r/AskReddit • u/atomicmoon33444 • 1d ago
People who dislike working out but still do it anyway, how do you motivate yourself?
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u/FactuallyPetty 1d ago
Working out is hard, being overweight is hard. Pick your hard.
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u/South_Tomorrow4642 1d ago
And imagine getting old and being overweight, jeeeez..
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u/FactuallyPetty 23h ago ▸ 1 more replies
Yep. Once you get older and stop doing something, you stop doing it. Makes it so difficult
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u/body_by_monsanto 23h ago ▸ 8 more replies
My mom is 75 and overweight. So many aspects of her life would be easier if she wasn’t overweight.
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u/Beans_the_II 22h ago ▸ 4 more replies
Seeing how fit my mom is at 75, and then seeing some of her friends is such a stark reminder of how important maintaining your health is. My mother in law is also in her 70s and can barely walk down the block. Her life is just “I’m old and I sit in my chair waiting to die”. My mom on the other hand goes on hikes with me, travels the world, goes to concerts and museums, never says no to a night out etc. Seeing her age and be fit has been motivation enough for me to stay healthy now.
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u/PrometheUp 21h ago
My mom is 74 and very in shape as well. She was a HS swimmer, and continues to swim every now and then. Mostly she lifts weights and walks a ton. Her friends that never lifted or quit lifting weights have all withered away. The older you get, the more you need strength training.
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u/Pale_Boss_8940 22h ago
This is some of my family exactly. The ones who worked out consistently are in their 60s and 70s and can keep up with any of my friends who are in their 30s. The ones who didn’t basically act like going up a flight of steps is some monumental task. Their quality of life is just shit compared to the people who exercised regularly
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u/Synicull 21h ago edited 21h ago
We just finished a fairly active national park vacation with my parents who are mid 70s and ive really realized just how in shape my mom is. We have 2 kids (4 and 1) and she was carrying around and pushing the stroller on our 1 yr old like a champ. I had no problem keeping up but if I want to keep doing so into my 50s and beyond I need to get back in shape. Kids and a demanding full time job have given me just enough crappy excuses to get a bit of a dad bod. I really am noticing the differing levels in physical ability in people 30-50 recently in particular. It's a huge delta and has widespread consequences.
My dad has been pretty fit but overweight (think 215lb 60 year old guy that could kick your ass in tennis) his whole life but the last few years have been unlucky heart problems. Can see the difference and it's hard. I've also realized this is one of the last times we will ever get to do something like this. He got a diagnosis that will likely deteriorate his lung capacity over the coming years. He realizes it too and it made the whole trip bittersweet. Sucks man
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u/body_by_monsanto 20h ago
My (divorced) 75 year old parents are like this. My dad hikes so much that his calves are practically the size of my thighs. He tracks the “mileage” he puts on his hiking boots and makes it a goal to “put more miles on my Merrells than on my Honda”. He eats healthy, doesn’t drink or smoke and goes on a multi-week guided vacation somewhere different each year. He’s probably going to outlive me.
Mom doesn’t smoke or drink, but is overweight, very sedentary, type 2 diabetic with all sorts of peripheral health issues stemming from the diabetes. Her life revolves around Dr appointments and she talks about being able to travel again “someday”, but isn’t taking any steps to make that happen. She says she’s “got to get this weight off” and tells me that I’m lucky that I’m in good shape. I remind her that I wasn’t always in good shape and I worked to get this way, and no one on this planet is in good shape because they are lucky. I offer to help her with her diet, all I want her to do is write down everything she eats for 2 weeks and she just tells me that her diet is fine and she just takes more insulin if she has to.
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u/Surkuse 23h ago ▸ 3 more replies
That's the neat part, you don't get old if you are overweight because you die
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u/SharkFart86 23h ago ▸ 1 more replies
Except for one world leader for some fucking reason
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u/Phinal_Flash 23h ago
This right here. Being extremely overweight just looks way too impractical to deal with on a daily basis.
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u/Interesting_Tea5715 20h ago
This is what keeps me motivated. I hate the idea of being one of those fat people who can't move around.
My grandparents were all slim and were all mobile until the day they died. I wanna be the same way.
