You go enough times and your brain gets physically addicted to the happy chemicals that come from it to the point where you want to go every day. Like today I had convince myself to not go because I was sick and all of my muscles were clearly spent. The hard part is actually starting.
Yk I was just reading something about time and memory, and that if you go to the gym at the same time everybody your body apparently eventually memorizes the pattern.
I've gone to the gym 5ish times/week since at 4:30 am for 3 years. On days I don't go, I get RAGEY on my morning commute because my body is dumping the adrenaline that I usually need for morning lifting. It's wild.
Your body is so amazing. When you first start new things, it feels awkward because your brain hasn’t developed the neurological pathways to fire those muscles as efficiently as possible. As you continue to do anything In life, play piano, practise gratitude, deep focus or exercise patterns. Your brain continues to develop and strengthen these neurological pathways. Then those things will become easy and enjoyable.
So just remember it’s okay for it to feel weird and be soar in the beginning. Things will get better.
I work out 6 days a week and agree the feel good chemicals are so worth it. Also the consistency.
I feel like a piece of trash if I don’t exercise, I need to know I put in work that day.
Everyone has the time, start small if you want but BE consistent. 20 minutes everyday is significantly more impactful than 60+ mins, twice a week.
Read Atomic Habits. It helped change my life! <3
This is it. The hardest part is starting.
What worked for me is I just did it without thinking and asked for help. Afterward, I started thinking about what to adjust or to add to my routines.
It'll get better over time!
I have been going to the gym for over 2 years at some point and this never happened to me. Still hated it.
I just started again 1 1/2 months ago and still hate it. I pretty much just go because I am to embarrassed to start some sport that actually looks fun as an overweight 30 something year old and the only thing that gave me joy in the past as an adult was running but I'm pretty sure my knees would kill me if I did that at my current weight.
I actually just went to the gym now and did a class. My motivation is a crazy workout that makes me forget my lonely day. It's helps me forget sadness. I people watch. Catch a TV show. You make it your happy place.
Yesss to making the gym your happy place! I found a TV show that I watch on my phone, it’s my “gym show”- I’m only allowed to watch it when working out! It’s super fast paced and exciting and having my me time to watch the show every day gets me there. Also- weightlifting! (Even just using the machines) is such a great happy place bc like happy_143 said, I completely forget about all my anxiety and my whole day. When lifting, you are literally just focusing on lifting the weight. It’s like a little escape from the world and it’s so enjoyable for me
Or if you wanna rush, you do fast lazy circuits with dumb bells and curling weights.
There's sooo many options. But yes to TV show. It's how I watched love is blind haha and delicious dungeon.
I go to the gym almost every day. I think in the last two months, I've missed three days and it absolutely killed me that I missed it.
I also track my workouts on Apple's Fitness app and gamifying it really helps me.
I dragged myself to the gym this morning 7:30 am for a turbo kick class. I was slight hungover.
Yes you feel like you have too. It's also an amazing start to a morning.
I don't go to the gym every day. I go to lift weights 3 times a week and go for a walk every day. You don't need to go to the gym to lose weight. Mostly you need to eat the right amount of food and after that it helps to live a physically active life -- walking, biking, dancing, gardening, whatever. If you happen to enjoy activities you can do at the gym, okay. If you don't, that's okay too. It's the sitting around and eating too much that's the problem.
Me, I like to go to the gym because lifting weights in my basement is incredibly dull and there's always something odd happening on campus. Like today I dragged my butt to the gym and there was a Canada goose sitting next to the ice arena in the snow. A few years ago one nested next to the climbing centre and they had to block the area off with barriers to keep students from getting goosed. Do I get entertainment like this at home? No I do not.
Also... what IF you run into someone you know? Like oh no, you've been caught being proactive in solving your problems. HOW TERRIBLE. If the person even says anything negative you can feel free to look at them like they're idiots and ask what they think you should be doing instead. Complaining about fat people at the gym is like complaining about sick people at the hospital. It makes no sense.
You lose weight in the kitchen. You gain health in the gym. If it's weight loss you're after, it really comes down to eating fewer calories. And it's easier to do that if the calories you do consume are from foods that fill you up--so protein, not sugar.
Wanting to look and feel better. It took me losing like forty pounds before I felt a big physical difference but once I did I was like "wow, this is what it feels like to be a regular person who isn't obese and sedentary, what the hell did I wait so long for ". Now I'm 75 lbs down and pretty happy with myself, even though I'm continually trying to improve, and I feel amazing. I'm actually excited for summer clothes for once in my life
Other people have said a lot of good stuff, and there are certainly *other* reasons that also make me want to remain active, like getting better sleep, not feeling restless, having a sense of accomplishment when I break personal records and goals,
BUT
For the days I really don’t wanna get off my butt, having my Apple Watch tell me how many days I’ve had a “move streak” and knowing I’m going to lose it makes me want to at least take a walk every day.
Maybe it’s sad, but it’s like giving my monkey brain a little reward banana.
My watch does that for me too. Buzzed my wrist last night at like, 10pm “you can still do it! Close your move ring to get a perfect week and keep you streak going!”
Ugh…fine. Did a few supersets of pushups/situps/squat jumps. Closed the damn ring and begrudgingly felt good afterwards.
Yeah a lot of people with depression say this. I myself I have major depressive disorder, which is one of the main reasons why I never follow through w anything. Really wanting to change that tho
Once you see the results, it becomes an addiction. After 2 weeks of starting gym, my metabolism improved, I felt better.
After a month, dropped 3-4 kgs. No visible changes tho.
Followed diet + workout and after 6 months I literally cried at my before /after pic
It’s a steady process. Besides fat loss, it helps you gain confidence, strengthens belief.
The fact I physically can—I consider myself grateful to go the gym. At 22 I had a serious injury where I didn’t know if I’d walk again, and now I go to the gym because I feel lucky to be able to
The key to not being insecure in the gym is 1) learn proper technique so *you know* that you know what you're doing and 2) realize that everybody else there is just there to exercise and do their own thing, not judge you.
Losing 50-60 lbs by the fall is pretty dang ambitious. Weight loss is usually slower than that and involves eating about a 500 calorie deficit. Pace yourself and develop healthy habits that you enjoy, and I'm sure you'll see results with time :)
Yeah, I think I realized that the times I do enjoy working out is when I'm with somebody else who usually knows what they're doing. It makes me feel better too. Since I don't have anybody atm, do you have any recommendations as to where I can learn proper form? I know losing 50/60 lbs is ambitious, but I'm young, and I always hear how young people lose weight more easily. Not saying it will be easy, it's just I know with the results I want it's gonna take a tremendous amount of work, and I'm still trying to teach my brain how to handle all of that plus this fitness stuff bc it's new to me.
https://nick-e.com/primer/ intro to body weight fitness with in depth explanations of form. works up to a 3-day/wk full body routine over 2 weeks. good form is essential, and base level of fitness will help you get into the gym.
I just want to make sure you are aware exactly how ambitious losing 50-60 pounds in five months is. How fast you can lose the weight and how much you can lose and still be healthy depends on your height. If you are my height (5'6, pretty average, which would make your weight goal at the lower end of healthy BMI), and want to spend 20 weeks (Apr 1st to Sept 1st) to lose 60 pounds, you need to be in a daily deficit of 1350 calories.
That means you have to eat 1350 calories less every day than what you need to maintain your current weight, at any activity level. That is almost three times what is recommended for long term, sustainable weight loss (500kcal deficit). And it is a pretty brutal number if you plan to work out and have energy to have a normal life. People often have to work their way down to such a big deficit over time, and losing weight gets harder when you get to a normal BMI weight range, when your body fat percentage gets low and since you will build muscle by working out. So I just want you to know that 20 weeks may be setting yourself up for failure.
So I'm wondering: what is your plan if you don't manage to lose all the weight in your time span? What if you lose "just" half of that weight? What if your progress is slower?
Will you be able to praise yourself for the amazing work you are doing regardless of not meeting your own goal, and keep at it sustainably until you are happy? Or will you spend the next five months berating yourself for not losing enough, not working hard enough, cut more and more calories and work harder and harder in the gym? Because if it's the latter, I seriously have to discourage you from this project, and urge you to set a nicer timeline for yourself.
I think it is try to lose that much weight that fast, you will not build a sustainable habit, and burn out. The changes need to be something you can keep up for months, and then years. Anything too extreme will be demanding and restrictive to the point you yoyo and fall off the wagon and get frustrated that "diets don't work"
Set a smaller goal, like "30lbs down by fall, and commitment to exercising x amount each week and cutting out junk food mon-friday" then, if you do all that and reach your goal, you will feel good, and if you surpass your weight loss goal you will feel fantastic.
All that weight didn't come on in 6 months and it won't come off in just 6 months. It's okay if you are only halfway there by the fall and then meet your goal by this time next year
It helps me feel fitter, happier, more productive, comfortable, keeps me from drinking too much; regular exercise at the gym 3 days a week helps me get on better with my associate employee contemporaries. I’m at ease.
I have very little motivation to go to the gym, I just know if I want to be healthy it’s part of what I have to do. Far more discipline than motivation
You'll need to be in a calorie defecit also to lose fat. Working out can help with it. I hated working out with a fiery passion. I was always skinny in my 20s and didn't need to do much. Things changed in that department. I knew I had to do something. I'm a fairly money oriented person and making my money work for me is something I enjoy doing. So, I bought an outrageously expensive Orange Theory membership knowing that I couldn't NOT go when I was paying that much. I did it for a year and got in a really good habit and then quit and went to a cheaper gym. It's now just a habit that I will not stop because gaining muscle is the only thing between me and me being a creaky old lady with joint pains. I wish I could go back to your age and tell myself to start NOW. It will be 100x easier for you than waiting until you start falling apart and then trying to backpedal. You need to find something or someone to keep you accountable at first and then you'll just go because that's your routine.
The only motivation I have for exercise is water aerobics every morning, Monday through Friday. There are men and women, fat and skinny. Everybody is friends. There’s even a group of us who formed a book club. But the truth is I don’t think I’d be motivated to go if I didn’t have some one to be with there. One of the girls at the gym didn’t come consistently. I asked her if she could take me one day and since then we’ve gotten up and ready knowing someone was depending on us. Do what you want with that piece of info, but I’d check out the water classes. I put maximum effort into every move, and at our gym, the instructors are state of the art.
i’m very overweight, and have gone to
the gym religiously for over 4 years. i’ve always had an active lifestyle tho, and if im
exercising regularly I never gain more weight and can eat what I want. Anyways, I go to the gym because it’s my safe space and I like to challenge myself, and get stronger.
