What do you do to motivate you to exercise when you don’t want to?

This is a great question. I’ve personally been listening to David Goggins’ biography ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ and reading Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, and changed my approach. I don’t look for motivation, I look more to it being my second job. I’m good at my job, I like my job, and I feel that my job is important and rewarding. Despite that, I don’t always want to go to work, but I do it anyway because that’s what needs to be done. Motivation is a great starting point, but motivation gets hit hard by small setbacks – I’m tired, it’s cold, I’m running late. A sense of duty will get you through these.

Two things work for me: keeping feeling proper perspective and listening to music. First I acknowledge my feelings but remember they are only a small reason I am exercising. My decision to habitually exercise will, I know, pay off big returns today and in the future. My feelings today do not have control over my future. Secondly, I put on great workout music as I get ready to exercise. By the time I am placed up, my feelings are usually good too.

I visualize how I want to look and remind myself it takes consistent small actions to get long lasting results. I face reality by taking a picture of myself to end denial and accept myself as I am right now with room for improvement. I decide to love myself enough to make the changes necessary to do all the things I want to do and live a healthy life.

Lately I’ve just been saying, “look, just put your gear on and do 5 minutes of exercise”. That’s such a do-able timeframe that I usually end up doing longer anyway and I have a sense of accomplishment rather than failure.

How strong is your will to be a greater version of who you are today? Will you settle for mediocre or strive to be better. My motivation is reminding of how far I've come but always thinking of where I need to go. It no longer is about wanting to do it. It is about needing to do it.

I make it a habit and I motivate myself and even though sometimes I feel tired during the day, I push myself through the day and I make the time to workout.

I start to think about the end of it, when I all sweaty and energetic and happy and breathless after the exercise, and also consider the result of it , a good shape body and good feeling inside.

Often the reason I don’t want to exercise is because I feel too tired. If I go to bed too late I find it very difficult to get up in the morning to head to the gym. And the same if I finish work too late in the evening. Even if there is just a small amount of doubt in my head about exercising I tend to have an internal argument with myself about going to the gym! My biggest motivator is that I know if I go – even for 15 mins – it’s going to make me feel better. I never regret going but I regret not going! Also I’m sick of a few years of being just a little bit fat. I want my bikini body back! I have a pair of jeans in my wardrobe that I want to fit into again. Thinking of those jeans motivates me!

Hi
Whenever I don’t feel like exercising I do move any sort of movement just for minutes, jumping jacks,push ups, squats, arms routine….ex
Try to keep healthy options for the rest of the day.

In such moments I usually choose physical activity that I really like, for example Qi Gong exercises. I think how wonderful I feel myself during the exercising process and after it. It’s the best motivation for me.

I will try to start with strength exercise like push ups, bar or vertical jump. Or will drink coffee or tea. If none of those work, I will try a cold shower.

I appreciate the question. Getting to the gym when you really just want to sleep is very hard. The way I do it is to tell myself that I just need to get to the gym. Doing any exercise is better than nothing. So if I really don’t feel it, I’ll do some lighter exercises or cardio, spend less time. But I still go – that way I am still better off than if I hadn’t gone at all.

Try to think of who you want to be and ask yourself “is this the person I want to be?” If that doesn’t do it, say out loud “I’m choosing to be unhealthy right now. I’m making an unhealthy choice, and I know I want to be healthier, this is wrong.” That’s something I learned from Atomic Habits and it works well for me.

I imagine how good I feel after doing it. Sunday epics helps. /It's not always about motivation. Sometimes it's hard to do something but you know you're practicing some more important skill like discipline. The discipline you need to create the life you love and deserve./ Good luck %%-

There are times when you are not motivated to exercise, lethargy kicks in. not only exercise you don't want to do anything productive. One of the reasons for such behavior is over eating. I try to keep my stomach half empty and focus on environment around me to motivate me to exercise. Setting exercise goals also helps.

I tell myself to exercise even if for only 10 minutes. 10 minutes is not very long, and it does not have to be very challenging, but it gets me out the door and moving. Once I get moving, I typically do more than 10 minutes.

Ive stopped thinking of exercise as something where I have to put on special clothes, go to a designated place, and sweat a lot, and started focusing on how I can be more active in my daily routine. The guideline said something like 7 minutes of activity as a start – it takes me 20 min or so to walk to the train station for work, so if I pick up the pace a bit, I count it. I also take the stairs when possible. If I can also go to the gym, great, but if not, a little bit is a lot better than nothing.

I just don't want to break my streak of doing everyday. And doing something simple like 2 push ups makes it less daunting

I do something that I do want to do as a compromise. Usually if I don’t want to exercise it’s the specific activity that I dont want to do. If that’s not an option I just go with less time.

I try to do a short 2,3 minutes exercise e.g. for arms. Also I know if I don't do anything today I won't do anything tomorrow and I don't want to lose all the progress I have made. I am very ambitious and I like to see all my boxes in the app checked. I remember why am I doing this. Or better for whom. Because then I remember I am doing this for me and if I check box and I haven't done exercise I am lying to myself not to someone else and I am damaging me and myself only. Also I try to remember how good I feel after exercises, that feeling in the muscles and blood flowing through my veins. During the exercises dopamine, happiness hormone, is released so you'll definetly feel better. Try to remember that exercise is not only good for your body but for your brain too. Even 5m one makes you better than you were five minutes ago.

Exercising is a time I allow myself to indulge in TV, so I’m motivated so that I can watch whatever it is I want to watch.

I visualize how flat my stomach will look or how toned my body will look after consistent exercise. I also imagine my energy level going up like the fuel tank on a car to stay motivated or to get out of bed.

I use my health to motivate me I want to be in better shape and be stronger so I push myself to just get up and do it because I know the reward will be greater I also use my little one she brings so much joy to my life and I want to be with her as long as I can