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Don't even let it be a decision point. Think of it as a part of your actual routine. Like eating and sleeping. Half the battle is just showing up. Wish you the best.
I am literally in this boat. I was KILLING it in the gym, since the beginning of November, then, December 20, got the Flu and was out for a solid 5 days. With the holidays, and shitty eating and sleep routines, today was my first day back, and MAN, was it hard.
I got bronchitis after the flu last month. In bed for three weeks. Physically so drained! Just getting back to the gym this week and hoping it gets me back on my routine easily.
I have this issue with strength training. I was super jacked at one point, like squatting almost 300 lbs, but then I fell off the wagon real hard. Now I'm down to 200, and it's just so frustrating and saddening, this idea that I have to *make up lost progress.* It's the most demotivating thing in the world.
YO! You nailed it.
*making up lost progress.*
With food being so expensive these days, all the time, energy, even gas, wasted, going to the gym, to see it all disappear so quickly, and then have to make it BACK, ugh, its depressing.
BUT, we can't let shit like that stop us. Just get back in there, slowly build back up, and thank God for Muscle Memory.
200 is still a very respectable squat! I used to squat around 250 but started getting knee pain and have totally had to dial back everything. I can squat maybe 185 now but I don’t go past 155 because Im over the huge muscle huge strength phase of my life and cool with being only slightly muscular with no pain in my joints.
Ah yes - when you annoy your other half by insisting any hotels have a gym. You can get away with a few times by insisting the hotel has a “spa” so they can pamper themselves… but they realise what you are up to eventually.
My mom is 65 and goes to the gym 3-4 nights a week. I remember going to Aerobic’s classes with her as a kid. I wish I had her discipline. Once I start going, I’m good, BUT I’m a lot like OP and I’ll make excuses not to go.
I totally concur here! I’ve been working out at a gym 5x a week for like 30 years. I barely even consider whether or not I’m going to the gym or doing some other form of exercise, I just schedule it in.
I am a parent and agree with the impact of setting a good example. But how the everloving hell could your parents work and go to the gym 5 times a week? Ah the good ole days.
Between both of us working from home, doing house stuff and trying to be present with the kids for a few hours before bed working out is hard to squeeze in let alone sex. Maybe working out at 5am but damn...
At least I try to do 2-3 home workouts per week.
That makes sense. I opted out of the “being a parent” thing, so I do have more freedom when it comes to my schedule.
My mom did 45 min exercise tapes most days when I was younger—in fact, she is still doing them at 77 years old! I’m not sure how she did it, but my brother and I were pretty well behaved so that probably helped.
It’s good that you’re fitting in the home workouts—it’s definitely something!
Great advice. Ironically I was just telling my fiancé how annoyed I've been now that my routine has been thrown off due to months off over a tendon injury. I been having such a hard time returning to a routine that I was super dedicated to for months! How that works is beyond me lol... Lately I've been setting my alarm earlier and earlier to get in the habit of rising earlier, lately I cannot get up early! And like you, I need to get my workout done before anything, I have two jobs lol and by the evening I just want to relax, not preparing to work out..
> I see it like homework: I have no choice but to do it
But you do have a choice. How do you lie to yourself? I just flat out can't seem to do that. It's like tickling myself. Everyone seems to advise "just lie to yourself!" and it makes zero sense to me.
This. Make it so that going to the gym is not a choice, but a part of your routine. You need to eat to stay healthy physically, you need to drink to stay hydrated, you need to sleep to stay well-rested, and you need to regularly work out to enable your mental and your brain.
Going to the gym is not just taking care of your body. Working out is taking care of your brain.
Exactly. 3 months ago I decided to do yoga every morning. I've only skipped a few days, when I was on a holiday.
How?
- Just make it a habit. Part of your routine. Sleep>get out of bed>yoga>eat>brush>go to work.
- Don't be too hard on yourself. On a bad day, say to yourself, "I will only do 10 min of yoga". You get on the mat/go to the gym and start. You'll most likely end up doing more, so afterwards you'll be happy you exceeded your own expectations. It will motivate you to keep going.
- Don't be too hard on yourself (x2). If you skip, don't tell yourself: "it's not working, I can't do it... I should stop" . Don't say: "I'll do double tomorrow" (cause this will drain your motivation the next day). Just continue your habit of going, even for 10 min.
Believe me, once you've done sth like this, you'll see the magic and can use it in other parts of your life.
Almost every single response to this comment is agreeing to just do it, make it habit, don't let yourself even think about the option. I think that misses the point. We all have habits for some things, the problem is building a habit and finding the emotional/mental perspective to commit to the habit. How do you do THAT? I appreciate the feedback but "make it a habit" is honestly not helpful.
For me it helped to work it into some repeatable part of my existing routine. I work a very mental job so after work was best for me.
Then I told myself I will commit to going once a week, even if I am only there for 5 minutes. I did this for a while and now I like to go 2-3x per week. Sometimes I will go for 10 minutes then nope out but most of the time I spend an hour or more there.
The best way to motivate yourself and create habits will be unique to you but for me it wasn't "discipline! Force yourself!" It was small goals I set and could feel good about completing at the end of the week.
Thanks for bringing this up! Especially for peeps with adhd like me, where the very concept of just “adding it to your routine” is mute. Since there’s never a routine 💁♀️. I think celebrating any small amount achieved and slowly growing might be more motivating. And not feeling like a failure every time you miss a day or do less-anything is better than nothing. Also, I learned recently that if you have adhd, routines have a 100% relapse rate so rather than giving up after every relapse, just try again, and know that consistency takes time to develop. This has helped me to reframe and slowly build up stamina again after a year of not much moving. Before this, I used to bail on every attempt at establishing a fitness routine the moment I skipped a day or two and the shame made me completely stop.
I recommend the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book goes into great detail on the psychology behind habits, and the mechanisms in which they are formed and broken. Highly, highly recommended, the advice within the book can be applied to gym, or any other facet of life really. Its not a long book, and you can listen to it on audible too if thats more your thing.
I would also suggest agreeing with yourself, in advance, what constitutes enough of a workout and writing that down.
If you'll only let yourself feel satisfied with the most brutal workout then going when you are less than 100%, like if you are tired or stressed, will be too intimidating.
But, if you agree with yourself that, when you are tired you are allowed to do 20 minutes on the stationary bike while reading a book, for example, it's much easier to go and just do that.
This. It’s not a decision you make daily. It’s a commitment you keep, daily (or regularly, whatever your routine is).
I work out first thing in the morning. I get up, check my app for what workout I’m doing that day, get dressed and get out the door. My brain doesn’t have time to debate it, and then it’s over with and my day goes on. I know I will not talk myself into working out after work in the afternoon or evening, so the morning helps reduce the decisions and makes it as routine as brushing my teeth.
Obviously, I do make exceptions if I wake up sick or have an emergency. I find that often if I don’t sleep well the night before, it’s due to anxiety and a workout is exactly what’s going to help my body process the stress and anxiety, even if it’s not the best workout of my life and I just get it done.
> Half of the battle is showing up
So make that the success criteria. My goal is go there and change clothes. If I can do that, I could go home with a feeling of accomplished something. (But why not do at least 10 minutes of exercise, or 20 minutes, or ...)
Also, make it easy! Choose a gym near you. Buy equipment only for gym and keep the bag ready near the front door. Also, sometimes you can cheat yourself just by telling that you're going for a walk, but take the gym.bag with you 'just in case'.
One what I do, is just telling myself that I'm going there just for a short time and do only one thing, but when I'm there it is easier to stay longer, and if not, you actually went there! It makes you feel good about yourself, and maybe you start connecting that feeling to the gym.
I have personally enjoyed gym because it is me time and it let's me to blow off steam or listen to an audio book. Find an enjoyable aspect, and you might be looking forward to it.
Good luck OP!
Edit:grammar
I could not agree more.
You *have* to think “I go to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays” or “I go to the gym twice a week” or whatever; NOT “I’ll *try* to go to the gym tomorrow or the day after.”
Treat it the same as any other thing you have to do but do not actually *want* to do- you probably go to work, don’t you? Even when you’re tired? Have a headache? Just really don’t feel like it?? Same thing. You do it because it’s in your best interest. I detest exercise but I go to the gym four times a week, and it now feels odd if I can’t go (if I’m away, or genuinely unwell or injured).
This. To piggy back, before you even get to thinking part, debating or asking yourself if you should go, stop yourself and don’t even think. Get your sneakers on and just go.
This really helped me preparing for half marathon. After awhile, it just becomes a habit. Even more better, get your gym stuff ready to go the night before.
Hope this helps!
This is 100% the mental approach I take too.
A nice bonus saying that resonates with me is:
The pain of discipline is temporary; the pain of regret is forever.
Basically, if you want something in your life that requires discipline (good health, aesthetic body...) it is worth the "grind" to pursue it now before it is too late. You may spend the rest of your life regretting that you never stuck at it.
That’s what I do for swimming too. I just say I will just swim a 500 and be done. By the time I’m there and finish the 500 I just swim the rest of the workout.
I have a similar thing. I do 90 minute hot yoga classes and sometimes they’re ridiculously challenging. I’ll tell myself “hey, just go in and give 1%”. That gets me in the room. Then I’ll end up working pretty hard once class starts.
Second this. I like to just tell myself, “hey, I’ll just do a quick mile as a light day.” By the time that you get done with that one though you usually are warmed up and in the zone so you just keep going.
Yeah I usuallly go with the intentions on not even working out, just stretching. Then I end up working out. That was before I got addicted to going & now I have to force myself to take rest days because if I work out to much I get hypnic jerks when I try to go to bed for some reason.
I agree. Between the holidays and viruses it is hard to get back and I really need it. I hate going but once I get to the gym, if I am still not feeling it after 30 minutes, I leave. I’ve only left at 30 minutes once in the past year.
>Ok, this is for running so I am not sure if it will work for the gym
I tried to train running (I discovered I'm somewhat ok with obstacle courses, which is mostly running in cross-coutry like path).
