i can go to the gym for about a month, doing good and losing weight. ill lose a small about of weight, which is pretty easily kept off. but i get BORED of the gym, very quickly. and lazy, and eventually stop going. then ill start up again. my issue is, i dont have a gym partner or someone to cheer me on there, its 100% my own efforts. having low self worth, etc.. its getting increasingly difficult to keep motivated.

all you solo gym goers.. what do you do to keep yourself contintually motivated? i need some advice!

I've always done this solo. But I didn't relegate myself to just a gym. I started with walking/running. Because of bad weather and just a change of scenery, I tried a gym. I would keep my gym bag on the passenger seat and go straight after work. It was my daily routine. If you keep a schedule, write it in as a set appt. No ifs, ands, or buts. And once there, mingle a bit. Talk to the people on the equipment around you. Make friends...make possible gym partners.

If a gym just doesn't work...well...I joined Curves. You'll always have exercise partners there because of the circuit style of exercise. I've recruited co-workers to run with me, take the baby in the stroller to the park in put in over 5 miles of walking and running, with moments to put him in the swings and feed the squirrels...making exercise more interesting.

Try dance videos just to mix it up and remove the gym boredom for awhile. Or just dance around the mop and broom. Ride a bike to work, or park farther from work and ride a bike from there. Be creative.

I have made many friends by going to group exercise classes at my gym, and sometimes we do work out together, just to make sure we're kicking one another's butts. Plus group ex is really a lot more fun than just motoring away on a machine. You could start with something simple, like beginner yoga or simple aerobics, maybe?

One thing that has kept me at the gym is mixing up my routines every few weeks...it will mean that you don't get bored.
Also, I starting the couch to 5k running program. It demands 3 days walk/run workout per week and once you start you will notice your progress and really want to continue!

I agree with the group classes (aerobics, etc.) suggestion. There is no way that I can do the machines for more than a week or two in a row. It is way too boring. I have been doing group classes for years, and it is definitely the way to go for me. You eventually get to recognize the other "regulars" who come and it is like having built-in workout buddies!

those tips are really helpful. im typically introverted to a fault in unfamiliar places but i definately need to work on that. im starting a new semester of college tomorrow so im going to try to break out of that shell ive been living in, it could just as easily work at the gym too!

DEFINATELY a good idea to mix up the routine! that could keep my focus, having a little variety instead of the same routine.

there tend to be a lot of gym snobs at the gym i go to. which is really unfortunate because i see those people everytime im there but i guess they just dont want to be bothered. they look down at their nose at pretty much everybody, but those types of people exist everywhere, so no worries there

i think ill try the at-home dance type dvds too. i had one 45 general dvd that i did and it wasnt too bad, so if theyre supposed to be more exciting, etc.. im sure that could definately keep me motivated as well.

thanks a ton ladies!

Wow, that's the same issue I have. I get so bored at the gym -_-
I agree with what everyone said here. It's a good idea to change things up a bit.
Sometimes I listen to Books on tape just to get my mind off the ho-hum of the gym. At first I thought it would be a bust. but it really worked for me. I wouldn't listen to a book on tape if you're doing weights, because it's not a good idea to not pay attention to your body when your weight training. But it's great on the bike and treadmil and such.

One other thing that I did to motivate me to go to the gym was pay my gym membership a year in advance. This way, I'll go to the gym because I hate the thought of that money going to waste.

I am really shallow. I pick a treadmill or other piece of cardio equipment near the heavy weights section for two reasons, one noble - which is watching the big boys work out is quite motivating, the other is shallow - eye candy!

I'm in England where people are quite closed, but one of the ladies who wears the latest gym gear, is a size 4, and absolutely gorgeous always notices my progress and gives me encouragement.

I have tried group classes, but I find them a bit intimidating, and a bit boring. The ones i do keep the same routine for a whole season, the same music, everything and I just can't see the point. I do enjoy my yoga and pilates classes though, they are small and encouraging and my teachers are so fabulous!

There's lots of us doing it alone. You know it really helps me to think of myself as part of a global community of fat chicks doin there thing in the gym, even if a lot of you are on the other side of the pond.......

Ha ha, ha ha. Sounds racy!

Exercise, for me, is so much better if it's done with a social component. I've started insisting that my friends meet me for walking dates than to meet me for dinner. I even went on craigslist.org for my area and sought out exercise buddies on there.

There is a woman in my gym who has a portable dvd player and watches movies while she works out. This could be especially motivating if you are in the middle of a good movie and you don't let yourself watch it anywhere but the gym. I know what is on TV at the times I am at a gym and I watch something I like (with captions) while also listening to my iPod.

I'm a big believer in only doing exercise that you find fun. Try to find something that you enjoy. For me, it's not the machines, so I don't do them. I take group classes because I enjoy it. Maybe join a sports intramural team or recreational sports group if you think you would enjoy that. There are probably opportunities for that at your college. Anything from Ultimate Frisbee to basketball, to tennis, to volleyball, to dance might be available. Look around. Ask at the rec center for info.