If you consistently exercise, where does your “discipline” come from?

That's the bit about running i like: seeing things. I need mental stimulation too. Winter evenings are shit because I have to stick to housing estates and it's boring.

If i could design a gym class, I'd make it more fun. Obstacle course, climbing wall, swings, ropes to climb, poles to slide down. Not sure how to make weights fun though. Having to lift things to find treasure? No star jumps or bouncing, ever.

Because my back is shite and I need to strengthen my core after 2 pregnancies & c sections.

I’ve thought a bit more about it. I went from doing zero - and I mean zero - exercise right up to my forties, to now, at 51, doing cardio and strength training three times a week without fail, plus a weekly yoga class, outdoor swimming all summer, and a long walk every single day. I have a few 5 and 10k runs under my belt too, though I do less running these days (dodgy knee).

It started when I bought a FitBit. I was shocked at how little I actually moved: something like 2k steps a day. That put me into competition with myself - how do I improve on this?

Then after a few months I was out with my dog and I just randomly thought - could I run to the next lamppost? And I could, but it was tough. So that was the next challenge. I downloaded C25K, and although I never loved running, it became that competition with myself, and I did love the fact that after a lifetime of being unfit, I suddenly had medals with 5k and 10k on them.

Then my parents got really infirm, and it scared me, so I thought it was time to do something about my strength. I engaged a PT, and I see her once a week, and do two sessions at home. I have weights, resistance bands and an exercise bike, and my sessions include a mix of cardio and strength training.

It’s been around four years now, and it’s such a part of my everyday life that not exercising would be like not brushing my teeth. The niggling guilt and anxiety if I didn’t do it wouldn’t be worth it.

Some days it’s hard to pull on the Lycra, but it’s hard not to be able to run upstairs or fit into your clothes, or rely on people to put you to bed when you’re old. You just have to choose your hard.

It’s more about having a routine than discipline for me.

I watch My 600lb Life while on my Peloton bike. That’s a good motivator! 😉

I’ve had a consistent gym (weightlifting) routine for about 13 years now. What keeps me going over the long term is not discipline or motivation, it’s routine.

oct yes! Since I hit my 50's I've really struggled with being stuck in one gym classroom, standing in the same spot working out. It almost kills me when I have to do a class like it now. I had to give up Body Pump with it's shitty repetitive music week after week.
Give me a circuit class that flows. Or even better, a tough indoor / outdoor circuit class with some modern pop (which I have actually found 🫶). Basically, I like being distracted by clouds and birds so it goes quicker.

I love running - especially with friends.
I dont mind short runs on my own but I find 10+ miles difficult on my own.

However I have a coach who sets a programme for me (running and strength) and knowing they will see that I haven't completed a session is a good motivator! I knew her as a friend first and foremost, so if i haven't run for a few days, she'll check if im OK rather anything strict, but there's only so many times im willing to say I was too tired/cba (obviously life gets in the way and occassionally I miss a session) . At the end of the day im paying because I want to improve so it makes no sense not to do the programme.

When I don’t feel like doing exercise I always ask myself this question.

How am I going to feel about myself after that hour has gone? So, am I going to feel crappy because I bailed out, or am I going to feel great that I’ve done something for ME, and I’m on a high. That gets me there.

If you want to age well, you have to eat well and exercise. My 90-year old dad is very fit and active. He’s strong as an ox and plays lots of sport whereas my younger parents-in-law are constantly sick and inactive. He is a great inspiration to me.

The bottom line is, if you want to look good and be fit and healthy, it takes work. I’ve always been quite fit, but last Sept I made the decision to lose weight and get fit and toned at 55. It was now or never.

A year later I’m 2 sizes down and very toned, wearing a bikini for the first time in 35 years.

The first answer from @IwasatClaines nailed it. Set time. Always. Best to just get up and do it. Or do something. It is perfectly possible to do regular exercise in your home or once out of the door almost every day.

That does not need to be all though. But is is the anchor.

Then add in whatever else you do, be it gym, sport, whatever. You can guarantee that will be skipped more than the just get up and do it bit.

look up all the classes in your gym and give them a try.
look up other things in your area. tag rugby, football, fencing, zumba, walks....
or book a pt once a month who motivates you to try new things you can then practice on your own.

my joints started squeaking. and I found exercise is the cure for that. so I exercise. it's sometimes boring but listening to podcasts helps.

Yes! When you don’t want to do it, tough!

Also I have nice workout gear ( Sweaty Betty via Vinted) - makes a good start!

I go to classes. It’s not the cheapest but nothing else works for me as if there isn’t a fixed time, I will just put it off. Once I’ve signed up to the class it’s set in stone, I don’t want to lose the money so I will always go unless really ill.

A combination of habit and reminding myself I'll feel great when it's done! There will be times where I have to force myself out of the house and really don't feel like it but I have never once regretted making the effort.

I just treat it like everything else I don't want to do.
I don't want to go to work.
I don't want to clean my teeth.
I don't want to take my contract lenses out/ makeup off.

But I have to, so like I said before, I just try to put my mind outside and make my actual body do it. Doesn't always work, but again, doing it as part of a routine makes it automatically.

I've yet to find the physical activity that brings the same rewards a book and glass of wine bring. Whereas dd is the polar opposite. She genuinely loves her sport. We're just wired differently. It would kill her to read a book.

Stick a TV above a treadmill at home. It has much more appeal when you can watch interesting things and it becomes enjoyable 'me time'.

