Sometimes I need a Boot In The Buttocks!

[Elder]

Ok so today after work I felt soooo drained and lazy!  When I got home from work I plopped myself down on the couch and watched a few videos, ate some junk, and was feeling pretty disappointed in myself for not jumping all over my workout tonight.(Which I usually can't wait to get home and do)  

 

I decided to come on Nerd Fitness and after cruising around for a while reading everyone's posts I have got my "mojo" back and am excited to get my workout in tonight.....finally! 

 

Some days I can't wait to get home and workout and other days I could just lay on the couch like a blob and not care.

 

What do you do to keep yourself motivated or to get yourself re-energized enough to get in workout/health mode?

[lyranedara]

I used to try to keep in mind all the reasons I wanted to be healthy: kids, happiness, athletic ability, etc. I'd still let the crappy days beat me. I've found that I can't rely on being motivated to do what I need to do. I just have to do it. When I start to think, "I really should ..." I stop myself and think, "Just do it." When "I should" becomes "I did" enough times, change happens. I've found this to be a very effective strategy. I'm more productive, less stressed, and I don't find myself dreading any particular part of my plan.

[Elder]

I agree.  Some days I just have to tell myself to just get up and move!  I've also signed up for a few different mud runs so having a goal in the future where people will see me perform helps to keep me going too.

[Cameron]

I agree with lexphoenix on this one. If you get to the point where you're saying "I should really go work out now..." then you're already sliding down the slope. That means you've already decided somewhere in the back of your head that you don't want to work out, and it's going to take a lot of will power to make it happen (and you won't be happy about it).

 

So, make sure you're never even considering it as an option. A lot of that is just building it as a habit, but it's also a mindset of working out just being part of your daily life. Sort of like getting up to go to work in the morning. Technically you DO have an option, you could not go. But most of us don't think of it that way. We think of it as "I have to go to work." If you have the same mindset with exercise, then you're taking the decision-making component out all together, and making it easier on yourself.

[Vector]

Agree with Cameron. I head to the guest room (otherwise known as the gym) every single day for at least 15 minutes of stretching. Not moving is NOT an option.

[BarefootViking]

For me it just isn't an option.  I am training for a Spartan race and I know how much I sucked last time and don't want to repeat that performance.  The reminder of the pain of fighting my way through that race is far worse than the pain of getting up and going to the gym.

 

Beyond that I have a challenge running and don't want to post a failure on here!

[Katariana]

Yeah, sometimes  I think everyone lacks motivation. I like looking at the Reasons To be Fit Tumblr page or the Pinterest Health/Fitness section. Sometimes just seeing a lot of 'healthy' stuff or even reasons other people work out (that might not even apply to me) gets me going.

 

However, most of the time I just have to suck it up and go do it. I tell myself once Im actually moving around I wont mind anymore, and thats basically true. After the first few minutes of my workout Im pumped up and ready to do the rest of it. So just, start.

[Elder]

I have signed up for another Spartan this year and am hoping to blow last years time out of the water.  I didn't really train for the last one, it was more of an "I know I can finish this so lets just do it!"  There's also three other "mud runs" that I want to do this year as well so having these goals in the future helps me with my working out and eating right now.

 

The long I have been working out the easier/more enjoyable it's getting.  It helps when I can see the results from my hard work.  More often than not I can't wait to get off work and go workout and if I have had a bad day and am in a pissy mood I workout to release that anger.  It usually means a more intense workout!

[Cameron]

A trick I use to get the motivation to finish a workout is basically making a deal with myself. If I'm doing 4 circuits, usually after the first two I'll be tired and starting to feel it. So I'll make a deal with myself like "okay, just do circuit 3 and then if you really want to you can quit after that." Then I'll do circuit 3, but then I know I only have 1 more circuit to do for a complete workout, so I just go ahead and do it because I know I'll feel good about it. I don't think I've ever actually quit after 3, but just making that "deal" with myself gets me through circuit 3.