How do you find the motivation???

af_wife2004 - 2008-11-12 1:27 PM I hate working out, but love the feel of accomplishing a race. No matter how big or small the race is, a "race high" keeps me happy for weeks. It's the in between training time that is killing me. I'm not physically fit, and I get so frustrated trying to work out. When I don't see improvement in a short amount of time (yes I know good things come to those who wait), I'm ready to give up. I'm sporadic at best when it comes to working out. Every time I start working out again I seem to gain 5-10 more pounds and it makes me feel like a failure. For those who dislike working out and are not physically fit, how do you find the motivation to keep training?

I look at my wedding photos, then i go look in the mirror, then i go for a run or a bike ride. It is that simple for me. Good luck and don't give up, Rome was not built in a day!!!!

My motivation comes from different sources.

First, I want to set an example to my children. The only way to do it is by making a plan, committing and being persistent about it.

Second, I do want to become a better runner/biker/swimmer and have to catch up in each and every discipline. The only way that will work for me is by being persistent and consistent. 

Third, I am looking to have fun in what I am doing. Having fun is an important aspect of it as well.

Also, meeting goals is a rewarding experience. I found out that setting achievable (but yet challenging) goals and then meeting them, makes me happy...

Hope this helps,

Ronen.

Well put Big D!!

I haven't had time to read all the posts but...I wanted to add something.

 Zig Ziglar says that motivation comes from doing.  Not the other way around.  You need to act and then you will start to feel excited.

Basically, I do things whether I feel like it or not.  

Remember the 2 days where 3 different Dr's said I needed to lose weight.  Exercising stopped being an option, all blood work was heading in the wrong direction.

Getting involved in the various challenges helps alot.  Being a team player and being able to look beyond just myself to help a group achieve, motivates me to do the workout for the day.

As I was sharing with my wife, when it was the 4 item challenge I was focused on all aspects, then when it was only running I focused on miles, now that it is 30 minutes I am only focused on time and not distance.  I need the challenge to keep focus.

Signing up for races does not help me, I just do them and then would get discouraged because I was slower than last year, however I had not trained and had gained 5-10 pounds.

That is good and so true!

I am much more committed when I am training for a goal instead of just working out to "stay in shape" or "drop a few pounds"

So "training" is teaching your body and mind how to achieve a goal, "working out" is sweating for that day's needs.

On days when I don't feel like going, I use the "10-minute rule."  I force myself to go and either run, bike or swim for 10 minutes, then give myself permission to come home if I'm not feelin' it.  I have turned around a handful of times, but chances are, once you're out there you'll either start feeling better and finish the workout, or you'll still feel like you're not loving it but since you're out there anyway you'll finish the workout.

And I agree with the quote up above somewhere, that motivation comes with doing - it's easier now to go work out after having done it for a longer time than it was at the beginning.  Hang in there and keep at it!

My biggest motivators are the races I sign up for.  The last race being the most significant, because I knew that without training, I wasn't going to be able to do it or could hurt myself.  Plus it was expensive enough to keep me focused.

Watching Kona or other tri footage seems to help sometimes.

I also feel like you don't need 'motivation' per say, you need discipline/determination.  There are countless times I didn't want to go out.  But I can honestly say, than in a 5 month plan, there were only 4-5 times I didn't just do it.

I feel just getting out there and starting the workout helps.  Take it in steps.  Just force the shoes on.  Force the running shorts and top on.  Force yourself out the door.  Force those first few steps.  Then it always seems to come and you are glad you did it in the end.

I feel like I have come to a point in training that motivation is no longer a factor.  It has become habit and a lifestyle.  I am SO happy that I have arived to this point.  I just do it.  Without excitement, but without resentment either.  It has just become part of my life like eating, sleeping, showering, etc.

I agree on the races.  I sign up for races I literally won't be able to finish if I'm not in shape.  A healthy fear to get my butt out there.  