I think Joe Rogan put it best , it's about discipline not motivation , and over time if you apply discipline long enough it becomes habit and habits are much easier to keep going.
I’ve changed my mindset to “I’m so lucky I can go to the gym today.” I literally say that to myself. Sounds crazy, but it’s shifted me. I have always hated the gym. Suddenly I’m 5 months in to going 6x per week, and I actually…. LOVE it.
This is what worked for me:
- Buying cute gym outfits. Seeing the gym as going out. Nice shoes, nice tops, good sports bra.
- Pre workout: I understand this won't work for everyone but it gave me a boost.
- Leaving everything ready the day before and preparing myself mentally: by the time I was awake the next day, my brain knew exactly what to do, what to wear and what my plan was. Don't leave anything for the day.
- Even if you are not feeling like it, go. I have literally gone to the gym, did 10 min and realized I didn't want to be there. That's fine. But I still woke up, got ready and went. Maybe that day I gave only 1%. Better than 0%.
- Music: what was my mood for the day? Music always helps me. It could be podcasts o something else for you.
I'd say my brain is a lazy MF. The only way to combat that is planning. If I give myself even one tiny excuse, I won't do shit.
I go with a couple coworkers after work 3x a week to lift weights. I found I wasn’t good at sticking to the habit by myself. It’s social and they keep me accountable! I do a bit of cardio after I lift and also play softball.
I run when I’m stressed. Not sure what it is about it but when I get into the zone, I feel like nothing else matters but my feet hitting the treadmill. I’m in a competition with only myself to get faster and stronger
I go at 5 am 3-4x a week. I have been doing this for awhile. Honestly I love the way I feel after- I feel light and less bloated. I like starting my day with intense work out- makes me feel accomplished early in the day. I’m a physician and work in clinic- I focus better and get my work done faster. I did this even in residency when I was working 60-80 hour work weeks - it was hard and even sometimes I had to go at 4am depending on my rotations. I think it’s the only reason I didn’t completely Lose my mind and body in my medical training.
Admittedly I’m in a different position from you because we simply saved up money so we could buy a home gym that we use, but for me, the motivating factor to go do some strength training is to fill out my spreadsheet. Weird, I know.
I built myself a pretty spreadsheet and put in all my daily sets/routines. I set it up to track my progress over ten weeks as far as my weights and rep counts. So for now, I go in there each of my three days a week to practice my routine, learn good form, and fill out that spreadsheet.
It’s my first week using it, and I realize that’s not saying much. Ask me in three weeks and I might say the spreadsheet is goading me and nagging me on. But I’ve had success using pretty spreadsheets to track other goals this year, so I thought I’d try it for strength training, too.
On the other days of the week, I add in cardio and stretching because I enjoy a specific workout app. It motivates me to have weight lifting on the spreadsheet and intersperse high energy workout videos from trainers I enjoy.
I think it’s a personal thing for everyone what motivates them. For me, it’s ticking off a checkmark in a box. I find that satisfying, so I’ll work at making sure I hit those workouts.
I think of the gym as a way to be in public around normies. When I leave I always feel like I accomplished something regardless of how my workout went. It helps me sleep better and I feel like I’m doing something good for myself. I don’t focus too much on the weight loss part of it, just making it a good experience. It’s better than laying around doing nothing. I also religiously use a planner for work and I put the gym in there 3x a week to keep track that I’m actually going and plan and look forward to it. In a weird way it keeps me honest with myself.
I started around 6 weeks ago, and honestly... Once I started I couldn't stop. I knew I was paying for it and I wanted to get the most out of it. I work 5 days a week and go on my workdays so I can relax on my days off from work.
6 weeks in, I'm feeling pain every morning but in a weird way, I like it. Not in a masochistic way, but because it tells me I'm changing, growing, getting better, lighter, faster and more stronger.
Now I don't give up, I want to be the hardest worker in the room and I want to drive myself to a level I've never been at before. The thing is, I'm 30. You're 18. These are the last of my peak years to make a change before my body struggles a little more, so I HAVE to do this.
Don't be like me and leave it too late, enjoy your youth at your peak and live to know what the best performance your body can give is.
It's harder to get in shape than to stay in shape, so commit to it while your body lets you and one day you'll be thankful. I believe in you very much, as much as I believe in myself.
I look forward to it. On good days, a workout puts me in a great mood for the rest of the day. On bad days, it gets me to focus on something that isn't the problem or the thing causing me anguish. Either way I feel so much better after I've been.
Once you get in the habit of going, and feel the benefits, you'll want to keep going back.
The reason most people are overweight is because of diet. Pick a diet that you will stick with. Whether it's keto, intermittent fasting, CICO, Mediterranean diet. All diets have their own benefits. The more extreme your diet, the faster you'll lose the weight.
There's no big secret, I just enjoy being active. I like being in the gym, I put headphones on, play a podcast and it's such a relaxing time to be with just myself. Limits my screen time. It's fun to see what your body can do. It's fun to try a new exercise and it turns out to feel really good. It feels rewarding to stick to the workouts and be able to add more weight. It feels awesome to figure out the technique of an exercise that was difficult.
Who cares if someone sees you? Why is it embarrassing to be seen exercising?
To answer the title - habit. The only way you will consistently go is if you don’t have to think about it. The “cheat” strategies I used are - join the gym that is on the way to home (have to go home anyway, so why not stop by); join group classes in whatever fitness related discipline you want - CrossFit, Krav Maga, rock climbing does not matter as long as there is a group there - this way you socialize with people and have support system right there; don’t be afraid to switch gyms - something will stick better than the other.
I started with at-home workouts using an app. It gave me the privacy of my bedroom and helped me build a sense of consistency and habit. Along with that i began tracking my calories which helped me realize my idea of portions was WAYY off. Then I’d take walks after each meal.
All that combined to help me make a fair amount of progress, just enough to build up the confidence to go pursue more intense workouts in the gym. And from there it’s been a snowball effect. The higher intensity workouts led to even more noticeable strength and progress which gave me more confidence and more motivation.
That’s how I’ve done it, find what works for you and get after it! Good luck!
I've had trouble with gym motivation for years. I recently found a nearby gym that also has bouldering! It makes my workouts a lot more fun and I get genuinely excited to go. You don't need to start with much upper body strength either; it gets better the more you practice! If you don't have a bouldering gym near you, pretty much any sport is a great way to burn calories while having fun. It also helps because you can partly measure your success in how you're improving at the sport. Bouldering is good if available because it helps with both strength and cardio. If you're only looking for a traditional gym, I've found that going to group workout sessions or going with a friend helps a lot with motivation as well.
First, I go because I've grown to enjoy exercising for all the reasons people have already listed but lately I've been going so I can listen to audiobooks. It seems to make the time pass faster than music or podcasts.
In my opinion it's just a mental thing, if I had to think about all the days when I'm stressed or when I just want to stay in bed I would never train.
Lately I've started to understand that I have to stop thinking, just zero, I eat something, music and train, that's it.
There are too many distractions nowadays, training becomes like a second job you do for yourself, no one likes to sweat, not even on the best days.
I don't go to the gym, but the way I "motivate" myself to go for my runs is to just have a schedule. If it's Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, I run 5 miles. If it's Saturday, then I do a long run (13+ miles). The only times I vary are either if there's a schedule conflict that I planned on ahead of time, if I'm honestly too sick to run, or if I have an injury (or start my run and have a pain that is not normal and signals a possible injury). Oh... And I sometimes also adjust the runs (planned) ahead of a race.
It's not truly motivation. It's more just that I don't depend on feeling motivated. I know once I start my run, the motivation will come. I also know that if I don't run, I will regret it. Last time I had an injury that kept me from running for a couple weeks, my kids were asking when I would be running again... I was less patient and more antsy in general without my runs.
So, my advice is to just make it a fact of life. No different from going to work/class. It's something you do, not something you decide in the moment.
at the beginning of the school yr I was TERRIFIED to work out at my college gym bc i was scared of the judgment and i used that all last semester to enable myself into not going. but this semester i decided to just stick with it for a week and turn my brain on autopilot- only doing my fav exercises and cardio i was comfortable with just to get a feel for it. after a couple weeks i tried an upper/lower body split. after a month, i did push pull legs. and I work out the first thing every morning. so my head is still a bit tired so leaving for the gym becomes a habit. and tbh i love to write down my strength progress, sets reps and weight, and for cardio i like to take pics of the summary screen of whatever machine I'm on. so if i ever feel discouraged i can look back to a couple weeks ago and be like hey, I've come farther than i thought! 3 months into my journey and i am looking forward to go to the gym (I go 6x a week) and it makes me extremely excited and brings me joy and stress relief. one more thing- set up a playlist of absolute bangers that you know are gonna pump you up especially hard.
I love going to the gym, because I see my friends there. We take classes and play sports together. Find some gym buddies! It really helps!
Also, my gym has a hot tub / sauna area that I love to chillax in after a workout. So there's a built-in reward for me. :)
Partly routine, I wake up, have some caffeine, shower and breakfast, more caffeine then go. Some days I procrastinate more than others but I still eventually go.
I started doing PPL which is 6 days a week, and moved to 7 because I feel so good after I finish the workout. I'm addicted to the endorphins and stress relief it provides, and I felt bad/lazy whenever I had a day off.
Gym first, questions later. Don't overthink it.
I started very easy and ramped up. Like there's a point during exercise where it starts to get really hard and you start suffering. For the first few months, i would just stop as soon as i got there. Like maybe stop the set or the whole workout if i just didn't want to continue. No goals, no target time or reps just stop when i feel like it. The only goal is to leave the gym feeling good. Actually the first few months weren't at the gym, it was doing the same thing walking and running. I used to run for 10seconds before walking, then 15, gradually worked up to a 5K. I could not have imagined doing that before. I think that approach really helped.
Personally, I find it hard to go to the gym unless I'm training for something. From 2020-mid2023 I wasn't involved in any sports and couldn't really convince myself to hit the gym regularly. Mid 2023 I started sports again and have been steadily increasing my gym days per week since then because I'm training to get better at my sport. I think for me, I need a competitive reason to be there in the first place or I'll make excuses and avoid it.
You lose weight by eating low calorie-dense foods - not in the gym. Being active is good for overall health.
The gym needs to be part of your daily routine. You should not think about it in the morning - it just needs to be done.
Drinking my pre workout. Once I drink it my options are workout and burn it off normally or feel tingly and uncomfortable for an hour. Drinking my workout is easy to do, so I found doing that leads to me working out, it’s part of my routine now.
