keeping motivated

how do you keep yourself motivated to keep lifting or running or what ever your work out is? ive noticed ive started to fall back out into that apathy where not long after i stop lifting. but i want to avoid this and keep lifting, but i want to keep it interesting so this apathy doesnt take over.

I usually listen to Music, thinking about being healthier, just enjoying it and its great on stress

i have a picture of arnold i wake up to every morning

The music thing really helps me out. I have a couple songs that when I listen to it just motivates me to get up and do something. Also set goals for yourself, be it an extra 20lbs on the bench or squat or anything. Once you reach your goal youll feel like a badass which will make you want to be more of a badass. Since I have no time to go to the gym anymore I havent been able to work out like I want to. For a couple weeks I quit all together. Then I started noticing all the tiny people and overweight folks around campus. That helped motivate me to keep working out at my apartment just doing bodyweight exercises and working with my dumbbell set....which I have come up with some pretty creative exercises due to the lack of equiptment.

The key for me is make sure you have something deeper invested into your workout. Often I find it's tough to keep up with lifting weights -- I usually end up falling back to once or twice a week. But I have no problem dedicating a few nights a week to Aikido, because I have more invested in it than "just a workout". So right there, I'm not only getting 3 or so nights of solid stretching and exercise (and believe me, it's definitely exercise) I also gain far more out of it -- both tangible and intangible. Plus, since I have friends that go, I get subjected to another important aspect of keeping a training program: the "motivation" of others. If you make it a point to engage in the activity with friends, then there's usually someone there to prod you along if you get lazy (and vice-versa).

In addition you can bike, hike, skate, play tennis, etc. All of those are fun activities that are also dynamic enough to keep you out of the "regimen slump" and yet still do wonders for you physically.

Subscribe to weightlifting magazines, get workout videos, watch a lot of those "workout shows" they have on TV (Bodyshapers and shit like that). Seeing other people work out on TV and in magazines always inspires me to start sweating...and they're always showing new/different techniques so you don't get bored of the same routine everyday.

I ususally think bout the reason why I started at first. THen I think about what happen when I stopped the last time. I basically think about something I don't like (whatever it is) and set a good rhythm with music and make that my moivation. I have to set my own morale.

one real motivation i had (but not anymore) was armwrestling. sure i wouldnt win all the time, but at least i knew were i stood and i always thought it was cool beating that one guy i that i always lost to. and this was good for me, but now people dont really want to arm wrestle for whatever reason.

one real motivation i had (but not anymore) was armwrestling. sure i wouldnt win all the time, but at least i knew were i stood and i always thought it was cool beating that one guy i that i always lost to. and this was good for me, but now people dont really want to arm wrestle for whatever reason.

Arm wrestling is all about technique. To keep motivated I usually just think of the school squat record I'm about to break or someone who pissed me off and then I get some adreneline flowing.

i have a picture of arnold i wake up to every morning

Well that makes two of us.

Motivation makes or breaks a fitness routen.

I was highly motivated at the end of '04 slowed abit for the girl till July, August we broke up and I was so depressed I lost motivation for everything.

I didn't do shit for over 6 months, which when I look at what I've become because of it, I am quite ashamed, to be honest.

My main source of motivation now is the fact I don't want to go back to my fat bluging days where I did nothing. I listen to music I love on my iPod, and just ride my bike everywhere.

A bow-flex commercial will motivate me on the spot.

Music will motivate me to continue when I'm already running or whatever. Korn's Freak on a Leash always speeds me up.

And workout partners are a huge help too. Either a team, coach, friend, roommate, whatever, even if they aren't in teh same physical shape as you, if they help you get out of the house and to the gym or whatever, then it's a plus in my mind.

right now my motivation is to get fit for rowing and to lose those extra pounds. it really helps to have a goal, like for me my goal is to actually be able to see my sixpack by the end of the school year. also workout partners and clubs help because everyone is pressuring everyone else to come, and they motivate eachother. during my workout i usually dont listen to music unless someone else does, i find that listening to my body and breathing is really motivating. also the feeling you get after a good workout just gets me coming back for more, it's like a testosterone high and i love it, i spend all day thinking about working out, i look forward to the end of school because it means i get to hit the gym.