Exercise! Love it or hate it, let's motivate each other to just DO IT!

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Old 09-24-2006, 02:35 PM   #1  
No more excuses!
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Talking Where do you find your motivation to exercise?

Hi ladies!

I am a 29 year old lazy girl by nature who has PCOS and has now had two bouts with pancreatitis. My hubby and I are trying to conceive. In my head, I know that exercise will help me immensely. I'm over-stressed at work, my PCOS (and its treatment) leave me with blood sugar irregularities, I still want to lose 55 pounds, and heart disease and cancer run in my family. ALL of these are very good reasons to exercise.

Only problem is, I can't seem to force myself to do it. I come home from work and I'm exhausted. Getting up before work to do it doesn't work too well, as it has to be indoor exercise 9 months a year and hubby sleeps later than I do, so I don't want to wake him.

I'm good at finding a thousand excuses not to do it, and yet I know that it could make a world of difference in my weight, my appearance, my fertility, my emotional outlook, and my overall health. I just can't get off my bum and DO it.

Where do you find your motivation? What makes you actually get up and start?
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Old 09-24-2006, 02:38 PM   #2  
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I just do it.. I know, this is sometimes easier said than done. I have 2 small children, and I had a hard time getting up before they do. So I wait until my baby is napping and I take my son with me downstairs.

Sometimes I even exercise at night so DH can watch my son.

When I don't feel like doing it, is when I do it. And afterwards, I feel like a new woman!

Good luck to you!
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Old 09-24-2006, 02:46 PM   #3  
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I find my motivation from setting exercising related goals rather than weight related ones. First I wanted to run a mile, then 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 26.2 and so on (well, no more than that, or not for now!). That helps. But more important is realising that exercise isn't optional. It's not a case of wanting to do it a lot of the time, it's having to do it whether you want to or not. Take the choice away and think of it routine rather than anything else.
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Old 09-24-2006, 03:10 PM   #4  
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I agree, if you make it a choice and a not a priority it's too easy to get too busy or talk yourself out of exercise. I need to make exercise related goals and force myself to workout before the kids are up at least 3 days a week. I can sometimes sneak on the treadmill later, but it's such an awesome feeling to be done by 7 am and still have the day ahead of me.

Maybe your hubby could get up with you? Or just tell him this is what you're doing so he can plan to go to bed a llittle earlier. I used to work out right after work (I was working at that time at 5:45-1:30) and I was exhausted too, but you do feel sooo much better and will end up having more energy. All things I'm sure you know already

Just do it. You just need a few "good" days behind you and you won't want to go back to being lazy. Good luck!
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Old 09-24-2006, 05:18 PM   #5  
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I have a buddy and I signed up my hubby and son.
my motivation is my fat behind!
I also need new clothing and do not want to go up to the size that I am!
After seeing what is possible, there is no stopping me now!!!
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Old 09-24-2006, 05:21 PM   #6  
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Definitely make it a priority, like brushing your teeth. It is a MUST for a healthy lifestyle. The more I read how much it benefits, I wonder why I waited most of my life to make it routine. You're young so start now, and you won't regret it.

When I don't feel like it, I push through telling myself I will just run 1 or 2 miles instead of 3-4. Or I will just do one set of reps for my weight training. Usually I find that once I start it feels too good to give it the minimum. Also, I'm able to eat a few extra calories, and some days that could mean a glass of wine and bubble bath without feeling guilty. It also just feels good emotionally and physically. I really think we are born to be more active than we are in our society, and exercising brings us back to our roots of moving our bodies.

Find an exercise that you enjoy, fit it into your schedule, and then JUST DO IT!
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Old 09-24-2006, 06:13 PM   #7  
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I hate cardio and I'm NEVER motivated to do it. Ever. But I hit the elliptical 3 times a week anyway.

Motivation isn't even part of the equation. I write it in my calendar like it's an appointment and then I do it. It's something I have to do whether I want to or not, like cleaning the house. I despise doing both things but I'd rather do them than live with the unpleasant consequences of NOT doing them: ie, I can skip cardio and live in a body I don't like; and I can stop cleaning the house and live in a total dump.

Weight training is a different thing altogether -- I really enjoy it and couldn't imagine my life without it now.
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Old 09-24-2006, 10:14 PM   #8  
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I have to work out after work. I cannot get my lazy butt out of bed in the morning. Its just NOT going to happen. Every night before I go to work I pack my gym clothes and my snacks (if they dont need to be refriged) that way I have no excuse not to go.

