What Motivates You to Exercise?

Exercise motivates me to exercise more! Sometimes it is hard to get the cycle going, but once I do, it is easy to do every day. If my muscles are already a bit sore, I think about exercising and start to crave it.

If I take a few days (or a week) off, then I have to get back on the bandwagon again because it starts to lose its appeal. The things that help me get started again:
desire to look good
knowing that I will get an instant energy boost and mood boost
listening to upbeat music helps
looking at physically fit people helps- sometimes I will visit Sparkpeople, Beachbody.com, go to the pool, or even read a fitness magazine.
Going outside, or keeping the blinds open helps...If I spend too much time in the dark, I get sluggish and lazy
Sometimes none of those things are enough to snap me out of it. So I will start off with something physically easy, like hula hooping, yoga, stretching, walking on the treadmill while I talk on the phone, walking with my kids outside. I bought a Stretch Max dvd by Cathe Freidrich, which has 3 20 minute stretch routines. I love it! They are all easy and feel good. Once I have completed one, I feel ready and willing to do something more challenging like go running or lift weights.

It's something I have battled with forever. I really don't enjoy it. Yet. My husband just lost 30 pounds by running 6 days a week. He hasn't been this thin since he was in high school, I don't think. He wasn't a big man before, could have lost only 10 pounds and been considered in shape. So, I'm motivated. I am "comfortable" where I am, but to lose 10 pounds would be great. 20 pounds will be amazing. So, there I am. I exercise everyday but Sunday now. I argue with myself every morning as I exercise. Sometimes every single step is a battle to stay motivated. I say to myself, "just five more minutes," and then see that I am only so many minutes away from the goal. So, I push for 5 more minutes. Battle. every. day. But, it's working. I look forward to the day where I actually look forward to it. Can't see that coming, but from what I hear, it will eventually get here. I work out at home on my eliptical and do T-Tapp (google it). So, I guess my husband is my motivation. He's pretty awesome.

A body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest.

Starting to work out is daunting for a while, even painful, but after awhile it becomes somewhat of a routine. I feel off if i have gone a day without some form of exercise other than the usual activity.

What continues to motivate me is my mirror and my closet. The more i pack away the roomy clothes and get to buy skinnier ones to hang up....buying belts! Thats a huge motivator. But mostly its the mirror, even without a recent lb lost you can still see a difference, in your eyes, your skin, your color and muscle tone.

same goes for eating right, that salad everyday might not be as tasty as french fries but it sure looks better through my skin and eyes.

Imagine a huge obese person and imaging my face on that body. Works every time.

I don't have weight issues and have never had to diet but I do have to make myself exercise. I have a picture in the pantry of a grossly overweight woman and that eliminates any snacking on junk. I think about what I put into my mouth and I think about the good the exercise is doing me.

FUN stuff, or getting in shape to DO fun stuff.

You will find me in the mountains all winter long (when I live up here), because I love snowboarding. It's FUN.

In huntington beach, or san diego... you will find me on the beach 10+ months out of the year because I LOVE surfing & swimming.

When will you find me at the gym? When the forecast for hell predicts dropping temperatures and snow flurries. UNLESS, I'm specifically rehabbing an injury or "training" (aka building up muscles for FUN stuff).

Going to the gym every day for "exercise" is my idea of a rotten way to live. Boring. Sweaty. Demoralizing.

Take me dancing! Watch me play in the snow! Give me a boat -crew, sailing, whatever- and I'll be out on the water. Give me an ocean to swim in, mountains to slide down, horses to ride, a rope to rappel down, a target to shoot.... something, god, something FUN to do.

That's my motivation.

Moto moto gotta lotta motivation
Dedicated, gotta lotta dedication...

But only when there is a real PURPOSE behind it.

My maxed out closet FULL of clothes I cant fit into!

My Husband. Kids and Grandkids. I want to be here a really long time to love them and see them grow and change. I love to work out on the Wii Fit it is more like a game to me then working out. I was really sick for the last year and it scared me. It started with dizziness that wouldn't go away, then it turned into anxiety and I wasn't able to sleep in my room in our bed for months. They sent me for a ton of tests to find out what was going on and causing this, then almost 6 months after an MRI they told me they saw something on my brain and suspected MS that scared me half to death. I swore once I felt better I would start working out. I had to have blood work (routine follow up) I have lowered my cholesterol raised the good, my BP is down to the BP of a teenager but my sugar(glucose) level is 1 mark prior to being pre diabetic and that really scared me so I am working out now and in September I will find out if I have brought it down which I think it will be. So after this book I wrote you that is what motivates me. (plus I feel soooooo much better after even a 10 minute work out) Good Luck you can do it!!!