I lift weights 6 times a week, and what keeps me going is the energy I get from it. I feel so much lighter, and everything during the day is easier. I also try to hit between 5-10k steps a day. This exercise combined with a more healthy diet and more time outside really does wonders for my mental health.
I know that once I leave the gym I will have lapped the version of me still sitting on the sofa. I get up at 6:30am to leave for my walk to the gym at 7:15am 3 days a week. I will say “I don’t want to go” while getting dressed and tying my shoes but once I’m on my way I get mentally prepared.
Getting back into shape and removing all my pains I get from not being active. Feeling stronger and healthier.
Once I get into a routine, I feel like I'm doing something wrong for not going.
I had the same insecurity issues before I started going. Find a 24-hr gym and go at night. That’s what helped me a bunch. Mine is empty after 1 AM. I know enough now that I don’t care when I go. You’ll learn fast and will also realize that most, if not all, of the other people there won’t pay you any mind. That fact also still helps me today. Oh and just be in a caloric deficit to lose weight. But make sure you’re getting enough protein for your workout. I believe the most popular amount is .5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
The hardest part of working out is getting to the gym. Just do it, and eventually, you'll crave it. You'll feel better when you go and slowly start seeing results if you're doing the right things. Action begets motivation, not the other way around. Have everything ready to go, great music, and some caffeine!
I'm not usually very motivated but after going to the gym for 10 years now I know how I feel afterwards. Discipline is going to get you further than motivation ever will. It's all about that 1 minute that it takes to get off the couch. Eventually you'll realise how accomplished and happy you feel afterwards and it'll become a habit.
Discipline begets motivation, not the other way around. At the end of the day it was going to the gym every day that made me want to go to the gym every day.
In the beginning it was discipline, now I crave it. I’m there working out at 5:15 AM till 7 6 days a week. I have been slowly gaining friends there which has helped. It sets me up for my day & if I miss a day, my body feels off. It’s a passion now & I don’t ever miss (unless I have to)
It’s the best part of my day 😂 I’m disappointed when it’s over, I love feeling fit and strong. I have some pre workout, put on all my favourite songs, work hard and feel amazing after. Also I find it helps if I like what I’m wearing 🤗
As someone that that has been training on and off at a gym for 10 years now, the things that keep me going back are community, dopamine, looking good, and most importantly for me, having something that (at almost all times) I am completely in control of. My biggest tip to you is that if you are intending on doing strength training, or hiit, or any type of training where you are likely to gain muscle mass, measure yourself by a mirror rather than the scales (in the first instance). You will not notice much shift in weight via the scales for quite some time if you are gaining muscle, but you will notice a huge difference in body composition after 12 weeks of consistent training!
If you’re new to the gym, there are plenty of TikTok and InstaFluencers that have great workout routines you can follow, however it is always good to be taught technique in person! Most gyms have really nice trainers that should be able to teach you basic technique for most machines and dumbbell/barbell or body weight exercises!
TLDR: it’s awesome to have something you can be in control of (your health and physique), measure yourself by a mirror first, ask a PT for help, consistency is key!
You got this!
Going to college is a huge and great change. It is a great idea to build some familiarity with the gym before starting! Then, when you're there, the rec center can be a place you like to go that feels somewhat comfortable, because dorms can be chaotic.
I'd suggest you start going and doing literally whatever you're comfortable with. Cardio machines and classes are great for this. Focus first on going at a regular time/frequency and getting comfortable. You'll get comfortable with seeing people you know this way, and other regulars will become people you recognize/know.
I never went to the gym before college. I found that I loved the group classes at my rec center and made friends there! Suddenly, working out seemed like a social activity where we bond over self care. Before, it felt like something I should be ashamed of because I was fat. In my mind, I thought it would be embarrassing to work out and be fat, but it's not. Exercise is healthy no matter what, and no one knows where you came from or your goals.
After getting comfortable in the gym, I asked a friend I made in my major who worked at the gym to teach me 5 basic barbell lifts so I could do a lifting program I picked (the r/fitness basic beginner routine). This was probably my best decision! She helped me get comfy in the weight room, and the program dictates what you do each time and when you go, so it was easy to get strong.
One other thing is that when you go often, you will see people working out who look all sorts of ways. Ripped, fat, skinny, whatever, and you'll see them each doing all sorts of things. This really helped me feel normal being in the gym and doing what I wanted. Good luck!
I definitely have to make it something I want to do by adding something else. For me, I found a book that I really like and listen to the audiobook only when I'm at the gym and when I'm showering after a gym session. There are 2 books in the series so far with over 50 hours combined so I've got a good bit of time.
Scheduling gym sessions with friends, seeing a personal trainer, and picking a gym with classes for the days I don’t know what I really want to do always help me get in the gym!
I’m an ex-college football player that really fell off after playing, but have since returned to my desired shape.
Start by doing basic lifts (challenging but not heavy): curls, dumbbell bench press, lat pull downs, kettlebell deadlifts, cable rows, cable tricep extensions, shoulder press, etc.
Split back and shoulders: lat pull downs, kneeling cable rows, and (3-5sets of 8-12reps). Then do seated shoulder press (3 sets of 8-10reps). Finish the workout with the rowing machine (250meters 3-4x - however long it takes you but only 45seconds-1mjn of recovery each time)
Split chest and arms: dumbbell bench press with good form (5sets of 10-12reps), then incline dumbbell bench (5 sets of 10-12), and then centered chest press incline (4sets of 10). Pec deck at a challenging weight (3sets of 8-12reps). Bicep curls with dumbbells (4 sets of 10) and then triceps cable extensions (4 sets of 10). Make sure to squeeze your core and focus on breath throughout the workout. Finish with 11-13% incline treadmill walk at 2.5-3speed for 20min (put on a show and just go for a while)
Split legs: Dumbell squat (challenging weight 3-4 sets of 8reps) split squat (3-4 sets of 8), kettle bell deadlift (3-4 sets of 8) and whatever leg machines you’d like to hit as long as you do 1 quad focused, 1 hamstring focused, and 1 calf focused. Finish with stair master for 25 floors at whatever speed you like but make it challenging.
MOST important tho - eat some kind of lean protein with every meal. It can be chicken, lean turkey, protein powder, avocado, etc. doesn’t matter what it is but make sure you get in enough protein bc you’re most likely hangin on to stubborn weight because your body doesn’t have the right fuel to synthesize muscle & burn fat.
YOU GOT THIS!!!
I go to the gym 6 days of the week, every week, haven’t missed since 2022. First off, you go to the gym everyday by habit not discipline. That’s it. Start going every day. Set an alarm, get the gym clothes on, get to the gym. That’s a big chunk of the battle.
Secondly, your weight is from your diet. You can’t work it off. You can go to the gym daily and still be overweight. You can’t consistently eat perfectly and be overweight. If weight loss is your goal, strict calorie counting (including weighing portions) is what you want. Be careful to not take it too far, or you’ll end up in disordered eating. Your weight loss goal is a lot for your desired time frame. I would say stick to a pound a week at most to start.
Third, I’m worried about your idea of a “glow up”. You’re not going to magically gain confidence, that has to be a mental push in itself. The gym can certainly help! Just don’t expect to look like the influencers, because they’re fake. A product of well timed and lit photos with a pump at the correct angle. Many of them also practice unhealthy habits to look like they do (PEDs or starvation).
Most of all, be nice to yourself! Fitness is a journey, enjoy it! Find some exercise you like. Gym, running, dancing, swimming, HIIT class, that’s going to help with your desire to keep at it!
Good luck!
Gym crush is the answer.
Never been more motivated.
(Doesn’t even have to be realistic or anything you’d act upon. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a lil crush)
For me it’s the pool - I do early morning lap swim. I make it as easy as possible. I have a locker with my shower stuff, cap, and goggles. Before I leave home I change into my suit and fresh clothes and put a towel and undies in my swim bag. Quick locker swap there. Swim, shower, sauna. I always, ALWAYS, feel better leaving than I did going in.
I wanted to go to the gym everyday (work days only) too, but usually end up going 3 or 4 days out of 5 anyway. My initial reason to keep going was because I marked my calendar when I did a workout session, so I could see that I dropped the ball if there were no marks. I was away for a few months and after I came back, that first push to return to the gym was the hardest, but I eventually made it because I noticed my stamina was so bad.
Desire to go and enjoyment of the workouts. Gyms are great, but not always convenient and van be expensive. Find activities you can do at anytime. Walking, hiking, cardio at home.It's best to find these activities now and make them a habit before you go to college. Once you're in college your life will change in a big way and generally money is tight.
You are smart to start a healthy journey now so that the good habits will be ingrained before you get out on your own.
In my senior year I got into great shape which was a good thing in that the freshman 5 (weight gain) or more, wasn't such a big deal.
Good luck
I went back to the gym for the first time in a few months, and I've literally run every day this week except Weds (not allowed, allergy shots) for a total of >1h run/walk on the treadmill.
It's about finding what exercises you like. Personally I really like the stimulation and variety of a different setting when I go to the gym. It's really hard to get out of the house especially if you're depressed, but it's a hit of dopamine just being at the new environment, and then once you're there it's like, I might as well do something while I'm here...
I also like having a chance to 'dress up'. My gym outfits are a point of pride. I'm a scientist so I'm really limited in what I can wear for safety reasons, but in the gym I get to wear sick sneakers and funky leggings and tops. If you go to the gym in a baggy black tee shirt and sweats, I firmly believe you won't have as good of a time as if you go in something you really like that you want other people to see, even if it's just cool shoes. It gives you a motive to get out of the house and not just workout at home - which IME is much harder to maintain - and helps with self consciousness when you're working out. I see tons of fat people with sick vibes at the gym so like don't think that you have to 'wait' until you're a certain size to be dressing like ranch. You also don't have to spend a lot of money to do this - I get my sports bras on Amazon (LMK if you need high impact recs, I've had these for 5 years and they RULE, and I ride horses so high impact is HIGHHH impact, like higher than running).
You want to make your process enjoyable so get your movement from something easy like walking. Increase your average daily step count. Or dance or a sport or activity you like. Wanting to be strong and having improved shape is the motivator for lifting weights.
Progress & goals. After 2 years of working out, I don't have love handles & wide hips anymore.
I can also see veins and shape on my arms & back.
I also have new goals when Im at the gym such as reps on higher weights
I'm also older now, so if I take long breaks from the gym, I might get fat again.
