When I started Atkins (Aug 2003) I walked 4 miles every day with a friend. She started bailing on me in Nov. and I walked alone anyway. Had my Dec-Jan fall off the Atkins wagon, and now for the life of me I cant get myself motivated to exercise regularly. I am so sporatic about it. I know I need to. I lost weight regularly (about 1 lb per week when I did) and now Im not losing at all and Im staying around 20 carbs (mostly from veggies). So, how do you motivate yourself, what are your secrets to getting up and doing it everyday?

Hi! I can't do cardio because of a medical problem, but I used to be an avid walker/runner. The cardio gave me so much energy and a feeling of accomplishment. Does walking do this for you? If so just remind yourself of this. That is what worked for me. I didn't want to run when I would wake up in the morning but I would tell myself that I needed the energy and remind myself how great it felt to get it done. Also try convincing yourself that weight loss will be easier if you do it, which is true. My doctor says I can start cardio again in about 2 weeks and I can't wait!

Hey Pook, I also have friends that I excercise with that will bail on me at times. The thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that I'm doing something good for me...and the fact that it'll be over before I know it. 20-30 minutes fly by and the way I feel afterwards is great! Plus this time I'm taking it slow and I've noticed that I'm losing FASTER because of it. My goal is to lose weight THEN work on cardio stamina. before I had it all backwards and I was working TOO hard and seeing little results. So start slow....that's easy to get motivated about, and I can guarantee that when the scale starts moving down you WILL be MORE motivated! Worked for me

For me, it was the results.

The first 4-6 weeks of exercise were tough, but I held to it. I just had to stick to it and promise myself I wouldn't bail.

After 6 weeks, I noticed my at-rest heart rate had dropped 5 bpm and it took A LOT more stress to take my heart rate above 160. In order to get above 160, I REALLY have to push myself now.

In addition to that, my legs are beginning to become toned, the muscle is still as large as it was before, but now its much more tight and has a great shape.

A couple things that helped me stay motivated:

1) Exercycle is placed right in front of the TV. There's no excuse not to ride it while watching the news or my favorite show.
2) I taped my before picture to the console on the bike, when I feel like quitting early, I look at that picture, say 'No way in hell' and start pumping harder.
3) I scheduled my work and sleep schedule around it. I used to wake up at 8am to get to work by 9am. Now I get up at 6am to get to work at 8am. I get extra time to work out as well as getting out earlier from work to work out again before dinner. This may not work for you if you don't have a flexible schedule. My boss was very supportive though.
4) If you live with others, put the exercycle somewhere that they can see you exercising (if its not too loud). I found myself using it more often, because I knew if I didn't, THEY would know I didn't. Its easy to tell yourself 'eh, I'll do it tomorrow', but then when someone asks you why you didn't work out today, you don't have a good answer

Find a gym buddy! I also excercise with a friend, and it makes all the difference in my motivation. If she bails on me I have such a harder time getting to the gym. But I am oh-so-happy when I do because I have so much more energy! I usually work out 2-3 times a week after work, and on the nights that I don't I feel like a slug around the house. Plus, you can catch up on your magazine reading if you bike or use a stationary machine like the eliptical trainer! It is also so motivating to see progress (not just with weight loss), but by increasing reps and time spent on a certian excercise. That is a measurable way to see progress not with a scale or tape measure. I just FEEL stronger and more flexible! I like to visualize this strong person that will be revealed when all of my extra "padding" dissapears!

I stay motivated by one, keeping a picture of my goal weight virtual model on my fridge. You can make one too at www.virtualmodel.com, it's free.
Two, I have a pair of jeans 2 sizes smaller that I bought and want to get into by the summer and last but not least, the fact that I am tired of being over weight is enough to keep me motivated.

I want this real bad and will exercise my butt off till I reach goal. I exercise 5 days a week and I assure you, 2 of those days I may be in a bad mood for what ever reason, didn't sleep well, kids are nagging, the point is, I do my exercise's anyways and by the time I'm done, I'm in a better mood.

Plus good music really helps too.

Find something you like!

I love the water so I do water aerobics and hope to begin swimming soon. I also like sports so I try to engage is some unorganized touch football, softball, soccer, and whatever else may be going on in my campus neighborhood.

My best advice: do not look at it as a chore if at all possible. Find something you truly enjoy, and it may not be "exercise" at all but gardening, walking dogs, playing with toddlers, etc.

