Motivation

[lankybob]

Evening all, probably morning by the time this gets read but never mind.
I am carrying a bit of weight, by no means obese but I'm no stick either. Anyway, I am trying to shed a few pounds.
I find the eating less and healthier part relatively easy to do, however the gym is just the epitome of boring and as I'm at uni at the moment I don't have my bike to exercise with.
How do you get motivated to get down there and blast out the fitness? Any ideas would be great.

As a side note, I go to the gym anyway, I just want some extra motivation to do that bit more.

Cheers,
Bob

[Animal]

I get up early and go before work - it's the best part of my day! One thing that helps me is planning at least a day before, that way I've got something to look forward to.

[Jasandjules]

If it's a mixed gym it can certainly be a "motivator"... Oh, and think of how much the ladies like your abs and arms and chest (oh, most of them say they don't but when you've got a nice set of Abs....)..

[RemainAllHoof]

lankybob said:

How do you get motivated to get down there and blast out the fitness?

How did I do it? I looked in the mirror and decided I wanted to change my lifestyle. I don't need that kind of motivation now as I just want to train like it's a need or habit.

[GingerWizard]

MOVE YOUR ARSE CHUNKY! YOUR TAKING UP TO MUCH SQ/FT!

[Jasandjules]

Oh, and the training is addictive too.. Once you get past the "I can't be ar**ed" and "oh my word this hurts!" bits - which many can't..

[Stevenj214]

Find something fun to do.

If you have to keep it in the gym, look at spin or circuit classes.

Alternatively, join something you will enjoy. I'm sure there are plenty of clubs at your uni - Rock climbing, Martial Arts, Pole dancing, whatever!

[lankybob]

GingerWizard said:

MOVE YOUR ARSE CHUNKY! YOUR TAKING UP TO MUCH SQ/FT!

Abuse! There you go, I have found something to motivate me!

Looks like I will have to get down there and power through the boredom/ pain!

[RemainAllHoof]

lankybob said:

Abuse! There you go, I have found something to motivate me!

Looks like I will have to get down there and power through the boredom/ pain!

If you find it boring (I find abstract exercise boring and listening to music isn't any help):
1) use machines that mean you can read a book or use your smart phone/tablet. eg recumbent bicycles - I used to do about 100-120km on an exercise bicycle a week (I just have other things I prefer to do instead). Sod doing 120km on a real bicycle "looking at the pretty countryside". BORING. [I'd rather hoon (enjoying the journey) to the beauty spot. Say, "How pretty." Then hoon back home. In fact, skip the beauty spot and just do a 25 mile hoon from A to A.]
2) try audio books (that's what I do when I train my upper body).
3) train with a friend. Set personal goals and try to achieve them that are relevant to each of you. eg if you can only do 5km cycling per session and your friend can do 15km, your goal might be to do 6km while his is to do 18km. Obviously, you are permitted to talk to each other.

[mattikake]

lankybob said:

Evening all, probably morning by the time this gets read but never mind.
I am carrying a bit of weight, by no means obese but I'm no stick either. Anyway, I am trying to shed a few pounds.
I find the eating less and healthier part relatively easy to do, however the gym is just the epitome of boring and as I'm at uni at the moment I don't have my bike to exercise with.
How do you get motivated to get down there and blast out the fitness? Any ideas would be great.

As a side note, I go to the gym anyway, I just want some extra motivation to do that bit more.

Cheers,
Bob

Company;
- Get an equal mate involved.
- Compete with them (but safely of course!).
- Try a gym exercise class.
- Chat to a random who seems to know what they're doing.
- Letch.
- Be a Shark.

Biometrics - results for motivation;
- Take a before pic now. Don't check infront a mirror for a month. Take another pic using exact same pose/t-shirt. Compared them side by side in the same pic (edit them together).
- Weigh yourself now. Don't weigh yourself again for at least a month. Weigh yourself again. Compare.
- Measure parts of yourself that matter now. Don't measure yourself again for at least a month. Measure yourself again. Compare.

Self-PT stuff;
- Vary your routine as much as you can.
- Try some completely new exercises/machines.
- Get some goal targets to work to - short, medium, long-term.
- bench press weight goals
- weight goals
- physique goals
- size goals etc.

Other;
- Tell the local GI/PT you find it boring, ask what can be done (or you'll cancel your membership - motivates them).
- Or if it's still boring, don't use a gym, take up something else.
- Register yourself for a fitness competition or charity - a walk/run/swim etc.

[didelydoo]

I agree with some of the stuff above- give your self a reason to train, set targets and achieve them. Also, try to get a competitive aspect in somewhere if you can. You have to want to do it.

Good luck

[Digger]

What helps me is a heart rate monitor that displays both calories burnt and % MHR (maximum heart rate), the latter being useful if you are a cardio nut! Obviously the calorie counter may not be that accurate but I use it as a target. I try to aim for 1000 calories burnt during every session. It's a target that gives me extra focus. Equally important for me is an mp3 player with some appropriate music.

Without these I would doubtless find it significantly harder to lose the stone and a half I want to shed!