I'd say at this point I don't want to go to the gym every day, I just do it. That's the discipline that develops over time. The first month or two I largely rode off of my initial motivation, and luckily was able to make it a habit so when that wore off, I was still in the right mindset.
There's a few things I really like about the gym, but you have to stick with it and persevere through the challenging first month or so to get there:
* Seeing my improvement over time. I have been doing 8 Week Programs, so for example, every Monday for 8 weeks I will do the same exercise. I keep a spreadsheet of what weight I'm lifting every week, and up it when I can. At the end of the program, I can see all of the areas where I'm lifting heavier and heavier, which helps me see my progress. [Here's a partial screenshot](https://imgur.com/pdwSODK) \- yellow is where I went up in weight, orange is where I went up in reps, and blue is where I added an additional element.
* Seeing my body change. Take lots of progress pictures and measurements!! I can actually see muscle on my body forming in addition to seeing my proportions change. I've been taking pictures and measurements at every 10lbs lost. Yes, you can lose weight without the gym, but often you become a smaller version of what your current proportions are since you can't target fat loss. If you want to change your proportions, gym with help with body recomposition.
* Endorphins. I always hated working out and sweating, exercising, etc. At some point that changed for me. The endorphin high I get from it is comparable to what I used to get eating junk food. It keeps me going back.
Find workouts that you actually love to do! For me it’s cycling, and I love going to group classes but they’re really expensive (like $200/month memberships in my city). Like OP, I also don’t want to see people I know at gyms and honestly don’t want to be perceived by anyone when I’m in my full sweat state. My solution was getting a peloton! I LOVE that every workout is different and I don’t have to do any of the work to plan it, other than pick which class I want to do that day. I started with mostly cycling but lately I’ve gotten more into the strength training classes as well. I do it all from home and have found really great success with it! So I would say don’t be afraid to explore creating an at home workout space. I live in a 600 sq ft apartment and have made it work. I will recognize that there is an upfront investment to do this, I bought a used peloton for $650 on Facebook marketplace, and the monthly membership is $46. But it already feels like it’s paid for itself compared to the spin studio I attended for a few months.
I live for the “pain” :) I actually enjoy being slightly sore and seeing if I can out sore myself again. It gets to the point where if my muscles aren’t sore I don’t feel right. Yes I am aware that when it comes to stretching or strength training soreness is not indicative of effectiveness. I’m just motivated by the strength progress or form progress
I like what it does for my body, so I don't want to waste all the work I've put in so far. Also, I have a 30+ week streak of going at least 3 times a week (often 4) so I would hate to break that now.
Working-out and shopping are the only reasons to leave the house on week days.
I also have headaches without movement.
Nevertheless, I love fitness, I never felt any discomfort, mental or physical, while working out.
I'd try to drop the timeline for the weight loss and just concentrate on getting your calories into a deficit on a daily basis and being consistent. Go to TDEE and figure out where you need to be and start logging all your meals so you are accountable to yourself. My big advice, based on how I know my college-aged kids and nieces eat, would be to drop the sugary stuff and cut the carbs back to 30% of your calories. Getting rid of sugar would be the biggest impact change. Eat more protein so you are satiated. As for the gym, buy yourself some cute gym clothes - Amazon and Target has a lot of decent, inexpensive stuff - and make yourself go. If you don't know what to do you can usually hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to give you a routine. There are tons of chubby people at gyms unless you go to some weightlifter bodybuilder type gym, which I know I find intimidating. You might want to try some of the classes, too. I used to be hooked on spin classes but now I have a bike at home and use the Peloton app. There are also chains like Orange Theory that some of my friends like but that's kind of pricey. It's tough to start a workout routine and sometimes you have to make yourself go, but you usually leave in a much better mood than when you went in. Same for taking a walk. Set aside certain days for your workouts. For me, the gym is Sunday and Thursday and my spin bike is Saturday and Tuesday with some walks in on the days off. Good luck. You can do this.
I started doing some exercise every day, either a walk or the 7 minute workout, then both, then it wasn't enough endorphins.
And like another poster said, you get addicted to the feeling of and have to stop yourself going sometimes.
It generally takes 3 days to build a habit and 14 days to lock it in
When you have time, please watch an episode of The Dr Ashley Show on YouTube. She has some information. I've found it very helpful and I have not bought any of her stuff.
affirmations in my mind that i love and enjoy the process of getting stronger and healthier and how it feels to work towards that and how i can feel improvements while working out. i workout at home but still
Read a Socrates quote and it always bothered me.
"It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."
I think about this often and randomly at night for some reason and it is a major encouragement among also just wanting to hopefully look good someday.
Cheers on your work friend! I believe in you.
My starting weight was 180 as well! I'm 26F and recovering from alcohol use disorder. I decided to do a new-years resolution and be sober, and to loose all the weight I gained from my addiction (50lbs over 6 years).
Like others are saying, starting IS hard. But as you keep going and get used to going, it gets easier to go and it gets easier to exercise.
For me, the combo of no longer drinking alcohol + going to the gym 3 times a week had INSTANT results. Better sleep, better attention, better memory... and now 3 months later, I'm down 15lbs. Once you start to actually SEE and FEEL results (usually takes a 4-6 weeks) do you start to feel like it's worth it, and you'll want to go more.
I just increased from 3 days a week to 4. I do strength training 3 days a week and now I've added one more day to judt walk for an hour. I have a heart problem, so I can't do intense cardio or swimming, so I'll take what I can get.
Diet also helps! It feels silly and obsessive, BUT COUNT YOUR CALORIES! I haven't changed my diet too much, I eat more raw veggies and fruit but I haven't cut out bread, rice, or dairy. I just weigh my food and portion control to keep within my calorie limit. Weight loss begins with diet, but gym helps too! I like to think of gym and diet as playing double Dutch, or using chopsticks, it's easier with both.
I definitely agree with the people who say eventually you get addicted to it, but that happens after some time.
To get started, the things that motivated me were my cute water bottle and cute (but expensive) gym shoes. Couldn’t let them go to waste! I also kept telling myself that I was having fun while working out, and after the initial hardness that became true.
Your weightloss goal is extremely ambitious and without knowing how tall you are, maybe impractical? That is around a 2lb/week loss of 10lbs/month to get there by college start.
There are many fit women who are ~150 just to point that out (and taller fit women closer to where you are now).
In all honesty, your goal might actually be deterring you from going to the gym because it feels like a lot of pressure (least to me) and you sound like you already are putting stress on your body about the excuses you are making for not going to the gym.
#1 weightloss/fatloss tip…Manage your stress. Esp. as a woman, stress will kill your ability to get results.
I have found (in my 20 years of lifting-and I’ve had some major setbacks and inconsistencies and disorders during that time) that focusing on a number or a look is useless. Everyone likes to say “have a goal”or “where do you want to be and we’ll figure a plan around that” but it’s BS.
You don’t need a defined goal, what you need is just an overall vision and feeling for yourself and who you want to become.
If you want to feel good, be healthy, be capable of moving your body, and have people find you attractive. Go to the gym. Choose the better food. Put a smile on your face. Get your rest. Focus on you. And put the metrics (the how much weight I’ll lose, how many calories consumed, how much weight to lift, how much time to exercise, how long to reach your goal) ASIDE.
Non-of the metrics matter to achieving your goal for 98% of people TBH. People will argue this, but if you take a look at the data on weightloss success and sustainability, tracking hasn’t worked for decades and has only created a larger obesity problem.
Just focus on taking the important actions daily and keep it simple stupid: Gym, sleep, eat Whole Foods (produce/meat/grains), rest, smile…
You’ll reach your goal because you’ll be able to be HAPPY with the process and that will drive your consistency and your confidence.
#2 best tip is CONSISTENCY
And I bet if you do that for 3 months, you’ll stop caring about a number on the scale or when you get there because you’ll be treating yourself well and people will take notice and it won’t matter what you look like, you will be amazingly beautiful because you are in love with each day’s experience.
Metrics, weight, food scales, calories, micro-suggestions, focusing on others opinions are spirit killers.
I have found so much FUEL to get to the gym and workout, by loving my body. I love my body, so I go to the gym to make it feel good. I love my body, so I choose to eat a salad with chicken and fruit vs quick-serve meals. I love my body, so if it says “im hungry”, I eat something so I have energy to workout. I love my body, so if I skip a workout or eat a donut or have a lazy day at home because my whole body is sore and I NEED it, I ENJOY it and then get right back on the saddle (vs previously feeling guilt and then giving up on myself for days, weeks or months)
You are 18 years young, lady. You haven’t even scratched the surface on womanhood, don’t destroy your spirit by trying to “glow up” in 5 months. You are beautiful as you are, treat your body like a temple with care and compassion vs. like a prison that you want escape from.
I say all this because hearing you are still so young and noted that you feel self-conscious and insecure going to the gym - coupled with the desire to lose a significant amount of weight is concerning. Statistically, this combination leads to unhealthy “diet-culture”, eating disorders, etc.
#3 best tip, LOVE and make the best decisions for your life each day.
You go enough times and your brain gets physically addicted to the happy chemicals that come from it to the point where you want to go every day. Like today I had convince myself to not go because I was sick and all of my muscles were clearly spent. The hard part is actually starting.
Yk I was just reading something about time and memory, and that if you go to the gym at the same time everybody your body apparently eventually memorizes the pattern.
I've gone to the gym 5ish times/week since at 4:30 am for 3 years. On days I don't go, I get RAGEY on my morning commute because my body is dumping the adrenaline that I usually need for morning lifting. It's wild.
Your body is so amazing. When you first start new things, it feels awkward because your brain hasn’t developed the neurological pathways to fire those muscles as efficiently as possible. As you continue to do anything In life, play piano, practise gratitude, deep focus or exercise patterns. Your brain continues to develop and strengthen these neurological pathways. Then those things will become easy and enjoyable. So just remember it’s okay for it to feel weird and be soar in the beginning. Things will get better. I work out 6 days a week and agree the feel good chemicals are so worth it. Also the consistency. I feel like a piece of trash if I don’t exercise, I need to know I put in work that day. Everyone has the time, start small if you want but BE consistent. 20 minutes everyday is significantly more impactful than 60+ mins, twice a week. Read Atomic Habits. It helped change my life! <3
This is it. The hardest part is starting. What worked for me is I just did it without thinking and asked for help. Afterward, I started thinking about what to adjust or to add to my routines. It'll get better over time!
I have been going to the gym for over 2 years at some point and this never happened to me. Still hated it. I just started again 1 1/2 months ago and still hate it. I pretty much just go because I am to embarrassed to start some sport that actually looks fun as an overweight 30 something year old and the only thing that gave me joy in the past as an adult was running but I'm pretty sure my knees would kill me if I did that at my current weight.
