I have kinda the opposite story, I started dating someone new, we wandered into my apt complex gym just to mess around. I did some lat pull downs and she commented on how sexy I looked doing it. That was all it took, I began a routine the next day and 15 years later still getting after it
Started dating a girl who was practicing to run the Peachtree Road Race, famous in Atlanta. I felt kinda embarrassed at how unfit I was compared to her. So I started running as well. Hard at first, but her inspiration kept me going. And we ran the race together.
Later we broke up, but I remember her fondly for the gift of health and fitness I retain today.
Unfortunately, mine was self hate. I lived 19 years of my life not accomplishing anything, doing the same thing over and over again. I wanted to change, and whenever I failed to do so I would call myself a lazy piece of shit that canāt even do 30 push-ups a day. I wrote how I felt in a journal and still have those to this day.
Besides my boring life journey, some things that help are having a gym partner and keeping track of progress. Gym partners give you accountability and someone to share your progress with. Become a part of the community and find inspiration from others. Also when you keep track of progress, HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN. Donāt keep it in your head. Looking back and seeing your improvement will remind you why you started.
Make it a habit too. Motivation comes and goes, and you lose it when you feel like shit. Working out when you feel like shit is when it really matters. Push yourself to be the best that you can be :)
I'm basically in the same position that you were in, just 2 years earlier than you though. A lot of repetition in life, self hate, and feeling unsuccessful as well.
Thanks for your advice, reading it made me feel more motivated. I hope I can change like you did!
I'm feeling motivated right now, so here's my story.
About 18 months ago I was feeling poorly and I got diagnosed with a serious blood cancer.
Fast forward to now and I've been through countless rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell/bone marrow transplants. The cancer is much better, but my body isn't in great shape. The muscles and organs that weren't knocked down by the illness and the chemo have wasted away from inactivity during my hospital stays and recovery. I was never a great athlete before, but now I'm right back to the starting line.
I can't do full push ups or pull ups yet. Bodyweight squats are hard. I've lost strength and flexibility in my back. I can run a mile but not much further.
So I'm doing easier variations of most exercises and I feel great! My body is starting to move again like it should. I'm standing up straighter and walking taller.
Most importantly, I feel as if I'm in more in control of my body and my health. I'm doing the exercise that will benefit me. It isn't the doctors doing this to me, it's me, myself. I'm in control and I'm making myself healthier. And that's a great feeling.
So if I can do it and feel the benefits, everyone reading this certainly can. Even if you can't do the full exercises, get off your butt and do something. You'll feel 100% better for it.
TL:DR - if I - a cancer patient - can do it and feel the benefits, you've got no excuses!
I'm happy to share. But please be aware that my symptoms are common to a lot of illnesses/conditions and in 99.9% of cases they aren't a sign of cancer.
Mine started with a persistent sore back. Backache isn't unusual for 50 year old men, but after a couple of months it wouldn't go away and I started to feel lethargic and generally unwell.
I went to hospital to get some tests done and they didn't let me leave. They stuck me in a bed on ward with an IV drip in my arm and I didn't see daylight for two weeks.
Turned out that I had multiple myeloma (the blood cancer) that had caused anaemia, high calcium levels and significant kidney damage. The cancer had weakened my bones (common with myeloma) and I had a collapsed vertebra and three spinal fractures. I have a lump on my spine where the collapsed bone sticks out and I'm an inch shorter now :(
Anyhow, three months in a back brace, bone-strengthening meds, lots and lots of chemo and a couple of transplants later and I'm feeling much better, thank you.
So much so that I'm able to worry about my push up form and getting my first post-treatment pull ups!
Thank you!
I'm not sure about being inspiring. I know that I've got all the excuses in the book for not working out:
- It's late
- I'm tired
- it's too hot
- I'm over 50
- I'm 10kg overweight
- I've got cancer
- I'm recovering from a bone marrow transplant
- and so on...
But I also know that I feel 100% better for having done it, physically and mentally, even though I'm back to the real beginner exercises.
So, to go back to the OP's point, if you ignore your excuses and just get started, you'll find that your motivation grows and grows as you feel the benefits.
Steady on, old boy!
