Need some motivation to exercise!

Amy_Veg

Amy_Veg

New member
Well, as if I don't have enough reasons to. I have been putting off exercising. I changed my diet about 7 weeks ago and haven't really committed to exercising. I have done some here and there but nothing on a routine basis.

My husband and I set up the basement for the winter months so we can exercise. We have two stationary bikes and a TV hooked up to the cable. I want to try and ride the bike for an hour a day or go on a walk with one of the dogs for an hour a day. We want to get some free weights and a bench when we save up the money.

Did anyone else have problems getting started? How did you overcome the need to sit on the couch after work?

I would workout in the mornings instead of afternoon but I have to be at work at 7a.m. as it is and I would have to get up at 5a.m. to get the workout done and still be ready and at work on time.

Okay, wish me luck today!
 
Well my motivation is that i want to loose weight, I am tired of being fat and having no energy and making excuses...Ive been kicking around for abt 9 or 10 weeks or so...when I came here and committed myself I decided no more excuse, I do have the time I just need to use it...I am a single mom of two I work full time and my job is physical, i relaly need to push myself to exercise but I know if I dont I wont loose this weight...on average I exercise abt 495 mins a week...I fit it in everywhere and every chance I get...I keep a tennis racket and balls in my trunk, a rain jacket and a spare set of shoes and change of clothes for the gym...I also keep the babes stroller in the car and blankets so that if given the time (darkness) and weather...we can go for a walk or to the track for a walk/jog (it has lights so that is cool)...You need to find what works for you and if you are really serious about weight loss it will go faster if you add exercise...Or join a gym, I joined Curves and let me tell you, I couldnt afford it...the initial few was hundreds of dollars and then the payments are 41 a month so that right there is my motivation...I paid the enterance few in 3 or 4 instalments
 
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I'm not sure I have any earth-shattering advice. I work out every weekday morning (I get up at 5:30...it sucks). I got in the habit, and I'm too much asleep to talk myself out of it. I have my workout clothes laid out in the bathroom. My alarm goes off, I roll out of bed, go to the bathroom, weigh myself, put on the clothes, throw my hair in a ponytail, grab a glass of water and hit the treadmill. I do the same thing every day without even thinking about it. So I guess my advice is to try to make it a habit. That way, once the habit is formed, you can skip the motivation entirely, you'll just do it. Everyday when you get home, throw on the workout clothes, grab some water and get on the bike. Don't even go near the couch. It's evil. It will suck you in. *laugh* Have the workout clothes and your water bottle laid out and ready to go. Have the plan in your head when you're driving home. Give yourself a sticker when your done. *grin*
 
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yeah, there's been research that suggests it takes approx. 21-30 days to form a habit, so in the beginning it may be hard, but stick it out for those 21 or so days and then keep going. like someone else posted here - it's just something i do automatically pretty much. i have my clothes laid out as well and just get to work.
i think it's awesome that you can work out with your hubby and if you've got your TV hooked up and all..you're set. maybe pick a favorite show to watch while you work out. something you both enjoy. i am so pulling for you, b/c you can totally do it!!! you want to do it!!!! :)
 
Okay in the past three days I've worked out twice. Yay for me! I rode the stationary bike for a half an hour. I want to work up to 45 minutes to one hour eventually. Those last 10 minutes are excruciating. But I feel so good when I'm done.

I've seriously got to get some stickers and an exercise calendar. :D
 
I find that if I have a buddy to work out with, I'm more likely to do it. I have a couple of friends that I go to the gym with through out the week on different days and times and I always go because I feel like I'm blowing them off if I don't go. I would suggest setting a time that you and your husband can both go sit in the basement and get on those bikes...maybe during your favorite tv show. Watching tv keeps me on the bike or tredmill because sometimes I want to finish the show lol. Or maybe you can invite a friend over and the two of you could do the same. :D
Good luck and congrats for getting yourself started on working out!
 
The benifits of exercise are so numberous.
First of all diet won't help you lose weight alone, inorder to get to your goal weight you need to exercise as well (i belive this is acutally a proven fact)
I read an article in a magazine that exercizing can be as effective as perscription drugs in helping depression sufferers due to the hormones that are released.
Exercising helps your body in ways other than weight loss. When you exercise your heart benifits, your less likely to develop osteoperosis, i belive that there are benifits to type 2 diabeties, it can help in cancer prevention.
When I work out I try to read fitness and health magazines to motivate me because reading about all the good it does to my body helps me to get through the work out. and when I'm done I love the way I feel with all the endorphines and hormones raging through my body.
Its good to start out slow though. It appears that you haven't really worked out before (or at least for a long time). Start with things like walking on the treadmill at a slight incline at a comfortable pace. after about a week, bump both up. Or you can do the tread mill, run for as long as you can, but when you can't any more, walk. Keep track of how long you can run and see the increase as time goes by.
Once you've gotten into a grove w/ cardio work out you should definately try to add a weight training program. but i can give you that lecture at another time:D
good luck and keep us posted!
 
keep goin this way, Amy!

I know how hard is to start exercising instead of sitting on the couch :)

But now just have in mind that 1st week is the hardest! Then it will become like natural thing, the part of the day and so on.

But don't push yourself too hard, because u will get tired from this and couch wins.. Begin with small steps, so with half an hour, and after week you can add 10 more minutes, and keep adding them when you feel it's already too less to get wet :)
First weeks is not about reaching 45 min or else, it's about making exercising a habit :)

Good luck, You can do it!
 
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You can do it! I started out at 320lbs myself, so know where you're coming from.

