Fitness Motivation

@UnsungTangerine

you are not alone unsung. I have been through the same thing. Workout or exercising used to feel like a chore and just the idea of it used to drain my energy but it’s important for health . You don’t have to go to the gym and workout for 2 hours. Start small. Go for a 10 or 15 minutes walk at first. Then maybe start some other exercises as well later . It will be tough in the beginning but later It will help you physically, emotionally and mentally.

@UnsungTangerine

I'm sorry it sets you low, when it feeps like a chore it can make it unmotivating. 

I use exercise as an escape, for instance adhere my headphones, play tunes and bounce around town on a bicycle, explore and find little jumps, little urban woops.

@UnsungTangerine

I don't know...when I was going regularly I just knew it was good for me from observing how NOT going to the gym and eating well affected someone thanks to my parents being a pretty poor example in regular self care.

I watched them age quickly, make excuses and not be as fit and healthy as they could with all the subsequent consequences. Somehow it just drove me to go regularly.

There was also circumstances that allowed it such as my mom being a teacher and my school having a small dungeon-esque gym in its basement...so I'd be able to workout while she marked papers then hitch a ride home.

This worked until I got a job and was gifted the family van. I bought a membership to a nicer gym down the road from the school that had two floors, a stand-up tanner and a merch area with smoothies. I could workout, buy a smoothie, maybe tan for a couple minutes then drive home which was a outside town whenever I needed.

I eventually became the stronkest girl in school *much flex* but since the pandemic and trauma crushed every last bit of hope out of me I've struggled to find that motivation again though thanks to be being broke I need to walk everywhere which keeps me healthy enough if not achy in the feet.

Maybe I need to start observing people again with childlike innocence and without all the filters adulthood can slap on one's face but grief and loss has me in a bad place. I bought some cards today though that show journaling prompts, comforting exercises and other ways to help navigate grief which not great to do on a major budget (Why is being an adult so much about doing things ya don't wanna do) but maybe that will help me.

Also, I'm thinking of drinking. Not, like... excessively. Just a drink a day once in a while. I've been super strict about it for a long time...maybe buying a bottle of organic wine or something local, free run, gluten free, award-winning, craft soemthing-or-other a couple times a year and a recent "am I trash" quiz online score came out as basically "y'all need to listen up and loosen up because no one needs to be this much of a goody-goody...you could stand to get your trash on a little more".

So. Yes. My answer I guess is set up the proper circumstances, observe people with curiosity and an open mind, and if you're not already doing so, drink alcohol (responsibly.). 

@UnsungTangerine

For me I just tell myself every morning that if I don't then I can't be better than I was yesterday. 

And that's the other thing I do,I make sure to go in the morning so I don't give myself the entire day to talk myself out of it or make excuses why I couldn't 

Sometimes I want to go to the gym, sometimes I don't want to go to the gym. What one does on a bad day counts for double what would be done on a good day. When I don't want to go to the gym, I tend to only focus on the negative aspects of it. Soreness, the time commitment, nausea. I forget what it has given me. A healthier lifestyle, resiliency, and the chance to age with less pain.

Everything new eventually loses its luster, and needs a bit of polish.

All that being said, it's okay to step away from fitness for a little while. A week or two. Possibly more, if needed. There's good and bad with every decision. With enough thought, you'll make the best decision for yourself.

Some things to think about.

Why do you feel you have been struggling lately?
How do you typically react when the going gets tough?
What adjustments could you make to your gym routine?
What's going to happen if you stop going to the gym for more than three months?

@UnsungTangerine I’m right here with you! Staying consistent with working out is beyond difficult for me.

@UnsungTangerine I find it the following mantra helpful when I run into that roadblock: "do it anyway". I say that to myself over and over and just start exercising. And I give myself an out....I tell myself that I'll just do five minutes of Tai Chi, or just walk to the corner and back, or just run around the block, or just do one mini set of arm curls. More often than not, I can push that five minutes to ten and then to 20, etc...it's like once I get past that 5 or 10 minutes, motivation and enjoyment grows. One time I was really depressed and extremely anxious at the same time, worried about multiple things....I started a "run in place" video on YouTube and just did as much as I could. I think I made it about 15 minutes, crying the whole time--the movement did help. I hope this helps :)

I get how tough it can be to find motivation, especially when feeling down. It's okay to struggle with this; you're not alone. Here’s a plan to help you ease into a workout routine without feeling overwhelmed. This is what I do...

1. Set Tiny Goals: Start small instead of aiming for big workout sessions. Like, small. Maybe do a 10-minute dance session to your favorite songs or a quick walk around the block. Tiny steps are easier to handle and can lead to bigger ones.

2. Find Fun Activities: Choose workouts that feel more like fun than exercise. Love music? Try a dance class. Enjoy being outside? Go for a hike or bike ride. It won’t feel like a chore if you enjoy it.

3. Buddy Up: Working out can be more fun and motivating with a friend. Plus, it's harder to skip if someone is counting on you to show up.

4. Track Your Mood: Note how you feel after each workout. Seeing the positive changes in your mood written down can be a huge motivator to keep going.

5. Reward Yourself: Set up a reward system—after a week of sticking to your goals, treat yourself to something nice, like a movie night or your favorite snack.

6. Be Kind to Yourself: Some days, you might not feel up to working out, and that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up. Accept that it’s a part of the process and try again the next day.

Remember, it’s normal for motivation to ebb and flow, and it’s okay to start slow and build up as you go. Working out can help with depression, but it’s not a cure-all, and it’s perfectly normal to have tough days. You’re doing great just by thinking about how to start!

@UnsungTangerine honestly I now know for a fact I am definitely going to have a *** day. I have them like every week. So I have two routines - first one is I go to my favorite place (the park) and do a 15 minute workout that ain’t too challenging. Then on really stressful days I don’t workout instead I stretch or meditate for a longer period of time. 

Knowing that even if I can’t feel it, my day probably would have been worse if I didn’t workout/meditate helps keep me motivated, makes me feel like at least if no one else cares about me I care about me 

@UnsungTangerine I love working out, its simple you just do something small each day to start. Too many people go nuts and over do it. Just do a short walk around the block, or 5 pushes and sit ups a day. Or lift a 20lb weight 10 times with each arm, the small things matter a lot if you do just a tiny bit each day.