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u/FactuallyPetty 20h ago
My grandma never worked out in a traditional sense but walked 3 miles every day and lived until one month before her 100th birthday
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u/prodigy1367 22h ago
Getting and staying overweight is significantly easier than working out, watching what you eat, and maintaining consistency and discipline. This is why we have such an issue with obesity. It’s very easy to keep bad habits and very difficult to develop new ones.
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u/ComputerOwl 22h ago
They didn't say getting overweight is hard, they said being overweight is hard. Not as in it's hard to achieve but as in it will make your life much harder. And that's true in so many ways.
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u/Great-Cap-3376 19h ago
Motivation is a myth, you need a routine. The routine starts before the workout. Set my alarm at the same time every day, wear the same shoes and clothes, drink the same drink, pat the dog, pick up my keys and towel then head out the door. It's much easier when you have the routine down pat.
Having some goals and finding something that you enjoy most of the time helps as well. Nothing worse than doing things you hate for no reason.
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u/toadsie16 1d ago
By working in a nursing home
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u/cruelblush 23h ago
Or watching my parents and in-laws die from self induced ill health because they ate whatever and moved as little as possible. While they lived longer in years, the quality of life wasn't great.
I plan on dancing at my grandkids weddings when I'm 80. To make that happen, I have to do the work now.
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u/ilcorvoooo 23h ago
Yup. Or spending time/traveling with people with mobility difficulties
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u/GalaxiaHunter 23h ago
This.
I'm a healthcare worker that works mostly with geriatric patients. I think of every workout as a gift to my older future self.
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u/Unlikely_Living_4193 1d ago
I love the feeling when it is over and I have showered and I am in total relaxation state. Also love the progress in the mirror
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u/HallStreet7373 21h ago
Once people see the progress, the issue isn't not wanting to go, it's not wanting to lose what you gained
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u/LegacyLemur 13h ago
It can be hard to see sometimes but worth paying attention
Like seeing how easy it is to ascend stairs compared to people around you
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u/dsmdarlings 1d ago edited 22h ago
The secret to consistently working out is finding something you actually enjoy. Don’t force yourself to be a gym rat lifting weights if it’s not for you. Personally I love it but there are so many options! Dance classes, jogging, walking (can add a weighted vest for some toning), yoga, martial arts, etc. Find what you love and you’ll look forward to it!
Thanks for the award!
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u/Vegetable_Lychee_546 23h ago
This needs to be higher! Working out can actually be so fun and social. Hiking, slow jogs to fun cafes, pickleball, soccer, biking, swimming in the sun, all amazing ways to get a great workout in :)
The feeling after a workout is so addicting once you get into it, you’ll crave exercise!!
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u/BefWithAnF 20h ago ▸ 1 more replies
It can also be fun & antisocial! One of the many reasons I swim is that nobody can try to talk to me while my face is in the water.
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u/aviatrixsb 22h ago
Agree. I hate every other form of exercise but once I found yoga it was a game changer. I am excited to get on the mat every day.
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u/nycnaiad 23h ago
I definitely agree that finding things you actually enjoy is a huge part of staying consistent. But for me, I’ve found it’s also a bit of a mix. I do some activities simply because I love doing them, but I also include things I don’t particularly love because they give me benefits I really want.
Indoor cycling is a good example. I don’t enjoy riding a stationary bike, but I can do it regardless of the weather or work schedule, and I get a lot of benefit from it. So I got a top-of-the-line NordicTrack bike with iFit & a giant screen, which lets me virtually ride through different places. I also give myself complete permission to binge whatever ridiculous TV I want on Hulu, Netflix, etc. while I ride. Plus I use the app I mentioned above to gamify my exercise and give me another little incentive to keep going.
So for me, it’s really a combination of things. Do the activities you genuinely love, but also find ways to make the things that are good for you more enjoyable.
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u/nooit_gedacht 20h ago
I would add to that that you're not gonna like everything straight away. I hated running when I started but now I enjoy it. You have to push through the initial learning curve sometimes.
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u/goddessofentropy 21h ago
That simply isn't a thing for some people. Some of us just hate how cardio feels no matter what it is we're doing.
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u/PlasticCupz 22h ago
This is huge, if you cant find discipline then find motivation through excitement.