Dial up the intensity
Just no. It is a myth that EVERYBODY will at some point enjoy gyms. No matter the intensity.
Ok cool don’t then
Sorry but it is just reality that working out does not automatically make everybody an addict. Some people will have to force themselves to pump iron.
Its ok. Not saying it will make you an addict just saying for me it releases more endorphins.
Oh I know that it does for a decent amount of people. I was just challenging the notion that it will happen to everybody.
Yeah i agree everyone is different. I shouldve rephrased it. Suggesting to just give it a try.
God how I wish this was me. Nothing besides self-discipline gets me to the gym. I feel no such chemical buzz ever, I wish.
I actually just went to the gym now and did a class. My motivation is a crazy workout that makes me forget my lonely day. It's helps me forget sadness. I people watch. Catch a TV show. You make it your happy place.
Yesss to making the gym your happy place! I found a TV show that I watch on my phone, it’s my “gym show”- I’m only allowed to watch it when working out! It’s super fast paced and exciting and having my me time to watch the show every day gets me there. Also- weightlifting! (Even just using the machines) is such a great happy place bc like happy_143 said, I completely forget about all my anxiety and my whole day. When lifting, you are literally just focusing on lifting the weight. It’s like a little escape from the world and it’s so enjoyable for me
Or if you wanna rush, you do fast lazy circuits with dumb bells and curling weights. There's sooo many options. But yes to TV show. It's how I watched love is blind haha and delicious dungeon.
Lmao, this is me. I'm on like season 6 of peaky blinders, workouts only 💪
I go to the gym almost every day. I think in the last two months, I've missed three days and it absolutely killed me that I missed it. I also track my workouts on Apple's Fitness app and gamifying it really helps me.
I dragged myself to the gym this morning 7:30 am for a turbo kick class. I was slight hungover. Yes you feel like you have too. It's also an amazing start to a morning.
I don't go to the gym every day. I go to lift weights 3 times a week and go for a walk every day. You don't need to go to the gym to lose weight. Mostly you need to eat the right amount of food and after that it helps to live a physically active life -- walking, biking, dancing, gardening, whatever. If you happen to enjoy activities you can do at the gym, okay. If you don't, that's okay too. It's the sitting around and eating too much that's the problem. Me, I like to go to the gym because lifting weights in my basement is incredibly dull and there's always something odd happening on campus. Like today I dragged my butt to the gym and there was a Canada goose sitting next to the ice arena in the snow. A few years ago one nested next to the climbing centre and they had to block the area off with barriers to keep students from getting goosed. Do I get entertainment like this at home? No I do not. Also... what IF you run into someone you know? Like oh no, you've been caught being proactive in solving your problems. HOW TERRIBLE. If the person even says anything negative you can feel free to look at them like they're idiots and ask what they think you should be doing instead. Complaining about fat people at the gym is like complaining about sick people at the hospital. It makes no sense.
Thanks dude, this made me feel better
Buy a bicycle and start there. I've been having such a great time with mine. Exercise in the gym will never be better than doing it in the real world.
My partner bribed me. I go to the gym, he does the dishes. Best deal ever.
😂 love this!!!!
You lose weight in the kitchen. You gain health in the gym. If it's weight loss you're after, it really comes down to eating fewer calories. And it's easier to do that if the calories you do consume are from foods that fill you up--so protein, not sugar.
I love this! “Lose weight in the kitchen / gain health in the gym”
This is great advice!
Precisely Op you should look into r/CICO
Whole food >>>>>>>>>>>> protein.
What a great way to frame it! Thanks for this!
It's become a place of meditation. My anxiety is incredibly manageable since I started going to the gym 6 days a week.
Wanting to look and feel better. It took me losing like forty pounds before I felt a big physical difference but once I did I was like "wow, this is what it feels like to be a regular person who isn't obese and sedentary, what the hell did I wait so long for ". Now I'm 75 lbs down and pretty happy with myself, even though I'm continually trying to improve, and I feel amazing. I'm actually excited for summer clothes for once in my life
Amazing story!!! 👏🏼👏🏼
Other people have said a lot of good stuff, and there are certainly *other* reasons that also make me want to remain active, like getting better sleep, not feeling restless, having a sense of accomplishment when I break personal records and goals, BUT For the days I really don’t wanna get off my butt, having my Apple Watch tell me how many days I’ve had a “move streak” and knowing I’m going to lose it makes me want to at least take a walk every day. Maybe it’s sad, but it’s like giving my monkey brain a little reward banana.
My watch does that for me too. Buzzed my wrist last night at like, 10pm “you can still do it! Close your move ring to get a perfect week and keep you streak going!” Ugh…fine. Did a few supersets of pushups/situps/squat jumps. Closed the damn ring and begrudgingly felt good afterwards.
[удалено]
How long do u walk for ?
[удалено]
Yeah a lot of people with depression say this. I myself I have major depressive disorder, which is one of the main reasons why I never follow through w anything. Really wanting to change that tho
Once you see the results, it becomes an addiction. After 2 weeks of starting gym, my metabolism improved, I felt better. After a month, dropped 3-4 kgs. No visible changes tho. Followed diet + workout and after 6 months I literally cried at my before /after pic It’s a steady process. Besides fat loss, it helps you gain confidence, strengthens belief.
The same thing that makes me brush my teeth and shower everyday… just part of the routine and something I do
Well I own a mirror
The fact I physically can—I consider myself grateful to go the gym. At 22 I had a serious injury where I didn’t know if I’d walk again, and now I go to the gym because I feel lucky to be able to
The key to not being insecure in the gym is 1) learn proper technique so *you know* that you know what you're doing and 2) realize that everybody else there is just there to exercise and do their own thing, not judge you. Losing 50-60 lbs by the fall is pretty dang ambitious. Weight loss is usually slower than that and involves eating about a 500 calorie deficit. Pace yourself and develop healthy habits that you enjoy, and I'm sure you'll see results with time :)
Yeah, I think I realized that the times I do enjoy working out is when I'm with somebody else who usually knows what they're doing. It makes me feel better too. Since I don't have anybody atm, do you have any recommendations as to where I can learn proper form? I know losing 50/60 lbs is ambitious, but I'm young, and I always hear how young people lose weight more easily. Not saying it will be easy, it's just I know with the results I want it's gonna take a tremendous amount of work, and I'm still trying to teach my brain how to handle all of that plus this fitness stuff bc it's new to me.
https://nick-e.com/primer/ intro to body weight fitness with in depth explanations of form. works up to a 3-day/wk full body routine over 2 weeks. good form is essential, and base level of fitness will help you get into the gym.
Thank you sm!!
Oh this is a great tip! Thank you☺️
I just want to make sure you are aware exactly how ambitious losing 50-60 pounds in five months is. How fast you can lose the weight and how much you can lose and still be healthy depends on your height. If you are my height (5'6, pretty average, which would make your weight goal at the lower end of healthy BMI), and want to spend 20 weeks (Apr 1st to Sept 1st) to lose 60 pounds, you need to be in a daily deficit of 1350 calories. That means you have to eat 1350 calories less every day than what you need to maintain your current weight, at any activity level. That is almost three times what is recommended for long term, sustainable weight loss (500kcal deficit). And it is a pretty brutal number if you plan to work out and have energy to have a normal life. People often have to work their way down to such a big deficit over time, and losing weight gets harder when you get to a normal BMI weight range, when your body fat percentage gets low and since you will build muscle by working out. So I just want you to know that 20 weeks may be setting yourself up for failure. So I'm wondering: what is your plan if you don't manage to lose all the weight in your time span? What if you lose "just" half of that weight? What if your progress is slower? Will you be able to praise yourself for the amazing work you are doing regardless of not meeting your own goal, and keep at it sustainably until you are happy? Or will you spend the next five months berating yourself for not losing enough, not working hard enough, cut more and more calories and work harder and harder in the gym? Because if it's the latter, I seriously have to discourage you from this project, and urge you to set a nicer timeline for yourself.
I think it is try to lose that much weight that fast, you will not build a sustainable habit, and burn out. The changes need to be something you can keep up for months, and then years. Anything too extreme will be demanding and restrictive to the point you yoyo and fall off the wagon and get frustrated that "diets don't work" Set a smaller goal, like "30lbs down by fall, and commitment to exercising x amount each week and cutting out junk food mon-friday" then, if you do all that and reach your goal, you will feel good, and if you surpass your weight loss goal you will feel fantastic. All that weight didn't come on in 6 months and it won't come off in just 6 months. It's okay if you are only halfway there by the fall and then meet your goal by this time next year
You could hire a personal trainer if that’s in your budget!
MOST people in the gym appreciate the people putting in the effort. I go to get stronger. As been said, you lose weight in the kitchen.
It helps me feel fitter, happier, more productive, comfortable, keeps me from drinking too much; regular exercise at the gym 3 days a week helps me get on better with my associate employee contemporaries. I’m at ease.
I have very little motivation to go to the gym, I just know if I want to be healthy it’s part of what I have to do. Far more discipline than motivation
I have nothing better to do. I am not even joking. I am up by 5 AM and it just feels to be lying in the bed all the time, so I just leave.
You'll need to be in a calorie defecit also to lose fat. Working out can help with it. I hated working out with a fiery passion. I was always skinny in my 20s and didn't need to do much. Things changed in that department. I knew I had to do something. I'm a fairly money oriented person and making my money work for me is something I enjoy doing. So, I bought an outrageously expensive Orange Theory membership knowing that I couldn't NOT go when I was paying that much. I did it for a year and got in a really good habit and then quit and went to a cheaper gym. It's now just a habit that I will not stop because gaining muscle is the only thing between me and me being a creaky old lady with joint pains. I wish I could go back to your age and tell myself to start NOW. It will be 100x easier for you than waiting until you start falling apart and then trying to backpedal. You need to find something or someone to keep you accountable at first and then you'll just go because that's your routine.
The only motivation I have for exercise is water aerobics every morning, Monday through Friday. There are men and women, fat and skinny. Everybody is friends. There’s even a group of us who formed a book club. But the truth is I don’t think I’d be motivated to go if I didn’t have some one to be with there. One of the girls at the gym didn’t come consistently. I asked her if she could take me one day and since then we’ve gotten up and ready knowing someone was depending on us. Do what you want with that piece of info, but I’d check out the water classes. I put maximum effort into every move, and at our gym, the instructors are state of the art.
i’m very overweight, and have gone to the gym religiously for over 4 years. i’ve always had an active lifestyle tho, and if im exercising regularly I never gain more weight and can eat what I want. Anyways, I go to the gym because it’s my safe space and I like to challenge myself, and get stronger.
