Ways to motivate yourself to work out and have fun with it?

[Anonymous]

I've been dieting time and time again.. I can never stick to it. I always have a commitment to losing more weight, but once I start, I always fail it. I always end up giving up within a weeks time. How can I stick to it and stay motivated? Also, I always see people running down the roads in the morning. How do people stay motivated to run all the time, or even exercise? How do you make it fun to make you want to keep going? Thank you for the responses :)

[justbanANNAz]

i was like this for a LONG time so i get the struggle. literally shrinking and expanding-.-

first, u need to think of the healthy foods u love. stock up on those. get rid of the crap or if ur will is strong enough, say no to ur weaknesses. do this for at least 2 weeks and you'll begin to realise how amazing ur will power is.
if u wanna b strict, it's also best to have a caloric limit in mind for each day. spread ur calories out wisely so u dont get too hungry.

as for working out, stop watching others and give it a go. just be crazy=] one day, just wake up and say, hmm, I'm gonna try go for a walk/run/jog. or... I'm gonna just do 50 squats, right now. u feel satisfied after it. i know in the first few weeks it feels like a bit of a bore but u MUST force urself to get into the habit. habits take about a month to develop. just need consistency and a strong af will. join a gym if u can too. having people work out around me motivates me in itself.

[kaylaS91]

I felt exactly like you do for the longest time. I'd go to the gym once in a blue moon or go for a jog, after which I'd be super sore and take another long 'break' from working out entirely. I didn't really get into it until I started going to the gym with my boyfriend. I'd do the exact same things, but it became a lot of fun. Almost like a social outing, through at the same time I was getting healthier and much leaner.

Eventually we both got so into it after we started seeing results we helped motivate each other to maintain the habit. Quickly that grew into going for jogs, long bike rides, badminton, etc..

Try going with your boyfriend regularly, promise you won't regret it. :)

[manbeapig]

just make it your lifestyle. eat healthy. go to the gym in the morning. you will feel accomplished and great throughout the day. easier to control your appetite... set goals for yourself. running is good. but lifting and then running gets your metabolism burning fat like crazy. dont be afraid to challenge yourself... diet is everything too. always try to eat high protein, whole grains, fibrous veggies, and healthy fats. if you have any more questions just ask. you won't find anybody more knowledgeable then me if you can't tell by the photo. lol

[Asker]

Thanks for the tips - what type of foods do you consider fibrous veggies and healthy fats? The basics that i've only been told to eat is: hummus, celery, green beans, etc. Anything else in particular? Also, what about supplements, such as vitamins? I don't take any but i've heard of other people taking some daily.

[manbeapig]

for proteins: chicken breast, fish, egg whites
fats: olive oil for cooking, avacado, hummus is good too, nuts (keep in mind fats should be limited as they are calorie dense)
carbs: sweet potatoe, rice, oatmeal
fibrous veggies: anything green that grows out of the ground, anything that isn't starchy (ie corn)

you can take a multi vitamin if you want. its not a bad idea for your health. it won't give you magic weightloss tho. fatburner supplements are garbage. complete waste of money. if you eat healthy and workout consistently it will only take a few weeks for it to become habit. and you will not crave sugary, fattening, processed foods. as for working out, challenge yourself and set goals. many people especially women seem to think weightlifting bulks you up. wrong. its the food you eat. its great exercise. i gotta lose 20lbs myself to make weight in the next 16 weeks. i enjoyed eating too much when i tried to bulk. lol

[Asker]

I know I may sound really stupid if I ask this, but i'm just wanting to make sure, lol :P You stated "bulk up." I'm more so wanting to just slim and tone up rather than bulk up, or are you meaning it as just toning my body up type of definition? Is there anything I should do differently to tone up vs bulk up?