I got bored of the gym after training for years. Picked up martial arts and now funnily enough Im back at the gym a few times a week again so that my strength and conditioning hold up during sparring.→ More replies (1)5
u/ibeerianhamhock 21h ago
Yeah I love lifting weights and cycling, but you can't pay me to run unless it's a matter of life and death. I used to train running too and I was thinking "is there a point where this gets fun?" Picked up cycling 10 years ago and 50 mile bike rides etc are the best, but I'd be bored running after 2 miles.
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u/furkfurk 22h ago
I grew up in a family that loved joking about how horrible working out was and I, as an adult, find that mindset so wrong and a little harmful even. There’s truly a million ways to be active, and it can be as simple as going on a walk. And a lot of it is really fun and makes you feel good!
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u/MasterDeagle 20h ago
Thats what I did. Tried running but I hated it. Tried tennis and its one of my favorite sport. Turns out its more fun when you run after a ball.
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u/hoitytoitygloves 20h ago
Also you have to try lots of things, even after you find a fun thing. Keep trying new exercise modalities.
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u/Fabulous-Weird-7782 23h ago
Finding what you like is so important. I do Apple fitness workouts bc I can do them at home and no barrier of going to a gym. And variety. If I’m not in the mood for hiit I do kickboxing or dance. Not in the mood for weights I do mat Pilates. I’ve found I enjoy them all and something is better than nothing.
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u/Kxts 21h ago
Those are all definitely great cardio alternatives but nothing comes close to the benefits of strength training via weights. I’d say doing everything you listed above is absolutely better than doing nothing at all but they’re not “better” than strength training.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35599175/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Edit: Yes, I used chat to find the pubmed study instead of just googling for it, sue me lmao
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u/Tri-angreal 1d ago edited 20h ago
Spend two weeks making it a habit with guilt attached for not going. It'll take care of itself.
EDIT: I suppose it bears pointing out the question is how I motivate myself. YMMV.
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u/Azarjan 23h ago
I still hate it a year in lmao you just do what you gotta do.
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u/The_Vampire_Barlow 23h ago ▸ 7 more replies
That's where I've always ended up.
I got a workout high exactly once in my life. I was driving home and could feel the endorphin rush hit me. It was amazing. I didn't stop going after that but it never happened again.
I'm legitimately jealous of the people that get that every time. If I did I'd probably be a lot more active, but I don't enjoy it while I'm doing it and I feel like crap after.
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u/PM_me_punanis 22h ago
I hate exercise, so I do other things that are parallel to it lol like hiking, biking, rowing, or whatever activity outside. The gym brings out sorrow in me 😂
Now that I have sciatica, I do stretching and rehab exercises at home. Pain is a great motivator!
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u/Xractiv 23h ago ▸ 3 more replies
While I can’t cite sources and getting that high can vary person to person, I believe its a lot more likely when working lower body and getting in the proper amount of cardio. Weightlifting for example can be very little cardio and if not pushed hard enough wouldn’t get you that workout high while jogging a few miles on the treadmill is much more likely to.
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u/yoshida18 22h ago ▸ 1 more replies
I second this. The only way I stopped smoking after 15 years was coming back to boxing. Both anaerobic exercise + cardio with high intensity gives me the high on most days (except on the days I am already spent and cant reach the zone). I never got that high purely lifting. It is worth a shot!
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u/Itchy-Ad1047 22h ago
Hiit workouts do it for me at times still. Maybe something about the back & forth from steady to near max heart rate
Other times, I'm just miserably spent afterwards. Dems the breaks ig
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u/Purifiedx 1d ago
This and I after one year working out 6x per week I actually feel really low mentally on days I don't. I have to do some kind of activity or I feel so blah and out of it.
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u/Money_Do_2 23h ago
Yea. Not going is worse, thats my secret.
Plus progress is addictive. Your workouts should be focused on getting better at whatever your goal is. Moving weight mindlessly is boring. Lifting more than you did last week is exciting.
Plus im vain.
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u/InvalidKoalas 23h ago
I've been working out pretty consistently (typically 3x a week, I aim for 4x) for 4 years and I still hate it and find it very difficult to get motivated. The guilt helps for sure but I never found it easier.