Good luck!

I wasn't blessed with the best metabolism, so if I stop exercising, either I have to eat practically nothing, or I have to put up with a significant amount of fat regain.

I like to cook, I like to eat, and I like to have good wine--and the only way I can maintain my weight is by maintaining my exercise. And if I want to lose, then I have to exercise 5 or 6 days a week, and I have to do it hard, in addition to adjusting my eating and drinking habits. It's not fair, but the alternative for me is out-of-control weight gain. I've had enough of that to last me the rest of my life.

That's what gets me to the gym. What keeps me going once I'm there, is that exercise feels really good once I'm actually doing it. I like setting mini-goals for my running and weightlifting, and working towards them. Running is less fun than lifting, but I put good music in my Discman and then it's pretty painless. It's such an accomplishment when I hit a fitness goal; it feels like I'm moving forward and getting to a place where I've never been before. With my weight loss goals, they still feel great, but it's more like I'm going back to a place I used to be at (in terms of scale and body size). The fitness is a new adventure.

After a year of consistent exercise, and just recently 12 weeks of punishing Body-for-Life exercise, I am in better shape than I've ever been in, regardless of how much thinner I was in the past. I'll never give it up.

Emily

My motivation is knowing that my friend is waiting for me at the gym at 6am. If she can make it there, so can I. I am, conversely, the same motivation for her. I also have a DBF who is very fit and works out as regularly as anyone I've ever met. He takes only one day off a week and that is tremendous motivation to get snuggled up next to him and realize that I'm snuggling solid muscle and it makes me want to give him the same enjoyment. Finally, the biggets motivation to exercise is the amazing feeling I have when I look in the mirror and realize that I can look any way I want to and it makes me feel good to look very in shape. I hope this helps!!
-Noellica

I use a Jazzercise class that is on a local cable channel (too fat to go to the class, I would be so embarrased, plus I have no rhythm) And every time I think about skipping it for a day, I look in the mirror. That's enough motivation for me!

One of the things that motivates me is to exercise at the same time every day. If I know I am being a slacker, I will sometimes put on my workout clothes earlier because it's a prompt. About 45 minutes before I work out I have 1/2 c of strawberries with 2 tbsp of heavy cream. If I don't work out, I don't have them. So in this WOE that's a big motivational tool.

But I think the thing that really motivates me is the thought that I don't want to lose weight and not be toned. As the weight comes off I want to see a body underneath that fat.

When I don't feel like exercising, I look at some of the flabby skin I'm developing on my arms, tummy, thighs and other places. It reminds me that the only hope I have of toning up and looking at all decent in a bathing suit is to exercise, exercise, exercise!

I have yo-yo dieted all of my life and really never exercised in any regular sort of way. As a result, I always gained it back and then some. I now understand that without regular exercise, the weight will never stay off!

Exercise doesn't make a difference in my weight loss on a week to week basis, but in the longrun it really does the trick. Last time I was on Atkins I had more problems with stalls, etc. This time, my loss has been more consistent. I know it is the exercise .

It is a real mental health issue for me as well. I work from home and I get "cabin fever" pretty badly. Getting out exercising picks up my moods and energy and that is wonderful! Nothing like a good dose of endorphins to brighten the day.

You might consider joining one of the fitness challenges here on the forum. It is easier when you are with a group of people who are working on the same things. Even if it is online!

Best of luck to you
Orchid

I've been trying to exercise since starting Atkins in September/03. I bought an exercise bike and tried (not very faithfully) to start riding it. Recently, as the weather got nicer, I started bike riding outside with my 8 year old and 3 year old daughters. Now, every night after dinner, they beg to go for a bike ride. We all enjoy exercise now and it's easier to just go than to tell them "not tonight". Rain or shine.. We ride our bike.

Hi

I don't do too much exercising, but I walk from the subway to my work and back every nice-weather day I can (13 min walk). I have also started doing leg lifts, cuz when you lose that weight, you don't lose the body shape!!!!

I believe it takes 21 days to form or break a habit. If you exercise for 21 days, you then form a new routine and it becomes part of your life. Maybe if you focus on exercising for 22 days, you can make it part of your daily routine.

Good luck
Mary

PS I am starting to feel my muscles in my stomach (who knew I had any muscles ) and I have been doing leg lifts for only 6 days! It feels pretty good!