What makes you exercise?

[KAllen]

One reason, I'm a cop and I'm also 44, so most of the problems I would deal with are quite litterally half my age or younger. So the stronger I am the better I can "take care of business" if I have too.

Another reason, I was 39 when my wife and I had our first kid. So working out makes me healthier so I can be around longer with them.

One more reason...my wife really likes the way I look...so I get more action!!! Hell...I should have put that one first!!!

[Raincloak]

I have a little career change in mind (shhh) that requires immense physical fitness. To apply for this very desirable (and profitable!) job, I have to get really strong. So I have set that job as my goal. And you can only apply at certain times, so I have a deadline to meet.

Also, I read this little anecdote in a "Body 4 Life" fitness book once that really struck me. It was about these two brothers, 30 or 40 years old. One day, they went for a walk by a lake and the older brother decided to dive in headfirst. Big mistake -- he smacked his head on a rock under the surface. Bam, two shattered vertebrae high on the neck. He's quadriplegic. He'll never walk again. He'll never lift a finger, not if he lives to be 100. He's lucky to still be alive.

Fast forward a couple of years, and the younger brother is bitching and moaning about what a pain it is to exercise. Disabled brother goes, "I'd give anything in the world to run on a treadmill or lift weights. Anything to feel myself getting stronger. Even just to move. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for me." Of course, healthy brother felt terribly ashamed and decided to take ownership of the body he was so lucky to have.

I definitely don't feel like exercising all the time, but I remind myself how lucky I am that I have the ability, and how I shouldn't dare to waste it. If you're not using your body, why do you even have one? It's like having a fast car that you never drive. What a waste that would be. (Did you know that cars have to be fired up once in a while or they get cranky? Especially fast cars, but even regular ones need to be taken out and driven regularly, or gunk builds up in them and they're not happy machines...)

[leadchipmunk]

When I was first trying to get in shape, it's fairly safe to say all my motivation was negative: I hated how I looked

That's where I am. I absolutely hate how I look. I hate pretty much everything about me, so my choices are to keep with this self hate or change it. Physically, I can change myself through exercise.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like some exercise. Walking/jogging is somewhat enjoyable for me. And I really like the pain the next day. But I can say that I haven't found what I love to do. Yet. I know there is something out there, and I will keep trying new things until I find the thing that will motivate me out of pure enjoyment.

[andygates]

I just kinda enjoy it. Picking up heavy stuff is fun.

Okay, I have goals, and structure - that's to give it some shape, to mould fun into useful fun.

There's the darker, bucket-list reason too: the Family Curse means I'll hit muscle wastage and brain rot in middle age, so if I want to see if I can get proper strong, I have to do it now. By the time I get to the brain rot I should be well in with meds, but the scrawnifying means I plan to switch back to endurance stuff. I got one (big, ample, no drama) chance. It'd be a shame to waste it.

[msuroo]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the "I'm training for something" motivation. I, like so many others, went out and signed up for a 5k when I was horribly out of shape. It's amazing what having an event on the calendar does for motivation - I couldn't skip a run because I wanted to do well at the race.

Now I fall squarely in the "I work out because I love it" camp, but it wasn't always that way.

[JamesCannell]

I've had a battle with exercise ever since I left high school. The reason I do it now is because of The Rock. He posted something on Twitter that just inspired me. Ever since that day in January of this year I've totally changed my diet, started running and got heavily in to weight training.

Now i'm starting to get into bodybuilding with the aim to enter a bodybuilding competition.

[Kishi]

For me, it's simple. I want to be a better martial artist. And along with that comes a certain desire for new challenges. I just want to see what I can do. And it turns out, I can do more and more than I ever thought I could.

[Mad Rocker]

I've had a battle with exercise ever since I left high school. The reason I do it now is because of The Rock. He posted something on Twitter that just inspired me. Ever since that day in January of this year I've totally changed my diet, started running and got heavily in to weight training.

Now i'm starting to get into bodybuilding with the aim to enter a bodybuilding competition.

Very interested to know what the tweet was. Care to share?

[JamesCannell]

Very interested to know what the tweet was. Care to share?

If I could remember it I would. It was also watching his documentary that I found inspiring also.

[Atalan]

Two reasons: I have a rivalry with another spearfighter in Dagorhir and we're currently racing for our Realm's "Master Pikeman" title (earned by completing two combat tests, a 2v1 fight with two spearman of the rank or recognized high skill, and a 1v1 fight with the best available fighter in their best set-up). The second is a set of numbers 9/6/5.

[PhoenixRising]

I was afraid to workout because I go a little overboard with it. I didn't want to give up because of injury and be unhealthy again. I have lost nearly 50 pounds over the last few years and I never want to be that heavy again. Now I am thin enough I have to start working out. I hate it, then about 5 minutes in I am good! I also like the quality time with my husband. We are signing up for a mud run together! Nothing like rolling around in mud with your partner! LOL!