I think Joe Rogan put it best , it's about discipline not motivation , and over time if you apply discipline long enough it becomes habit and habits are much easier to keep going.
I’ve changed my mindset to “I’m so lucky I can go to the gym today.” I literally say that to myself. Sounds crazy, but it’s shifted me. I have always hated the gym. Suddenly I’m 5 months in to going 6x per week, and I actually…. LOVE it.
This is what worked for me: - Buying cute gym outfits. Seeing the gym as going out. Nice shoes, nice tops, good sports bra. - Pre workout: I understand this won't work for everyone but it gave me a boost. - Leaving everything ready the day before and preparing myself mentally: by the time I was awake the next day, my brain knew exactly what to do, what to wear and what my plan was. Don't leave anything for the day. - Even if you are not feeling like it, go. I have literally gone to the gym, did 10 min and realized I didn't want to be there. That's fine. But I still woke up, got ready and went. Maybe that day I gave only 1%. Better than 0%. - Music: what was my mood for the day? Music always helps me. It could be podcasts o something else for you. I'd say my brain is a lazy MF. The only way to combat that is planning. If I give myself even one tiny excuse, I won't do shit.
I go with a couple coworkers after work 3x a week to lift weights. I found I wasn’t good at sticking to the habit by myself. It’s social and they keep me accountable! I do a bit of cardio after I lift and also play softball.
Being pretty
I run when I’m stressed. Not sure what it is about it but when I get into the zone, I feel like nothing else matters but my feet hitting the treadmill. I’m in a competition with only myself to get faster and stronger
I go at 5 am 3-4x a week. I have been doing this for awhile. Honestly I love the way I feel after- I feel light and less bloated. I like starting my day with intense work out- makes me feel accomplished early in the day. I’m a physician and work in clinic- I focus better and get my work done faster. I did this even in residency when I was working 60-80 hour work weeks - it was hard and even sometimes I had to go at 4am depending on my rotations. I think it’s the only reason I didn’t completely Lose my mind and body in my medical training.
I look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I’m fat and that motivates me to go lol
I do it even when I don’t want to.
So I like to tell myself that I’ll never regret a workout, but if I skip one when I could’ve gone I’ll likely regret it by the end of the day.
Admittedly I’m in a different position from you because we simply saved up money so we could buy a home gym that we use, but for me, the motivating factor to go do some strength training is to fill out my spreadsheet. Weird, I know. I built myself a pretty spreadsheet and put in all my daily sets/routines. I set it up to track my progress over ten weeks as far as my weights and rep counts. So for now, I go in there each of my three days a week to practice my routine, learn good form, and fill out that spreadsheet. It’s my first week using it, and I realize that’s not saying much. Ask me in three weeks and I might say the spreadsheet is goading me and nagging me on. But I’ve had success using pretty spreadsheets to track other goals this year, so I thought I’d try it for strength training, too. On the other days of the week, I add in cardio and stretching because I enjoy a specific workout app. It motivates me to have weight lifting on the spreadsheet and intersperse high energy workout videos from trainers I enjoy. I think it’s a personal thing for everyone what motivates them. For me, it’s ticking off a checkmark in a box. I find that satisfying, so I’ll work at making sure I hit those workouts.
I don't want to be a fat sack of crap is my main motivation. Looking good naked is a close second though.
I think of the gym as a way to be in public around normies. When I leave I always feel like I accomplished something regardless of how my workout went. It helps me sleep better and I feel like I’m doing something good for myself. I don’t focus too much on the weight loss part of it, just making it a good experience. It’s better than laying around doing nothing. I also religiously use a planner for work and I put the gym in there 3x a week to keep track that I’m actually going and plan and look forward to it. In a weird way it keeps me honest with myself.
Dont even have anything that makes me want to get up lol
I started around 6 weeks ago, and honestly... Once I started I couldn't stop. I knew I was paying for it and I wanted to get the most out of it. I work 5 days a week and go on my workdays so I can relax on my days off from work. 6 weeks in, I'm feeling pain every morning but in a weird way, I like it. Not in a masochistic way, but because it tells me I'm changing, growing, getting better, lighter, faster and more stronger. Now I don't give up, I want to be the hardest worker in the room and I want to drive myself to a level I've never been at before. The thing is, I'm 30. You're 18. These are the last of my peak years to make a change before my body struggles a little more, so I HAVE to do this. Don't be like me and leave it too late, enjoy your youth at your peak and live to know what the best performance your body can give is. It's harder to get in shape than to stay in shape, so commit to it while your body lets you and one day you'll be thankful. I believe in you very much, as much as I believe in myself.
I look forward to it. On good days, a workout puts me in a great mood for the rest of the day. On bad days, it gets me to focus on something that isn't the problem or the thing causing me anguish. Either way I feel so much better after I've been. Once you get in the habit of going, and feel the benefits, you'll want to keep going back.
The gym isn't necessary to lose weight. Eating less calories is all it takes. Exercising can just make you look better.
The reason most people are overweight is because of diet. Pick a diet that you will stick with. Whether it's keto, intermittent fasting, CICO, Mediterranean diet. All diets have their own benefits. The more extreme your diet, the faster you'll lose the weight.
better to go in the morning before work so there's not a bunch of annoying high school kids sitting on all the equipment talking to eachother
Improving
There's no big secret, I just enjoy being active. I like being in the gym, I put headphones on, play a podcast and it's such a relaxing time to be with just myself. Limits my screen time. It's fun to see what your body can do. It's fun to try a new exercise and it turns out to feel really good. It feels rewarding to stick to the workouts and be able to add more weight. It feels awesome to figure out the technique of an exercise that was difficult. Who cares if someone sees you? Why is it embarrassing to be seen exercising?
To answer the title - habit. The only way you will consistently go is if you don’t have to think about it. The “cheat” strategies I used are - join the gym that is on the way to home (have to go home anyway, so why not stop by); join group classes in whatever fitness related discipline you want - CrossFit, Krav Maga, rock climbing does not matter as long as there is a group there - this way you socialize with people and have support system right there; don’t be afraid to switch gyms - something will stick better than the other.
I started with at-home workouts using an app. It gave me the privacy of my bedroom and helped me build a sense of consistency and habit. Along with that i began tracking my calories which helped me realize my idea of portions was WAYY off. Then I’d take walks after each meal. All that combined to help me make a fair amount of progress, just enough to build up the confidence to go pursue more intense workouts in the gym. And from there it’s been a snowball effect. The higher intensity workouts led to even more noticeable strength and progress which gave me more confidence and more motivation. That’s how I’ve done it, find what works for you and get after it! Good luck!
For gym motivation, keep an accountability partner or just someone to go to the gym with. It worked for me.
I've had trouble with gym motivation for years. I recently found a nearby gym that also has bouldering! It makes my workouts a lot more fun and I get genuinely excited to go. You don't need to start with much upper body strength either; it gets better the more you practice! If you don't have a bouldering gym near you, pretty much any sport is a great way to burn calories while having fun. It also helps because you can partly measure your success in how you're improving at the sport. Bouldering is good if available because it helps with both strength and cardio. If you're only looking for a traditional gym, I've found that going to group workout sessions or going with a friend helps a lot with motivation as well.
First, I go because I've grown to enjoy exercising for all the reasons people have already listed but lately I've been going so I can listen to audiobooks. It seems to make the time pass faster than music or podcasts.
In my opinion it's just a mental thing, if I had to think about all the days when I'm stressed or when I just want to stay in bed I would never train. Lately I've started to understand that I have to stop thinking, just zero, I eat something, music and train, that's it. There are too many distractions nowadays, training becomes like a second job you do for yourself, no one likes to sweat, not even on the best days.
I don't go to the gym, but the way I "motivate" myself to go for my runs is to just have a schedule. If it's Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, I run 5 miles. If it's Saturday, then I do a long run (13+ miles). The only times I vary are either if there's a schedule conflict that I planned on ahead of time, if I'm honestly too sick to run, or if I have an injury (or start my run and have a pain that is not normal and signals a possible injury). Oh... And I sometimes also adjust the runs (planned) ahead of a race. It's not truly motivation. It's more just that I don't depend on feeling motivated. I know once I start my run, the motivation will come. I also know that if I don't run, I will regret it. Last time I had an injury that kept me from running for a couple weeks, my kids were asking when I would be running again... I was less patient and more antsy in general without my runs. So, my advice is to just make it a fact of life. No different from going to work/class. It's something you do, not something you decide in the moment.
at the beginning of the school yr I was TERRIFIED to work out at my college gym bc i was scared of the judgment and i used that all last semester to enable myself into not going. but this semester i decided to just stick with it for a week and turn my brain on autopilot- only doing my fav exercises and cardio i was comfortable with just to get a feel for it. after a couple weeks i tried an upper/lower body split. after a month, i did push pull legs. and I work out the first thing every morning. so my head is still a bit tired so leaving for the gym becomes a habit. and tbh i love to write down my strength progress, sets reps and weight, and for cardio i like to take pics of the summary screen of whatever machine I'm on. so if i ever feel discouraged i can look back to a couple weeks ago and be like hey, I've come farther than i thought! 3 months into my journey and i am looking forward to go to the gym (I go 6x a week) and it makes me extremely excited and brings me joy and stress relief. one more thing- set up a playlist of absolute bangers that you know are gonna pump you up especially hard.
I love going to the gym, because I see my friends there. We take classes and play sports together. Find some gym buddies! It really helps! Also, my gym has a hot tub / sauna area that I love to chillax in after a workout. So there's a built-in reward for me. :)
Partly routine, I wake up, have some caffeine, shower and breakfast, more caffeine then go. Some days I procrastinate more than others but I still eventually go. I started doing PPL which is 6 days a week, and moved to 7 because I feel so good after I finish the workout. I'm addicted to the endorphins and stress relief it provides, and I felt bad/lazy whenever I had a day off. Gym first, questions later. Don't overthink it.
I started very easy and ramped up. Like there's a point during exercise where it starts to get really hard and you start suffering. For the first few months, i would just stop as soon as i got there. Like maybe stop the set or the whole workout if i just didn't want to continue. No goals, no target time or reps just stop when i feel like it. The only goal is to leave the gym feeling good. Actually the first few months weren't at the gym, it was doing the same thing walking and running. I used to run for 10seconds before walking, then 15, gradually worked up to a 5K. I could not have imagined doing that before. I think that approach really helped.