I wish I could swim. I used to swim regularly. My skin doesn't like it anymore. 😥

I love the way exercise makes me feel. I love looking in the mirror at the tops of my arms and seeing definition. I love the buzz afterwards....as I write this I'm eating my breakfast and buzzing from a Caroline girvan workout in my garage home gym.

I take exercise bands and a travel yoga mat on holiday. I do weights or cardio or power walking before work every day at around 5am, then a walk in my lunch hour and yoga stretches before bed.

I'm 47 and I've been consistently exercising since I was at university.

I tend to plan my day around what activity I'm going to do, I plan the timing of my other obligations so I can walk or swim etc, and the time I'll exercise is clearly scheduled in too.

i do a lot of active travel. Walk or cycle rather than drive/bus. Might be cycle combined with train journey. Shun driving for short journeys. Used to have little kids on tandem. My volunteering involves walking too (Cinnamon Trust).

Once I have a pool membership it would be a waste of money not to use it, hate wasting money. I'm lucky I get a great endorphin high from swimming... although it's cold which I dislike. Choose a convenient pool.

Once I had a kayak, would be waste of money not to use it... so then I planned outings.

I sleep better and can eat a lot more if I exercise, those are motives, too.

I don't have a tv. Reading, tiny bit of social media like MN and gaming are my sedentary time-sucks.

I would struggle to do home workouts or gym equipment or loud music classes. All unappealing to me. Gardening and sometimes DIY can involve lots of activity and achieve benefits for all in the household. Sometimes I volunteer for a nature-restoration charity (active outdoors).

Look at the OP's first sentence. To me the words used point fairly clearly towards a weight loss intention.

To answer the question: there's a reason why you have a gym membership that you don't use and I think you need to examine what that is. Is it the case that you don't enjoy getting yourself out of the house but you enjoy it when you are there? If so, maybe you might benefit from a friend or family providing accountability? Or maybe scheduling it in your diary like a meeting, then the night before putting all of your gym kit out so that you don't have to go hunting for it, make it really easy. Or maybe you need to look at your pre and post gym fuelling? I know when I don't get that right I don't feel great at the gym.

But if you don't enjoy it when you get there I agree with those who have said to find something else. You could cancel the membership and look into a personal trainer who comes to your house? I know PTs get a bad reputation as being like army commanders but if you want someone who is going to guide you rather than shout at you it's definitely possible to find that. Or maybe an exercise class where there's a social focus? There's loads out there, there's bound to be something that appeals to you.

For me when I decided I wanted to become healthier I started making small changes, both to my diet and to my exercise routine. Even adding a 10 minute walk and having two chocolate biscuits instead of four was a step towards my goal. Because I didn't make a load of changes at once I was able to continuously adapt and avoid the discomfort of big changes. It's easy for me to say three years later but as the changes mounted up it became addictive because I could see it was working and I knew that getting myself out the door for a run was helping to keep me in this healthy state.

I usually go and exercise first thing in the morning, before I can talk myself out of it. Improving my health was my main motivation and now that the habit has formed, it’s much easier to stay consistent.

Finding something you enjoy enough to keep doing it is important. I’ve always hated going to a regular gym and could never stick to it. I also hate running. Now I go to coach-led classes and enjoy these so much more. Even though it’s torture at the time! It’s nice and varied and I can get it done before I need to get the kids up for school.

Consider getting a personal trainer, even if just for a few months. Paying in advance = commitment and much more likely to show up! Start adding in some days at the gym by yourself, using your newly found gym skills and build on it.

I used to hate exercise, now I go to the gym 6 x a week and love it. I didn't enjoy having a trainer as she pushed me (obviously!) and it was bloody hard, but it gave me so much confidence in being able to go to the gym and know what I was doing.

I go straight after work and love that hour of peace before I get home to mayhem!! Find a time that works for you, find exercise you can really enjoy and enjoy the feeling of your body gaining muscle.

*edited to add, after a year of going to the gym most days, I still can't run! Just don't have the stamina, or the ability to push through the boredom. You just need to find the things you do enjoy doing!

• I like to get out into the open air & be in nature
• I don’t want to get fat
• I want a strong healthy body

I was exactly the same a few years ago, loads of motivation but zero discipline, so every time I’d try to get fit I’d give up after a few weeks 😂. What changed everything for me was building a routine I could actually stick with.
I’ve now been working out 4–5 times a week, every week, for over a year. The trick was setting a consistent time. Because of health issues (I’ve got POTS), I can’t work out first thing, I need breakfast and meds to get my heart rate stable, so I made 10–11am my workout slot. Once it became a habit, I didn’t have to rely on willpower anymore.
I usually do 20 minutes of cardio and then 20–30 minutes of weights or Pilates (I switch it up). The biggest thing I learned was you have to actually enjoy the exercises you choose, otherwise you just won’t keep it up. I started with walking workouts, tried the exercise bike (but struggled), and then did a 3-month Apple Fitness trial. That was a game-changer! I sampled everything and found what I loved. Now my mix is mostly dance and kickboxing, with the occasional row or cycle thrown in.
They say it takes about 3 months of consistency to build a real routine, and I found that to be true. A year in, I’m doing more than I ever thought I could but it all started with just showing up, even on days I didn’t feel like it. Some weekdays I’ll add a 20-minute walk after, and since I WFH, my schedule makes that easier. I should say for me I like working out alone so classes and gyms aren’t my thing.
If you’re starting out, honestly the key is to keep going. Don’t wait to feel motivated build a routine you actually enjoy.