.... need motivation!

i find it really hard to go to the gym. i feel as if everyone is staring at my unproportioned apple shaped body. i swim in my pool at home... but thats about it ! lol.. trying to find some new ways of eating healthy, ways to get me motivated and stay on track. any ideas ?

First thing to say is that no-one cares what you look like at the gym.  Most people in those places are far too self-absorbed, gazing at themselves in all the mirrors or listening to the i-pod.   They wouldn't notice if a hippo in a tutu walked across the room.... LOL!

I think motivation is overrated, personally.  How motivated are you to brush your teeth every morning?   Or do you just do it because 'you just do it'? Exactly.   To me, eating healthily should be a pleasant, rewarding and no-brainer way to eat... so try to enjoy your food choices more, make your menu more stimulating and then you won't need motivating to eat them.

Same with exercise.  If you don't like gyms then find something you do enjoy.  Cash in your gym membership, buy a pushbike and helmet and go cycling every day instead.  I don't like gyms or have the money to pay for membership.  But I spent £50 on a natty pair of Nikes and now I go running for half an hour most evenings.   That's my choice and I enjoy it.   But you have to try everything to find the things that you enjoy. 

'Sloth' and 'greed' were two of the deadly sins for good reason.... Try not to indulge in either.

It took some motivation for me to start going to the gym before work in the mornings. I'm not sure what exactly got me there... Maybe just being fed up with my size and wanting to change. But now that I've been doing it for months and months, it's just something I accept, as gi-jane said, like brushing my teeth. Only it takes an hour and I have to shower after.

If you can get yourself to go once or twice you'll get a great feeling after. That is pretty good motivation, if you can just think about that before your workout. I know it's tough!

I don't like to go to the gym either because I am self conscious about my body.  I find working out with just women helps.  I take an exercise class only for women every morning.  There are still women with perfect bodies there but at least there aren't any men comparing us.  It's a little thing but it helps me to worry less about what others are thinking and focus on getting a better workout.

Original Post by meworks:

I don't like to go to the gym either because I am self conscious about my body.  I find working out with just women helps.  I take an exercise class only for women every morning.  There are still women with perfect bodies there but at least there aren't any men comparing us.  It's a little thing but it helps me to worry less about what others are thinking and focus on getting a better workout.

Wow.

thanks guys :D

Original Post by meworks:

I don't like to go to the gym either because I am self conscious about my body.  I find working out with just women helps.  I take an exercise class only for women every morning.  There are still women with perfect bodies there but at least there aren't any men comparing us.  It's a little thing but it helps me to worry less about what others are thinking and focus on getting a better workout.

Is that what you think we do when we go to the gym?   That's pretty sad.   You should really work on your self confidence and stop comparing yourself to everyone else.   No one has a perfect body,  you are born with what you have and you just need to accept that you are you and you can't change that. 

When I'm in the gym, I don't see anyone else, It's just me and the equipment I'm working on.  It's like tunnel vision for me when I'm in there,  I pay attention to my pace, my heart rate and my time.   I could care less who is in there with me or what they look like.

For me it's not about motivation, it's about a carefully made decision. I decided to use CC to lessen the burden of keeping a balance of what I eat and burn so I know I'm heading in the right direction. How much I weigh and how I look, I don't really care.

I also agree with Downdeep, when I'm at the gym I pay attention to what I do, any stray thoughts usually are about other activities in my list. As a matter of fact, I have to force myself to notice other people and say hello so my dear wife won't kill me for ignoring people we both know.

Do you have a wii console, I have recently bought EA sports active - Personal trainer, it has various activity programmes, ranging from easy to hard, it estimates how many calories you have burnt during your work out.  I have been folllowing the 30day challenge, I have done the easy one, and now have moved onto the medium level

Although my weight loss during the challenge was only a couple of lbs, lots of people have commented on how much slimmer I look, and certainly my clothes are a lot looser.

I use this because, I don't have time to go to a gym, but can do this at home when I have a free 30 mins or so.  I appreciate it is probably not as effective as going to the gym, but at least it is exercise.

Good luck

Original Post by kiltias92:

Original Post by meworks:

I don't like to go to the gym either because I am self conscious about my body.  I find working out with just women helps.  I take an exercise class only for women every morning.  There are still women with perfect bodies there but at least there aren't any men comparing us.  It's a little thing but it helps me to worry less about what others are thinking and focus on getting a better workout.

Wow.

Opps. Guess I was a little too honest on that one.  It's not that I think men are bad.  It's just my own insecurities.  Sorry if I offended anyone.