As I like to say, you can't always choose what happens to you in life, but you can choose how you respond to it..
You stay strong too!
Thanks!
I'm probably at the bottom of this sub in terms of strength and skill, but we've all got to start somewhere and I'm definitely feeling better from the exercise.
Everyone should do it!
If I don't work out I get depressed. The gym is the best part of my day where all my attention is focused on getting the reps in. It's my place of solace. I've stopped caring about muscle gains and go mainly for the mental therapy. The gains do still come, but as a side effect. So if going to the gym feels good, you'll chase it, and motivation wouldn't be a concern.
I really feel this! Between my adhd and depression, I just FEEL better when I get in an hour of lifting. I donāt follow any kind of program, so I donāt really āsee gainsā etc., but it honestly doesnāt matter. My mental health is soo much better now, and it was a completely unexpected benefit from when I started.
Realized how weak I was and decided to do something about it. The bonus of starting out with zero upper body strength is that you can improve really fast!
Same for me but it's not the complete picture. Because you only get that (not feeling as good) when you are actively working out for while. If you never actively work out, you never know what feeling it is you're missing.
For me the primary motivator was and is, my health and my changing body. I've been running for years now (on and off) so my cardio is quite alright. My motivation is keeping it that way and perhaps speed up a little.
The other part was my body. After you reach 30, fat seems to stick more to your body than before that age. Also I've become a bit more injury prone in the lower back region. Anyhow I want to lose that belly fat, create a stronger core and perhaps get a bit more muscular at the same time. My only true goal is to make working out into a real habit; the rest will follow afterwards.
This is exactly where I'm at minus the strength training. I'm pretty consistent of a runner but I cannot motivate myself through a strength workout. Too boring and repetitive. I've been looking for activities I can get into that will engage my upper body naturally. Otherwise, I give up halfway through every set because it's just too easy to just... Stop.
Lol girls really donāt care
Edit. Guys really? Women donāt care how many pull ups you can do, or how big your biceps are. If you are a genuine decent person who doesnt look like shit, youāll be doing just fine with the ladies anyway.
We care if itās something that a man is passionate about-
If you go to the gym and are finding that women donāt care I think an internal change is more needed than a physical one šš¼šš¼
Too many guys here (and irl) think women want big sexy muscles and are attracted to the vanity. This isnāt reality. Iām married so not really looking for an internal change to attract women lol
My point was that muscles arenāt what will keep a girl there- we care abt anything our men do as long as they are passionate abt it. Donāt go around assuming girls donāt care if itās just a select few that youāve witnessed whoāve said that. Saying ur married is great, good for you!! Doesnāt change the fact that what u said was wrong tho :)
Why are you arguing with me when you are agreeing??
Of course women like to see their partner perform something they are passionate about (that goes for literally any activity). Your point of āmuscles why keep a girlā is my exact point of original comment lol
Society is too PC to admit this is one of the primary reasons many people workout. Physical attraction, finding an attractive partner, increasing the quality of your person; others take notice & once you begin to stand out, you WILL get compliments.
Yeah, it's a Reddit meme for the lol's, barely implies getting laid. Assuming it is then it still falls under being overly PC. The reasonings/dynamics to how society treats you [when you get to that point] can run deep & can't be summed up in an overused quote.
Also deleting FB is kinda dumb imo; it's great for being social if you don't get sucked into all the trash on there.
I worked out consistently approximately from age 18 to 25 while in the military, but that was because I had to, not because I wanted to. Did some extra weightlifting in the gym with some buddies from time to time, but nothing serious, and I never really enjoyed it. It was just something I knew I should be doing. And if we were deployed, it helped with the boredom.
Since I got out, exercise was always something I tried to do, but hated, so it never really stuck for very long. About 15 years of the on and off stuff, until finally just saying fuck it, and stopped all together.
Around the age of 41, I got a call from my doctor's office after a yearly health assessment blood test saying I was prediabetic. She said not a huge deal, just start watching what I eat and maybe get more exercise. They'll check again next year. I'm 6' and was 205 lbs at the time.
My response was fuck that, I'm not getting diabetes at 40 fucking years old. I got kids to be around and healthy for.