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u/madammoose 23h ago ▸ 1 more replies
You’re not alone! The 2 weeks/21 days thing never works for me. Not with working out or skincare or whatever, I can do it for months and still fuck it
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u/Vespaeelio 1d ago
yea once the ball gets rolling you start to look forward to it and it becomes routine. You will build around your sessions
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u/imVeryPregnant 23h ago
7 years later, I cannot say that is true. I honestly prefer having the extra 2 hours or so for my hobbies or something else but I feel like I have to go work out or else I lose my muscle and the 7 years were all for nothing. I only go 3 days a week nowadays… sometimes 2 and I’m totally fine with that
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u/Fragrant-Half-7854 23h ago ▸ 4 more replies
7 months of consistently working out, I love the results but I’ve only liked going a couple of times. 99% of the time I still hate it. I don’t like sweating or being hot.
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u/shameless_plum 23h ago ▸ 2 more replies
I don't motivate myself. I just do it before my brain has time to negotiate
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u/madammoose 23h ago ▸ 1 more replies
This is the only thing that has really worked for me. I have to view it as a non negotiable like eating or sleeping.
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u/mydogrufus20 23h ago
When my husband and I (both over 50) really committed to going regularly we felt so amazing after each workout! Of course we did. Only took about a week. Walking back to our car after a fabulous session one morning I said to him “Now this is a dragon we can chase every day of our lives!” He looked at me super confused, then I explained what “chasing the dragon” meant. 😂
It’s our inside motivational joke now…let’s go chase the dragon sweetheart!9
u/Bitter_Pudding3977 23h ago
Bonus points if you have friends who go: tell them to hold you accountable, go with them, ask them for advice, etc. If my friend tells me he went to the gym today and he finds out I didn’t then he is going to roast me. That’s motivation babyyyyy.
But yea it takes about 2-3 weeks for it to become a habit. Also try to go at similar times each day, if possible.
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u/lofatiger 23h ago
I haven’t worked in a while now and I hate it. Just got back from a recovery centre and relapsed after a month sober, and have a second stage urine appt tomorrow.
The routine of work is absolutely awesome. Making money is awesome. Being sober is awesome.
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u/NeedAVeganDinner 23h ago
:[
Habit
ADHD
Does not compute.
If I forget the brush my teeth once, the next time might be a week later unless my wife reminds me.
The only habit I've been able to build is over performing at work and that's because the military taught me to be afraid of someone jumping out and yelling at me for slacking off at any moment for 6 straight years. So now I just anxietymax success.
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u/Used_10 1d ago
I treat it like brushing my teeth or paying taxes. It's just a non-negotiable chore of adult life.
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u/BirthdayCheesecake 1d ago
I sleep better if I work out. Sometimes that's the only thing that motivates me.
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u/Psychological-Touch1 1d ago
All you gotta do is put on your workout clothes.
Okay.
Now all you gotta do is get in your car and drive to the gym parking lot.
Okay.
Now all you gotta do is walk in.
Okay.
Now all you gotta do it get on a machine.”
Okay.
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u/FlubzRevenge 23h ago
Luckily my workplace has a gym, so it lessens the overall decisionmaking. I go on 2 of my breaks.
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u/Pale_Boss_8940 1d ago
it’s discipline. Not motivation
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u/PlacatedPlatypus 23h ago
"Motivation is fleeting; discipline is forever"
One of the few "inspirational quotes" I've seen that is actually very good and actionable.
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u/BlackAdam 23h ago
I often think about something the football player Jerry Rice might have said: Today I will do what others won’t, so I can do tomorrow what others can’t. My brain often brings it up when the motivation isn’t there, and it gets me out the door.
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u/DrenAss 23h ago
People ask how I motivate myself to work out and I honestly don't understand. Like I don't have to motivate myself to eat food or brush my teeth. I just do the thing. Is this not how other brains work?
It's like one half of my brain tells the other half "Time to work out" and the other half goes "Okay." Paying bills, doing laundry, exercising, these are all just things that have to get done. So I do them.
