Gym motivation

[Smeagolminded]

Hi all,

I need to ask how I can get motivated to start gong to the gym? I'm 19st and extremely unfit and suffer from numerous aches and pains.
I have joined a gym but have not been for months ( even though I'm still paying) and have all the excuses not to go.

I need inspiration or motivation. Any suggestions?

 

[Pixie Dust]

Afraid I'm no help here as I'm pretty much the same.
I've just rejoined the gym so here's hoping too...
Will say, the buzz after a workout *almost* makes it worthwhile.
Guess its a case of forcing myself until it becomes a habit?

 

[Becca Wecca]

Do you have someone you could go with?

I joined a gym with a friend and we were going 4-5 times a week, but then she decided to leave due to money, so i didn't last much longer either! But when we went together it was fun.

 

[X Kelly X]

Hi all,

I need to ask how I can get motivated to start gong to the gym? I'm 19st and extremely unfit and suffer from numerous aches and pains.
I have joined a gym but have not been for months ( even though I'm still paying) and have all the excuses not to go.

I need inspiration or motivation. Any suggestions?

Hi ya
I'm in the same weight bracket as you. I go to the gym regularly. To get myself motivated I go straight after work so I don't have time to
Go home and sit on the sofa. If I'm already at home I watch an episode of the biggest loser which really makes me go for it. Above all I think you have to enjoy using the gym to keep using it and get motivated. I found since losing 3 1/2 stone I have enjoyed exercise a lot more, so I say, ask a trainer in the gym to devise you a work out plan and tell them about your aches and pains, you will slowly work your way up and feel so much better for it. When I first started the gym on the cross trainer I could barely do 3 minutes! Now I can do 20 minutes. Being the size I am I did feel self conscious at first but to be honest I'm there to change my lifestyle and be fit just like everyone else. No matter if your size 10 or 28, your just as important as the others using the gym, put your headphones in, listen to pumping music to get your rythum going and go for it!
Let us know how you get on. Kelly x

 

[Sexy For Xmas!]

ENDORPHINS!

Seriously, regular exercise just makes you feel *good*!

Plus, when you exercise you generally end up with more day-to-day energy and it's great.

Moving those achey joints will make them less achey in the long run too!

 

[AnnaFaraday]

My motivation is my trainer.

And if you could just see him, believe me you would be motivated too!! (And yes, I know I am 60+ and he is not quite 30, but a girl can always dream!)

No point in asking me where he works - he has a mile-long waiting list.

 

[dudette2001uk]

Maybe you're not motivated because you're not a gym person? I'm a bit like that...the thought of using the gym and running on treadmills and other gym equipment just fills me full of horror!

What I do enjoy, however, is swimming and aqua fit. I also enjoy going to a kettlebells class. So even though I'm not using the gym, I'm attending fitness classes that I enjoy.

Maybe it's worth seeing if there's fitness classes at the gym that you might enjoy...does your gym membership cover those? Or perhaps give up your membership if it doesn't and try a few different classes at your local leisure centre etc until you find something you enjoy

Becca Wecca is right though...if you have someone you can go with you'll be a lot more motivated. There's 5 of us who go to the kettlebells class, and I'm always more motivated to do that than swimming (which I do on my own).

xx

 

[Smeagolminded]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I really don't no what's stopping me, other than I've been to lazy for too long. So I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and give it a good try. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Shirleen]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I really don't no what's stopping me, other than I've been to lazy for too long. So I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and give it a good try. I'll keep you posted.

You will always find a reason NOT to go. You need to decide is sitting on the sofa a good option? Do I want to change, because only I can do it.
But wouldn't it be great if tomorrow night you went to bed pleased that you'd gone?

I'm talking to myself here too, since my car got broken into and my gym bag stolen I've lost motivation!

Also I found that having a goal like doing the C25K on the treadmill gave me massive motivation.
Maybe yours could be cycling 5k?

 

[dirtydancing]

i had an operation on my big toe and was told not to exercise for 2 months, hence i put some weight back on. really need to go back to the gym but like you had lost all inspiration to go back.

i didnt really like the gym until i starting going and doing it properly. at first i couldnt run for 5 mins on treadmill managed 20 mins. just built it up slowly which is what i will be doing again.

