To those who exercise

[Simonsaysitschristmas]

How do you motivate yourself to do it? Do you genuinely enjoy it?

I have a makeshift home gym as I find the real thing too intimidating. I know what exercises I should be doing and how to do them. I have enough time in both the morning and the evening to work out. I have appropriate clothing. I have a good playlist. Yet I can’t seem to push myself further than doing 15/20 minutes and then stopping. I’m not even worn out by the 20 minutes, I’m just I guess bored?

Does anyone have any tips on how to motivate myself to stay longer? I know 20 minutes every other day is not enough for the amount of weight I need to lose in the time scales I’m aiming for.

Any help/tips appreciated

I work towards targets, like how many push ups or pull ups I can do. How much can I squat, how fast can I run 5km etc then I reward myself for a Pb.
Not a food reward though, a bath bomb, or face mask etc

Do HITT 20 minutes 3 X a week, absolutely enough to lose weight. Providing of course you don't eat you body weight in Skittles every day.

Look up Joe Wicks on you tube.

I’m not motivated or disciplined enough to exercise properly on my own, I have personal trainer at the gym and go to Pilates and barre classes.

Sounds like you haven't found the workout for you. Or the timeslot or the environment?

For me, the hardest bit os going, but when I am there I enjoy it.
(although my gym is the sort of place you could just nip in for a chat if you were bored, it's a little family, not a soulless chain name)

What about HIIT workouts - 20mns of flatout effort intervals, job done.

I do an hour in the gym 5 days a week and I swim a mile a day 10 times a week (twice on a mon/tues/wed). I love swimming but I hate the gym but since going I've noticed how much I've changed shape.

I go to classes at the gym (body pump, body combat, kettle bell and circuits type stuff). I've tried working out at home but lacked motivation to really push myself. The classes I find way more motivational, I think my competitive side comes out a bit and i push myself to keep up and/or surpass others in the class. I've also been really lucky in that there is a core group of us that attend the same classes regularly and everyone is really supportive and we help motivate and push each other. I'd recommend you give the gym another try.

Motivation is easy once your in the swing of things. Now I am motivated because I am looking better and I feel really happy after a good workout. I think it's good to mix things up a bit. Weekly I do 3 x gym, 2x outdoor run, 1 x HIIT or class and 1 x swimming so don't get bored. Its good to have targets so it might be squatting a higher weight or holding plank for longer.

I do kettle bells at home. Only for 15 - 20 mins.

I love running but I hate the cold 😂 but once I've made myself actually go outside I enjoy it. But I run more in the summer. Get a tan as I go which is a bonus

Oh I should say whilst I can work hard at home being at the gym or out is much better for me because I worry what people think if me so it makes me work harder

YouTube videos with new techniques for my exercises.

Building exercise into my daily routine is my best opportunity. So cycling to work (12 miles round trip) or walking the school run (1 mile each way) or even walking to and from the shops.

If you hate it, you won't do it. Exercise has to be a natural part of your daily routine.

The more you do, the more you enjoy it, the more you enjoy it the more motivated you are.

In the beginning you have to just plod on and think about the good it's doing your body

Do you have a set routine or do you need inspiration? If I don't have a plan what to do at the gym, I will just end up doing easy stuff.
If you need inspiration, check some workout routines from instagram. I like Alice Liveing or buy structured programmes like Kayla Itsines. Following something like women's health mag - they also post workouts
Or youtube for some yoga/pilates as well.

I didn't enjoy exercise when I started. Now I love it and make significant efforts to make sure I have time to exercise every day, even when we are busy.

I run though, with my dog. Quite a different thing to a home gym.

I'm motivated by the constant challenge to run further, or run faster. Or to try and hit a weekly or monthly distance target.

I love always having the highest number of steps of all my fitbit friends.

I am motivated by my dog, who I would need to take out for a daily walk regardless of how I feel. So I might as well run.

I am motivated by run-streaks. ie, how many days in a row I do a run.

Wow, thank you so much for all the replies- I really wasn’t expecting that many.

When I lived in the city I had a PT but would have my sessions at 5am so the gym was empty (I really am intimidated by it ).

I have now moved very rural, the gym is maybe a 30 minute drive away and I would be relying on DP for lifts and he works long hours hence why we have built me a home gym :)

Right, now my excuses are out of the way I really like the idea of setting myself a target. I half make myself a target and then forget it but maybe writing it down and pinning it up on the gym wall will help me.

I also think having a plan of what I am going to do each day and varying it will help massively, including introducing HIIT workouts. So maybe Mon, Weds, Sat I can do 20 minute hiit workouts (assume I can find these on YouTube) then Tuesday and Friday I can use my equipment, do my floor exercises etc leaving me two rest days.

Thank you so much for the help- any other feedback/suggestions welcome

Off the back of this thread I have just searched, found and done a beginners HIIT workout for 20 minutes on YouTube. I am the worlds least fit person and bored rigid by the gym. I have enjoyed the odd Zumba type class in the past but struggle to motivate myself to actually go to a class. This on the other hand was easy to facilitate in my hotel room (so not much space) it got hard and I was out of breath and worked up a sweat at the end! Definitely give it a go if you haven't already!

Ooh thank you @balloondog that is what I will be doing tomorrow morning!

balloondog - can you link to the workout you found please if you felt it was good

I recently saw an advert for a tv channel devoted to fitness. I don't recall anything else about it but it was an interesting niche.

Then again, YouTube is free...

Good luck with the HIIT!

(Btw, if you find the soundtrack a bit lacklustre try old school techno to get the blood pumping!)

As it's the season for Resolutions, what about committing to 3/4/5/your choice HIIT sessions a week?

Repeat for other similar goals.

Thanks for all suggestions- I have just completed the joe wicks HIIT workout for absolute beginners on YouTube and I am definitely feeling it

Well done!

Buy a Peloton - by far the best thing I have ever done! Since getting it I have exercised every single day.

@loubilou09 are they the bikes with the screen? They look amazing but I don’t have a grand to spend on an exercise bike unfortunately

You can achieve much the same with normal bikes/trainers/combination and a subscription to one of the cycling services. You don't need to spend £££ (and I do personally find peloton a little gimmicky)

Simonsays - yes it is the bike with the screen, absolutely fantastic and you just cant achieve the same with one of the other bikes/services.

They are expensive but I got mine on interest free credit and therefore the cost is no more than a good gym membership.

Best thing I have ever invested in for myself ever.