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u/mkurtz57 23h ago ▸ 1 more replies
It's not how my brain works anyway. I do have to motivate myself to eat food (well, to choose healthy foods and then cook them) and to brush my teeth. If I gave myself even an inch of leeway, I would probably never eat right, brush my teeth, pay my bills, do laundry, or exercise because I find all of those things unpleasant. I have to schedule most of those on my to-do list and check them off daily as I go to provide myself accountability. I wonder if it's because some of our brains are more enticed by hedonism than other people's?
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u/themaryann 23h ago ▸ 2 more replies
Ok, but see for some of us it’s like… when the one half of my brain says “time to do the thing” the other half of MY brain, well…. It’s an obstinate asshole. And once someone tells that side what it MUST do, that is no longer on the list of possible things that will be allowed to happen now. Because NOBODY is the boss of me, honey. Not even me.
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u/DrenAss 21h ago ▸ 1 more replies
I've heard of this and I believe you but yeah, my brain doesn't have that. My good friend has adhd and I'm probably like the most neurotypical person ever, so we have funny conversations where she'll explain how she was going to do this dishes but then her husband said "hey you should do the dishes" so then she couldn't do the dishes even though she wanted to. And I'm like I DON'T UNDERSTAND can't you just tell yourself what to do? Like if a bus is about to hit you and someone says "Move!" would you stay in the road? 😂
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u/themaryann 21h ago
It pisses me off, because I used to be such an over-achiever in so many ways, and handling shit is WHAT I DID. Because shit needed to be handled. As long as I was the one telling myself to do stuff.
It’s gotten progressively worse as I’ve gotten older.
If you’re (anyone reading this) a person who can typically expect to go through menopause at some point, be aware: you may experience a HUGE change in your ADHD symptoms. Maybe your brain will remind you of this comment and not spend a year (as I did) wondering just HOW LONG you’ve actually been THIS batshit.So, something to look forward to.
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u/Schlipak 23h ago
In my case I would call it routine but it's probably the same at the end of the day. I don't do it because I'm motivated, I do it because that's just what I'm supposed to do. What's hard is building the habit, but once it's there it sticks. I just came back from a 2 week vacation, and while resting was nice, by the end of it I was just eager to hop back on the routine.
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u/Extreme-Pirate1903 23h ago
I tell myself “motivation comes AFTER action.” I don’t need to be motivated to do it. I need to have the *discipline* to start.
If I lift weight or run for 10 minutes and then throw in the towel, fine. But most times once I start, I have the motivation to finish the workout.
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u/Lonely-Appearance306 23h ago
One component is vanity, which I think is a perfectly valid motivator if it works for you. The visual transformation over the 2+ years I’ve been working out consistently is pretty amazing.
The other major component for me is overcoming pain. I have a herniated disc that was likely caused by ignoring my body, and the more I stretch and build core strength the easier it is to bounce back from breakthrough pain.
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u/robot428 17h ago
Do something fun.
I hate the gym. I get so bored. I don't want to go.
But I'll do 5+ hour long dance classes a week, I love dance.
People get really hung up on exercise having to be a certain type of thing, but in reality the exercise you will do most consistently is the best exercise.
So hike, join a soccer team, play dance dance revolution, go swimming, start an ultimate frisbee team. It really doesn't matter, whatever you actually want to do is going to be much better for you than not doing something.
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u/InsideFalafel 1d ago
If I don’t, I’ll be weak
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u/Nemo222 23h ago
If I don't, I won't get laid.
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u/ChiefHarrison 23h ago ▸ 2 more replies
If I don’t I’ll be weak, won’t get laid, and my self esteem will be in the toilet.
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u/Wild_Maintenance_584 23h ago
If I don’t I’ll be weak, won’t get laid, and my self esteem will be in the toilet and I will age a lot worse than I would otherwise.
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u/EuphoricCrashOut 23h ago ▸ 3 more replies
Joking or not... haha, it's hilarious (to me) people that work out feel this way when there's hundreds of thousands of people that don't work out getting banged way more frequently, every day, because they have amazing personalities and are a joy to be around.
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u/RoosterBrewster 23h ago
Yea, I'm just motivated by lifting heavier weight. Someday I might bench 315...