I would maybe start out slowly.... two days a week for 20 min. Then begin upping your time slowly. Lets face it two days a week is better than what you are doing now I try to concentrate on that.. if I eat to much.. well its STILL a LOT less than what I was eating a year ago. I mean you cant get carried away with that thought but it helps me a lot

As far as my motivation. 1. I have a 10 year reunion coming up next May. 2. if I lose 15 pounds by new years (10 more to go!) DH had promised me a weekend where ever I want to go 3. I go try on clothes now and know they look GOOD on me 4. I love to get on the scale in the morning and see that new all time low 5. I think about all the compliments I have gotten so far on my weight loss

Hope this helps!!
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Old 09-24-2006, 11:02 PM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by softballmom View Post
When I don't feel like it, I push through telling myself I will just run 1 or 2 miles instead of 3-4. Or I will just do one set of reps for my weight training. Usually I find that once I start it feels too good to give it the minimum. Find an exercise that you enjoy, fit it into your schedule, and then JUST DO IT!
Amen to that, sister....I do the same thing. Getting my butt going is 90% of the battle. Once I get going it feels so good to move!
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Old 09-24-2006, 11:36 PM   #10  
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My mother is my exercise buddy and it works out great because if 1 of us doesnt feel like doing it, then we will motivate the other one to. We usually do a fitness dvd together every night anywhere from 30 mins to an hour *no matter how tired we are because we know we just have to do it*, and we change it up with different fitness videos so it doesnt get boring. So find something that you can enjoy, grab an exercise buddy, get into a routine and you shall be golden. Good luck!
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Old 09-25-2006, 07:07 AM   #11  
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I have a million things to do today. My house looks like a tornado blew through. All punctuated with an appointment at 10:15 and I work at three.
I've come to 3fc, read a bit and now I'm seriously on my way to find my clothes to go for a walk.
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Old 09-25-2006, 12:10 PM   #12  
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I'm on the "Just Do It" train too. Every morning I get my butt to the gym before work. And I am so not a morning person!

But I haven't always been an exerciser. Far from it! I can relate to what you say because for many, many years I knew I should be doing something (anything), but just couldn't get my rear in gear.

Then the Evolution started. I started getting up 15 mins early and just taking a little walk or doing the exercise bike, that evolved to longer sessions, then I started Curves, and eventually the gym I currently go to. Lots of mornings my mind starts coming up with excuses like I am too tired, etc. but it is non-negotiable now. I just go!

I know if I wait until later in the day it just won't happen, so at 5:30 every morning I get up and get moving. The thing is that once you get started, you are going to feel so much better. You will have more energy, fewer aches and pains, and you are going to be proud of yourself!
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Old 09-25-2006, 11:00 PM   #13  
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Thank you ladies! That is wonderful incentive.
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Old 09-26-2006, 09:28 PM   #14  
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If you get home after work and are exhausted...don't go home after work. Put your gym bag in the car and go straight to the gym. That's what I had to do. Once I got through the door at home, I lost my motivation. These days, it's easier for me to find room for exercise, and I'm even starting to enjoy some of it. But I started this over 3 years ago. So...it takes awhile. You have to make it a habit. And to make it a habit, you have to force yourself to keep doing it, find ways to make it work that you can't wriggle out of. Schedule it, so you think it's something you HAVE to do. Schedule exercise classes. Pay for them...that's good motivation.
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Old 09-27-2006, 01:38 PM   #15  
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Talking my motivation

one big motivator, for me, was the presidential fitness challenge thread. after i signed up for the challenge, i've been trying to find various, unique ways to get exercise. it helps that i'm a total rewards junkie. i love those little ego boosts.

this one might be a little more shocking, in this day and age, but when we moved to our new apartment, we decided not to get the cable hooked up. you wouldn't believe what a motivator that has been! we suddenly found ourselves with TONS of free time, and sitting in front of a blank screen isn't all that fun. so that motivated us to find other ways to entertain ourselves, most of which have increased our activity levels. we're 5 months now, with no TV, and still no plans of hooking it up. however, i realize this is a little more radical than most people would be comfortable with...

motivating yourself is a lot easier if you find an activity that you enjoy, as opposed to forcing yourself into something that bores you or that you hate doing. like me, i hate going to the gym, because they bore me to death! so i've picked out a few different activities that i already enjoy doing, and just make sure that i actually DO them... like walking to the store with my DH, or playing Dance Dance Revolution. i play billiards, or go bowling with my friends... sometimes, if i haven't had other chances for exercise, i'll even take my friend's dog out for a walk. it gives me a chance to exercise, and the dog loves it (my friend is sometimes too busy to take her out for a good long walk). and there's always giving your house/apartment/bedroom a really good vigorous cleaning... burns lots of calories, and you get the added bonus of a nice clean room. i just make sure i do at LEAST one of these, 5 days a week, for at least 30 minutes. having plenty of fun choices makes it a LOT easier for me to motivate myself to exercise!
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