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Oh yeah, forgot the dark side one. My dad just found out he has diabetes a few months ago. We're the same height and build and he was only 35 lb heavier than me at most at the time. If I kept going the way I was with a possible genetic predisposition to diabetes, I was a high risk to get the disease. I've now taken control of that.

[Kishi]

For me, it's simple. I want to be a better martial artist. And along with that comes a certain desire for new challenges. I just want to see what I can do. And it turns out, I can do more and more than I ever thought I could.

I forgot: another reason: I'm not that awesome a person. I want to get married someday, and I realize that the poor woman will be stuck with me for a very long time.

I figure the least I can do is give her something pretty to look at.

[ETFnerd]

Oh yeah, forgot the dark side one. My dad just found out he has diabetes a few months ago. We're the same height and build and he was only 35 lb heavier than me at most at the time. If I kept going the way I was with a possible genetic predisposition to diabetes, I was a high risk to get the disease. I've now taken control of that.

hope your Dad's able to get it under control and be with you for a long time... looks like family exercise/nutrition intervention time... they say never let a crisis go to waste... this may be the right time to get him started...

[silverpeacock]

I guess there is another reason, I want to look good if (and that's a pretty big if)/when I decide I want to try dating again. I want to look good clothed, and look amazing naked.

[leadchipmunk]

I forgot: another reason: I'm not that awesome a person. I want to get married someday, and I realize that the poor woman will be stuck with me for a very long time.

I figure the least I can do is give her something pretty to look at.

That is another reason for me too. When I start dating again and further down the road to getting married, I actually want to be around for her for a long time. So I need to be healthier.

As for looking pretty, you spend more time looking at someone than you do talking to them, right?

[rix]

So many bright things said already.

Until a few days ago, I always struggled. I would tell myself that I wanted to get stronger and better, and then I still had to struggle to exercise (or to study or to whatever). It worked, especially with the help of this wonderful community and my boyfriend, but it didn't work well.

A few days ago (okay, two. Two days ago) I found an image, or a dream if you will, the truly motivates me. It is an amazin feeling I swear I haven't had conciously before. The dream is being top of my class in university (I'll start in october), but somehow I associate with this dream also being healthy, fit, disciplined, likable and generally awesome. Don't know how this works, but it DOES - I don't surf when I should study, because I want to study. I get up early because I want to. I exercise and eat healthy (or at least enough) because I want. I feel driven and it's great.

People always tell me I'm disciplined. I just say that I do whatever I want to do. And I want to become more awesome every day. It's not a matter of discipline. It's a matter of recognizing what you want.

Erm. Yes. That's what I tried to say, only eloquently and short said.

My body just loves to move. It wasn't always like this, I used to be more of a couch/mouse potato. But as I got into the swing of moving well and moving often, I've become one of those antsy people who gets up from my desk at work and does a lap around the floor or a set of stairs just because my body gets wiggly. And my body LOVES doing yoga, it just feels good.

Okay, I don't know about yoga, but my body loves to move, too. Sometimes I'm under the impression that every part of child-me is now in my body (that is, until I realize that my thoughts are pretty childish and playful aswell). When I move, it just feels like playing around and fun. When I'm outside with my boyfriend, I normally start chasing him or running away and hiding or trying to climb trees ...

I like to have a reason for doing things. Getting up early on a Sunday? Nah, not happening. Getting up early after four hours of sleep and with a b**ching hangover for a 9am seminar? No problem. It applies to exercise too (although I try to avoid exercising while hungover).

This works for me with social obligations, but not things I owe myself, like studying for my own interests, or exercising.

[cianalas]

When I started working out seriously, it was as a challenge. I wanted to be fitter than my friends. I wanted to be able to run backwards next to them and taunt them. I wanted to be able to lift something they couldn't. As it turns out, none of my friends are that competitive about fitness, so those goals were passed pretty fast.

Now, I do it because I love feeling sore. I love pushing myself and trying to find my limits. Also, as I found out when I recently took 2 weeks off to try and let my shoulder heal, I feel incredibly lazy if I don't workout at least every other day.

[EnygmaEve]

I think a lot of my motivation problems stem from the fact that SO MANY PEOPLE use exercise as a punishment.

When I was a kid: late to gym class? Forgot your gym shorts? Do some laps.

In the Army: ALL OF IT. THE WHOLE DAMN THING.

I even got a job once where I was late because a stupid lady rear-ended me and my boss had me take a lap around the building (though that might have been a misplaced attempt to cool me down because I was FUMING when I got to work).

