Rewards and Motivation for Exercise? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

bethbeth · 02-07-2008, 03:27 PM

Hey guys...

What have you found gives you the most motivation to exercise? Do you give yourself rewards?

I have LOST motivation to exercise. I was doing 30-60 minutes of TaeBo about 4x a week, but haven't done it for a few weeks. Just wondering what other people do to stay on track.

mandalinn82 · 02-07-2008, 03:35 PM

Try something new - anyone is going to get tired of doing the same thing, 4 days a week. Can you go take a class somewhere? Buy a new video? Go to a local rollerskating rink?

Changing it up might give you the push you need to keep going.

CatR · 02-07-2008, 03:37 PM

It might help to find some other exercise DVDs. A variety of workouts helps keep it interesting.

ceegee · 02-07-2008, 04:03 PM

I find that if I exercise every day I stay on track. If I need an off day, but don't really want to take one, I just exercise less. Also, this time around I have bought myself new clothes every 10 pounds lost. Having new skinny clothes to wear really motivates me!

vdaybaby · 02-07-2008, 04:14 PM

I would say change it up as well.
Go bike riding or bring music with you!

bethbeth · 02-07-2008, 04:30 PM

You guys are right. Thanks!

Zen Pharmacy · 02-07-2008, 07:49 PM

I will say that I give myself a present for every so many hours or minutes of exercise. I figure I'm going to finish my current goal maybe a week or two before the next season of Battlestar Galactica comes out on DVD (school seriously slows down the working out).

GatorgalstuckinGA · 02-07-2008, 09:44 PM

i personally get bored with the same thing. I switch it up all week long. Elliptical one day, weight training, aerobic class, hiking with the dog etc. I can't do one thing for too long. I wish i could. I think maybe you really need a change and see if that helps with your motivation

baffled111 · 02-07-2008, 10:03 PM

Variety is nice but for me, pursuing goals is really motivating. I want to be able to lift heavier weights, run faster and for longer, push myself to improve, burn more calories within an allotted exercise period. I find that being goal-oriented with regard to exercise enables me to stay committed to my exercise and to find it endlessly interesting and endlessly challenging. In order to be able to stick with it, exercise has to become motivating in and of itself. Variety might get you there, so might setting goals and striving to achieve them.

CountingDown · 02-07-2008, 10:14 PM

Variety works best for me. I exercise every day. I choose WHAT I will do, not IF I will do. My rewards are:
~Audio books - I love audio books, so I listen while I am working out.
~Workout DVDs. I am a fitness DVD junkie - I buy about 4 new workouts every month.
~For staying OP - which includes exercise, I reward myself with trips to the 2nd hand stores for clothing that fits. It really makes me feel great without feeling guilty about spending money on clothes that I will only wear for a few months.
~Pamper day - if I have stayed OP all week I take time for a bath, massage, pedicure, nap, etc.

Really, exercise is a reward unto itself. It makes me feel better, sleep better, look better. Sometimes I just stare at the muscles in my calves - wow - who would have thunk that I would ever SEE that I had muscles?

bethbeth · 02-08-2008, 11:09 AM

Thanks guys! Today I am ready to get back into exercising regularly! I fell asleep on the couch the last 2 nights at about 9:30 PM, and I realized how much less energy I have since I haven't been working out. And, seeing the scale stop moving has been really disapointing. Today I'm back in the game!

TigerSoup · 02-10-2008, 08:18 PM

I've really enjoyed recording all the distance I'm accumulating on the treadmill using one of those exercise trackers. That way I get to update it every time I exercise immediately, rather than waiting and hoping to be able to track some kind of weight loss (plus I got discouraged every time I weighed in and didn't see a change). I set a goal (500 miles jogged or walked by August) and I've come up with a list of mini rewards I will treat myself to at different intervals (like new songs off iTunes or a new cosmetic product), plus a larger reward if I make my entire goal. It helps me feel a more immediate reward to exercise to be able to record my progress as soon as I'm done (we are programmed to respond better to immediate rewards anyway). You could do a similar thing with logging the number of minutes you spend exercising, or the number of times you get through a tae bo session!

almostheaven · 02-10-2008, 11:03 PM

I get bored with it frequently. That's when I start doing something else to get UNbored. If you're tired of taebo, try jogging for awhile, or biking, swimming. Anything different to get you motivated again.

The reward is the way I feel on days I exercise vs. days I don't. I get a LOT more accomplished, even taking the time out to exercise, believe it or not. I'm more energized and therefore seem to be able to tackle more.

02-11-2008, 09:54 AM

Most of our exercise equipment is in our 'TV room'. So if I am going to watch some sports, might as well get a good gazelle work out at the same time. The 'variety' comes from watching something new each day (great thing about sports it is new and not produced).

Also feeling so good is very motivating. But I also do take a day off here and there. And I agree variety is very important. Trying to walk around the neighborhood more than just doing gazelle each night.

dvsminx · 02-11-2008, 03:04 PM

i used to treat myself to a pedicure in the afternoon after any 'organized' run, like a 5k, etc. Having the massage and to be pampered especially after a day when i'd put my legs and feet to so much use felt great!
i also treat myself to new exercise clothes... it's a reward when i've reached a particular goal, plus it's more motivation to get out there and exercise if i get to wear something new!