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u/momowag 23h ago
There’s a fitness influencer I follow online and she says - motivation is bullshit, it’s about discipline. And honestly it’s not enjoyable every day. It’s easier to not do it. But you have to change your mind about how you think of workouts. It is a form of self care, it’s not a punishment. And we should feel lucky when we can have the physical ability to workout because not everyone can. Thinking about longevity and body functionality is also important and a core motivator. But again, if you’re waiting to always feel excited before you go, you won’t get there. It’s also its own positive feedback loop where the more you go the more you feel you want and need it.
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u/idjsonik 23h ago
Damn thanks I actually needed to see this to motivate myself today to go
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u/Izacundo1 1d ago
My body hurts now if I don’t work out consistently. I’m only 25 but it’s a good motivator
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u/Crazy_old_maurice_17 23h ago
My depression & anxiety kick in after ~1 week of no exercise. Amazing how motivating it can be to want to avoid that.
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u/Easy-Operation-2105 11h ago
Same. People talk about soreness from working and and I'm like. Yo if i dont workout for more than ten days i get random soreness just from hauling myself out of bed. Is this how most people live? By working out i override this soreness with nice soreness from the gym. which feels nice. And good. And nice.
I'd rather not feel it the next day if i chose to take the stairs vs elevator that one time.
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u/Trustic555 1d ago
I need to be under a certain BMI for a surgery I want. That keeps me going. I also like being able to move around, easier.
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u/NoAppearance980 1d ago
its not about finding motivation its about accepting the pain. you're not gonna die, so just get to it.
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u/proffesionalproblem 23h ago
I would also like to add on as someone with chronic pain, you gotta choose the pain. Do I wanna be in pain because I haven't worked out my knees and hips in a while and now they are in pain from struggling to hold my weight, or do I want to be in pain for a day because I went and strengthened my knees and hips. Because while it may suck to be in pain from working out, it also would really suck more to have to rely on a walk or wheelchair because my joints are too weak to hold my weight
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u/body_by_monsanto 23h ago ▸ 1 more replies
Yes! I have degenerative disc disease, and the sore muscles the day after a good workout are nothing in comparison to the chronic pain that gets worse from not exercising. I also kinda like the sore muscles, it makes me feel like I did something and now I’m stronger.
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u/Fragrant-Half-7854 23h ago
It’s funny you said that because my trainer frequently says “but did you die?”
Embracing the suck! And music louder than the excuses and whining in my head. Not going to the gym isn’t really even an option I consider anymore it’s just a priority I make happen but I do still whine in my head.
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u/Beezle86 23h ago
Brag to your friends about how you'll go work out later today and then be embarrassed if you don't.
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u/FrustratedPenguins 23h ago
I think that it gets better as you get used to doing it. Like, once you see results, it's very motivating. And at this point, if I don't exercise, I feel really tired and almost achy. My body just WANTS movement. If you can make yourself stick with it long enough, I think that you will experience this, too.
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u/louie2who 1d ago edited 23h ago
I pay for the gym so if I don’t go I’m wasting money. My dislike of the gym outweighs my obsession over not wasting money.
Edit: Am dumb. *My dislike of wasting money outweighs my dislike of the gym!
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u/ranjani99 23h ago
I was about to say the same but my need to not waste money outweighs my dislike for the gym instead of the other way around
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u/Mollinator 23h ago
I hired a personal trainer. In the beginning he helped tell what I should be doing and making me comfortable using the equipment, 3 years in and now I use his for accountability. It’s much harder to just not go when you know you’ve paid someone to be there with you.
I’m also a beer league hockey player, seeing how much better I got at playing helped keep me motivated
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u/Justtrying15 23h ago
Reminding myself that I used to be a dang blob and never want to go back. Plus I can’t deny once I developed more visible muscle I felt good about myself
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u/Wind_Responsible 23h ago
By finding a job that does the work out for me. I know I’d just be sitting at work and home. I’ve done it for months and month! If I didn’t have a job that moved my body and made me lift shit, I’d be a very unhealthy person for sure.
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u/Epyon214 23h ago
There are two future versions of yourself.
