How do you stay motivated to stay in shape?
How do you stay motivated to stay in shape?
2 months ago
39 Comments
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About The Author
I prioritize long term health, shape follows along with it.
[deleted]
A burning desire to be a better me. Once upon a time I gave up on myself, my family lost faith in my ability, and my lover lost faith in me as well.
Only I could turn the page on what I’m viewed as, and so I get up everyday with a desire to be the man I said I would always be.
At first it’s a chore, then its a hobby, then its a way of life.
Building momentum from one to the other is hard, and it’s easy to lose, but motivation usually starts from outside of you and eventually comes from inside of you.
We do it all together, husband and the kids and me, through various activities, martial arts, sports nights at the school, dancing, even just walking and running.
When I see progress after not seeing for a long time. Now I can’t stop now or I’m gonna lose years of blood sweat and tears lol
I like to be able to do stuff, so I try to exercise enough to be able to do the stuff I like to do.
Remembering how I feel when I look my best, and stay my leanest, will always overpower the brief serotonin from putting pizza into my gob.
BecauseI hate to be fat
I hunt the elusive psychological benefit that comes from exercise, getting in shape is just a byproduct.
I look in the mirror with my shirt off every morning.
You gotta make working out fun, try something like the [Aviron Rower](https://avironfitness.com/home) It has built in programs, games, and competitions to help make you want to work out, not to mention you can get a complete body work out in like 15 minutes. Keep at it bros, you got this! Fitness is hard.
Being able to wipe my ass effortlessly.
I have a workout buddy and we both hold each other accountable. Find a buddy.
On days I don’t feel like it, I look at videos of Nikacado Avocado. I instantly want to start working out, and it usually kills any “hunger” feeling I have.
I need exercise emotionally. It really helps with my depression. Better than any drug. Has to be hard, long exercise too. Being in shape is just a nice side benefit. That said, try rock climbing. It’s both intense and very entertaining.
I’ve stayed with it consistently for 6 months now. I think a big motivator for me was writing my workouts down. Seeing those numbers keep going up helped, especially early on. It also helps you just keep progressing in general.
Once you’ve made enough progress you’ll see the muscle gains and stretch marks where you want to see them. After you start visually seeing progress you’ll be motivated to just keep it going and growing.
I make workouts non-negotiable. I frame it as something I *have* to do, and I feel like shit if the week’s circumstances force me to miss a session. The results are also self-reinforcing in terms of better daily feeling, better nightly sleep, and fewer aches and pains in my middle age.
i just fucking do it
Find the activity you really love. It doesn’t have to be a conventional gym workout. I know someone who lost 100 lbs and kept it off by getting into geocaching.
I enjoy going to the gym. I’ve been doing it for close to 10 years now and it’s basically second nature now. It’s so engrained into my life and routine at this point that I feel worse when I go too long without going to the gym.
Early on, when I was first starting out, I used the steam room after the workout as motivation to get to the gym. If I could do the workout, the reward at the end was the steam room and that was awesome. After I got the consistency down, watching lifts increase and seeing my body improve aesthetically was like a drug that I wanted more of. That isn’t instant gratification, but the changes happen a lot quicker than you’d think. Three months later and you could look like a different person if you’re consistent and make some dietary changes.
At this point in my life, I don’t really lift to be as strong as possible or do it for the 6 pack (I’ve accepted that I’ll never have one again). I do it for overall health, the peace of mind that I’m doing something that will vastly improve my quality of life 20 or 30 years in the future. It’s fantastic stress relief, and an hour or two in the gym, shutting off my brain and focusing on one simple thing, will really get my head straight and equip me with the ability to get back to life refreshed mentally and deal with the chaos.
Discipline > Motivation
Staying motivated to stay in shape can be a challenge, but for me, it all comes down to one thing: setting a good example for my daughter.
A few years ago, my 3-year-old daughter looked up at me and said “Daddy, I want to be strong like you.” Those words really stuck with me, and I realized that if I didn’t take control of my health and start taking my fitness seriously, I wouldn’t be setting a good example for her. I didn’t want her to grow up with the same unhealthy habits and lifestyle that I had.
So, I made a commitment to myself to start making changes. I set small goals for myself and took small steps to get there. I started by making changes to my diet, cutting out junk food and eating more fruits and vegetables. I also started going for walks every day, and gradually built up to more intense exercise.
It wasn’t easy at first, and there were definitely days when I felt like giving up. But I kept pushing through, and eventually, I started to see real progress. I lost weight, my energy levels increased and my overall health improved.
Now, I make sure to exercise regularly and eat healthy to set a good example for my daughter. I want her to grow up knowing the importance of taking care of her health and being confident in her own body. And that thought alone keeps me motivated to stay in shape.
I know i will feel better after a workout.