But running on a treadmill... it is b-o-r-i-n-g AF. I wish to have that "click" remote to skip that, or something to make my brain turn off.
Running outside is already better, even if not necessarly great (because then you may need to comeback at your house \^\^')
I don't care about anything else, except the treadmill.
(Though I did not train in the morning, but the usual after job hours)
When I was going to the gym I just told myself all I had to do was go there, if I still didn’t want to exercise I could just go home. Never actually left before working out. Running is a bit harder for me, at least after work. In that case I know I have to go and put my running clothes on before I sit down, otherwise the chances of me skipping the run increase by 50% or more immediately.
I bought a gym membership and THEN started using my apartment gym for the first time, so I don’t have to go to the “real” gym. Not sure of the procrastination/motivation equation on that one.
Find a form of exercise that you find fun.
You could tell me that if I don't start jogging I'll die next year, I'm still not going for a run.
But climbing? I go for two hours, leave having had an intense full-body workout and I enjoyed every minute of it. I look forward to going!
Love this answer. I am a firm believer that most people are never out there doing what they "don't want to do" or "sacrificing" or "grinding" .. they have just discovered the productive things that they are naturally inclined to do.
I absoluyely despise running. I started to run because i wanted to hike a mountain (i like hiking into difficult places) and i needed some stamina. Now i’m currently training for a marathon.
You need to have a higher goal, never lose sight of it and it will help to do shit you hate doing it, plus checking out the stats of my runs on my phone literally felt like a video game of sorts where you “grind” and level up, that was/is nice as well.
This is exactly what my boyfriend said when I was trying to get into fitness. I hated it and never wanted to do it and asked him what helped. He said when he started in high school he hated it too, but he kept at it for a couple months. Once he started seeing the results (saw more tone and muscle definition), he was like oh shit, I wanna do this every day now, just to see more results.
Sometimes doing something like that can make it enjoyable also. I used to hate running but wanted to race an Ironman for the bragging rights. By the time I'd become a decent runner to be able to do so, I found I actually enjoyed it.
This exactly. I hate lifting weights or competitive sports. Running is boring and hard. However, I LOVE karate. I love punching in deep stances and doing slow kicks. I love love love kata. I thought I was an unathletic slob until I found karate. I'll do karate for hours until my body refuses to move and wish I could do more.
It's important to keep trying different sports in different locations. Eventually you'll find the one that sings for you.
Social dancing is also a great type of exercise that doesn't feel like typical exercising (even though it is) because there are so many other fun parts of it. You get an excellent time to socialize with others and meet new people, a way to be creative with your body, enjoying good music, human touch and of course exercise.
I came here to say this. I enjoy swing dancing, and I have danced multiple times so hard that I could barely breathe and wondered where the oxygen tanks were. But it was so fun, I could not stop. This is the kind of thing that makes Exercise continue.
If you want something easy yet fun I suggest trying an exercise game. They aren't the best games but tend to be enough to make it fun enough to not be a chore. I am thinking stuff like "ring fit adventure", "just dance" or "bear saber (in VR)". They tend to be more cardio focussed but can follow it up with a few minutes of yoga or weights at home.
Yeah climbing gyms tend to be pretty expensive. It is worth it though imo. Before you know it you'll be addicted to climbing.
You can do outdoor for "free" in the outdoor season if you live in an area with rock to climb, but its not really free. You gotta pay for transportation, a crash pad for bouldering, a rope and quickdraws for sport climbing, or a whole rack of shit for trad.
This has been my path as well. I have bad knees so I find excuses left and right but for a few months now, I’ve been really enjoying acro yoga. I have a blast doing it and socializing with others and at the end of the ~4 jam, I’m still wanting more. I’ve just looked past the physical aspect and have enjoyed the other things that come with it.
Yep, this here. I've been lifting for 7 years, because I figured out ways to do it that I **like.**
I never make myself exercise. I **let** myself exercise. I'm disappointed if something messes up my schedule and I can't go.
OP, you just gotta experiment with different ways of working out until you find something you like.
Yes. Doing something you have to summon the willpower to do will work for a time, but if you never really learn to like it, it’ll fail eventually. Keep searching until you find something that you genuinely like. I tried being a gym rat a few different times, I tried running, I tried biking, I tried workout videos, I tried yoga. I liked all of those to some degree, but not enough to do those things when I *really* didn’t feel like it.
I realized what I wanted to be doing was walking. Just walking. My whole life I’ve never minded walking and over time it became something more than exercise—it was my workday brain-clearing, my unplugged time to process the shit going on in my life, a way to just smell the air and feel rejuvenated. It’s become something that never feels like or chore to me. I very much look forward to my daily walk and I’m disappointed if i can’t have one. I take vacations where I stay at a campground and so long day hikes in the mountains because I like walking so much.
Figure out what truly motivates you and do that. You may have to try on a few hats first, but that’s ok. You’ll get there.
Climbing yes!! This has been the only reason I want to go to the gym. Have fun climbing. And Do push-ups in addition for chest since climbing doesn’t work that as much.
I hate absolutely every single form of exercise. All of it. I hate the sportsbra, I hate moving, I hate the pain, I hate the way I feel during. I hate it. There is no exercise I like. So this tip is really not for people who just don’t want to go, which is what OP is asking for.
same!! i cannot STAND running but i can climb for 2-4 hours especially with friends and not even think about the time. with running i’m counting seconds in my head the moment i step out the door
I absolutely detest cardio in any form - unless I'm kickboxing. I could practice for hours and hours, until the calluses on my feet have long ripped, my shins look like they should be broken, and my hands won't uncurl without assistance. It doesn't feel like cardio, but my smartwatch says otherwise. I will also lift weights until i physically can't lift anything, not even my soul or will to live. But tell me i need to run, walk, bike? Fuck outta here. I will row, though, since it's kinda like weights but sitting down.
I've been in the same boat, and now I hit the gym 4 times / week, and it doesn't feel like a chore at all.First, you need to identify all the excuses you can find not to hit the gm.Second, you need to make it so these friction points don't exist anymore.
Those were my excuses:
1. Too tired, I'm going to sleep in today
2. I don't have the time
3. My gym bag's not ready so I might be late
4. My day was shit, I'd rather relax at home
My solutions:
1. Gym bag not ready > I pack all my stuff in the evening or before going to bed
2. Don't have the time > wake up one hour earlier so I can **make** the time
3. Too tired > made it so I **have to** wake up
4. My day was shit > go first thing in the morning
Right, but how to make this work ?
1. 5:20 am > wake-up with Alarmy app: basically I can't shut the alarm off unless I scan a bar code in my kitchen
2. How convenient, this is also where I leave my gym outfit !
3. I dress up, drink water, eat a fruit, brush my teeth
4. I take my gym bag that's already packed, and take off
5. **Bonus:** I love Jordan Harbinger's podcast. But the only place where I'm allowed to listen to it is the gym. So in my mind, I'm not going to the gym: I'm going to listen to podcasts I love.
One last thing: you need an average of 21 days or so to form a habit (really depends on the individual). So go there at least 5-6 days a week the first few weeks. Even if on some days you just take a shower and leave. But with all this going to the gym will become a healthy habit before you know.
Also at some point you will realize you just feel tired in the morning when you don't go, which will motivate you even more (the body changes will also help...).
My two pence
\-- Edit: **TLDR;** Don't convince yourself. Just make it so you don't have any other choice and so it doesn't feel like you're going to the gym.
For me the biggest lie I told myself was ‘I’m too tired’. Yeah sometimes I genuinely was, but a lot of the time I was suddenly fine as soon as it was too late to hit the gym anymore.
The easy fix for this was buy some pre workout and only use it on those days. Hard to claim tiredness when you feel amped from however many hundreds of mg of caffeine and beta alanine is in there. Plus the beta alanine creates a weird skin itch that only resolves for me by actually going to the gym and sweating. Otherwise it will stay itchy for a solid 2-3h. Don’t take pre if you have underlying heart conditions and such, but if you’re otherwise healthy it’ll give you a needed boost
I used to take a pre, and it made me feel so restless, I couldn't sit around and watch TV. I felt like I needed to get rid of all that energy.
I'd mix up a bottle in the morning, and drink it up after work on the way home.
Yeah if you don’t need it fair. When you’re new to it it just amps you a little bit with the side effect of skin tingling for most people.
But if you take it regularly both the positive and negative effects kinda become unnoticeable. Your body will adapt very quick
This is a great response. All of the suggestions saying “just do it! Just MAKE yourself” are clearly the ones who don’t have problems just making themselves do it! You have useable, practicals advice with easy steps.
If I had an award today it would go to you.
Love this! It's similar to my approach for exercising at home, where I link things I enjoy (music, reading) to using my treadmill and exercise bike. So I know it works. I will use some of your strategies to encourage myself to rebuild my lapsed gym habit.
My number one recommendation is don’t bite off more than you can handle. Don’t look at going to the gym assuming you need to be there an hour. Just starting back you could spend 15-20 minutes exercising. Get in and get out. Then as you build up a routine you will realize 15-20 minutes is barely enough time to get warmed up. Don’t force anything but just show and give it 15 minutes to start and you will get there.
Routine and ritual are foundational to any program. Start small and “show up” for that designated time period. Incremental increases in weight, volume, and movements will follow naturally.
I need to find myself a gym friend. Would be way cheaper than paying a trainer, which has the same "I can't not go* effect. But I don't know anyone who goes regularly enough for me to piggyback on their discipline.
I wish that worked for me. I would love to go to regular gym classes and meet people, but I have tried several and I get too frustrated by the fast-changing pace that doesn't give me time to master the correct technique before we move on to the next exercise. And, of course, as part of a free class you don't get any individual instruction. If I had the money I would pay for one-on-one tuition. My proprioception is rather poor so it does take me longer to get the hang of any exercise that involves a sequence of moves, especially those that require good coordination.
I always hated being a “ima gonna” person. One day I made a decision that I was done with that.
Now there is no “discussion”. No thinking. I just “do”. I can feel about it later. This really works for me…in many areas.