[manbeapig]

in my photo, im as bulked up and fat as i ever get. its because i was trying to bulk. I've been eating 5000cals a day. lol...
if your goal is to lose weight dont eat like me! your calorie intake should prolly be between 1500-2000cal until you hit your target weight.
in terms of exercise cardio doesn't change. for lifting, you want to do more sets, more reps, and rest less in between your sets (dont rest too long)...

dont worry. dieting can be confusing. but it makes sense after awhile, because results come down to whether you were disciplined with your diet, and did you try and work hard during your workout.

ill change my pic to when i was "lean" lol :)

[Asker]

Oh okay, I see. :P Your body looks great! I have problems of giving up within the second or third week, but I have to try to stick to it. I definitely think pre-making my dinners will be a big help as well. When I can't find something to snack on or eat, I always will turn to fast food, major no no! Lol

[manbeapig]

thank you :) keep healthy foods in your fridge always. having a healthy choice ready for you makes it an easier decision later when tempted by unhealthy foods. high protein foods create a feeling of fullness. so eating lean meats is a really good thing. push past the first month and dont let anything stop you. cravings will be gone if you stick to healthy foods. going to the gym can be fun too! i see friends every time i go cause im a regular and talk to a lot of people. i love racquetball after a workout.

[Asker]

I have a few gym equipment items at home that i've bought in the past but never really used. I have an incline runner, and a step & bike combo machine. Thank you for all your help :D It's been amazing tips! I've eaten baked chicken and even boiled chicken a lot. It's hard to eat sometimes because of the lack of flavor, lol. I think thats another one of my downfalls. If something doesn't taste good, I load it up with unhealthy options. Bah! Lol :P This is definitely going to be rough but will be worth it in the end.

[GoldCobra]

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Always remember, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you

[pshah2]

This is so true. MOTIVATION!

[BelleGirl21]

Love them all!!!

[Aud_Queen]

Stick to the diet or exercise?
Anyways, this is what I do:
-Don't keep junk food around.
-Learn to prepare meals/snack 90% fruits and vegetables.
Exercise:
-Find a sport or hobby your really passionate about. (I play volleyball ) The key is to find something fun to do so it doesn't feel like work.
-When running listen to music , explore new trails, time yourself to see how fast your going or even start out on a treadmill. Thay way you can keep increasing speed as you get faster.

[Aud_Queen]

Running with a partner helps too! You guys can push eachother.

[SailorMars]

I find a workout I really enjoy, I love to run and lift weights and I find it really fun. If you don't enjoy it then you won't stick to it. Try different things out and see how they work for you. Also, do it first thing in the morning if you put it off you're more likely to skip it. Having someone to work out with you can also be helpful

[Phoenix98]

The satisfaction of achieving a heavy lift, enjoying the tightness of your muscles as they get so tight you feel like they will pop off of you. And knowing that if you stick with it you'll have a body others only dream about. Stick up a picture of what you look like now and a picture of what you will look like at the end look at the end result picture before every workout.

[playdatesx]

I never diet or never have tried it yet at least. What makes working out at the gym or at home fun is having a workout buddy. Having a friend to work out with you makes things more fun, and also motivates you!

[Kris85]

Take workout classes. I have been going to them for almost two years now and I have made some good friends out of them. It makes working out more fun and you have people to help keep you accountable.

[CourtJester]

Motivation? Looking back at old pictures and my insecure self. Fun with it? When girls start 'mirin your gainzzzz!

[Klaatu51]

if you focus on your goal to lose weight then you'll come succesful basically

[Anonymous]

Listen to trance!
Nothing gets me going like trance. Love it!

[luvme56]

Stick some poster of slim belly of some women u like to have in your room... and write with big letters "My goal"..
This will keep you motivated XD

[Anonymous]

imagine all the hot guys you'll have sex with once you get a hot body.

[Asker]

Haha, I have a boyfriend though ;x

[Opinion Owner]

yeah but once you get a hot body you'll dump him for a hotter guy.

[medical2523]

Just throw some earbuds in and go hard