what's your motivation?
 

I've been struggling with finding the motivation to work out the past few days. It's getting colder in the mornings, and I always feel bad dragging my daughter out into the cold.... but I think I just use that as an excuse sometimes...she has a coat and hat.

I have videos that I don't hate to do, but the only time I have to do them is during naptime-- which is when I get laundry, dinner, cleaning, and my at-home job done.


maybe hearing some motivations from others will help. Also ideas for work outs that don't involve joining a gym anything would be helpful (no time or money to join anything right now! )


thanks!

I have to go to the gym. I cannot work out at home. I'm very uncoordinated so videos are out. My jogging stroller only holds 2 and I have 3 kids. Even today I tried just doing some crunches and push-ups here at home and I fizzled out not even doing a full set. I know if I were at the gym I wouldn't have a problem. Maybe it's the fact that others can see me and I want to impress upon them that I can do it and I am committed. Even on the days that I really don't feel like it I still go. I may only get 10-20min on the treadmill, instead of my full hour, but I went. What's that quote? 90% of life is showing up?

I would LOVE to join a gym. I think it would really help me. Alas, I have to figure out how to do it from home. I have a small "gym" in the back of my office (I work at night) so, I do go back there and use the equipment sometimes.

Hi there -

I am not a person that can do the gym membership either. I have a squat, pushup, sit-up, etc. routine that I will do in front of the TV. Surprisingly the more I do it and the stronger I get the more I push myself at it. So that has been quite successful. It was a struggle at first to make it a new habit though.

I am with you on the cold and the dark. Usually I will push myself out there (unless it is pouring) and at get started. Once I get going I almost always feel better for it.

when i work out at home i use the leslie sansone walk away the pounds videos (you can get them off of amazon for less than 10 bucks, order 3 and they'll ship for free)... even kids can (my friends' daughter who is 4 would do them with me when i would baby sit her - she would ask for them!) do those!

and lately i've been supporting this pedal thing i found at walmart that was 25 dollars. you just put it on the floor in front of your chair and you pedal like you're on an exercise bike. great for when you've got free time and you're just reading or watching tv. i manage to get that in about 45 mins a day when i'm relaxing with an episode of something on netflix at night (right now it's angel - i have such a crush on david boreanaz... don't tell my husband!)

I am a SAHM to two little kids. I don't have the time or money for a gym membership, and even if I did, I doubt I'd go. (I've got a full gym setup in my basement that I never use because it's too dangerous to take the kids down there.)

Anyhoo, here's what I do: I do bodyweight exercises (squats, pushups, lunges, calf raises, tricep dips off a chair, etc.). For a good book about it, read You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises.

Then I set a reminder app on my phone. Mondays and Wednesdays are for upper body exercises, Tuesdays and Fridays are for lower body exercises, and Thursdays are for abs. Every hour between 9AM and 4PM, my phone dings and tells me which exercises to do. It's always a short set--they never take any more than 4 minutes tops. For example, at 9AM on Monday I do a set of pushups. Then at 10AM I do a set of tricep dips. I will mix it up by adding "cardio" type bodyweight exercises like mountain climbers and burpees. Also, I will change it up by "laddering" my exercises (1 pushup, rest, 2 pushups, rest, 3 pushups, etc. until failure, and then back down the "ladder" again.)

Since it only takes me a few minutes at the top of every hour, and since I can just drop and do them no matter what room of the house I'm in, it's very convenient.

fabulous ideas!! Thank you all so much. I love the idea about setting a phone alarm to "remind" me (like I ever really forget-haha).

I'm also going to look into one of those pedal things, too...that sounds like a good thing to have