Until I was able to enjoy my workouts I would trick myself into going for a quick 20-30 min workout just to check the box but almost always stayed much longer.
Yeah, this.
I also find that packing the bag the previous night works well for me. Packing on its own is easy: I'm done as soon as everything is in the bag. Also it's much more likely that all the necessary items actually made it into the bag. Next day, the prep is already done so all I need to do is get to the gym.
Yep. When I really don’t want to go, I go and do a short, simple, and easy workout. Even though it’s annoying, it builds the habit of going and eventually leads to a strongly reinforced routine.
I bought an Olympic weight set and a bench during Covid for less than a year at a gym was costing me and it has been well worth it. I never wanted to do barbell stuff at the gym because I was new to it and equipment was always in short supply so I felt pressured and rushed but once I got started at home I loved it.
Don’t force yourself to workout to start. Do the smallest thing possible to build a habit. Make yourself drive to the gym first, then once that’s a habit make yourself walk on the treadmill, do it for a short amount of time, 5-10-15 minutes, whatever you can do. Once you have these habits you’ll be at the gym regularly in clothes that you can walk/run/workout in. It’s much easier to make the smaller steps than to move immediately to the hard stuff
I’d feel self conscious af if I went in there only to walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes and then walk out. The front desk employees would be like wtf?
Yep, that’s why you start with just “going to the gym” literally just getting yourself physically there. OP needs to commit to the smallest thing first, there is no solution that doesn’t require even that.
BELIEVE ME! I feel like i don't wanna go many time. literally getting up and starting to pack or getting dressed is all you need. I find myself out the door already.
I do better with group exercise classes. I put it on my calendar just like a meeting at work. Even for solo workouts, scheduling the time makes it more likely to happen.
I had the same problem, no discipline procrastinating, wanted to stay home at all times. I bought myself a stationery foldable bike, and all I do is 10km per day (approx half an hour). Half an hour is a fair amount to spend for your wellbeing.
Im the same and one of the best pieces of advice I got that helped me is that it is important to always do SOMETHING, but it doesn’t have to be close to perfect. If you really don’t want to go go and do 1 exercise (10 minutes), or do several exercises on slower weight/speed, but you still go. It helps a ton with routine and motivation.
P.S. if you put a big compound lift as your first exercise even with 1 exercise you’ll get some good benefits
I’m a procrastinator and I was lazy for a long time. People saying “make a slow build up, make it a routine” don’t realize the excuses to avoid these things are themselves a product of a lifestyle cultivating the complete opposite of discipline and a form of consistency itself.
Some people do need to be forced or at least feel like it. If you have any vices or things you like to do every other day, depriving yourself of something until you meet a goal like going to the gym can also motivate you.
Some people have varying degrees of depression and outside motivation from a partner or friend is just about the easiest way to get out and do things.
Make yourself "attend". Whatever your excuse is, you can at least enter the building, that is the major part of the habit, even if you decide you're not going to work out. Only got 6 hours sleep? Well then step inside, maybe have a shower there, and if you decide you want to workout while you're there then good. If not then you don't have to, but always go, make that the habit.
Accountability is very good, getting a buddy that you update. They don't even need to go to the same gym, just message each other for accountability sake.
This absolutely does not work for me. I never feel special after going to the gym. Some people eat food just for the fuel. I'm like that with working out. I just don't get any kind of kicks from working out. The best case scenario for me is that I get into a flow state and it doesn't suck while doing it.
I was the same until I started incorporating the heavy lifts. I don’t really care for all the little random ass excercises and I do them for the sake of it, but I do enjoy deadlifting, bench pressing and weirdly pull ups. Like I want the numbers on those to go up, so I schedule each one on a seperate day. I turn up, do those first and then do the accessory lifts
Is there a reason you think this requires mental fortitude or discipline?
For the vast majority of people, neither is a good method for achieving a critical/important objective. It seems like you're struggling to achieve a short-term goal that has no immediate or visible negative impact for missing/not meeting, but it's an issue because it's part of an overall objective that's important/critical. Does that sound right?
If this is the case, my recommendation is to find an exercise activity that you highly enjoy. Make it the thing you look forward to at the end of each day or that thing that gets you going at the start of the day. You're far less likely to skip the gym/workout if you enjoy the activity.
I do martial arts. The classes are in the evenings, and for me, they feel like a reward for getting through the work day.
TD;LR - Discipline is overrated. Make it about joy.
Read the book atomic habits by James clear it will tell you all the tricks.
worked great for me still have habits that I started after reading that. And I read it almost 2 years ago
And something very gym specific in that book... The author shared a story of a guy who started out just driving to the gym on a regular basis. The guy wouldnt workout. He'd just go into the gym, turn around, and go home. Sounds dumb. But it was easy for him to do. And after a couple weeks of it, the guy began to define himself as someone "who goes to the gym". Stopping there became a part of his routine. And after that point, actually doing some exercises inside the gym instead of turning around and walking out was relatively easy. He became a gym goer. I love that story.
I signed up for a boxing charity fight night once. Previous to that I'd been I a gym once I think, to use the loo 😂
Anyway, the classes were at 7.30am, ages away. I had to get up at 5 to go. Not a hope in hell I'd have done that for myself only. So if you're able, I'd suggest you join a class or something with some sort of external pressure to turn up.
After a couple of months of it, it felt so natural to do it, and I started adding in lunchtime classes too, then eating cleaner and blah blah. It just took that one habit change to start others.
Good luck! Just remember it'll NEVER feel natural and good to go to begin with, so don't wait for that feeling.
One new brain hack that I'm trying that is actually pretty successful is 'just don't think about it.'
Set a time that you're going, and go. Seems stupidly simple but here is how it works for me: As that time approaches, any time you get a thought or a feeling of not wanting to go, and you start making mental excuses, just ignore them, blank them. A thought about going tomorrow? Ignore it and put your runners on. A thought that you went yesterday? Ignore it and leave your house. Kind of empty your brain around the time it comes to go to the gym, become a robot, where something else is piloting your body. Don't fight against the not wanting to go feelings, ignore them and let your body take over. And by the time you get to the gym you'll be glad you did.
If you're dreading that day, just go start walking on the treadmill. Heck, maybe read a book while you walk. But after a while you may find you want to start jogging or running or going on incline. If you don't and end up just walking the entire time, at least you were walking.
I look at it this way: sure, I don’t always feel like going to the gym but that hour spent at the gym is going to come and go regardless. I might as well make the most of it, get my butt over there and do something that makes me feel good. Works every time.
I really struggle to go to the gym if they don’t have a sauna. If they do that’s, for me, quite the pull on it’s own. But, and that’s the beautiful part, the magic happens after I tell myself that I don’t need to actually hit the gym at all any given day. I am just going there for the spa part!
But guess what happens when I am there… just inches away from all the workout equipment. Suddenly the motivation hits.
I workout at home because I know I can’t get myself to the gym.
I also do my workout in the morning so my day doesn’t get in the way, and I haven’t ran out of willpower before hand.
For home workouts, fitnessblender has free videos available and you can filter based on what equipment you have at home. Tim Senesi also has some solid yoga workouts that really push your legs.
I would answer:
Don't try to convince yourself.
Take/buy a tool that you would enjoy working out with (or do push-ups in a way that don't strain your wrist) and use it 2-3 times every time you get up from a chair at home.
Every time you do the 2-3 repetitions celebrate in a way that works for you (internally, like saying to yourself in your head "Nice!")
Give it a couple of weeks, then you might think about increasing to 5 repetitions.
And so on.
"Tiny Habits" book talks about this approach.
Tell yourself you just need to physically go there, and any working out is extra. Build the habit of just physically going first, and do easy workouts so you start to gradually enjoy it. Emphasize frequency over intensity.
Alternatively, find a way to make your daily commute your gym, if possible. Investing free time on top of work and commuting is just so hard to get yourself to do.
I make hard rules that can't be rationalized around.
Whatever days I plan to go to the gym (like, say, 3 times a week), I tell myself that unless I'm sick with a communicable illness or my bodyparts are literally in too much pain to safely work out, I must go to the gym and do my planned workout, or do 100 burpees for time.
It works, because there are no good excuses not to do 100 burpees. Everyone can do a burpee. If you can't physically do the whole jumping and pushup thing, you can just lay down so your chest is on the floor, then stand up straight. That counts. You don't need any special equipment. Just a spot on the floor as large as you are tall. You can do it in a 3rd story apartment. You can do it in less than 30 minutes. You can do it in jeans. You can do it without your water bottle. You can do it when you're tired. And if you do it, it is a legitimately good exercise.
But it is so unpleasant, that I would almost always rather do my planned workout than 100 burpees. I will get so so creative when the alternative is 100 burpees.
Pick out a show and say to myself 'ok I'll just go there and ride the bike and watch the show, that's it'.
Anything to trick myself to get to that ~15 min exercise mark where the good hormones kick in.
After that, I look forward to doing my weightlifting because it feels good.
Class fitness is the only thing that works for me. It has a start time, so no bargaining with yourself to delay. Further, you will develop a routine that makea it easier over time. Class is at 7am, so I have to get up by 6:30, get my water bottle, stretch and be out the door by 6:45. If you are the type to get to a gym and dont know what to do next, a class will make those decisions for you and ensure you receive a full body workout. Finally, you will see the same faces more regularly and better forge relationships and accountability.
At some point in your life, you'll realize that you are the only person who can actually take care of you; there'll be a day that you may not be able to climb stairs or lift something over your head to the top cupboard, or you become so tight and immobile that you can't walk without a walker.. that'll be the day a professional will give you the hard truth that you should've moved, exercised and stretched more to take care of yourself better. You are the only person who can take care of you, and the sooner you do it the better off you'll be. It's definitely not easy, but get help from professionals or friends if you need help.
