How do you beat simply being lazy?

[Coopen87]

Hi guys,

I have been trying to get in shape for a long time now and I usually start really well (my latest efforts helped me drop a stone) but I inevitably end up slowing down, skipping a couple of workouts and eventually stop completely. I've tried motivating myself in different ways (in fact I stand to lose £10 on a fitness related bet). I was hoping with all the great people on here some of you may have had similar problems and hopefully can tell me how you beat it?

[catspaw]

You need to find something that's more important to you than the laziness. That might be health, or it might be how you look naked, or it might be a challenge, or fear, or determination, or an aspiration. But no one can find that thing for you.

[DustMite]

Pretty much what catspaw said. When you start seeing results, it gets easier because you want to keep seeing them and the ball rolls from there. I also had a roommate who would watch youtube videos of fit people working out before she worked out. I do the same thing with videos of Daler Mehndi dancing, they get me energized

[Mama T]

if you find an activity that you truly enjoy, regardless of its health benefits, you're more encouraged to do it no matter what. maybe try to figure out the best time of day/week to work out. maybe create a mini-reward system for yourself, and just power through.

i definitely second catspaw too. there's tons of ways to create extrinsic motivation, but the more intrinsic motivation you have, the more likely you are to sustain a workout plan.

[bigm141414]

Hi guys,

I have been trying to get in shape for a long time now and I usually start really well (my latest efforts helped me drop a stone) but I inevitably end up slowing down, skipping a couple of workouts and eventually stop completely. I've tried motivating myself in different ways (in fact I stand to lose £10 on a fitness related bet). I was hoping with all the great people on here some of you may have had similar problems and hopefully can tell me how you beat it?

What helped me is writing a daily log of activity (so much so I have one for fitness, and one for work). Having to write down that I did nothing in a day fitness-wise helps keep the motivation because I want to be able to say I did something to make me better than yesterday. Also, when you look back on the log after a few weeks and see how far you've come helps keep the motivation up.

[Guest Snake McClain]

Everyone here has great advice. The reality is all of them. You have to want something more than you want to be lazy. You have to decide i'm sick of "x" and now i'm going to do "y and z" to make "x" go away. You have to pick something you enjoy. You like swimming? Swim. You like soccer? Go play soccer. For me it's pro wrestling. So i'm getting in shape to do pro wrestling and i've NEVER been more motivated in my ENTIRE LIFE. Not even in basic training with a lunatic screaming in my face 24/7 was I as motivated as I am now, because now I truly love and want it. Find that thing. Find what you love. You love looking good for a date? You love the idea of getting a date? f'ing do it, mate! Do whatever you need to stay focused. and once you get moving it will be SO SO easy to keep on. You'll see results and feel amazing.

[andygates]

The Hedonic Imperative!

In other words: Fun. Lazy is fun: I am sat on my ass now, going over my forums, and it is fun. Tomorrow I'll brute the gym and that'll be fun too.

Chores? Chores are for robots. If your workout is a chore, consider changing it (pick a new activity, they mean new toys! or find a challenge like the powerlifting total that was my hook through summer! or enter a race and train because you've already cashed in the bragging rights at work!).

[Coopen87]

Everyone here has great advice. The reality is all of them. You have to want something more than you want to be lazy. You have to decide i'm sick of "x" and now i'm going to do "y and z" to make "x" go away. You have to pick something you enjoy. You like swimming? Swim. You like soccer? Go play soccer. For me it's pro wrestling. So i'm getting in shape to do pro wrestling and i've NEVER been more motivated in my ENTIRE LIFE. Not even in basic training with a lunatic screaming in my face 24/7 was I as motivated as I am now, because now I truly love and want it. Find that thing. Find what you love. You love looking good for a date? You love the idea of getting a date? f'ing do it, mate! Do whatever you need to stay focused. and once you get moving it will be SO SO easy to keep on. You'll see results and feel amazing.

Funny you should say that as Pro Wrestling has been something I've enjoyed and wanted to do for most of my life, I've been thinking of getting into shape to try out at a school but there aren't any around my area. I've decided I'm going to enter the new 6 week challenge as a way of trying to get past acting so lazily and see how I do at that

[moabbound]

I look in the mirror and get pissed at the dude looking back at me and then go beat his ass in the gym. I'm the laziest of the lazy and that's what motivates me to stop watching G4 and get in the gym. That and my kid.

[Alethea]

I'm not so much lazy as I enjoy instant gratification like reading and watching TV. Given a choice between getting sweaty or kicking back with a beverage and a book, the later is way more appealing to me (and doesn't require effort!). So, I say to myself "k, absolutely, you get to read and chill and it will rock. But first, do this." and my inner 5 year old says " k!" because it only heard the first half, and I get moving before I start trying to talk myself out of it. As soon as you try to bargain with yourself ("but I'm tired!" "but I dont want to!" "but it doesn't really matter if I dont do it"), it's death to motivation. Dont even let those thoughts start.