Any runners/exercisers/athletes have any ideas for staying motivated to exercise?
My level is at a big fat ZERO and has been for almost a year. I'd like it to be around 10000000. But for now, I'd take anywhere around a 10. I need some serious motivation but I can't seem to find any lying around my house. And I no longer have a gym pass, not that I was going frequently enough when I did have it. I think I was best at the end of 2008 when I went to the gym every (non-Sunday) day for like a month and a half. I felt great those days. I wish I could have that feeling back.
I went for a mini-run today. And struggled.
So any tips, advice, encouragement, etc would be greatly appreciated.
gracias.
I also got out my Garmin today. Which I just googled and found out it has been discontinued. Huh. Check it out here. Maybe I'll really learn how to use it now.
Well, I am definitely not a great athlete/exerciser, but what sometimes (and I really mean sometimes . . . ) helps me is to have something that I only let myself have/do if I exercise first. Like, if there's a show I'm really excited to watch, I tell myself I can only watch it while I'm on the elliptical. Or I just got a new exfoliator face scrub thingy that I was excited to try out, and I decided I would only get to use it today if I exercised (yay for me, I exercised, and I used it in the shower, and it was awesome). It doesn't always work (especially since the one in charge of deciding if you get it whether you exercise or not is just you), but sometimes it helps me.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing as Rachel. I promise myself a treat if I exercise every day for a month (except Sundays, of course). I started at the end of December and haven't missed a day since! I January I earned myself a pedicure. In February, I earned myself a new haircut. Haven't decided with March will be. I started out with the goal of walking a mile and a half a day. Now I am up to 5 miles a day, running 3 of them. (That's the goal for March.)
ReplyDeleteI found it also helped to tell people to remind me, like my kids and husband. Some days it feels like they are pestering, but mostly it helps!
I used to hate running. Seriously! I thought unless you were chasing a ball for a sport....running was pointless. But, after I had my kids - I needed an outlet - some ME time. It was HARD real HARD. But, once you get into a habit, it gets easier, then you crave it...you need it!! Start small. Run to a certain distance...a landmark...then walk 1 min then run again... it WILL get easier :) I promise!!
ReplyDeleteAlso runkeeper and dailyburn are great sites you can upload your GPS info onto (I make mine private) but you can have other runners as your "street team" to give encouragement. Also, signing up for a race...give you motivation. YOU have to RUN or you won't make it to the end of the race :) anyways...you know this stuff peaks my interest. GOOD LUCK!!
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