And I know I'm not the only one who has experienced such things. How many people do you run into with the mentality of "well, I ate a slice of apple pie yesterday so I'm gonna have to spend an extra hour at the gym"? There's this whole sin = punishment = exercise thing going on that I do not like.

So I often have an inner dialog that tries to convince me that there's no need to punish myself.

I counter this by telling myself, well, you have two options if you want to lose weight. You can starve yourself and be unhealthy, or you can go get off your ass and go to the gym and be able to eat more food and not have to deal with hunger pangs all day.

It also helps that my gym is just over a mile away so it's hard to reason myself out of going with stuff like "I don't want to deal with traffic."

[Siferiax]

I think a lot of my motivation problems stem from the fact that SO MANY PEOPLE use exercise as a punishment.

When I was a kid: late to gym class? Forgot your gym shorts? Do some laps.

In the Army: ALL OF IT. THE WHOLE DAMN THING.

I even got a job once where I was late because a stupid lady rear-ended me and my boss had me take a lap around the building (though that might have been a misplaced attempt to cool me down because I was FUMING when I got to work).

And I know I'm not the only one who has experienced such things. How many people do you run into with the mentality of "well, I ate a slice of apple pie yesterday so I'm gonna have to spend an extra hour at the gym"? There's this whole sin = punishment = exercise thing going on that I do not like.

So I often have an inner dialog that tries to convince me that there's no need to punish myself.

I counter this by telling myself, well, you have two options if you want to lose weight. You can starve yourself and be unhealthy, or you can go get off your ass and go to the gym and be able to eat more food and not have to deal with hunger pangs all day.

It also helps that my gym is just over a mile away so it's hard to reason myself out of going with stuff like "I don't want to deal with traffic."

That's totally true! It's as if exercise is something you do when you did something bad...

I really hope to be able to make exercise fun for me so that if/when I get punished that way, there'll be a smile on my face and me going "gladly" lol!

[azsf]

way back when i first started trying to get fit, i had to make the transition from hardcore WoW player to someone who was awake during the day. I started with running, and thought of it the same way i thought of grinding in wow. and it was a grind :/ then much like handing in all those quests is rewarding, slowly but surely running every day became rewarding.

all that started me on the slippery slope towards my current training attitude; do everything. i started rock climbing, then i started body weight workouts to get stronger for rock climbing. then i started lifting weights because it looked kinda awesome. then a friend asked me to come to a parkour class, and now i train for and by parkour all the time. then some parkour friends introduced me to capoeira. and finally, doing capoeira has me trying to learn power moves from breakdancing.

so yeh, a little bit of running opened up the doors to a whole bunch of physical activity. i guess the more you do, the more you can do. who knows what i'll be adding to the mix next year.

[EnygmaEve]

That's totally true! It's as if exercise is something you do when you did something bad...

I really hope to be able to make exercise fun for me so that if/when I get punished that way, there'll be a smile on my face and me going "gladly" lol!

When I was in the Army there was a hugely buff guy when I was in AIT, and if the drills decided to "smoke him", it was like no problem whatsoever to him.

"1,2,3....you can't smoke me" was the phrase muttered among the ranks whenever he was pushing the ground.

[Lizifer]

Bunch of reasons, but highest on the list is health. In the last year, my mom's health has really started to decline - both physical and mental. With the increasing links between mind and body and exercise, I figured I need to start now to do what I can to avoid that fate. My grandparents were all pretty active - boating and swimming and dancing and yard-working and golfing and tennising - and they all lived pretty long lives. Mom has never been active, and she's far too young to be experiencing the kind of decline she is. Plus, I wanna be around to annoy my boys as long as humanly possible, which means taking care of myself 'cos they're younger.

And when my girlfriend decided she was gonna do the Spartan Beast for her 40th birthday, I was mortified at the fact that I'm younger and the idea of it scared the bejesus out of me. Ha!

But what MAKES me exercise? Other people counting on me to go with them. Without fail.

[Doodle]

It started with a printed calendar with a simple X over the day of the week saying I did it. It also started when I saw how much my "sidekick" was doing in 6 months losing 50 lbs. I don't give myself the option of not doing it. I just have to. I heard people saying that before and I didn't get it until now. Sure I don't want to end up like my diabetic Dad and high blood pressure/ heartattack mom. I want to look good naked and be around for my boyfriend/husband & Kids (when I start dating again). But I'm seeing results even if it's not on the scale. I'm stronger, feel better.. no longer have that tiny nagging voice that says you should work out today and take control over your health. I think I'm even starting to look better. Sure, I'm still at the beginning of a long journey and I'm going to need encouragement and reminding. But for me, It is said best in my signature.. Accept or Change. .. well guys & girls I'm tired of accepting.

[Tola Seng]

I love life. And without your health, you have no life. Working out = all positives and no negatives as far as I'm concerned, so to me, the question is why would you NOT workout?