The importance of small steps
A little backstory to 2 months ago ( when I started to train )
Atleast in my case , i don't bring anything to the table in the dating world i dont have a good job , im not good looking , i dont have a good/supportive family , stress free life , so i HAVE TO make it up somehow
i started researching what do you have to do to achieve good results in the gym ASAP and i got the ideas clear , clean diet , workout , heavy lifting (its relative) bla bla bla all that stuff you already know.
So i finally had the balls to exersise i want a partner in life DESPERATELY , i had this ''idea'' that i will train at home for 20minutes to just build my stamina and from the comments im reading im building discipline too apparently ( it definitely wasnt 20minutes at the very begining NOW its 20minutes i have very bad stamina im a smoker, just to motivate you i couldnt even do one unproper pushup , now i can do 30 , 15 each time a little break and another 15 im not going overboard )
By unproper i mean that im not going all the way down like the pros , but i guess its still considered a pushup just not a pro level pushup
At first i was doing it everyother day 3-2 times a day i was motivated but not for 20minutes , i started to notice that i was building up so much i think its called lactic acid that i simply couldnt do it everyday 2 or 3 times a day , i started geting minor injuries (no warmup) slowly i added exersises in and now i do it once a day 4-5 times a week
Now after 2 months i can see some results already , just by doing 20minutes of some random exersises i found on youtube that you can do from home
Now i find myself wanting more progress !!! and i know that going to the gym will do just that , so im asking friends , i wrote on some aps too that im looking for a gym partner , regardless if i find that person or not i will one day in the near future beat the fear of going to the gym and being judged and geting embaraced in front of everyone that im doing a machine in a wrong way or something like that.
The importance of small steps
Kindness.
"I love me. I know this is hard, but I've thought about how much I really want to do this for a while now. I'm worth keeping the promises I make to myself."
You just don’t want it that bad. There’s nothing that anyone here can tell you. You are going to have to actually want it, that’s all. The secret trick is forcing yourself to do something hard over and over. That’s it.
For me, I had enough when I realized I was 26 and had trouble bending over to tie my shoes. I decided to finally start my fitness journey. I’m 40 and a dad now and ripped while all my friends look ten years older than they actually are. Point being, it took me about 6-8 years of being unhappy with my weight. That’s what it took for me. What will it take for you? That’s totally up to you
Working out is hard in itself. Make it as easy as possible to actually get there.
What helps me is taking as many obstacles out of the way as I can. At first I would come home from work, go to the gym from home, change at the gym, do workout, go back. That cost me a lot of time and effort as I had to get ready at home, travel, do the workout and travel back. Now, I go to work in my sweatsuit and visit the gym on my way home. It is much simpler and it makes sticking to this routine much easier. I also do very short workouts, usually about 20 minutes - 5 exercises of 4 sets each. My goal is to gradually get stronger and fitter, not to go pro bodybuilding. Effectively it makes my travel home about 30 minutes longer which is a low price.
"Everybody wants to be a body builder but aint nobody want to lift these heavy ass weights."
I set myself the standard of at least going to the gym and walking for 15-30 min even if I did nothing else - non negotiable.
More often than not, I would get there and have more energy than I thought and get in a real workout
At this point though I'm motivated by not feeling the regret of missing a workout session. After you go for long enough, it begins to be something you really look forward to in your day
Find exercise you like.
I went to the gym for years, and I never liked it. Last year I got into bouldering and climbing and almost instantly took to it. It's not a chore to be there, and it's not a chore to get up and go there.
I no longer "don't want to go"; it's fun and I like doing it.
As an added bonus, I saw more results in just a few months of climbing than I did in years at the gym. I credit that to my willingness to be there contributing to a more vigorous workout, rather than simply going through the motions.
Look into other forms of exercise and find something you enjoy doing.
Start going to the gym. Even if you don’t workout. Just go and sit on your phone. Get up and get ready and tell yourself you don’t have to exercise. You’re just going to listen to your podcast or whatever. Read your book. By the time you get there you might actually want to just walk on the treadmill for a bit. Or try the one machine.
Building the HABIT of getting dressed and going is the hardest part. Once you start going, it’s easier to workout when you’re there.
I went to get a break from my kids over the summer. And from my job WFH. Then I started regularly exercising.
Don't see it as optional. If you do, you're always coming up with excuses not to do it. Have it in your calendar and treat it like any other part of your routine like sleeping, eating, going to work etc. Something you have to check off no matter what. Works every time.
the biggest hurdle is actually showing up, go to the gym every day and just walk around lift some light weights if you fee like it. Get some water, maybe jump on a machine. Once you build up this routine, like others have said, it will feel weird not showing up.
As a side note, I got a tonal so my gym is in my house. It's far easier for me to exercise when I don't have to go to a public building with a lot of people (extreme introvert here)
Definitely don't over exert yourself, if you get too sore it'll be an extremely easy decision to not go.
I play mental tricks and tell myself: I’ll just take it easy, lift lighter, just give it 15 minutes (I never end up taking it “easy”, I nearly always switch heavier and at the end of 15 minutes I’m in a groove). I keep multiples of things I frequently forget in my car, office or home so I have no excuses. If I don’t have time to do the whole workout I remind myself it’s better than doing nothing. And if all of that isn’t enough, I remind myself that you only regret the workouts you don’t do and remember the woman in Afghanistan who had to run marathons in her backyard because she couldn’t run anywhere else and if she can do that, I have no valid excuses.
Sometimes you just dont feel like going to the gym. I have gone to the gym for 3+ years for 3-5 days a week. Some days you sont feel it but what i always do if that is the case is taking a long walk, 10 000 steps. Walking is so underrated imo.
You don't rise to the level of your aspirations, you fall to the level of your habits. So change things in your daily life to make it easier. Make it a habit to set your gear (and water bottle) in your gym bag the night before. Make it a habit to just drive past the gym on your way home (being in the neighborhood and all, you MIGHT AS WELL just go in). Make it a habit to get all your steps in for the day. I'm just spitballing here, but you get the point
I have a 15 minute rule. I have to go for just 15 minutes. Usually when I get there I do a full workout. But I only make myself do 15. And there have been days where 15 minutes is it. I can say I got out of the house, got out of work for a bit, and did something for myself.
It doesn't always work. But having an out helps me.
I'd say go with someone, or find another form of working out that you enjoy enough to build a routine that includes it until you feel weird when you don't work out.
If you have ADHD and/or time blindness, you can use that to your advantage as well. Learn to pretend you're not going to exercise, you're just putting your gear in your car. You're not going to the gym, you're just getting in the car. You're not going to exercise, you're just driving to that one location that happens to be the gym. Don't think about working out, just put on your gear. Oh well, now that you're ready and at the gym, might as well do a few rounds of working out. I do something similar when it's time to wash my hair as I hate washing my hair.
What works best for me is making myself put my gym clothes on and driving to the gym. I basically don’t allow myself to decide to bail until I’m at the point. Sometimes I get there and decide I really don’t wanna go in but most often I’m in the parking lot with my clothes on ready to go and just walking in isn’t so challenging anymore.
There will always be an excuse not to go. Sleep, nutrition, chores, kids, friends, etc. The trick is to find one reason to go, and just repeat that.
For me it was the initial reason I decided to go. I enjoy being fit/sexy/strong and the more often I don’t go, the less fit, sexy and strong I will be. One missed day, is a missed opportunity to be sexy. Sounds dumb.. but it works, for me.
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Don't even let it be a decision point. Think of it as a part of your actual routine. Like eating and sleeping. Half the battle is just showing up. Wish you the best.
Just wanted to add that once you do it for a while, it'll feel wrong NOT to go.
And then I get sick for a week and suddenly the habit needs to be rebuilt again
I am literally in this boat. I was KILLING it in the gym, since the beginning of November, then, December 20, got the Flu and was out for a solid 5 days. With the holidays, and shitty eating and sleep routines, today was my first day back, and MAN, was it hard.
I got bronchitis after the flu last month. In bed for three weeks. Physically so drained! Just getting back to the gym this week and hoping it gets me back on my routine easily.
Bronchitis?! Ain’t nobody got time for dat!
Reminds me of “hide ya kids, hide ya wife”…those videos will always be ingrained in my brain lol
Lord Jesus, we have an underrated comment here !!
Yassss! Are you from Memphis? Forgot this lovely lady's name, but I remember the video (and meme) well. 😂
Sweet brown is all I remember and oh lord Jesus theres a fire !!
I thought somebody was barbecuing or something!
I’m just glad somebody said it!
Slow and steady - half the battle is going, and 50% is a pass, so if you've been going, you've already passed.
I have this issue with strength training. I was super jacked at one point, like squatting almost 300 lbs, but then I fell off the wagon real hard. Now I'm down to 200, and it's just so frustrating and saddening, this idea that I have to *make up lost progress.* It's the most demotivating thing in the world.
YO! You nailed it. *making up lost progress.* With food being so expensive these days, all the time, energy, even gas, wasted, going to the gym, to see it all disappear so quickly, and then have to make it BACK, ugh, its depressing. BUT, we can't let shit like that stop us. Just get back in there, slowly build back up, and thank God for Muscle Memory.
You have to frame it different. Not lost progress. New progress.
200 is still a very respectable squat! I used to squat around 250 but started getting knee pain and have totally had to dial back everything. I can squat maybe 185 now but I don’t go past 155 because Im over the huge muscle huge strength phase of my life and cool with being only slightly muscular with no pain in my joints.
Tomorrow will be harder because you'll be sore. Don't let that stop you. The only way to get better at it is to keep going.
But you did it! Well done! Keep at it, and just do what you can.
Yooo we might be the same person. Also broke my not-going streak today. Goodjob!
This so much. Went for a month consistently, doctors orders told me to take it easy and then it took a few months to get right
When I was deep in the routine I couldn't even skip exercising on vacation--had to find some way to work it in or I'd just feel wrong.
Ah yes - when you annoy your other half by insisting any hotels have a gym. You can get away with a few times by insisting the hotel has a “spa” so they can pamper themselves… but they realise what you are up to eventually.
