Someone here once posted that the only way to change the shape of your body is by exercising. If you lose weight and don't exercise, you will wind up with a smaller version of the same body. After doing all this work, I want to look BETTER not just SMALLER.

I go to the gym about 5 days a week (even though sometimes I don't feel like it!)
Here are some things I do for motivation:
ALWAYS leave your gym shoes lying aroud where you will see them a lot
every time you do, you'll remember -- oh, I should go workout.

Tell yourself you'll just workout for 15 minutes -- chances are once your doing it, the time will get away from you and next thing you know 20-30 minutes have passed.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC!!! It really peps you up, and keeps you going.

Don't look at exersize as a chore or punishment. Change your mindset from "oh, I HAVE to go workout" to "it's time for me". Its not an option -- it's a part of your day, and a part of your new way of life, period!

Thanks for this thread I really needed it!

I am motivated to exercise so I can regain the strength and stamina to do things that are fun. And heck going to the gym is fun too-once I get there.
Getting up 1/2 hour early to exercise has not kicked in yet:( must attack that problem- ANy solutions for that?

My modivation is weight loss, toning and building a bit of Muscles.
I want to be fit, feel well, and be my best.

Not only that but I feel more energized after.

Kris2, I agree! I get very peppy when I have some dance music playing!

Bev, good luck in getting up early. I think that if you can do it for four or five days, you will see how much energy you have during the day, even when you exercise! Now if you're a teacher (who never gets enough sleep), then you might consider evening workouts.

Good luck
M

I agree with the ladies...that I'm also very lively when I have music going when I exercise!!

I'm kept motivated because exercising keeps me in the right frame of mind and it certainly kicks my metabolism into gear. Exercise starts my furnace burning and long after I have stopped the movements, my furnace is still on and burning. Absolutely, no doubt about it. Exercising has boosted my metabolism and my 30 minute workouts are great!! Without me exercising, I would still be struggling to lose...pound by pound. The workouts have really decreased my appetite, too. I have so much more energy now!!

Thanks so much for all the responses. I think I have been thinking myself out of exercising by thinking too big. I need to say 15 mins a day no matter what, then I know Ill do 30, instead of thinking I need to do an hour a day and doing none. (P.S. I live in the country so I dont have any gyms nearby and with 3 kids under the age of 10, I have to stay close to home) I do have a gazelle and a big home gym, just have been too lazy to use them. Okay... I start tommorrow. Anyone want to join me? 30 mins at least 5 times a week of any kind of exercise!

OOPPS, forgot to think smaller.....at least 15 mins :) 5 times a week! Can do more if you desire!

I also read in an article that if you are on a low carb diet, you immediately burn all fat while exercising, unlike on a high carb low calorie diet, where for the first 20 minutes of exercise you are buring nothing but stored carbs. Just think of all that fat that will be melting off your body! Thats the motivation that gets my butt off the couch and in the gym!

Pook, I am with you on that one. What I did this time (I hate to exercise and have never stuck with it, always lost weight by eating less and nothing else, it don't work anymore for me) was join the YMCA. I am a stay at home mom with four kids myself. The YMCA offers full gym membership for our city residents for 30 a month for the entier family. The older kids 13 1/2 & 15 can go there with or with/o me and can use everything it has to offer. The younger ones 10 & 11 1/2 can do all but the weight loss machines (bikes tredmill weight room) as long as I am in the building they can go swim, do an exercise class, or many other things. Check and see how close you are to the YMCA in your area. People that are in the same county but not city only pay 60.00 a month for the entire family. Its a really good option if you have it near you.

Now how this is working for me. I went at first for the kids. My youngest girl is a tad chubby and I don't want her to suffer all through life like I have with my weight. So I signed us up and she just loved the classes and swimming. We start with a walk around the indoor track and off she goes to her fitness class. Now there are days I don't want to go, but the kids love it and really get on me if we don't go. We are doing about 3 days a week for now. But they want to go every day. On the days I don't feel like being there, I just tell myself, too bad, its okay to not like it, its okay to not want to be here, but you have no other choice. If you leave or don't come the weight is never going to come off. If you don't do this for yourself, do it for your kids. If you stop going now, your kids will never learn the benifits of exercise and living healthy. This seems to work for me, nothing else has ever worked for me.

Since your in the country, if you have no way of going to the YMCA or any other Gym, why not invest in a swimming pool and bikes for all of you to use? Swimming is a great way to lose weight. As is riding bikes. And you can do it with your kids. Another thing is to buy a pair of roller blades and hit a local park with the kids. Its great for your legs. Hard to get started, but after a few weeks, you will be used to it.

Good luck to you and I will post if I make it 5 days or not this week.

Sis

My motivation is summer. I have avoided wearing shorts for 4 years now, and I'm sick of being hot and covering up. I have been working very hard to tone up my shriking body.

My motivation: I have two very energetic dogs who love, LOVE our morning run. If I am not out of bed to run by 6AM they make sure I GET the hell out of bed. They have not yet learned the concept of rainy days or weekends. We're working on that... :) :)

Another thing I've done that makes my run a LOT more enjoyable is I've started checking books on tape out from our local library. My job is super stressful right now and I haven't had a lot of free time to read -- so I carry a walkman and listen to books while I run. I find that when I'm REALLY engrossed in listening to a story, I look forward to my run a LOT more. Just an idea, but it works for me.

Good luck!!

Jeannie

My motivation is tired of being fat. Sounds simple, but for me if I stand in front of the mirror naked for about 5 minutes I want to go to the gym :)