighty-five pounds! You must be feeling great! | |
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