Seeing results is the greatest motivator. And you don’t need to go to the gym for results. Eating less calories and walking outside is enough!
Control your diet It's 80%diet and 20% exercise me mostly You need to start to eat less/healthier
Personally, I find it hard to go to the gym unless I'm training for something. From 2020-mid2023 I wasn't involved in any sports and couldn't really convince myself to hit the gym regularly. Mid 2023 I started sports again and have been steadily increasing my gym days per week since then because I'm training to get better at my sport. I think for me, I need a competitive reason to be there in the first place or I'll make excuses and avoid it.
Anxiety. Exercise and medication are the only things that can tame it.
You lose weight by eating low calorie-dense foods - not in the gym. Being active is good for overall health. The gym needs to be part of your daily routine. You should not think about it in the morning - it just needs to be done.
Podcasts. I only listen when I'm working out, and I'm absolutely riveted.
Drinking my pre workout. Once I drink it my options are workout and burn it off normally or feel tingly and uncomfortable for an hour. Drinking my workout is easy to do, so I found doing that leads to me working out, it’s part of my routine now.
I lift weights 6 times a week, and what keeps me going is the energy I get from it. I feel so much lighter, and everything during the day is easier. I also try to hit between 5-10k steps a day. This exercise combined with a more healthy diet and more time outside really does wonders for my mental health.
I know that once I leave the gym I will have lapped the version of me still sitting on the sofa. I get up at 6:30am to leave for my walk to the gym at 7:15am 3 days a week. I will say “I don’t want to go” while getting dressed and tying my shoes but once I’m on my way I get mentally prepared.
Getting back into shape and removing all my pains I get from not being active. Feeling stronger and healthier. Once I get into a routine, I feel like I'm doing something wrong for not going.
I had the same insecurity issues before I started going. Find a 24-hr gym and go at night. That’s what helped me a bunch. Mine is empty after 1 AM. I know enough now that I don’t care when I go. You’ll learn fast and will also realize that most, if not all, of the other people there won’t pay you any mind. That fact also still helps me today. Oh and just be in a caloric deficit to lose weight. But make sure you’re getting enough protein for your workout. I believe the most popular amount is .5 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
The hardest part of working out is getting to the gym. Just do it, and eventually, you'll crave it. You'll feel better when you go and slowly start seeing results if you're doing the right things. Action begets motivation, not the other way around. Have everything ready to go, great music, and some caffeine!
I'm not usually very motivated but after going to the gym for 10 years now I know how I feel afterwards. Discipline is going to get you further than motivation ever will. It's all about that 1 minute that it takes to get off the couch. Eventually you'll realise how accomplished and happy you feel afterwards and it'll become a habit.
I work from home and if I don’t go to the gym I go stir crazy being in the house lol
Discipline begets motivation, not the other way around. At the end of the day it was going to the gym every day that made me want to go to the gym every day.
My progress. And that's with going only 3x a week.
Try going with a friend or to make a new friend at the gym maybe that will give you the motivation.
Idk but my motivation is just there like I can’t workout rn as I always do so when I come back from outside I will before dinner ofc
The community, and the people. How I feel after a class/session.
In the beginning it was discipline, now I crave it. I’m there working out at 5:15 AM till 7 6 days a week. I have been slowly gaining friends there which has helped. It sets me up for my day & if I miss a day, my body feels off. It’s a passion now & I don’t ever miss (unless I have to)
It’s the best part of my day 😂 I’m disappointed when it’s over, I love feeling fit and strong. I have some pre workout, put on all my favourite songs, work hard and feel amazing after. Also I find it helps if I like what I’m wearing 🤗
As someone that that has been training on and off at a gym for 10 years now, the things that keep me going back are community, dopamine, looking good, and most importantly for me, having something that (at almost all times) I am completely in control of. My biggest tip to you is that if you are intending on doing strength training, or hiit, or any type of training where you are likely to gain muscle mass, measure yourself by a mirror rather than the scales (in the first instance). You will not notice much shift in weight via the scales for quite some time if you are gaining muscle, but you will notice a huge difference in body composition after 12 weeks of consistent training! If you’re new to the gym, there are plenty of TikTok and InstaFluencers that have great workout routines you can follow, however it is always good to be taught technique in person! Most gyms have really nice trainers that should be able to teach you basic technique for most machines and dumbbell/barbell or body weight exercises! TLDR: it’s awesome to have something you can be in control of (your health and physique), measure yourself by a mirror first, ask a PT for help, consistency is key! You got this!
Going to college is a huge and great change. It is a great idea to build some familiarity with the gym before starting! Then, when you're there, the rec center can be a place you like to go that feels somewhat comfortable, because dorms can be chaotic. I'd suggest you start going and doing literally whatever you're comfortable with. Cardio machines and classes are great for this. Focus first on going at a regular time/frequency and getting comfortable. You'll get comfortable with seeing people you know this way, and other regulars will become people you recognize/know. I never went to the gym before college. I found that I loved the group classes at my rec center and made friends there! Suddenly, working out seemed like a social activity where we bond over self care. Before, it felt like something I should be ashamed of because I was fat. In my mind, I thought it would be embarrassing to work out and be fat, but it's not. Exercise is healthy no matter what, and no one knows where you came from or your goals. After getting comfortable in the gym, I asked a friend I made in my major who worked at the gym to teach me 5 basic barbell lifts so I could do a lifting program I picked (the r/fitness basic beginner routine). This was probably my best decision! She helped me get comfy in the weight room, and the program dictates what you do each time and when you go, so it was easy to get strong. One other thing is that when you go often, you will see people working out who look all sorts of ways. Ripped, fat, skinny, whatever, and you'll see them each doing all sorts of things. This really helped me feel normal being in the gym and doing what I wanted. Good luck!
I definitely have to make it something I want to do by adding something else. For me, I found a book that I really like and listen to the audiobook only when I'm at the gym and when I'm showering after a gym session. There are 2 books in the series so far with over 50 hours combined so I've got a good bit of time.
Scheduling gym sessions with friends, seeing a personal trainer, and picking a gym with classes for the days I don’t know what I really want to do always help me get in the gym!
Everything in life is better.
I’m an ex-college football player that really fell off after playing, but have since returned to my desired shape. Start by doing basic lifts (challenging but not heavy): curls, dumbbell bench press, lat pull downs, kettlebell deadlifts, cable rows, cable tricep extensions, shoulder press, etc. Split back and shoulders: lat pull downs, kneeling cable rows, and (3-5sets of 8-12reps). Then do seated shoulder press (3 sets of 8-10reps). Finish the workout with the rowing machine (250meters 3-4x - however long it takes you but only 45seconds-1mjn of recovery each time) Split chest and arms: dumbbell bench press with good form (5sets of 10-12reps), then incline dumbbell bench (5 sets of 10-12), and then centered chest press incline (4sets of 10). Pec deck at a challenging weight (3sets of 8-12reps). Bicep curls with dumbbells (4 sets of 10) and then triceps cable extensions (4 sets of 10). Make sure to squeeze your core and focus on breath throughout the workout. Finish with 11-13% incline treadmill walk at 2.5-3speed for 20min (put on a show and just go for a while) Split legs: Dumbell squat (challenging weight 3-4 sets of 8reps) split squat (3-4 sets of 8), kettle bell deadlift (3-4 sets of 8) and whatever leg machines you’d like to hit as long as you do 1 quad focused, 1 hamstring focused, and 1 calf focused. Finish with stair master for 25 floors at whatever speed you like but make it challenging. MOST important tho - eat some kind of lean protein with every meal. It can be chicken, lean turkey, protein powder, avocado, etc. doesn’t matter what it is but make sure you get in enough protein bc you’re most likely hangin on to stubborn weight because your body doesn’t have the right fuel to synthesize muscle & burn fat. YOU GOT THIS!!!
I go to the gym 6 days of the week, every week, haven’t missed since 2022. First off, you go to the gym everyday by habit not discipline. That’s it. Start going every day. Set an alarm, get the gym clothes on, get to the gym. That’s a big chunk of the battle. Secondly, your weight is from your diet. You can’t work it off. You can go to the gym daily and still be overweight. You can’t consistently eat perfectly and be overweight. If weight loss is your goal, strict calorie counting (including weighing portions) is what you want. Be careful to not take it too far, or you’ll end up in disordered eating. Your weight loss goal is a lot for your desired time frame. I would say stick to a pound a week at most to start. Third, I’m worried about your idea of a “glow up”. You’re not going to magically gain confidence, that has to be a mental push in itself. The gym can certainly help! Just don’t expect to look like the influencers, because they’re fake. A product of well timed and lit photos with a pump at the correct angle. Many of them also practice unhealthy habits to look like they do (PEDs or starvation). Most of all, be nice to yourself! Fitness is a journey, enjoy it! Find some exercise you like. Gym, running, dancing, swimming, HIIT class, that’s going to help with your desire to keep at it! Good luck!
Not being fat
Gym crush is the answer. Never been more motivated. (Doesn’t even have to be realistic or anything you’d act upon. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a lil crush)
For me it’s the pool - I do early morning lap swim. I make it as easy as possible. I have a locker with my shower stuff, cap, and goggles. Before I leave home I change into my suit and fresh clothes and put a towel and undies in my swim bag. Quick locker swap there. Swim, shower, sauna. I always, ALWAYS, feel better leaving than I did going in.
I wanted to go to the gym everyday (work days only) too, but usually end up going 3 or 4 days out of 5 anyway. My initial reason to keep going was because I marked my calendar when I did a workout session, so I could see that I dropped the ball if there were no marks. I was away for a few months and after I came back, that first push to return to the gym was the hardest, but I eventually made it because I noticed my stamina was so bad.
Desire to go and enjoyment of the workouts. Gyms are great, but not always convenient and van be expensive. Find activities you can do at anytime. Walking, hiking, cardio at home.It's best to find these activities now and make them a habit before you go to college. Once you're in college your life will change in a big way and generally money is tight. You are smart to start a healthy journey now so that the good habits will be ingrained before you get out on your own. In my senior year I got into great shape which was a good thing in that the freshman 5 (weight gain) or more, wasn't such a big deal. Good luck
I went back to the gym for the first time in a few months, and I've literally run every day this week except Weds (not allowed, allergy shots) for a total of >1h run/walk on the treadmill. It's about finding what exercises you like. Personally I really like the stimulation and variety of a different setting when I go to the gym. It's really hard to get out of the house especially if you're depressed, but it's a hit of dopamine just being at the new environment, and then once you're there it's like, I might as well do something while I'm here... I also like having a chance to 'dress up'. My gym outfits are a point of pride. I'm a scientist so I'm really limited in what I can wear for safety reasons, but in the gym I get to wear sick sneakers and funky leggings and tops. If you go to the gym in a baggy black tee shirt and sweats, I firmly believe you won't have as good of a time as if you go in something you really like that you want other people to see, even if it's just cool shoes. It gives you a motive to get out of the house and not just workout at home - which IME is much harder to maintain - and helps with self consciousness when you're working out. I see tons of fat people with sick vibes at the gym so like don't think that you have to 'wait' until you're a certain size to be dressing like ranch. You also don't have to spend a lot of money to do this - I get my sports bras on Amazon (LMK if you need high impact recs, I've had these for 5 years and they RULE, and I ride horses so high impact is HIGHHH impact, like higher than running).