Just Do It. Nike was on to something. You just have to do it for the 1st few weeks. Then, you start to look forward to it and really enjoy it. Then, when your clothes start fitting better and you see the scale move, you start getting motivated. Motivation does't actually come until after you've made a decision to start and keep at it for a while. I think that's called 'self-motivation' difficult but true.

I just came back from yoga and I realize how much better I feel. I'm a better mom, human, I like myself more. When I sit on my butt, which I can do with the best of them, I feel great in the moment, but ultimately, like mush.

I think pushing through the "I don't wanna," To, "I'm going to do this because I'm going to over-ride this immediate feeling to get to a better place" is very difficult. But think of it this way: we're adults, we should require more of ourselves if we're telling our children they have to do x, y, & z because its "good for them."

I actually answered this same question on the Shape Facebook page. Now they contacted me to submit a picture for an upcoming slideshow!

Anyway...I have lost and gained the same 80 pounds twice. Both times BEFORE having my son at 39. Working on the last 20 pounds right now.

Now that I have a son there's a MILLION reasons to work-out. I can't IMAGINE not being around for as long as I can for him. In fact I'm working-out (bike) right now while typing this.

Late last year my husband had gastric by-pass surgery because he developed Type 2 diabetes and the weight just piled on him when he started the medications. Once the VISION issues started, his doctor recommended the surgery and it was a MAJOR blessing.

He was all on-board with the surgery as was I UNTIL the DRIVE to the hospital and I LOST it. WHAT if he died? I was so scared but he did awesome and has lost a lot of weight and is doing better than most of his doctor's patients. (He's SUCH an overachiever!)

Going thru that LOOOOONG process (well over year from start to the actual surgery) really made me step-up and take better care of myself.

I honestly love working-out. I actually have over worked parts of my body from working-out that I can no longer do certain activities anymore. UNLESS I want to have sugery to repair a bad shoulder and knee I have had to modify my work-outs but STILL do them.

After having my son and gaining MORE weight while breastfeeding I HAD to get serious. I had a sore back, neck and feet from the extra weight. Once I saw my overweight mom stuggle to just get in and out of the car I vowed THAT wasn't going to be ME in another 20 years.

And oh, I didn't want to be on the "Biggest Loser" or any other weight loss show puking my guts out. THAT gets and KEEPS me motivated to work-out!

Stress lol. I like my gym's atmosphere too so it's casual to just go and work out. I also am hard on myself and don't like when I'm not up to par with my prior military stamina lol

Oh Sam I Am! (cute name), I find that some days I literally have to drag myself into the gym. I'm serious, like there is an imaginary me pulling me by my ear into the gym. You just have to make yourself do it, put on some music, and do it. When you leave you will be so proud and have so much energy. That's what happens to me :)

1 word: Bikini
(Have a nice vacation coming up :-)

But yeah - don't always feel like it beforehand or during, but feels good after! It's like brushing your teeth - no fun, but you just have to do it, because it pays off in the long run.

Wii fit. Its a lot of fun. My husband and I take turns. You can make your own routine and it keeps track of your stats. Love it!

I really enjoy it. I love how it gives me energy and keeps me feeling good physically and mentally. Of course my husband likes the way I look!
Most women my age have grandchildren already, but I have teenagers. I want to be in great shape when I have grandchildren so I can do everything with them. I don't want to miss out on anything in life because I didn't take care of myself. That is one thing I can control.

Gosh, everything goes better when I exercise! I don't have to worry about my weight, I sleep better, my back pains disappear. If I don't exercise for a while I have trouble sleeping, feel down, start getting pinched nerves in my neck, on and on! It's great insurance for looking good, too. At least that area's covered when I'm stressed. Now drop and give me 20! ( ;

Mostly it's fear of my health or appearance getting any worse than it already is. Usually I feel miserable during exercise and horrible after but I recently discovered yoga. It's the first form of exercise i've tried that actually makes me feel good. Keep trying things until you find an exercise that works for you.

My husband and kids. I married later than most and had kids in my 30's. I want to be healthy for their sakes. When my youngest is ready to be out on his own I'll be pushing 60! My husband and I have plans for travel and adventure once we are empty nesters. I'm not rushing my great life now, but that's what motivates me to get out to Boot Camp 2 nights a week and squeeze in a workout in between.

I would think my Huge BUTT would be enough :-( but NO ! sadly that's the Last thing I want to do when I have a 'free moment' STINKS! also my free time isnt till after 9:30 at night, then I say IF I do exercise I wont be able to sleep because I'll be all pumped up....... oh poor me! HAHAHA