What keeps you motivated?

[Thrillho]

^This. I personally think it's more about discipline than motivation. And inspiration... I get it from looking at guys that have the body I want to have, watching interesting fitness videos, and reading the NF blog.

Different words for the same thing. The motivation is how I keep disciplined.

[Sandstorm]

I know that (and this is a bit weird but...) anytime i spend more than a few days outside of lifting weights i LITERALLY get depressed. Like i think the whole world is out to get me and i'd rather die than keep trying. but as soon as i get in the gym for ten minutes that all changes. I don't know what the deal is there but I something about the release of lifting makes me think "hey this isn't so bad."

This is exactly what keeps me motivated. If I don't work out, I get super depressed and my muscles get so tense I constantly feel stressed out. One good workout though, and I feel like I can take on anything!

[mandy75]

part of my motivation is seeing hoe sick my parents and what they go through. I don't want to be like them. The other is, my husband got stationed on the opposite side of the country from me and the first year I spent barely getting out of bed and eat crap fast food everyday. I was getting pretty ashamed of how I looked when he came home for visits, I know he loves me, but he deserves to come home to a HAWT wife that is taking care of her self for him. I want his eyes popping out of his head when he comes home for a visit this summer. Can't have him forgetting what he's got here at home..LOL

[Guest Eduard]

Different words for the same thing. The motivation is how I keep disciplined.

^Not this. First of all, I agree with everyone that agreed with me. Secondly, this is how I see things:

motivation = the spark that makes you want to do something.

discipline = doing something when / even when you don't want to. Eventually, it will turn into being an axe above your head, because if you miss a workout, you're gonna feel like the biggest loser in the world, and do your best to catch up immediately.

...I was getting pretty ashamed of how I looked when he came home for visits, I know he loves me, but he deserves to come home to a HAWT wife that is taking care of her self for him...

THEN GET HAWT FOR HIM, SISTAH!!! Do it do it do it do it do it do it dooo iiit! Seriously, I'm gonna spam your inbox from now on periodically (you can't unsubscribe, but I think there's an ignore button somewhere) to make sure the guy gets the sexiest chick when he returns home this summer. Seriously, if you can only do it once in a few months, he deserves a better quality. And by "do it" I meant... I meaaant, umm... daaance?

[So Late So Soon]

what keeps me motivated is knowing that the fitness goals that i set for myself wont be easy and i'm gonna have to work my butt off to reach them. Also, knowing that if I don't give it my all every time that I work out the only person that i'll be letting down is me, and that will feel much worse than any muscle soreness will.

[nickls]

Once it becomes habit, it only becomes a matter of discipline to maintain the habit. Motivation (aside from the day to day motivation of trying to set PR's) is largely irrelevant.

Don't agree with the idea that motivation is not important once you are in the swing of things. I think plenty of people will ask themselves when lacing up their sneakers at 5:30 AM, "Why am I doing this again?" And if the answer suddenly does not seem so worthwhile, then it's all too easy to crawl back into bed. I would call that a failure of motivation as much as a failure of discipline.

To me motivation is believing in the importance of your goals, that the path you have chosen will take you to your goals, and that you can successfully complete the path you are laying out for yourself. That's why it's so helpful to have people telling you that you should go for what you are after, that you are on the right track, and that you can do it.

[SisM]

My motivation is my want to learn how to catch dogs (military/police/personal protection dogs . . . being in the suit) and I know that I need to lose weight and gain endurance and strength to be able to do so. I am working HARD towards that. I love working dogs from the other end of the leash, but it would make me a far better handler and trainer to be able to work a dog from the teeth end. <3 <3 <3

Plus I can count on one hand the number of women who put on the suit for trials and testing . . . and I would love to join that exclusive club.

[Guest Gemeaux]

It makes me happy , I can't look back and just be slim like I used to be . I am tired of looking at bodies saying " I wish I looked like that " I just want to be healthy too . Plus I'm happy with my life at the moment and want my body to reflect that too. If it makes sense .

[Silentplanet]

I am motivated but I have no idea why.. well I guess I do. I wan't to change and to change I need to be committed I guess. The desire to change is strong enough to keep me going for good! =)

[andygates]

I just plain enjoy doin' it.

I'm bad with chores, and okay-ish with motivation, but a lazy crammer. I wouldn't have stuck the heavy stuff this long if it didn't make me smile in and of itself.