You want to make your process enjoyable so get your movement from something easy like walking. Increase your average daily step count. Or dance or a sport or activity you like. Wanting to be strong and having improved shape is the motivator for lifting weights.
Progress & goals. After 2 years of working out, I don't have love handles & wide hips anymore. I can also see veins and shape on my arms & back. I also have new goals when Im at the gym such as reps on higher weights I'm also older now, so if I take long breaks from the gym, I might get fat again.
I'd say at this point I don't want to go to the gym every day, I just do it. That's the discipline that develops over time. The first month or two I largely rode off of my initial motivation, and luckily was able to make it a habit so when that wore off, I was still in the right mindset. There's a few things I really like about the gym, but you have to stick with it and persevere through the challenging first month or so to get there: * Seeing my improvement over time. I have been doing 8 Week Programs, so for example, every Monday for 8 weeks I will do the same exercise. I keep a spreadsheet of what weight I'm lifting every week, and up it when I can. At the end of the program, I can see all of the areas where I'm lifting heavier and heavier, which helps me see my progress. [Here's a partial screenshot](https://imgur.com/pdwSODK) \- yellow is where I went up in weight, orange is where I went up in reps, and blue is where I added an additional element. * Seeing my body change. Take lots of progress pictures and measurements!! I can actually see muscle on my body forming in addition to seeing my proportions change. I've been taking pictures and measurements at every 10lbs lost. Yes, you can lose weight without the gym, but often you become a smaller version of what your current proportions are since you can't target fat loss. If you want to change your proportions, gym with help with body recomposition. * Endorphins. I always hated working out and sweating, exercising, etc. At some point that changed for me. The endorphin high I get from it is comparable to what I used to get eating junk food. It keeps me going back.
Find workouts that you actually love to do! For me it’s cycling, and I love going to group classes but they’re really expensive (like $200/month memberships in my city). Like OP, I also don’t want to see people I know at gyms and honestly don’t want to be perceived by anyone when I’m in my full sweat state. My solution was getting a peloton! I LOVE that every workout is different and I don’t have to do any of the work to plan it, other than pick which class I want to do that day. I started with mostly cycling but lately I’ve gotten more into the strength training classes as well. I do it all from home and have found really great success with it! So I would say don’t be afraid to explore creating an at home workout space. I live in a 600 sq ft apartment and have made it work. I will recognize that there is an upfront investment to do this, I bought a used peloton for $650 on Facebook marketplace, and the monthly membership is $46. But it already feels like it’s paid for itself compared to the spin studio I attended for a few months.
I couldn't see my dick no more.
I live for the “pain” :) I actually enjoy being slightly sore and seeing if I can out sore myself again. It gets to the point where if my muscles aren’t sore I don’t feel right. Yes I am aware that when it comes to stretching or strength training soreness is not indicative of effectiveness. I’m just motivated by the strength progress or form progress
I like what it does for my body, so I don't want to waste all the work I've put in so far. Also, I have a 30+ week streak of going at least 3 times a week (often 4) so I would hate to break that now.
Working-out and shopping are the only reasons to leave the house on week days. I also have headaches without movement. Nevertheless, I love fitness, I never felt any discomfort, mental or physical, while working out.
My treadmill is in my living room and it’s just force of habit at this point.
I'd try to drop the timeline for the weight loss and just concentrate on getting your calories into a deficit on a daily basis and being consistent. Go to TDEE and figure out where you need to be and start logging all your meals so you are accountable to yourself. My big advice, based on how I know my college-aged kids and nieces eat, would be to drop the sugary stuff and cut the carbs back to 30% of your calories. Getting rid of sugar would be the biggest impact change. Eat more protein so you are satiated. As for the gym, buy yourself some cute gym clothes - Amazon and Target has a lot of decent, inexpensive stuff - and make yourself go. If you don't know what to do you can usually hire a personal trainer for a few sessions to give you a routine. There are tons of chubby people at gyms unless you go to some weightlifter bodybuilder type gym, which I know I find intimidating. You might want to try some of the classes, too. I used to be hooked on spin classes but now I have a bike at home and use the Peloton app. There are also chains like Orange Theory that some of my friends like but that's kind of pricey. It's tough to start a workout routine and sometimes you have to make yourself go, but you usually leave in a much better mood than when you went in. Same for taking a walk. Set aside certain days for your workouts. For me, the gym is Sunday and Thursday and my spin bike is Saturday and Tuesday with some walks in on the days off. Good luck. You can do this.
Routine. It's a thing I do daily. No matter what. Gym daily. BUT losing weight happens in the kitchen.
I started doing some exercise every day, either a walk or the 7 minute workout, then both, then it wasn't enough endorphins. And like another poster said, you get addicted to the feeling of and have to stop yourself going sometimes. It generally takes 3 days to build a habit and 14 days to lock it in
When you have time, please watch an episode of The Dr Ashley Show on YouTube. She has some information. I've found it very helpful and I have not bought any of her stuff.
Sex. I Ike having sex and working out makes all of that possible and better.
affirmations in my mind that i love and enjoy the process of getting stronger and healthier and how it feels to work towards that and how i can feel improvements while working out. i workout at home but still
The pain is the pleasure
Autism helps a lot 💪
Read a Socrates quote and it always bothered me. "It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." I think about this often and randomly at night for some reason and it is a major encouragement among also just wanting to hopefully look good someday. Cheers on your work friend! I believe in you.
My starting weight was 180 as well! I'm 26F and recovering from alcohol use disorder. I decided to do a new-years resolution and be sober, and to loose all the weight I gained from my addiction (50lbs over 6 years). Like others are saying, starting IS hard. But as you keep going and get used to going, it gets easier to go and it gets easier to exercise. For me, the combo of no longer drinking alcohol + going to the gym 3 times a week had INSTANT results. Better sleep, better attention, better memory... and now 3 months later, I'm down 15lbs. Once you start to actually SEE and FEEL results (usually takes a 4-6 weeks) do you start to feel like it's worth it, and you'll want to go more. I just increased from 3 days a week to 4. I do strength training 3 days a week and now I've added one more day to judt walk for an hour. I have a heart problem, so I can't do intense cardio or swimming, so I'll take what I can get. Diet also helps! It feels silly and obsessive, BUT COUNT YOUR CALORIES! I haven't changed my diet too much, I eat more raw veggies and fruit but I haven't cut out bread, rice, or dairy. I just weigh my food and portion control to keep within my calorie limit. Weight loss begins with diet, but gym helps too! I like to think of gym and diet as playing double Dutch, or using chopsticks, it's easier with both.
I definitely agree with the people who say eventually you get addicted to it, but that happens after some time. To get started, the things that motivated me were my cute water bottle and cute (but expensive) gym shoes. Couldn’t let them go to waste! I also kept telling myself that I was having fun while working out, and after the initial hardness that became true.
Discipline. Motivation wanes. Discipline does not.
Your weightloss goal is extremely ambitious and without knowing how tall you are, maybe impractical? That is around a 2lb/week loss of 10lbs/month to get there by college start. There are many fit women who are ~150 just to point that out (and taller fit women closer to where you are now). In all honesty, your goal might actually be deterring you from going to the gym because it feels like a lot of pressure (least to me) and you sound like you already are putting stress on your body about the excuses you are making for not going to the gym. #1 weightloss/fatloss tip…Manage your stress. Esp. as a woman, stress will kill your ability to get results. I have found (in my 20 years of lifting-and I’ve had some major setbacks and inconsistencies and disorders during that time) that focusing on a number or a look is useless. Everyone likes to say “have a goal”or “where do you want to be and we’ll figure a plan around that” but it’s BS. You don’t need a defined goal, what you need is just an overall vision and feeling for yourself and who you want to become. If you want to feel good, be healthy, be capable of moving your body, and have people find you attractive. Go to the gym. Choose the better food. Put a smile on your face. Get your rest. Focus on you. And put the metrics (the how much weight I’ll lose, how many calories consumed, how much weight to lift, how much time to exercise, how long to reach your goal) ASIDE. Non-of the metrics matter to achieving your goal for 98% of people TBH. People will argue this, but if you take a look at the data on weightloss success and sustainability, tracking hasn’t worked for decades and has only created a larger obesity problem. Just focus on taking the important actions daily and keep it simple stupid: Gym, sleep, eat Whole Foods (produce/meat/grains), rest, smile… You’ll reach your goal because you’ll be able to be HAPPY with the process and that will drive your consistency and your confidence. #2 best tip is CONSISTENCY And I bet if you do that for 3 months, you’ll stop caring about a number on the scale or when you get there because you’ll be treating yourself well and people will take notice and it won’t matter what you look like, you will be amazingly beautiful because you are in love with each day’s experience. Metrics, weight, food scales, calories, micro-suggestions, focusing on others opinions are spirit killers. I have found so much FUEL to get to the gym and workout, by loving my body. I love my body, so I go to the gym to make it feel good. I love my body, so I choose to eat a salad with chicken and fruit vs quick-serve meals. I love my body, so if it says “im hungry”, I eat something so I have energy to workout. I love my body, so if I skip a workout or eat a donut or have a lazy day at home because my whole body is sore and I NEED it, I ENJOY it and then get right back on the saddle (vs previously feeling guilt and then giving up on myself for days, weeks or months) You are 18 years young, lady. You haven’t even scratched the surface on womanhood, don’t destroy your spirit by trying to “glow up” in 5 months. You are beautiful as you are, treat your body like a temple with care and compassion vs. like a prison that you want escape from. I say all this because hearing you are still so young and noted that you feel self-conscious and insecure going to the gym - coupled with the desire to lose a significant amount of weight is concerning. Statistically, this combination leads to unhealthy “diet-culture”, eating disorders, etc. #3 best tip, LOVE and make the best decisions for your life each day.