How do you get the motivation?

[DorisShutt]

I'm a slob. A self-confessed slob. I've lots weight recently and am trying to maintain this plus upping my exercise so I lose more.

However, I just can't be bothered. I see photos of myself and I look terrible, but when it comes down to it, I just don't bother to get off the sofa. Or if I do go swimming, I'll do maybe 10 lengths and then just give up.

I know part of it is due to bullying as a child - I get red when I exercise so got badly teased a lot - I don't want to do anything out of the ordinary so I don't exercise so people don't laugh at me IYSWIM.

What motivates you to exercise? What can I do to sort this? We might be moving soon and I don't want to start a new life as a fat blob!

I have a bad habit of comparing myself to other people. Not in a competitive way - but I find others' successes inspiring. My SIL for example has massively toned up in the last six months, mainly through cycling. She's really inspired me to get fit (after DC3's birth) and I'm really looking forward to taking up C25K and spinning classes. She looks great in whatever she wears and feels great.

I do a lot of power walking and I love feeling after. I think you need to work to the level where you need to do it, like it's second nature, for you to actually enjoy it and for it not to feel like a hardship.

Is there anything you think you might find bearable that you might end up actually enjoying?

The more you do something the more you'll grow to enjoy doing it and want to do more.

I was the laziest girl ever. Ever. The thought of a one mile walk on a Sunday afternoon to MIL's would put me into such a mood I'd fall out with DH all morning! Think huffy face and kicking heels!

Now I'm at the leisure centre 5 nights a week. I'm going tonight and I can't wait.

I think that I'm too worried about what other people think IYSWIM.

So if I do C25k, people will laugh at this stupid woman failing to run along.

If I swim, people will laugh at the fat woman who can't do two laps without stopping.

I was pretty lazy as a kid, something switched in my late teens and I turned into exercise addict girl

Lots of people feel like that when they start out, you're not alone. Could you go for a run early in the morning when there aren't many people around? Or drive to a country park or somewhere where you're more alone? Exercise is great for building up your confidence but it can be intimidating to start.

PS take a look at some Parkrun photos- everyone looks like a twat when they're running.

Darling, reassure yourself that almost certainly nobody is looking at you. Really they aren't. They are too busy puffing and panting themselves.

I'm also very lazy/a slob. I have to make myself do exercise. i've come to the conclusion that I'll never enjoy it. But it's something I have to.

Just as i don't particularly find brushing my teeth or washing my hair exciting, it's just part of my life that i get out the way as quick as i can.

I wake up an hour earlier than usual, drag myself out of bed, shove on a bra and trainers and i get shredding/running. 60 mins of exercise a day done and dusted. Just make it part of your routine. The earlier in the day the better, so you're not spending the whole day putting it off.

I make it part of my day (cycle to work) and also do stuff I enjoy (horse riding, tennis) rather than spending hours in the gym which I don't enjoy.

Ah, I've never found anything I enjoy doing. I suspect that may be another issue.

Tempted to buy a new pair of trainers and jogging bottoms and try C25K though using the NHS podcast though - is it right that it only takes about 20-30 minutes for each run?

I have exercise DVDs at home, and try to make them part of a routine, eg every Tues and Thurs evenings. But don't be self-conscious about running/swimming in public, people are generally so caught up in themselves that they don't look at others! I go really red too, so know what you mean - even my legs go bright red when I exercise!

Yep! Bright red whole body here

I'm thinking that I could fit in 30 mins when DH is doing bedtime stories for DS. Mind you, the whole running in the rain may be off putting

That's something else that motivates me - buying new kit to wear

buy lots of fancy gear! pick the fittest looking person in the class (i can only do classes/personal training - anything else and I give up!!) and say I could look like that just have to keep coming to class. Been going for 6 weeks after a year of no exercise and a baby etc. Feel so much happier now. Exercise creates such happy clarity for me.

Work out at home works for me, Jillian Michaels DVDs. I don't have to be seen by others/ faff about travelling to classes and can just do it and be in shower 35 mins later.

And the results are better than dicking about in a gym anyway.

I see plenty of dicks in the gym but I cant say I ever 'dick about' :o

I don't do the gym - hate lifting weights and all the classes with a passion. I also don't have the time to go more than a couple of times a week. I've bought a Zumba DVD and do that a couple of times a week, I walk and cycles whenever I can, and have a stepper that I plonk in front of the TV and walk away.

I should do more, but I hate organised exercise with a passion so would just end up feeling resentful if someone pointed me in the direction of a bodypump (or whatever it's called) class.

I think the key is to decide what you want to do, and do a little bit. Then maybe a bit more.

I don't mean I walk away from the stepper - obv I walk on it

I get cholinergic urticaria. Simply put I get covered in bright red hives when I exercise. I used to worry all the time what people thought
Eventually I stopped worrying - nobody at my gym cares!

Doris
I was so self conscious when I started C25K I felt like Lycra was fancy dress. You can join us on the 'do run run thread'

I love BodyPump! Hats off to those who can be motivated to put on a DVD, I have to have the class booked as my incentive to go, otherwise I'd put it off all week!

I've been through C25k, and go bright red. No one notices, or if they do, apparently they are thinking 'wow, shes doing well'.

I like running as its just me, and no one looking - I run on roads out of town mostly, and no one person sees you for very long anyway.

You can do it! Pull on the trainers, download the podcast and get out there!

Doris, my lost twin!
I'm pretty weak willed, but get started by doing tiny things every day. Like as soon as I think I don't want to get off the sofa, I get straight off it. As soon as I hear that little 'can't be bothered' voice, I do something tiny to counteract it.
You can do squats while cleaning your teeth or knee lifts while reheating your coffee in the microwave or waiting for the toast to pop up (assuming you aren't being watched.) Any time you are alone, do something for a minute or so. Tiny amounts of exercise not only add up, they can make you feel more energetic so you are in a better frame of mind to do something more ambitious.

As Twentythirdinline says, building it into your day is key. Buy the kit, download C25K and justify the expense. And remember, if you meet people out walking or running, they won't know if you've done 100m or 10,000! And start now before the nights draw in and the weather's (even more) rubbish.

Plus come back and tell us how you get on! We want to see you boasting about completing C25K!