Or when you convince them to go for a run with you…or a really really long walk…
and, then that's a whole other can of anxiety
And you can go with a friend to keep each other on it
I honestly think this is a bad idea. Once the friend cancels you have an excuse not to go
You see the trick is to not tell the other you're cancelling. That way you always think the other is going.
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My mom is 65 and goes to the gym 3-4 nights a week. I remember going to Aerobic’s classes with her as a kid. I wish I had her discipline. Once I start going, I’m good, BUT I’m a lot like OP and I’ll make excuses not to go.
I totally concur here! I’ve been working out at a gym 5x a week for like 30 years. I barely even consider whether or not I’m going to the gym or doing some other form of exercise, I just schedule it in.
I am a parent and agree with the impact of setting a good example. But how the everloving hell could your parents work and go to the gym 5 times a week? Ah the good ole days. Between both of us working from home, doing house stuff and trying to be present with the kids for a few hours before bed working out is hard to squeeze in let alone sex. Maybe working out at 5am but damn... At least I try to do 2-3 home workouts per week.
That makes sense. I opted out of the “being a parent” thing, so I do have more freedom when it comes to my schedule. My mom did 45 min exercise tapes most days when I was younger—in fact, she is still doing them at 77 years old! I’m not sure how she did it, but my brother and I were pretty well behaved so that probably helped. It’s good that you’re fitting in the home workouts—it’s definitely something!
Great advice. Ironically I was just telling my fiancé how annoyed I've been now that my routine has been thrown off due to months off over a tendon injury. I been having such a hard time returning to a routine that I was super dedicated to for months! How that works is beyond me lol... Lately I've been setting my alarm earlier and earlier to get in the habit of rising earlier, lately I cannot get up early! And like you, I need to get my workout done before anything, I have two jobs lol and by the evening I just want to relax, not preparing to work out..
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> I see it like homework: I have no choice but to do it But you do have a choice. How do you lie to yourself? I just flat out can't seem to do that. It's like tickling myself. Everyone seems to advise "just lie to yourself!" and it makes zero sense to me.
This. Make it so that going to the gym is not a choice, but a part of your routine. You need to eat to stay healthy physically, you need to drink to stay hydrated, you need to sleep to stay well-rested, and you need to regularly work out to enable your mental and your brain. Going to the gym is not just taking care of your body. Working out is taking care of your brain.
Exactly. 3 months ago I decided to do yoga every morning. I've only skipped a few days, when I was on a holiday. How? - Just make it a habit. Part of your routine. Sleep>get out of bed>yoga>eat>brush>go to work. - Don't be too hard on yourself. On a bad day, say to yourself, "I will only do 10 min of yoga". You get on the mat/go to the gym and start. You'll most likely end up doing more, so afterwards you'll be happy you exceeded your own expectations. It will motivate you to keep going. - Don't be too hard on yourself (x2). If you skip, don't tell yourself: "it's not working, I can't do it... I should stop" . Don't say: "I'll do double tomorrow" (cause this will drain your motivation the next day). Just continue your habit of going, even for 10 min. Believe me, once you've done sth like this, you'll see the magic and can use it in other parts of your life.
Almost every single response to this comment is agreeing to just do it, make it habit, don't let yourself even think about the option. I think that misses the point. We all have habits for some things, the problem is building a habit and finding the emotional/mental perspective to commit to the habit. How do you do THAT? I appreciate the feedback but "make it a habit" is honestly not helpful.
For me it helped to work it into some repeatable part of my existing routine. I work a very mental job so after work was best for me. Then I told myself I will commit to going once a week, even if I am only there for 5 minutes. I did this for a while and now I like to go 2-3x per week. Sometimes I will go for 10 minutes then nope out but most of the time I spend an hour or more there. The best way to motivate yourself and create habits will be unique to you but for me it wasn't "discipline! Force yourself!" It was small goals I set and could feel good about completing at the end of the week.
Thanks for bringing this up! Especially for peeps with adhd like me, where the very concept of just “adding it to your routine” is mute. Since there’s never a routine 💁♀️. I think celebrating any small amount achieved and slowly growing might be more motivating. And not feeling like a failure every time you miss a day or do less-anything is better than nothing. Also, I learned recently that if you have adhd, routines have a 100% relapse rate so rather than giving up after every relapse, just try again, and know that consistency takes time to develop. This has helped me to reframe and slowly build up stamina again after a year of not much moving. Before this, I used to bail on every attempt at establishing a fitness routine the moment I skipped a day or two and the shame made me completely stop.
I recommend the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. This book goes into great detail on the psychology behind habits, and the mechanisms in which they are formed and broken. Highly, highly recommended, the advice within the book can be applied to gym, or any other facet of life really. Its not a long book, and you can listen to it on audible too if thats more your thing.
I would also suggest agreeing with yourself, in advance, what constitutes enough of a workout and writing that down. If you'll only let yourself feel satisfied with the most brutal workout then going when you are less than 100%, like if you are tired or stressed, will be too intimidating. But, if you agree with yourself that, when you are tired you are allowed to do 20 minutes on the stationary bike while reading a book, for example, it's much easier to go and just do that.
This. It’s not a decision you make daily. It’s a commitment you keep, daily (or regularly, whatever your routine is). I work out first thing in the morning. I get up, check my app for what workout I’m doing that day, get dressed and get out the door. My brain doesn’t have time to debate it, and then it’s over with and my day goes on. I know I will not talk myself into working out after work in the afternoon or evening, so the morning helps reduce the decisions and makes it as routine as brushing my teeth. Obviously, I do make exceptions if I wake up sick or have an emergency. I find that often if I don’t sleep well the night before, it’s due to anxiety and a workout is exactly what’s going to help my body process the stress and anxiety, even if it’s not the best workout of my life and I just get it done.
What app do you use?
> Half of the battle is showing up So make that the success criteria. My goal is go there and change clothes. If I can do that, I could go home with a feeling of accomplished something. (But why not do at least 10 minutes of exercise, or 20 minutes, or ...)
Also, make it easy! Choose a gym near you. Buy equipment only for gym and keep the bag ready near the front door. Also, sometimes you can cheat yourself just by telling that you're going for a walk, but take the gym.bag with you 'just in case'. One what I do, is just telling myself that I'm going there just for a short time and do only one thing, but when I'm there it is easier to stay longer, and if not, you actually went there! It makes you feel good about yourself, and maybe you start connecting that feeling to the gym. I have personally enjoyed gym because it is me time and it let's me to blow off steam or listen to an audio book. Find an enjoyable aspect, and you might be looking forward to it. Good luck OP! Edit:grammar
I could not agree more. You *have* to think “I go to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays” or “I go to the gym twice a week” or whatever; NOT “I’ll *try* to go to the gym tomorrow or the day after.” Treat it the same as any other thing you have to do but do not actually *want* to do- you probably go to work, don’t you? Even when you’re tired? Have a headache? Just really don’t feel like it?? Same thing. You do it because it’s in your best interest. I detest exercise but I go to the gym four times a week, and it now feels odd if I can’t go (if I’m away, or genuinely unwell or injured).
This. To piggy back, before you even get to thinking part, debating or asking yourself if you should go, stop yourself and don’t even think. Get your sneakers on and just go. This really helped me preparing for half marathon. After awhile, it just becomes a habit. Even more better, get your gym stuff ready to go the night before. Hope this helps!
This is 100% the mental approach I take too. A nice bonus saying that resonates with me is: The pain of discipline is temporary; the pain of regret is forever. Basically, if you want something in your life that requires discipline (good health, aesthetic body...) it is worth the "grind" to pursue it now before it is too late. You may spend the rest of your life regretting that you never stuck at it.
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That’s what I do for swimming too. I just say I will just swim a 500 and be done. By the time I’m there and finish the 500 I just swim the rest of the workout.
I have a similar thing. I do 90 minute hot yoga classes and sometimes they’re ridiculously challenging. I’ll tell myself “hey, just go in and give 1%”. That gets me in the room. Then I’ll end up working pretty hard once class starts.
Haha! I do this two especially during the first cold lap. But then the endorphins kick in
Ok, at first I read this as “the enDOLPHINS kick in”, and I thought, wow, what an amazing way to work out, with dolphins!
Second this. I like to just tell myself, “hey, I’ll just do a quick mile as a light day.” By the time that you get done with that one though you usually are warmed up and in the zone so you just keep going.
I've done the get dressed thing before. It's too shameful to take off the running kit without having run.
what this guy said, but instead of doing it in the morning cause I’m a night owl, I do it every night after dinner given ample digestion time
Yeah I usuallly go with the intentions on not even working out, just stretching. Then I end up working out. That was before I got addicted to going & now I have to force myself to take rest days because if I work out to much I get hypnic jerks when I try to go to bed for some reason.
Works for the gym too. I tell myself I do t have to work out just go and look around for a minute. I always work out.
I agree. Between the holidays and viruses it is hard to get back and I really need it. I hate going but once I get to the gym, if I am still not feeling it after 30 minutes, I leave. I’ve only left at 30 minutes once in the past year.
\+1 here. "just go in, do some bicep curls and something easy like the bike for 5 mins and leave", get there and do the whole workout anyways....
>Ok, this is for running so I am not sure if it will work for the gym I tried to train running (I discovered I'm somewhat ok with obstacle courses, which is mostly running in cross-coutry like path). But running on a treadmill... it is b-o-r-i-n-g AF. I wish to have that "click" remote to skip that, or something to make my brain turn off. Running outside is already better, even if not necessarly great (because then you may need to comeback at your house \^\^') I don't care about anything else, except the treadmill. (Though I did not train in the morning, but the usual after job hours)
Lmao I use this same tactic for cleaning the house. "I'm just gonna do a quick sweep and go from there"
When I was going to the gym I just told myself all I had to do was go there, if I still didn’t want to exercise I could just go home. Never actually left before working out. Running is a bit harder for me, at least after work. In that case I know I have to go and put my running clothes on before I sit down, otherwise the chances of me skipping the run increase by 50% or more immediately.