Even if you only get 30 minutes on that bike the first few weeks but you feel like you'd like to do more, once you're done, maybe jump around or dance or something during commercial breaks if you watch TV, go out of your way to take the steps at work if there are any, or walk around the building during a break. Getting your body used to additional activity at the level of weight we are both at is important. Pushing too hard with the weight we are carrying can lead to injury, so start small and add time onto your exercise routines as your body gets stronger.

You're going to do great! I really feel for you and I understand where you'd coming from, and I'd be more than happy to be like, online motivator buddies ;).

Ok, the end of my insane ramblings lol!

Take care and good luck! Keep in touch :)
 
Motivate Each Other

Yep - I"m also having a tough time sticking to an exercise program - so all of these tips are really helpful. Hopefully we can motivate each other!

Okay - I"m off to go get ready to jog/walk for a bit!
 
you should consider checking this site out for some motivation
I AM A SPAMMER!!!!1111
 
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To be honest i can find myself a MILLION reasons not to work out if i give myself time to think about it. I have always been off and on with the gym, but now that i find some of my pants a bit tight... Im determined to work out. I found that bringing my clothes with my to work and then hitting the gym RIGHT after rather then going home to relax first, helps me get my butt moving. My bf is also VERY encouraging and tells me how hot i look... even after only a week haha... when i work out.


thats what motivates me
 
Hi Amy,

I HATE exercise!!! But you've just gotta do it! I have only found two ways to get myself moving, that work over the longer term.

Number 1, you need an exercise buddy of some sort. It works best if you only exercise when the other person does too - maybe take turns to drive to the gym (if you drive of course!) Also, try if you can to find someone who needs to exercise even more than you do! That way, if you don't do it, you'll be letting your buddy down. Helping other people is usually much more motivational than helping yourself.

The second one is "don't exercise, play" - which means please find a sport you can enjoy. Tennis, badminton, etc are good starters, because you can play against someone who's at the same fitness level as you. Maybe as you progress there's a ladies softball team you can join? If you get into the sport, you'll be exercising without realising it, rather than just watching the clock and the distance on the treadmill - that kills me!

How about line dancing - you do that for a couple of hours, you'll be exercising without knowing it!

Good luck and don't give up!

Zander
 
Getting started...

Not to go all Nike on you or anything but if I just get off my butt and DO IT. Whether I want to or not. If Im tired, hungover, sad, feeling lazy..whatever. I just do it without thinking too much. The only thoughts Id have would be excuses as to how I could make up for it later, or why its ok to not excercise, etc. So I just do it and even if Im miserable at first, I quickly feel better about it. Even if I only do a LITTLE excercise, im glad I got off of my butt.
 
blackwdw said:
I'm not sure I have any earth-shattering advice. I work out every weekday morning (I get up at 5:30...it sucks). I got in the habit, and I'm too much asleep to talk myself out of it. I have my workout clothes laid out in the bathroom. My alarm goes off, I roll out of bed, go to the bathroom, weigh myself, put on the clothes, throw my hair in a ponytail, grab a glass of water and hit the treadmill. I do the same thing every day without even thinking about it. So I guess my advice is to try to make it a habit. That way, once the habit is formed, you can skip the motivation entirely, you'll just do it. Everyday when you get home, throw on the workout clothes, grab some water and get on the bike. Don't even go near the couch. It's evil. It will suck you in. *laugh* Have the workout clothes and your water bottle laid out and ready to go. Have the plan in your head when you're driving home. Give yourself a sticker when your done. *grin*
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Yep! Totally agree with this. I don't have to go to a job out of the home, but I get back to get THREE children ready for school. I wake up every morning at 510 am and briskly walk 4 miles. Get the kids ready and to school. Grab a little to eat and then we are at the gym 3 days a week by 930 am for an hour if one of my favorite classes is being offered. It SUCKS getting up so early, but I've come to really enjoy the solitude of that time of morning. I do a lot of thinking and pondering about life and goals during that time(once I wake up) and I find that it sets my whole day right since I'm revved up when I'm done. I'm actually getting a little sad that I probably only have a few more weeks before the mornings are too cold to walk in anymore and I'll have to go to the bright, loud gym first thing instead. Anyway, the point is, making it a habit is essential and at first you have to prepare the 'excuses away' to make it easier. Like was said, lay out your clothes, keep your water bottle filled and cool in the fridge, and use the couch as your reward when you are all done instead. Definitely exercise wherever and whenever you can...this too is my habit now. I could not go to the gym the last few days with just me and the kids. I took my walk when they were first asleep, I jumped on their trampoline when I could, and I did a lot of yard and housework. Pull a jumprope out just for the hey of it and get moving. Start seeing the fun in being active and you forget that you are burning calories in the process.

I don't discount what you are saying at all. We are all on this forum for a reason-we were/are overweight. It is very hard to get started, but once you do and the rewards are reaped and you maybe even start enjoying activity, it's well worth it!
 
It sounds like in your mind, working out is a big drag that you wish you didn't have to do. If you feel like that, it's very hard to get started. We all procrastinate, and with exercising it's very easy to, because there are no direct immediate consequences.

I had to change the way i thought about it. After having a super stressful day, I want to get rid of all that extra frustration. I've realized that exercising is a really great way to do that! I get rid of all my built up anxiety and stress and get to blow of some steam. If I'm mad at a coworker, I just push myself really hard on my stationary bike and I feel much better.

So to sum it up, you want exercising to be more than some chore you have to do to reach a vague goal (look skinny, hot, feel good months down the line). you'll never do it that way... because if you arnt going to see any results for months, whats the harm in putting it off another day? Find something that it gives you immediately, be it alone time, a chance to think, a way to bond with your dogs, blow off stress - so that each time you'll do it you'll feel great AND look forward to it everyday. After that it becomes just a natural part of your schedule - during most stressful, hectic days at work, I can't wait to get home all by myself and get a good workout in!
 
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