How to get motivated to go to the gym?

Which is what worries me on this vacation I'm going on.  Very little time for lifting and such on this trip...  Oh well, have to rebuild good habits when I get back....

Wow-I did NOT post that---- FREAKY!!!!

That's true Amy. Plus the gym is much cheaper than golf. I actually have a couple of buddies who work at the gym. I asked them to give me a call if they don't see me at least every two days to kick my butt. :)

First and foremost, you have to LIKE what you are doing at the gym or it wont last....period.  If you like it, but just don't like GETTING there...well, that is another story.

For me, I like all of the workouts I do--but I have to stay on my schedule.  I only exercise in the morning on the weekends because my day starts so early during the work week.  On Saturday, I know my hubby and I are going to run as soon as we wake up, so I get out of bed and into my running clothes.  Sundays I do weights (I have a home gym in the basement) so after breakfast I change into my workout clothes and head downstairs.

M-Th (Friday is rest day) I come in from work, go straight to the closet, get into workout clothes and either head out immediately to run, or go downstairs to workout.  I do not turn on the TV, start dinner or anything else.....I KNOW I must do it immediately, and for me, once the workout clothes are on, it will happen.  It also keeps me accountable by coming to this page every day and putting in writing what I'll be doing....I feel like once I committed to it, I better do it or I'll somehow let my exercise buddies down.

Kim

Hi Kim! I've been using your routine these last two days. Once I get home from work, I get into my workout clothes to commit to going to the gym. I'll be doing the same tonight. It's been working these past 2 days. Let's hope I can keep it going for the long run.

You can do it!  Keep it up!!

I'm stuck in the airport in South Dakota, drinking a beer and checking email...thanks goodness I have my computer!!

Kim

i think the other way... in my former life (pre-op), i couldn't find an excuse to get me to the gym.  now, i'm cranky if i can't get my workouts in.  i had to build positive habits the first couple of months to a year before i felt that way, and in truth, that meant forcing myself to go.  now i think of the ramifications of not maintaining a healthy lifestyle whi*****ludes strength training (which is extremely important in regards to metabolism), and ruining all of the sacrifices i've gone through to NOT make a lifestyle change to maintain a healthy weight and body composition.  it's not easy, and it is a struggle some days still, but the rewards are worth it when i can keep up with my kids and not feel out of breath climbing a flight of stairs.  best of luck and post often here, motivation and inspiration can be found right here.

It is crazy how the gym just energizes you. I have to say for the past two days that I've gone, I've done more things around the house than I had done in the last month. I'm not so sluggish and I just feel better about myself. If I can keep this up, this is definitely the lifestyle change I was looking for.

For me motivation came with results.  At first I had to force myself to go but as I started to see the weight loss and the muscles tone up it became easier and easier to go.  My day doesn't feel complete without a trip to the gym.  I am lucky as I have my gym at work.  So every day after work I go to the gym.  I just know if I got into the car I would drive right past the gym and go home some days.  

I will also admit another motivator is fear....I am so afraid of regaining this weight back.  I'm afraid that I won't reach my goal.  I know it's probably not healthy to use fear as a motivator but Hell it works.   

As someone mentioned I too have incorporated activity during my day but I also workout.  Now that I workout at the gym I didn't stop the other activity.  I walk 2 miles at work during lunch.  One thing I do is while watching TV I will get up and jog in place during the commercial.  While my show is on I will lift weights.  It's perfect thing to do at night.  I sit a desk all day so I will get up and jog in place while I'm on the phone or stretch.   

Two days of straight gym and I already feel like my muscles are bigger which is forcing me to go back tonight and for the next couple of days. I just have to keep forcing myself to go and the chages will start to show in the mirrors. However, my co-workers would think I was nuts if I would start jogging at my desk everytime I got a call but I guess you gotta do what works for you! Keep it up :)