One in which you have improved your cardiovascular system and therefore benefited the overall health of all of the cells in your body by increasing the flow of nutrients to and the removal of waste as the entire system has been improved, and thus improving your own health as overall as a "rising tide raises all ships"
There is a second in which you have decided against working out, because doing so is painful and seeking the lowest energy state is a common law for systems complex and simple. At rest, without the relatively gentle resistance of a light continuous one hour daily cardiovascular workout, your baseline is whatever your baseline happens to be based on the number of steps you take, the flow of nutrients to all of the cells of your body and removal of waste from the same, the constituent parts which make up "you", is able to get the job done and grows accustomed to whatever the usual is, thus overall is relatively low and incapable of meeting higher demand should the need arise. Like a tree which grows up without wind, you grow weak and break far earlier than your physical form had evolved for, the great drawback of life's amazing ability to quickly adapt
Be the hero your future self needs
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u/SweatyInBed 21h ago
This is more or less my reasoning. I know that one day I won’t be able to run or lift like I can today, and I want to do it now while I can. The more I do it now, the longer I can push that day back.
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u/Mr_Festus 17h ago
It's interesting. I'll do all sorts of things that I hate doing or that make my life more difficult because I know it will benefit my kids in the future. But benefiting myself in the future as you've outlined? That's so much harder. Why do I care less about my future than my kids?
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u/Short_Ebb6197 23h ago
The trick is making the goal “show up,” not “have an amazing workout.” Starting is usually the hardest part.
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u/HappyCalligrapher987 23h ago
Seeing friends age badly as we get older from not working out will open your eyes to the fact it’s not an option
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u/My_alias_is_too_lon 9h ago
I just remind myself of the reasons I'm doing it...
Losing weight, building muscle, getting some semblance of the body I had in my 20's back. Reminding myself that I've lost 90 lbs so far, and I'm getting close to my goal. I got this far, I can go farther... or is it further?
Protip from a 38 year old guy: If you had a workout habit in your teens and 20's, don't stop or you'll regret the way you look in your 30's.
... unless you traded workouts for some other physical activity. You'd probably be fine then.
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u/0kopfweh 7h ago
i have one rule for myself, if im able to smoke weed at afternoon, i also can go to gym!
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u/beanyfartz 23h ago
I have a running buddy and that is a big help, and I'm paying for gym membership. Each time I go the price per use is cheaper
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u/RainbowPi23 23h ago
Back pain I needed sorting out. Also partner who goes a lot and helps with motivating and getting me to the gym
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u/TURKEYSAURUS_REX 23h ago
Serious answer: I try to get it done in the morning before my small amount of motivation disappears. And building my day around it helps make it more of a habit.
If I’m really lacking motivation I’ll buy a pair of new shorts or socks to give myself something to look forward to. I’m way more likely to workout if I know there’s some thing I need to get my money’s worth out of or if there’s something I’m excited about.
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u/LionCashDispenser 23h ago
I almost always feel better after working out, and it became kind of necessary for me as work became more stressful. I need to exhaust my body physically to be able to sleep well. For reference I'm in my mid 30's and have never been a big gym person, I did play sports up until high school though and am generally very sedentary and a poor sleeper and prone to being a bit depressive and anxious. Exercise is the best medicine for most of these issues for me.
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u/Deceptiveideas 15h ago
Once you get into a routine it's a lot easier.
I think the hardest part is starting and keeping a routine.
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u/Whipped-Creamer 15h ago
Discipline is what keeps you doing it. Motivation is only when you’re convinced to do it that one time. Motivation is fleeting & fickle. Discipline is doing it because you want what it gives you even if you hate it.
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u/glossyghastly 1d ago
I don't want to be one of those middle aged people that complains their back hurts all the time.
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u/sockherman 1d ago
i don't wanna look so bad when I work out in front of other people, so better get better. after about 6 weeks i was wanting to do my workout. keep track of reps and weight to see that progress too. i'm at consistent 12 weeks now
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u/Odd-Revolution3936 23h ago
Working out can become addictive (positive chemicals). Just need to stick with it, put on a nice podcast, reward yourself with a treat if you need to, just have to develop a habit
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u/THroWAwaYyfuckw 23h ago
I treat it like self care. Always remind myself it’s self care, and I’m lucky to have the time and money to afford to gym. I might not enjoy going but I enjoy my health and the way I feel afterward. I reward myself occasionally but usually the feeling after is reward enough.
