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

[LoudSnoringDog]

I am on yet another holiday where I hate the photos as look fat, frumpy and unhealthy. I have in my mind that I am determined to use my gym membership when I return. I recall someone on here once writing “you can have all the motivation to exercise but it’s worth nothing if you have no discipline “
so…. I’m motivated but lack the discipline.
If you find that you can consistently get up off your backside to exercise, what’s your key message to yourself to keep your discipline? I’m trying to use these messages to keep me in check!

Dave Goggins.

My dog. I have to take him out every day no matter what the weather is like.

I think my kids would agree getting up early when it’s dark and cold is masochism 😂.

I actually enjoy it as my classes are sociable and fun.
I also block out space in my diary so I don’t double book.

You rarely find me exercising alone. It’s boring… for me anyway

Hi, I’m ill now and exercise makes it worse, but before getting ill, exercised consistently. However, my discipline came from finding things I enjoyed, mixed with things like spin that burn more calories allowing me to eat and drink more than I otherwise would have been able to whilst maintaining figure. I also don’t carry weight well, so vanity (?!) fed into a higher number of healthier eating choices vs unhealthy.

I am like you, and I am not a morning person, so tips to do it first before the day intrudes don’t work. I dislike running and gyms so much, I would rather be fat / unfit than do them.

My work around is functional exercise that isn’t just exercise - it fulfils an additional useful purpose, such as cycling to work, or maintaining a garden.

It usually involves some combination of the following:

Make a time slot. Could be 10 mins. Could be an hour. It doesn't have to be big to make a difference if its regular.

Make the environment appealing. I favour outdoor, including boot camp weight classes. At home, my chances of doing yoga go up if the floor is clear and recently vacuumed.

Make it easy. Have the equipment/ clothing organised and easy to reach for. Is less preparation better (e.g. not needing to change for a walk compared to faffing with sports bras for a run)

Make it purposeful. Do functional walking. Have a long term goal e.g. train for a race or to lift a certain weight.

Make it social. Do it with a friend, a class, an event. Use social media to share with friends with similar goals, or fb groups, or forum threads.

Make it multi-purpose. Use the time to mentally do something else, watch TV, audiobook, think over a problem, have personal time.

Find something that makes you feel good, either as you do it e.g. enjoying seasons changing outside, or the feel of a yoga flow, or something that gives you endorphins or the satisfaction of ticking off a challenge or seeing measurable progress.

Make it accountable. Set goals participation/ outcomes. Record what you do; sports watches can help a lot. Keep a log. Talk to people about your intentions. Sign up to do an event that you have to be ready for.

My week's been totally off-piste. As a runner with an intention of signing up for a race in a month, it was not constructive... but I've been out and about doing active things with DS. I've done a lot of functional walking and tasks. It's actually been a busy active week, just not in a formal plan way, and it's been interesting and fun. Looking at my watch and noticing I've done something recordable each day makes me appreciate the value of what I have managed.

I like a bullet journal log of what I do. Garmin/ strava are great for logging activities, but logging it on paper is great for the big trends and long term goals, and I like the creativity of setting it out and filling it in. DH is Spreadsheet Man.

And the fun activities I did with DS were because of the fitness stuff that gets built into each week, that makes it easy to still climb/ cycle/ swim/ jump/ sprint etc in my mid-40s.

For me it's simple and I have two options: exercise and stay slim or don't exercise and get fat.

On a deeper level though, exercise nourishes my mind as well as my body. It's something I do daily; it's as important as eating and showering. The human body is supposed to move every day, it's like a machine and will seize up and deteriorate if it doesn't.

I've spent the last two years in and out of hospital due to BC treatment and surgery, the greatest gift I have is being able to run, swim and lift weights again. You never know what's around the corner with your health so don't take anything for granted, if you're able to exercise then do it.

Because I feel so much better, mentally and physically, when I exercise. Mentally, I know this but the devil on my shoulders says “don’t bother, stay in bed and eat biscuits instead” which frankly? I would often rather do!
So I make it as easy as possible. I train in the mornings (work is hard and stressful and there is NO WAY I’m working out after a full day) and I do it at home, because I cannot be arsed to actually go out and go to a gym.
So, I go to bed early and set my alarm for 5am. My work out kit is laid out next to the bed. I roll out of bed, half asleep and put it on. I stagger downstairs, make coffee and before I can talk myself out of it, get in the gym, push play and crack on. By 6.30, it’s done and dusted, and the day starts and I forget it. Until tomorrow. But, consistency counts. Give it 30-45 mins everyday and you will see the difference.

For me it's variety, which means everything in moderation, and less injuries. I never get bored as I do so many different things. That means I'll never have the muscles or level of cardio fitness I did in my youth, but I'm all round decent fitness. My only MUST do is 2 pilates classes a week, with an extremely knowledgeable/experienced teacher - the benefits are so great. Other than that, the rule is SOMETHING every day, unless I'm ill.

I do hot yoga 6 days a week.

I love it but I sometimes try & talk myself out of it.

i preempt this by committing to just turning up.

find something you enjoy.

don’t go crazy at first. Start small & build on that.
a year ago I though I was going to be sick undertaking the mildest exertion. Now I am very strong & flexible.

I find exercising first thing works for me. I’ve never been a morning person but now I get up & get exercising.

@opencecilgeeyou've tried everything? How do you know there’s nothing you love? If someone had told me before I tried strength training that I’d love it I would have been sceptical. I thought gyms were stupid places with pointless running machines, now they’re my favourite place (and I still won’t go near a running machine). Maybe you won’t find anything, but if you don’t try you definitely won’t. It would be odd though that there were no other humans who were similar to you that had created activities they enjoy, that you might too.

I do it because I’m vain. I want to be toned and look good and bd able to wear a bikini with no wobbly bits. What’s my motivation nothing more nothing less

I swim every morning in my neighbour's pool (I know, I am so very lucky, I just return the favour with veg from the garden, beer and wine).
I go before most of the household is up.
I remind myself how lucky I am and that I must make the most of this opportunity, and it would be silly to waste it as the weather has been glorious first thing I think only 2 or 3 wet mornings all summer. So far I have only missed days we have gone out ridiculously early.

I treat it like it’s my job, it’s non negotiable that I have to turn up, I set myself a certain amount of hours in a week I have to do and just do it.
im recovering from cancer treatment and kept going throughout as I knew it would help me mentally and physically, and recent studies say it can prevent recurrence.
I want to get older knowing I’ve done what I can to stay as physically strong and healthy as I can whilst I have the chance to.

I don’t wait for motivation, I just do it because I view it as something I have to do. I don’t hate it, but nor do I love it. I view it like cleaning the bathroom or hoovering - I put some headphones in and do it. I’m never super motivated to clean the bathroom, but I always do it because it needs to be done.

That sounds totally amazing.

I love outdoor swimming in the rain anyway. Who cares when you're in for a wetting regardless

(Recalls then 5yo DS getting upset about going to the outdoor pool in the rain on holiday because he'd get wet, and couldn't link that it made no difference whether it was cloudy or raining)

Well thanks everyone who has posted.

got back from holiday yesterday pm after travelling for 24 hours home. Could have easily used my old excuses to not get off my arse today.. but made it to the gym

plan to do 30 mins kettlebell and 30 min treadmill

appreciate the time everyone has taken to share their tips for getting up and out

I go 3 x a week to exercise class so not a lot but it means I can literally sit watching tv for the rest of the day if I've got nothing on. Also, I've heard doing weights is good for when older and so I'm trying to keep myself out of A&E as that's where I work and I know how grim it is 😉

well done! How did it go?