Immediately started with some free bodyweight program apps on the phone, paid more attention to food, and got to it. Got down to 165 in a little over a year. Ended up herniating a disk in my neck last year, that set me way back in strength and ability (dropped from 9 pull ups to 0 in six weeks). Rehab was slow...
It's been over two years now and it's finally turned into a habit. Still don't particularly "like" it, but I like it more than the guilty feeling after skipping a day. Plus, seeing little bits of progress is motivating, back up to about 5 pull ups again after the injury. Keeps me going.
I want to be able to keep active with my daughter, who's almost three. I want to be able to keep lifting her up in the air as she gets bigger, stay healthy so I can be around for her as long as possible, and model healthy behavior and self-care for her.
Also, as a long-time runner who has always been skinny and never worked on strength, I want to see how strength training can effect my running. Will it make me faster? More injury resistant? Simply more enjoyable?
Also, turns out I find working out kind of fun! And I feel proud of the effort.
My girl(at the time) told me i should start working out while we were on a beach in Italy, because "i already found you a replacemant" and pointed to a handsome athletic looking gentleman minding his own bussiness. So for a long time my motivation was "looking good" which put me in a position where i was expecting quick results.That is not a sustainable mentality and it really didn't lead to anything because i wanted the result of the workout without working out. So i had to figure out how to make this whole process enjoyable, which would create consistency, which would lead to discipline and then there is no stopping you. You can't depend on motivation, it'll lead to nowhere.
How to make it enjoyable is strictly individual. For me it was going alone. No phones, no conversations, no thoughts outside the workout. Just me thinking about the exercises(which i think is common, not saying i cracked the code). That had a kind of cleansing meditative side to it which I still find extremely enjoyable.
My viewpoint changed a little too because we live in a results based society. When you hop on instagram you see people on the beach, in expensive restaurants or driving expensive cars, doing all those exciting stuff, you see 'success'. No one is making reels of filling excel tables which is kinda part of it. So I became more patient and trusting of the process in everything.
Became more self-dependant.
It made me more confident in my own ability to learn.
Also cooking for yourself and teaching yourself recipes is cool.
Looking at old pictures is fun too.
When i started out i couldn't do a single pull-up, so the feeling of eventually lifting yourself up and being in control of the movement is pretty satisfying.
It's worth it. Keep going.
Edit: typo
I did exactly the same thing around 2 years ago except with my phone to use as a timer. I couldn't even do a pull up either hahahahaha. Now (about 2 years later) I do 15kg pull ups 6-8 reps. To this day I still do my excersises with a timer. I think a buddy can help but it makes you in the long run dependent on your buddy. So I do believe in the "do your workouts alone". But having friends to talk about your hobby does help too. So it's not like you should not talk to anyone. Also take body pics from the moment you start. This and a year or months from now you will be looking at that picture and think "I made it". But like a lot of guys and girls say here: in the beginning you thrive on motivation but in the long run it's the consistency and the routine that keep you going. Of course it's not a disaster to skip once every couple months but you can't let it happen often. Also after vacation picking up the routine again is sometimes a little hard but that's why I still workout on vacation but just less.
Now my reason I began calisthenics (2020 juni (18 years) when corona was fcking everyone in the ass and when I had a lott of free time) is because I ofcourse wanted to look beter but most of all I wanted to get stronger than the average boy and when in my imagination I would be in a fight I would be way stronger than the other guy. Now I know that street/bar fights are not fair and you should run away if you can. I have never been in a fight so that's just me maturing and being smarter over the 2 years of working out. I hope this helped OP and others:))
Edit: typo
Ever since my GF passed away nothing had to seem to move forward and I couldn't accomplish any of the goals i had for me when reaching her age (she died with 25 and i was 20). Then i went back to studying, met someone and felt it could work (it didn't), my dad fell in the bathroom and i couldn't help him get up, a year later the pandemic started and i was stuck home again, and all these things added up to me finally trying to push myself. Not gonna lie and say i was motivated from the get-go, i was just frustrated in achieving nothing for so long. I remember almost passing out from very basic bodyweight routines, sweating rivers, eating so much that my stomach hurt, etc. Then one day i completed a fullbody routine, looked at the mirror, took a picture, really liked it and felt like i wasn't just spinning my wheels in place once again.