Well i wrote a list of pros and cons and was brutally honest. (that was a wake up call)

well i have set myself a day to start the gym when daughter goes back to school. i will do it and husband is really supportive.

 

[StarGir1]

I totally understand how you feel. I joined a gym a few months ago and went quite a bit than just stopped and found it really hard to make myself go back but I did, as Shirleen says, it helps if you can find something you enjoy, so for me that was using the pool for swimming and aqua fit classes as well as using the gym.

My fitness levels leave a lot to be desired but compared to when I first went you see changes really quickly and just make things work for you so for example I still don't run on the treadmill but I have it set so I have to walk really fast and it's on a steep incline (if that's the correct phrase for making it like you're walking up a hill, am having a total blank!!) which works for me, my gym also has a ladies only area, which I like to use as it generally has less of the very serious gym users so is normally quieter so feels less intimidating, maybe it's worth checking if your gym has something like that?

I hurt my back quite badly a couple of weeks ago so have not been allowed to exercise on medical orders but should be allowed to start again next week so am going to have to force myself to get back again as it's just so easy to not go!

 

[Smeagolminded]

i had an operation on my big toe and was told not to exercise for 2 months, hence i put some weight back on. really need to go back to the gym but like you had lost all inspiration to go back.

i didnt really like the gym until i starting going and doing it properly. at first i couldnt run for 5 mins on treadmill managed 20 mins. just built it up slowly which is what i will be doing again.

Well i wrote a list of pros and cons and was brutally honest. (that was a wake up call)

well i have set myself a day to start the gym when daughter goes back to school. i will do it and husband is really supportive.

Will sit and try the pros and cons idea, it might give me the incentive I need, thanks.

 

[Smeagolminded]

I totally understand how you feel. I joined a gym a few months ago and went quite a bit than just stopped and found it really hard to make myself go back but I did, as Shirleen says, it helps if you can find something you enjoy, so for me that was using the pool for swimming and aqua fit classes as well as using the gym.

My fitness levels leave a lot to be desired but compared to when I first went you see changes really quickly and just make things work for you so for example I still don't run on the treadmill but I have it set so I have to walk really fast and it's on a steep incline (if that's the correct phrase for making it like you're walking up a hill, am having a total blank!!) which works for me, my gym also has a ladies only area, which I like to use as it generally has less of the very serious gym users so is normally quieter so feels less intimidating, maybe it's worth checking if your gym has something like that?

I hurt my back quite badly a couple of weeks ago so have not been allowed to exercise on medical orders but should be allowed to start again next week so am going to have to force myself to get back again as it's just so easy to not go!

Sorry to here about the back injury and I hope you have recovered okay. I have an image of where I want to be, which involves doing a fair bit of muscle building and the only way I'm gonna do it is to actually do it. I guess I'm just nervous or scared of injuring myself or collapsing because I'm so unfit. The gym has a pool too, so maybe I should start off in there for a while and build it up?

 

[StarGir1]

Thanks, I just inflamed the joint in my pelvis kind of where your leg, pelvis and spine all sort of come together but it seems to be clearing up and no longer need full dose of painkillers

I am unfit and had the same worries but you can take it at your own pace so you should be ok. I would suggest warming up and cooling down to try and prevent injuries. Also re the pool, I find swimming easier as I have always loved the water but I am a slow swimmer so I try and do both, though not on the same day, most recently I was doing 75% in the pool (inc swimming and 3 aqua fit classes) and 25% in the gym. I like the pool as I don't feel as out of breath or knackered when in there as I would in the gym or a normal aerobics class and as I have quite a lot to lose it's better for my joints as the water takes a lot of the strain so I'll bulid it up over to time to get it more like 50/50 or so. Whilst in the gym I also enjoy the weights aspect and the lazy part of me like that you sit at most of those machines lol so it's win win. I always use a weight that feels heavy but bearable and it's good to mix cardio and weights, if nothing else I find it helps me get my breath back

Good luck, it really is a case of just going and it is never as bad as you might think and when you feel yourself getting fitter it'll give you a real good buzz x

 

[Smeagolminded]

Thank stargirl, I'll definitely take your advise on board and keep you posted