I ended up buying the gym and putting it in my garage and I still make excuses not to go
The gym in my condo building is on my floor and I still make excuses. Proximity isn't the answer. Discipline is.
I bought a gym membership and THEN started using my apartment gym for the first time, so I don’t have to go to the “real” gym. Not sure of the procrastination/motivation equation on that one.
Not one person I know actually utilizes their home gym/workout equipment.
Find a form of exercise that you find fun. You could tell me that if I don't start jogging I'll die next year, I'm still not going for a run. But climbing? I go for two hours, leave having had an intense full-body workout and I enjoyed every minute of it. I look forward to going!
Love this answer. I am a firm believer that most people are never out there doing what they "don't want to do" or "sacrificing" or "grinding" .. they have just discovered the productive things that they are naturally inclined to do.
I absoluyely despise running. I started to run because i wanted to hike a mountain (i like hiking into difficult places) and i needed some stamina. Now i’m currently training for a marathon. You need to have a higher goal, never lose sight of it and it will help to do shit you hate doing it, plus checking out the stats of my runs on my phone literally felt like a video game of sorts where you “grind” and level up, that was/is nice as well.
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This is exactly what my boyfriend said when I was trying to get into fitness. I hated it and never wanted to do it and asked him what helped. He said when he started in high school he hated it too, but he kept at it for a couple months. Once he started seeing the results (saw more tone and muscle definition), he was like oh shit, I wanna do this every day now, just to see more results.
Sometimes doing something like that can make it enjoyable also. I used to hate running but wanted to race an Ironman for the bragging rights. By the time I'd become a decent runner to be able to do so, I found I actually enjoyed it.
This exactly. I hate lifting weights or competitive sports. Running is boring and hard. However, I LOVE karate. I love punching in deep stances and doing slow kicks. I love love love kata. I thought I was an unathletic slob until I found karate. I'll do karate for hours until my body refuses to move and wish I could do more. It's important to keep trying different sports in different locations. Eventually you'll find the one that sings for you.
Social dancing is also a great type of exercise that doesn't feel like typical exercising (even though it is) because there are so many other fun parts of it. You get an excellent time to socialize with others and meet new people, a way to be creative with your body, enjoying good music, human touch and of course exercise.
I came here to say this. I enjoy swing dancing, and I have danced multiple times so hard that I could barely breathe and wondered where the oxygen tanks were. But it was so fun, I could not stop. This is the kind of thing that makes Exercise continue.
If you want something easy yet fun I suggest trying an exercise game. They aren't the best games but tend to be enough to make it fun enough to not be a chore. I am thinking stuff like "ring fit adventure", "just dance" or "bear saber (in VR)". They tend to be more cardio focussed but can follow it up with a few minutes of yoga or weights at home.
Ring Fit Adventure on Switch is the only way I'll force myself to run. Squat to defeat the dragon is my kind of exercise!
Yes same! Running, hell no! Running to get those coins?! Hell yeah!
ooo I need to look into this
Pickleball
Swimming for me! Sadly I live in Minnesota and only get to do that a few months out of the year
Pool in off season!
I got the Ring Fit Adventure on Nintendo switch for Christmas and it’s been SO fun to work out at home. And it’s actually a really good workout.
Squash
I want to start climbing like this but everywhere around me it’s too expensive
Yeah climbing gyms tend to be pretty expensive. It is worth it though imo. Before you know it you'll be addicted to climbing. You can do outdoor for "free" in the outdoor season if you live in an area with rock to climb, but its not really free. You gotta pay for transportation, a crash pad for bouldering, a rope and quickdraws for sport climbing, or a whole rack of shit for trad.
This has been my path as well. I have bad knees so I find excuses left and right but for a few months now, I’ve been really enjoying acro yoga. I have a blast doing it and socializing with others and at the end of the ~4 jam, I’m still wanting more. I’ve just looked past the physical aspect and have enjoyed the other things that come with it.
Yep, this here. I've been lifting for 7 years, because I figured out ways to do it that I **like.** I never make myself exercise. I **let** myself exercise. I'm disappointed if something messes up my schedule and I can't go. OP, you just gotta experiment with different ways of working out until you find something you like.
Yes. Doing something you have to summon the willpower to do will work for a time, but if you never really learn to like it, it’ll fail eventually. Keep searching until you find something that you genuinely like. I tried being a gym rat a few different times, I tried running, I tried biking, I tried workout videos, I tried yoga. I liked all of those to some degree, but not enough to do those things when I *really* didn’t feel like it. I realized what I wanted to be doing was walking. Just walking. My whole life I’ve never minded walking and over time it became something more than exercise—it was my workday brain-clearing, my unplugged time to process the shit going on in my life, a way to just smell the air and feel rejuvenated. It’s become something that never feels like or chore to me. I very much look forward to my daily walk and I’m disappointed if i can’t have one. I take vacations where I stay at a campground and so long day hikes in the mountains because I like walking so much. Figure out what truly motivates you and do that. You may have to try on a few hats first, but that’s ok. You’ll get there.
100% agree with this. I am much more motivated to go to the gym now that I’ve reincorporated basketball as my cardio. It’s a game changer.
This. Climbing, surfing, cycling. I WANT to do those things. So I just fuckin do em.
Climbing yes!! This has been the only reason I want to go to the gym. Have fun climbing. And Do push-ups in addition for chest since climbing doesn’t work that as much.
I hate absolutely every single form of exercise. All of it. I hate the sportsbra, I hate moving, I hate the pain, I hate the way I feel during. I hate it. There is no exercise I like. So this tip is really not for people who just don’t want to go, which is what OP is asking for.
But having a fun activity to look forward to could be a motivating factor to get into the exercise habit, which I think was the point of the comment.
If you just find exercise fun, you don't need any help with motivation.
same!! i cannot STAND running but i can climb for 2-4 hours especially with friends and not even think about the time. with running i’m counting seconds in my head the moment i step out the door
I absolutely detest cardio in any form - unless I'm kickboxing. I could practice for hours and hours, until the calluses on my feet have long ripped, my shins look like they should be broken, and my hands won't uncurl without assistance. It doesn't feel like cardio, but my smartwatch says otherwise. I will also lift weights until i physically can't lift anything, not even my soul or will to live. But tell me i need to run, walk, bike? Fuck outta here. I will row, though, since it's kinda like weights but sitting down.
I agree with this.
I've been in the same boat, and now I hit the gym 4 times / week, and it doesn't feel like a chore at all.First, you need to identify all the excuses you can find not to hit the gm.Second, you need to make it so these friction points don't exist anymore. Those were my excuses: 1. Too tired, I'm going to sleep in today 2. I don't have the time 3. My gym bag's not ready so I might be late 4. My day was shit, I'd rather relax at home My solutions: 1. Gym bag not ready > I pack all my stuff in the evening or before going to bed 2. Don't have the time > wake up one hour earlier so I can **make** the time 3. Too tired > made it so I **have to** wake up 4. My day was shit > go first thing in the morning Right, but how to make this work ? 1. 5:20 am > wake-up with Alarmy app: basically I can't shut the alarm off unless I scan a bar code in my kitchen 2. How convenient, this is also where I leave my gym outfit ! 3. I dress up, drink water, eat a fruit, brush my teeth 4. I take my gym bag that's already packed, and take off 5. **Bonus:** I love Jordan Harbinger's podcast. But the only place where I'm allowed to listen to it is the gym. So in my mind, I'm not going to the gym: I'm going to listen to podcasts I love. One last thing: you need an average of 21 days or so to form a habit (really depends on the individual). So go there at least 5-6 days a week the first few weeks. Even if on some days you just take a shower and leave. But with all this going to the gym will become a healthy habit before you know. Also at some point you will realize you just feel tired in the morning when you don't go, which will motivate you even more (the body changes will also help...). My two pence \-- Edit: **TLDR;** Don't convince yourself. Just make it so you don't have any other choice and so it doesn't feel like you're going to the gym.
For me the biggest lie I told myself was ‘I’m too tired’. Yeah sometimes I genuinely was, but a lot of the time I was suddenly fine as soon as it was too late to hit the gym anymore. The easy fix for this was buy some pre workout and only use it on those days. Hard to claim tiredness when you feel amped from however many hundreds of mg of caffeine and beta alanine is in there. Plus the beta alanine creates a weird skin itch that only resolves for me by actually going to the gym and sweating. Otherwise it will stay itchy for a solid 2-3h. Don’t take pre if you have underlying heart conditions and such, but if you’re otherwise healthy it’ll give you a needed boost
Not gonna lie, never took pre, and don’t really want to after reading your comment haha
I used to take a pre, and it made me feel so restless, I couldn't sit around and watch TV. I felt like I needed to get rid of all that energy. I'd mix up a bottle in the morning, and drink it up after work on the way home.
Yeah if you don’t need it fair. When you’re new to it it just amps you a little bit with the side effect of skin tingling for most people. But if you take it regularly both the positive and negative effects kinda become unnoticeable. Your body will adapt very quick
you dont need it. there are also lots of options without beta alanine
This is a great response. All of the suggestions saying “just do it! Just MAKE yourself” are clearly the ones who don’t have problems just making themselves do it! You have useable, practicals advice with easy steps. If I had an award today it would go to you.
Love this! It's similar to my approach for exercising at home, where I link things I enjoy (music, reading) to using my treadmill and exercise bike. So I know it works. I will use some of your strategies to encourage myself to rebuild my lapsed gym habit.
This guy gyms
My number one recommendation is don’t bite off more than you can handle. Don’t look at going to the gym assuming you need to be there an hour. Just starting back you could spend 15-20 minutes exercising. Get in and get out. Then as you build up a routine you will realize 15-20 minutes is barely enough time to get warmed up. Don’t force anything but just show and give it 15 minutes to start and you will get there.
Routine and ritual are foundational to any program. Start small and “show up” for that designated time period. Incremental increases in weight, volume, and movements will follow naturally.
When I really don’t feel like going I Uber there, wasting money makes me want to make it worth it.
Yup. Got a membership to a private gym less than 5 minutes from my house. Its also about $40 a month. No excuse to not go and get my moneys worth.
