How do you stay motivated?

[anonymous-user]

Struggle is real.

I have a young child and he has started teething which means every day is an early start and I go to the gym around 10pm so my sleep length isn't great either.

I feel like just saying "let's have tonight off" but I am worried the rot will kick in then and that'll lead to tomorrow where I'll go yeah I'll have another one off.
Struggle to feel energetic and motivated. What do you lot do?

[Terminator X]

Imho don't worry about what you can do nothing about (Trump, Brexit, crying baby etc) and if you're unhappy with something that you can do something about then JFDI. Do stuff you enjoy to offset hard slog elsewhere. Me, I like cars so always try to have something nice even if it costs a few bob.

TX.

Edit - if you just mean going to the gym then perhaps I've gone in too deep first post!

[MYOB]

I look in the mirror. I see my belly and that motivates me to work harder

[BoRED S2upid]

Likewise 3yr old and 4month old and just signed up to Swim 22 for Diabetes UK god it's tough. A weekend treat will be in order.

[Mothersruin]

I'm with a Mountain Rescue Team. If I don't keep on top of things then I'd be letting my team and others down.

[Grandad Gaz]

10pm is not a good time to be going to the gym, IMO.

Early mornings are better.

[anonymous-user]

Grandad Gaz said:

10pm is not a good time to be going to the gym, IMO.

Early mornings are better.

Used to do that but little one doesn't sleep as it is so not going to wake him up with my alarm. Rather go as he goes to bed and then sneak back in.

[oldbanger]

Can you do some of your exercise at home, to supplement your gym time? OK so you won't have all the equipment etc. and sometimes it's good to get out and away, but are there any routines or activities which you could do which don't require you to be in a gym?

edited to add - try visiting youtube and searching on "mother baby workout" and potentially get some ideas for incorporating your baby into your exercise regime

Edited by oldbanger on Thursday 2nd March 14:40

[anonymous-user]

oldbanger said:

Can you do some of your exercise at home, to supplement your gym time? OK so you won't have all the equipment etc. and sometimes it's good to get out and away, but are there any routines or activities which you could do which don't require you to be in a gym?

edited to add - try visiting youtube and searching on "mother baby workout" and potentially get some ideas for incorporating your baby into your exercise regime

Edited by oldbanger on Thursday 2nd March 14:40

Lat raises?
One arm curls?


Could work...

[smn159]

Do you have a road bike? If so buy one of these

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/turbo-trainers/tra...

And a subscription to Zwift and you're sorted. You can get a good workout in your kitchen whenever you have an hour to spare.

[smn159]

The other option is to start running 5k's in the mornings. 30 minutes tops / 25 minutes once you're a bit better and that's your exercise done for the day.

Works for me, particularly with the coming lighter mornings - go to bed early / set alarm for 5.30am.

[anonymous-user]

Sorry should have said that I am doing only weight training and no cardio.

On a bulk right now (which doesn't help the drained feeling)

[Fozziebear]

I just look at the majority of the men on my street and the motivation kicks in, most have 2.5 kids and bellies, the wives are just as bad! Think of it this way, when the little one is running around do you want to keep up or puke up?

[AndStilliRise]

MTFU.

I had an uncle who died at 44. Heart attack watching TV and he was gone. I ain't going out like that.

[boyse7en]

smn159 said:

The other option is to start running 5k's in the mornings. 30 minutes tops / 25 minutes once you're a bit better and that's your exercise done for the day.

Works for me, particularly with the coming lighter mornings - go to bed early / set alarm for 5.30am.

This is what i did. Arrival of first child made my tennis/gym sessions difficult and deeply unpopular with the girlfriend so I took up running instead.
two 30 minute session during the week and a 1.5 hour at the weekend (which I used to tie in with going somewhere in the car. GF would drop me off on the way to her mothers/sisters/etc and I would run the rest and meet her there.)

Runs can be done early morning or just fit around nap time.

[Yipper]

"Motivation" is just another word for "health". If you are struggling to self-motivate, it almost always means an underlying health issue of the body or mind. Find it and fix it and motivation will return.

[Muzzer79]

Not getting fat. That's my motivation.

I am currently injured and it's driving me insane. I can workout, but not to the usual amount.

Also, if I exercise a lot, I can eat junk and not feel guilty

[oddman]

GravelMachineGun said:

Sorry should have said that I am doing only weight training and no cardio.

On a bulk right now (which doesn't help the drained feeling)

Might need to refocus your priorities now you have a nipper
Health > Aesthetics
Getting up early for a run would be my advice along with others here
A goal (enter a race) helps me with motivation

[oldbanger]

GravelMachineGun said:

Lat raises?
One arm curls?


Could work...

people (ladies) really do this stuff, honest

e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d48KtGTMi5U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSZ_JdQup4s

I think Jennifer Gelman is probably the most well known and has a big following on instragram https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbYR5X1GP54

[andy-xr]

I take vitamin d3, specifically d3 and not the stty stuff you get in Holland and Barretts. 2000iu and above from Amazon, 2 a day, will take about 3 days to have a noticeable effect. Motivation and ability to get up and get a bottle increased a lot, but without being caffeine buzzed

Same as you, we have a 5 month old daughter who's teething and has just had her vaccinations so is being extra fussy.

I also find after work I need about 30 mins to switch off from that and switch on to being at home/bathtime/evening routine before bed. I think Motorola years ago did a study and found the perfect time between home and work breaks was 22 minutes. If I can get that, then I can get out of the work mindset and I've got the motivation to do the home 'stuff' after a day at work.