I don't particularly like tri training.  I'm involved with something I do like though, and it's a women's boot camp.  And it's not that I'm liking the boot camp workout while I'm there, but I like the social aspect.  I like hanging with all the girls.  And then when I'm done I'm always so glad I did it.  It's been much easier to stick with it b/c I'm meeting a group of people that have become really close friends over time.  And the endorphins from boot camp often make me want to go do some tri training!  

My last piece of advice.  Do your training in the morning.  If you don't like it, get it over with first thing.  The more the day drags on, the harder it is for me to motivate myself.  If you can do it in the am, make it a non-negotiable to get up unless you are sick.  Your only obstacle is getting out of bed!  It's not that a meeting comes up at 5:30am!

Looking into my daughter eyes and her her say; "you swimming today, daddy?, you biking?Running, yes?"  Knowing that if I dont keep active I may never see nor play with her family when she grows up.  Has it is I will be over 55 years old when she graduates high school 

NO matter what is said or done, when you set your sights to accomplish something positive and you enjoy doing it its all that you need.  If not sign up for the event pay for it, thats how I made myself to training and complete my first HIM.  If I didnt sign up for it I would have never trained as I did

I can second the idea that it's just something I have to do.  It isn't negotiable.  I remember being alot heavier and know that the difference between that and how I am now is apathy.  In fact, in the beginning I would discipline myself for those thoughts.  "Ok self, for not feeling like it, you get to do 10 minutes of core work..." 

Be tough with yourself and know that in the long term it will pay off.  I'm not a triathlete yet, but I am a roadie, and it seems that the one thing endurance athletes all have in common is that "we suffer better than anyone else."   Maybe there is some comfort we can all take in that. 

 Also, Don't worry about the post workout weight gain.  That's very common...  Drink lots of water, recover, it's just temporary.  And if you want to measure something, measure body fat.  While body fat analysis isn't all that accurate with home stuff, weight has so many variables outside of fatness it will make you insane if you watch it close. 

I am new to the tri world and was someone who enjoyed sports as a younger person who still believed I could do just as well as an adult.  What a surprise when I realized that wasn't true anymore.

I do several things to get to keep going now.

I got a personal trainer I meet every Monday morning.  Once the weekend is over and I have met her there are no excuses for the rest of the week, especially since she checks what I do for the remaining week the next time I see her.

I let it be known that I was going to do a tri.  I received a lot of shock and laughter from people who know me, but when they realized I was serious they became supportive and now want to go watch the event.  I can't let them down, I can't let me down.

I meet with different friends at the gym, some bike, some swim, some run/walk.  Sometimes we just meet before and after we exercise since we do different things.  Point is I go if I know someone is waiting for me, otherwise I hear about not going from them.

I do more than just tri training, I do strengthening, I box, I kayak, I play basketball, I do whatever looks like fun.

Weight will come off, even if it is slow.  I weigh once a week and track it on a chart where I can see it a lot throughout the days.  There are weeks that are great for weight loss, weeks that nothing happens and weeks where the weight comes back.  Being able to see the change helps me.

I also have a favorite quote hanging with my weight loss chart:  "LOOKING UPWARD ALL THE TIME KEEPS YOU AWARE OF HOW FAR YOU HAVE TO GO, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING.  ONCE IN A WHILE YOU HAVE TO LOOK DOWN THE LADDER AND REMIND YOURSELF HOW FAR YOU'VE COME."

Just keep going!!  I have learned to love the gym and you can to.

Good luck!

I hate working out, but I love training!

If it takes a race to motivate you (as it does me), then schedule as many races as you can handle.

Try scheduling races that are above your current abilities.  Take me running in a 10k on thursday with a marathon scheduled for March.

6 months ago, I hadn't run a mile in 15 years.  Push yourself!  Beat your PB's every time!  For those of us with less than optimum conditioning, this isn't all that hard!

Man, I put a lot of "!" in this post.

To small things that always helps me with motivation.  Watch IM Hawaii or the Special or Para Olympics.  The stories alone will lift you up.