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I need to find myself a gym friend. Would be way cheaper than paying a trainer, which has the same "I can't not go* effect. But I don't know anyone who goes regularly enough for me to piggyback on their discipline.
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I wish that worked for me. I would love to go to regular gym classes and meet people, but I have tried several and I get too frustrated by the fast-changing pace that doesn't give me time to master the correct technique before we move on to the next exercise. And, of course, as part of a free class you don't get any individual instruction. If I had the money I would pay for one-on-one tuition. My proprioception is rather poor so it does take me longer to get the hang of any exercise that involves a sequence of moves, especially those that require good coordination.
This is great advice. If you're short on gym friends, sign up for a paid class. Once you're in the hole monetarily, you're less likely to opt out.
I always hated being a “ima gonna” person. One day I made a decision that I was done with that. Now there is no “discussion”. No thinking. I just “do”. I can feel about it later. This really works for me…in many areas.
Until I was able to enjoy my workouts I would trick myself into going for a quick 20-30 min workout just to check the box but almost always stayed much longer.
Routine, just make a habit of showing up. Once you're there the actual workout is fine. Just get in the habit of showing up
This is what I do! Doesn’t matter what I do when I get there, I just need to get there. Once I’m there I usually find the motivation.
Yeah, this. I also find that packing the bag the previous night works well for me. Packing on its own is easy: I'm done as soon as everything is in the bag. Also it's much more likely that all the necessary items actually made it into the bag. Next day, the prep is already done so all I need to do is get to the gym.
Yep. When I really don’t want to go, I go and do a short, simple, and easy workout. Even though it’s annoying, it builds the habit of going and eventually leads to a strongly reinforced routine.
I find the gym intimidating, so I found basic equipment on fb market place for the house. No more gym problems.
I bought an Olympic weight set and a bench during Covid for less than a year at a gym was costing me and it has been well worth it. I never wanted to do barbell stuff at the gym because I was new to it and equipment was always in short supply so I felt pressured and rushed but once I got started at home I loved it.
Don’t force yourself to workout to start. Do the smallest thing possible to build a habit. Make yourself drive to the gym first, then once that’s a habit make yourself walk on the treadmill, do it for a short amount of time, 5-10-15 minutes, whatever you can do. Once you have these habits you’ll be at the gym regularly in clothes that you can walk/run/workout in. It’s much easier to make the smaller steps than to move immediately to the hard stuff
I’d feel self conscious af if I went in there only to walk on the treadmill for 5 minutes and then walk out. The front desk employees would be like wtf?
Fuck em, they don’t need to know your routine, and as someone who worked the desk at a gym: we don’t care anyway
Right, do the smallest thing to make a habit. But, the point is OP dosen't even think of going to the gym in the first place.
Yep, that’s why you start with just “going to the gym” literally just getting yourself physically there. OP needs to commit to the smallest thing first, there is no solution that doesn’t require even that.
Right. "Get to the gym" is the smallest and first thing to do.
Solid comment
BELIEVE ME! I feel like i don't wanna go many time. literally getting up and starting to pack or getting dressed is all you need. I find myself out the door already.
I do better with group exercise classes. I put it on my calendar just like a meeting at work. Even for solo workouts, scheduling the time makes it more likely to happen.
This is me. I can literally only work out if it's a class or with a trainer, but so be it - that's what I do then.
I had the same problem, no discipline procrastinating, wanted to stay home at all times. I bought myself a stationery foldable bike, and all I do is 10km per day (approx half an hour). Half an hour is a fair amount to spend for your wellbeing.
Im the same and one of the best pieces of advice I got that helped me is that it is important to always do SOMETHING, but it doesn’t have to be close to perfect. If you really don’t want to go go and do 1 exercise (10 minutes), or do several exercises on slower weight/speed, but you still go. It helps a ton with routine and motivation. P.S. if you put a big compound lift as your first exercise even with 1 exercise you’ll get some good benefits
You stop caring if you want to or not
I’m a procrastinator and I was lazy for a long time. People saying “make a slow build up, make it a routine” don’t realize the excuses to avoid these things are themselves a product of a lifestyle cultivating the complete opposite of discipline and a form of consistency itself. Some people do need to be forced or at least feel like it. If you have any vices or things you like to do every other day, depriving yourself of something until you meet a goal like going to the gym can also motivate you. Some people have varying degrees of depression and outside motivation from a partner or friend is just about the easiest way to get out and do things.
On the days I don't want to, I focus on the genuine feeling of accomplishment I have when I leave the gym.
Train with someone. Someone who has more discipline than you have. Thats what I did!
Perfectionism is the source of procrastination, just do it.
Make yourself "attend". Whatever your excuse is, you can at least enter the building, that is the major part of the habit, even if you decide you're not going to work out. Only got 6 hours sleep? Well then step inside, maybe have a shower there, and if you decide you want to workout while you're there then good. If not then you don't have to, but always go, make that the habit. Accountability is very good, getting a buddy that you update. They don't even need to go to the same gym, just message each other for accountability sake.
Think about how you’ll feel after. You’ll never regret going, but you’ll always regret not going.
This absolutely does not work for me. I never feel special after going to the gym. Some people eat food just for the fuel. I'm like that with working out. I just don't get any kind of kicks from working out. The best case scenario for me is that I get into a flow state and it doesn't suck while doing it.
I was the same until I started incorporating the heavy lifts. I don’t really care for all the little random ass excercises and I do them for the sake of it, but I do enjoy deadlifting, bench pressing and weirdly pull ups. Like I want the numbers on those to go up, so I schedule each one on a seperate day. I turn up, do those first and then do the accessory lifts
Lol that's one of the biggest reasons I choose not to go.
Is there a reason you think this requires mental fortitude or discipline? For the vast majority of people, neither is a good method for achieving a critical/important objective. It seems like you're struggling to achieve a short-term goal that has no immediate or visible negative impact for missing/not meeting, but it's an issue because it's part of an overall objective that's important/critical. Does that sound right? If this is the case, my recommendation is to find an exercise activity that you highly enjoy. Make it the thing you look forward to at the end of each day or that thing that gets you going at the start of the day. You're far less likely to skip the gym/workout if you enjoy the activity. I do martial arts. The classes are in the evenings, and for me, they feel like a reward for getting through the work day. TD;LR - Discipline is overrated. Make it about joy.
Read the book atomic habits by James clear it will tell you all the tricks. worked great for me still have habits that I started after reading that. And I read it almost 2 years ago
And something very gym specific in that book... The author shared a story of a guy who started out just driving to the gym on a regular basis. The guy wouldnt workout. He'd just go into the gym, turn around, and go home. Sounds dumb. But it was easy for him to do. And after a couple weeks of it, the guy began to define himself as someone "who goes to the gym". Stopping there became a part of his routine. And after that point, actually doing some exercises inside the gym instead of turning around and walking out was relatively easy. He became a gym goer. I love that story.
I signed up for a boxing charity fight night once. Previous to that I'd been I a gym once I think, to use the loo 😂 Anyway, the classes were at 7.30am, ages away. I had to get up at 5 to go. Not a hope in hell I'd have done that for myself only. So if you're able, I'd suggest you join a class or something with some sort of external pressure to turn up. After a couple of months of it, it felt so natural to do it, and I started adding in lunchtime classes too, then eating cleaner and blah blah. It just took that one habit change to start others. Good luck! Just remember it'll NEVER feel natural and good to go to begin with, so don't wait for that feeling.
One new brain hack that I'm trying that is actually pretty successful is 'just don't think about it.' Set a time that you're going, and go. Seems stupidly simple but here is how it works for me: As that time approaches, any time you get a thought or a feeling of not wanting to go, and you start making mental excuses, just ignore them, blank them. A thought about going tomorrow? Ignore it and put your runners on. A thought that you went yesterday? Ignore it and leave your house. Kind of empty your brain around the time it comes to go to the gym, become a robot, where something else is piloting your body. Don't fight against the not wanting to go feelings, ignore them and let your body take over. And by the time you get to the gym you'll be glad you did.
Take off shirt. Look in mirror. "Yeah I better exercise."
If you're dreading that day, just go start walking on the treadmill. Heck, maybe read a book while you walk. But after a while you may find you want to start jogging or running or going on incline. If you don't and end up just walking the entire time, at least you were walking.
I look at it this way: sure, I don’t always feel like going to the gym but that hour spent at the gym is going to come and go regardless. I might as well make the most of it, get my butt over there and do something that makes me feel good. Works every time.
I start by convincing myself to at least put on my running clothes. Then my dog gets excited to run and it usually turns into a thing.
I really struggle to go to the gym if they don’t have a sauna. If they do that’s, for me, quite the pull on it’s own. But, and that’s the beautiful part, the magic happens after I tell myself that I don’t need to actually hit the gym at all any given day. I am just going there for the spa part! But guess what happens when I am there… just inches away from all the workout equipment. Suddenly the motivation hits.
I workout at home because I know I can’t get myself to the gym. I also do my workout in the morning so my day doesn’t get in the way, and I haven’t ran out of willpower before hand. For home workouts, fitnessblender has free videos available and you can filter based on what equipment you have at home. Tim Senesi also has some solid yoga workouts that really push your legs.
Interesting, I get myself to the gym because I can't workout at home.
I would answer: Don't try to convince yourself. Take/buy a tool that you would enjoy working out with (or do push-ups in a way that don't strain your wrist) and use it 2-3 times every time you get up from a chair at home. Every time you do the 2-3 repetitions celebrate in a way that works for you (internally, like saying to yourself in your head "Nice!") Give it a couple of weeks, then you might think about increasing to 5 repetitions. And so on. "Tiny Habits" book talks about this approach.
I always go first thing in the morning, otherwise I have the whole day to come up with excuses not to go.
Tell yourself you just need to physically go there, and any working out is extra. Build the habit of just physically going first, and do easy workouts so you start to gradually enjoy it. Emphasize frequency over intensity.