I’m 32, and I’m in the best shape of my life. I’m not saying this to brag, just to provide context. People comment on my physique fairly regularly, so I feel like I’ve achieved the best looking body I’m capable of, given my genetics. Here’s what I’ve learned:
The best workout is the one you’ll actually show up and do. That is to say, intrinsic motivation is critical. If you’re lifting weights because you want to attract more women, but you hate every minute of it and dread going, you’re bound to give up. Find something physical that you enjoy, doesn’t matter what it is.
If you don’t know what you enjoy, try different shit. I tried lifting weights for years, could never stay consistent longer than 1-3 months. Then I found rock climbing, got into great shape with it. Funny enough, it led me BACK into lifting because I genuinely wanted to become strong, and no longer because I was trying to attract the opposite sex.
During the pandemic, I found the sport of powerlifting (I like to think that it actually found me). Having an event to train for helps a lot, and the community is actually very supportive. My point is not that you should compete, but finding a like-minded community will provide benefits that transcend the physical.
Motivation is fleeting. It will eventually dissipate. You must train discipline, which does mean showing up on days when you’re not feeling 100%. You’ll thank yourself for doing so, and this skill is useful outside of the gym or whatever.
Take rest and recovery seriously. Too often do I see young guys lifting 6 days a week, doing two-a-days, and all types of shit. Don’t do that, plan to rest and stick with that plan.
Finally, don’t torture yourself if you’re not perfectly consistent. Being disciplined is equally as important as picking yourself back up and getting back into whatever your thing is. You’re going to fall off the wagon, guaranteed, so PLAN for it! Don’t expect perfection, but PLAN to not give up when you fuck up a bit. And don’t beat yourself up for enjoying yourself either, this includes food and alcohol.
Anyway, hope this helps.
In the winter I’m obsessed with skiing so I’m motivated to do that and the exercise just comes along with it
In the summer I just get fat.
I think the key is to find things you enjoy that happen to be a workout rather than finding a way to commit to workouts
I play adult league soccer and I hate to lose.
Trick my body into getting in shape. I walk 3 miles a day 5 days a week. Why? Cuz it’s a mile and a half to and from work.
I spent an obscene amount of money on a piece of equipment. I see it, look at my checkbook, and drag myself to it for an hour. Happens about five times a week.
My doctor said “Whatever it takes. The money you spent costs way less than treating heart disease.” And I assume exercise sucks less than death. I mean, most days.
As someone who was in pretty ok shape, then got really out of shape, and is now on track to reverse that, I can confirm that being in shape and regularly exercising feels much better than frequent fast food trips and giving in to an insatiable sweet tooth made me feel for those 20 minutes or so.
For me, being out of shape is stressful, embarrassing, exhausting, and really frustrating.
Plus, one of those FB things told me that, in a zombie apocalypse, I’d die because I would get a side stitch from trying to run away.
I’ve cultivated a lifestyle where no motivation is required. Exercise is simply built in. We have an active dog, so she needs multiple long walks every day. It’s not optional. I have a toddler who chases me around and doesn’t get to sit in front of a TV all the time. I have an active job and take care of our home.
Personally I feel like people were more fit “back in the day,” not due to some mystical *will power* but because they had no choice. Being active was compulsory.
Motivation is fickle. You don’t use motivation to get things done.
You use discipline and habit. You go every day. Even if you don’t want to. Even if you don’t do a complete work out. You just go and exercise. Do a couple sets.
Once it becomes habit, you no longer have to worry about being motivated. It just becomes another thing you do. Like your laundry. Or the dishes.
All I needed was to look at my parents when they were 50 and 60. Both had never really exercised and were always overweight when I was a kid and by the time they were in their 50s, everything began breaking down for them. I was an athlete and as a kid I wondered if not moving in your old age would be bad for you. Well I’m there now and I walk 2-3 miles every day and I am fine. No I don’t run marathons or climb mountains anymore, but I am so grateful I can go to any city and walk everywhere. Staying in some sort of shape will allow me to enjoy old age. Think about that!
This hits me home. I was so fit before Corona. Then priorities changed. I weigh more and am less active than before and I can’t climb back. I don’t feel like me anymore. I miss it.
I am too poor to afford new clothes every time I put on a couple pounds.
Being fat is hard.
Being fit is hard.
Choose your hard.
I’ve always had an active lifestyle with sports etc. There were periods in my life as an adult where I did less high intensity exercise, but at a minimum, I have always walked a lot because I have owned dogs and commuted on foot. Generally speaking though, i have always made it part of my lifestyle to be active.
I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 8 years ago and now I find motivation to work out and stay fit due to that. I figure if one leg decides not to work for a while, I better make sure the other one is strong enough to compensate. I’m also motivated by the thought of simply appreciating the fact that I’m able to move my body right now, and that might not always be the case.
I do it with discipline, and just because it’s necessary, there are no secrets, add good sleep, sports and normal nutrition and you will feel better!
It feels good to be strong and rigid instead of jiggly.
Rule #1: Cardio