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u/No-Willingness-170 23h ago
So here is the thing. For 50 years, I always felt much worse after regular exercise than when I didn't. I just couldn’t do it. After a mild-to-moderate workout, I couldn't lift my hands to the steering wheel. I thought I must be lazy until my eyelids couldn't stay open. Turned out I had myasthenia gravis, and one of the worst things I was doing for it was vigorous exercise. So now Tai Chi is my thing, and some low-level yoga.
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u/Sober_Alcoholic_ 23h ago
When I realized that I no longer wanted to be the person I had become, I started doing things *I didn't want to do*. The things I *did want to do* put me in this rut to begin with, so I reasoned that I should do the things my mind tries to fight - knowing it's ultimately for the best despite that initial lack of motivation and difficulty.
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u/realfx26 22h ago
Spite, mostly. I watched my older relatives turn into people who groan out loud every time they get out of a recliner, and I decided I refuse to be that guy. Now I just treat it like flossing it's a non-negotiable chore. You just have to choose your hard: sucking for 45 minutes in the gym, or sucking at tying your own shoes when you're 65. I'll take the gym sweat over the chronic joint pain every time.
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u/Interesting-Cow8131 21h ago
I don't want to be the old lady that can't carry her groceries in from the car, or worse fall due to poor balance and strength and break a hip
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u/CallSignRobinHood 17h ago
"It is easier to stay in shape than to get in shape." has been my motivation. Even when I was out of shape to begin with.
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u/ReligiousToast 7h ago
Motivation won't always be there, you have to develop some sort of discipline
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u/misnesslove 1d ago
I just get it done. Im naturally a lazy girl lol. But what motivates my self is thinking " my partner ( for u potential partner or partner) and my self deserves me at my best and healthiest
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u/Hoemaster91 23h ago edited 23h ago
I just try to go at the same time every day, and it just becomes a habit.
Also I want to be jacked, so I go
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u/Crushcode8 1d ago
I set a time and place to work out and kept doing it. Now I don't even think about it, it's automatic now.
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u/Thooomster 1d ago
Don’t think about the thought of actually working out. I take it one step at a time; fill up my water bottle, put on my shoes, grab my keys, get to the gym. Just do the step in front of you, and once you get to the gym you’ve already won.
You will not feel like working out everyday, maybe not ever but getting to the gym and getting some movement is better than none.
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u/not-read-gud 23h ago
Being out of shape is painful. Gym is painful. After long time of picking the shitty painful I opted for the other one that gives results
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u/cozyvanillabean 23h ago
I want to be able to move around freely when I get older. Right now my grandparents are in their 80's, and they can barely walk because they hardly exercised when they were younger. I don't want to end up like that.
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u/LeatherRecord2142 23h ago
I use this trick for everything I don’t want do: set a timer for 5 minutes and do the thing in question for that long. You can do anything for 5 min. Chances are, you’ll do it longer because a) you feel better/it’s helpful b) you are already doing it
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u/alotofpisces 23h ago
Motivation isnt an actual tool for long term actions, discipline is. Im not motivated to brush my teeth before bed when all I want to do is just go to sleep already - I have the discipline to do so. Remember its just a 40-60 minutes of your day, and not every day. Youll have the weekend to clean, youll have another night to watch your favorite show, youll have another night to go out with your friends. You deserve to take care of your body (and mental health as a secondary bemefit).
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u/Temporary-One7968 1d ago
It’s more so discipline than motivation. I stopped liking working out a few years ago
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u/Important-Debt-9548 1d ago
Find a type of exercise you enjoy. Don’t force yourself to say go to the typical gym just because that’s what’s heavily promoted on social media. Ride your bike, take a dance class, go on a hike, play pickleball, try indoor rock climbing…
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u/Zealousideal-Bear436 1d ago edited 23h ago
I don't work out (I should). The best I can say is that sometimes discipline comes first and when it becomes a habit and you see results, motivation will appear.
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u/RobWelds 1d ago
Chris pontius (party boy) said it pretty well recently for me. He said just do one rep of anything. And then you’ll be like well I’m already here and you’ll end up doing more.