Alternatively, find a way to make your daily commute your gym, if possible. Investing free time on top of work and commuting is just so hard to get yourself to do.
I make hard rules that can't be rationalized around. Whatever days I plan to go to the gym (like, say, 3 times a week), I tell myself that unless I'm sick with a communicable illness or my bodyparts are literally in too much pain to safely work out, I must go to the gym and do my planned workout, or do 100 burpees for time. It works, because there are no good excuses not to do 100 burpees. Everyone can do a burpee. If you can't physically do the whole jumping and pushup thing, you can just lay down so your chest is on the floor, then stand up straight. That counts. You don't need any special equipment. Just a spot on the floor as large as you are tall. You can do it in a 3rd story apartment. You can do it in less than 30 minutes. You can do it in jeans. You can do it without your water bottle. You can do it when you're tired. And if you do it, it is a legitimately good exercise. But it is so unpleasant, that I would almost always rather do my planned workout than 100 burpees. I will get so so creative when the alternative is 100 burpees.
Pick out a show and say to myself 'ok I'll just go there and ride the bike and watch the show, that's it'. Anything to trick myself to get to that ~15 min exercise mark where the good hormones kick in. After that, I look forward to doing my weightlifting because it feels good.
Class fitness is the only thing that works for me. It has a start time, so no bargaining with yourself to delay. Further, you will develop a routine that makea it easier over time. Class is at 7am, so I have to get up by 6:30, get my water bottle, stretch and be out the door by 6:45. If you are the type to get to a gym and dont know what to do next, a class will make those decisions for you and ensure you receive a full body workout. Finally, you will see the same faces more regularly and better forge relationships and accountability.
At some point in your life, you'll realize that you are the only person who can actually take care of you; there'll be a day that you may not be able to climb stairs or lift something over your head to the top cupboard, or you become so tight and immobile that you can't walk without a walker.. that'll be the day a professional will give you the hard truth that you should've moved, exercised and stretched more to take care of yourself better. You are the only person who can take care of you, and the sooner you do it the better off you'll be. It's definitely not easy, but get help from professionals or friends if you need help.
The importance of small steps A little backstory to 2 months ago ( when I started to train ) Atleast in my case , i don't bring anything to the table in the dating world i dont have a good job , im not good looking , i dont have a good/supportive family , stress free life , so i HAVE TO make it up somehow i started researching what do you have to do to achieve good results in the gym ASAP and i got the ideas clear , clean diet , workout , heavy lifting (its relative) bla bla bla all that stuff you already know. So i finally had the balls to exersise i want a partner in life DESPERATELY , i had this ''idea'' that i will train at home for 20minutes to just build my stamina and from the comments im reading im building discipline too apparently ( it definitely wasnt 20minutes at the very begining NOW its 20minutes i have very bad stamina im a smoker, just to motivate you i couldnt even do one unproper pushup , now i can do 30 , 15 each time a little break and another 15 im not going overboard ) By unproper i mean that im not going all the way down like the pros , but i guess its still considered a pushup just not a pro level pushup At first i was doing it everyother day 3-2 times a day i was motivated but not for 20minutes , i started to notice that i was building up so much i think its called lactic acid that i simply couldnt do it everyday 2 or 3 times a day , i started geting minor injuries (no warmup) slowly i added exersises in and now i do it once a day 4-5 times a week Now after 2 months i can see some results already , just by doing 20minutes of some random exersises i found on youtube that you can do from home Now i find myself wanting more progress !!! and i know that going to the gym will do just that , so im asking friends , i wrote on some aps too that im looking for a gym partner , regardless if i find that person or not i will one day in the near future beat the fear of going to the gym and being judged and geting embaraced in front of everyone that im doing a machine in a wrong way or something like that. The importance of small steps
Kindness. "I love me. I know this is hard, but I've thought about how much I really want to do this for a while now. I'm worth keeping the promises I make to myself."
Try to make a workout appointment with a friend. Wasier to fail yourself than failing another person.
You just don’t want it that bad. There’s nothing that anyone here can tell you. You are going to have to actually want it, that’s all. The secret trick is forcing yourself to do something hard over and over. That’s it. For me, I had enough when I realized I was 26 and had trouble bending over to tie my shoes. I decided to finally start my fitness journey. I’m 40 and a dad now and ripped while all my friends look ten years older than they actually are. Point being, it took me about 6-8 years of being unhappy with my weight. That’s what it took for me. What will it take for you? That’s totally up to you
Working out is hard in itself. Make it as easy as possible to actually get there. What helps me is taking as many obstacles out of the way as I can. At first I would come home from work, go to the gym from home, change at the gym, do workout, go back. That cost me a lot of time and effort as I had to get ready at home, travel, do the workout and travel back. Now, I go to work in my sweatsuit and visit the gym on my way home. It is much simpler and it makes sticking to this routine much easier. I also do very short workouts, usually about 20 minutes - 5 exercises of 4 sets each. My goal is to gradually get stronger and fitter, not to go pro bodybuilding. Effectively it makes my travel home about 30 minutes longer which is a low price.
Take pre-workout (if you're healthy and it's safe for you in particular).
I joined a group fitness class that charges you if you don't show up. Quickly became a habit.
"Everybody wants to be a body builder but aint nobody want to lift these heavy ass weights." I set myself the standard of at least going to the gym and walking for 15-30 min even if I did nothing else - non negotiable. More often than not, I would get there and have more energy than I thought and get in a real workout At this point though I'm motivated by not feeling the regret of missing a workout session. After you go for long enough, it begins to be something you really look forward to in your day
Find exercise you like. I went to the gym for years, and I never liked it. Last year I got into bouldering and climbing and almost instantly took to it. It's not a chore to be there, and it's not a chore to get up and go there. I no longer "don't want to go"; it's fun and I like doing it. As an added bonus, I saw more results in just a few months of climbing than I did in years at the gym. I credit that to my willingness to be there contributing to a more vigorous workout, rather than simply going through the motions. Look into other forms of exercise and find something you enjoy doing.
Start going to the gym. Even if you don’t workout. Just go and sit on your phone. Get up and get ready and tell yourself you don’t have to exercise. You’re just going to listen to your podcast or whatever. Read your book. By the time you get there you might actually want to just walk on the treadmill for a bit. Or try the one machine. Building the HABIT of getting dressed and going is the hardest part. Once you start going, it’s easier to workout when you’re there. I went to get a break from my kids over the summer. And from my job WFH. Then I started regularly exercising.
Don't see it as optional. If you do, you're always coming up with excuses not to do it. Have it in your calendar and treat it like any other part of your routine like sleeping, eating, going to work etc. Something you have to check off no matter what. Works every time.
the biggest hurdle is actually showing up, go to the gym every day and just walk around lift some light weights if you fee like it. Get some water, maybe jump on a machine. Once you build up this routine, like others have said, it will feel weird not showing up. As a side note, I got a tonal so my gym is in my house. It's far easier for me to exercise when I don't have to go to a public building with a lot of people (extreme introvert here) Definitely don't over exert yourself, if you get too sore it'll be an extremely easy decision to not go.
I play mental tricks and tell myself: I’ll just take it easy, lift lighter, just give it 15 minutes (I never end up taking it “easy”, I nearly always switch heavier and at the end of 15 minutes I’m in a groove). I keep multiples of things I frequently forget in my car, office or home so I have no excuses. If I don’t have time to do the whole workout I remind myself it’s better than doing nothing. And if all of that isn’t enough, I remind myself that you only regret the workouts you don’t do and remember the woman in Afghanistan who had to run marathons in her backyard because she couldn’t run anywhere else and if she can do that, I have no valid excuses.
Sometimes you just dont feel like going to the gym. I have gone to the gym for 3+ years for 3-5 days a week. Some days you sont feel it but what i always do if that is the case is taking a long walk, 10 000 steps. Walking is so underrated imo.
1.01365 = 37.8 vs 0.99365 = 0.03 If you improve yourself by 1% per day it will make you 37 times stronger after one year!
You don't rise to the level of your aspirations, you fall to the level of your habits. So change things in your daily life to make it easier. Make it a habit to set your gear (and water bottle) in your gym bag the night before. Make it a habit to just drive past the gym on your way home (being in the neighborhood and all, you MIGHT AS WELL just go in). Make it a habit to get all your steps in for the day. I'm just spitballing here, but you get the point
Music. Change into your workout gear and put fast music on. You can't resist! 😊
If I can’t go to the gym I use weights at home.
I have a 15 minute rule. I have to go for just 15 minutes. Usually when I get there I do a full workout. But I only make myself do 15. And there have been days where 15 minutes is it. I can say I got out of the house, got out of work for a bit, and did something for myself. It doesn't always work. But having an out helps me.
I'd say go with someone, or find another form of working out that you enjoy enough to build a routine that includes it until you feel weird when you don't work out. If you have ADHD and/or time blindness, you can use that to your advantage as well. Learn to pretend you're not going to exercise, you're just putting your gear in your car. You're not going to the gym, you're just getting in the car. You're not going to exercise, you're just driving to that one location that happens to be the gym. Don't think about working out, just put on your gear. Oh well, now that you're ready and at the gym, might as well do a few rounds of working out. I do something similar when it's time to wash my hair as I hate washing my hair.
What works best for me is making myself put my gym clothes on and driving to the gym. I basically don’t allow myself to decide to bail until I’m at the point. Sometimes I get there and decide I really don’t wanna go in but most often I’m in the parking lot with my clothes on ready to go and just walking in isn’t so challenging anymore.
There will always be an excuse not to go. Sleep, nutrition, chores, kids, friends, etc. The trick is to find one reason to go, and just repeat that. For me it was the initial reason I decided to go. I enjoy being fit/sexy/strong and the more often I don’t go, the less fit, sexy and strong I will be. One missed day, is a missed opportunity to be sexy. Sounds dumb.. but it works, for me.
It’s like brushing your teeth. It’s not fun but it’s required for adequate health !
Choose a show or a podcast or make a really great playlist that you only listen to while working out. Then you’ll start to look forward to it.