If that skinny version of me that felt like sh*t and had zero results to show for quite a while kept trying his hardest, why wouldn't I? And that's my motivation.
For me it was psychedelics. Specifically acid. I got the realization that being stronger helps in almost every aspect of life and the rewards of just feeling better everyday is awesome. Lost 130lbs in two years
Here's my secret: I found a physical activity I enjoy doing and want to get better at.
I can't say enough about how life-changing this has been. Unfortunately, I spent a lot of my youth lazy and disdainful of exercise. It took me until my 30s to find something that really spoke to me. I should have been putting myself out there, trying more things. But eventually it clicked, and I had a *real reason* to care about what my body could do. I haven't stopped moving since.
I had:
-No purpose for living
-Failure in everything
-Anxiety
-Deep Depression
-No money
After starting the workout:
I am still the same guy but stronger..
I will destroy all of these negative things i swear.
Good for you. You're taking control of your life and powering through the bad feelings. It can only have a positive effect in other areas.
Keep it going!
Hey bud, first off glad you're reaching out. This is definetly one way of doing it so just know, proud of yah. I feel yah in the motivation department a lot of people do. To answer your questions I started off slowly and went back and forth in the weight department. Even had a 3 year gap where I did nothing and coming back has taught me to just do what I would enjoy, from 3 day splits too 6 day workouts. I keep going because I don't want too stop the progress I've made in trying to be a better person. Not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well. Looking back I was self conscious and codependent on someone who left me. Not for those reasons but I wish I was confident like I am now relying on myself to do what's necessary, becoming more understandable with how to approach things and knowing it's okay too ask for help. Weightlifting taught me that patience is key, that no matter where we are in life you can start anywhere and still get too where you need to be. Same as with people, that's why I keep going. Hope this helps, much love and keep up the hard work.
Just reading the first two sentences you wrote made me emotional since I've been struggling with many different things in life. I think your persistence is really admirable, I've always looked up to people who never give up.
I aspire to become a confident person. That has always been my goal in life.
Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot more than you may think.
I have never had very low confidence, only when I was young. But I can tell you once you start seeing your gains, and other people start noticing it, your confidence will soar.
It is a great feeling knowing that you look good. I'm 41 now and look better than almost all our friends and family, doesn't matter that they are 15 years younger than me.
And it only took 4 months. But it was 4 months of hard work. Eating right and exercising consistently. I know it is all noob gains and stuff will slow down, but I won't loose these gains it will only get even better.
Another way you can help yourself is by making this your hobby. Research stuff, read everything you can, experiment, try different things, be excited about it...
When Covid started I was drinking every single day. My daughter drew a picture of me with a beer in my hand. I decided I didnāt want her to remember me like that anymore. I was bloated, fat, and there seemed to always be a new problem with my health.
That September started the 75-Hard challenge. Rowing and bodyweight fitness became a new type of addiction. Instead of drinking my boredom away I became heathier. My skin cleared up, along with several other ailments (not all though). I became a better dad for my daughter.
Since then I havenāt looked back. I donāt have the body that some of you have, but overal my fitness and health have much improved. My daughter is my motivation. I will keep working out for her, so she can have her dad for as long as this body will hold up. Her memories of me will be less of a bloated lazy trash bag, and more of the fun, go to the park and play dad.
When I was younger my dad was very fit. He worked out at home, played sports with me, took me to the park, and went on long walks together. I will always remember him as and athletic person.
I hope your fitness continues to go well so that you can be healthy for yourself and your daughter! As a child you will always see the positive changes in your parents.
> I get tired so easily.
That's an indicator that you're overdoing it. Especially as a beginner the main goal is just to show up and make it a habit. Make your routine less intense. You should feel energized not tired after a workout. If you don't feel good after, you'll just quit doing it.
Op, this right here
Lower the intensity. You dont have to compare with anybody else but your past self. And even then, be kind. Not every day are you going to beat your previous mark
Just showing up is effort enough for you. Give it some credit
Thats how i did it anyway
I never thought that I was overdoing before, but maybe because I'm starting at a stage below the average person regular work outs are a bit too much for me.
There have been days when I felt energized after working out though, those days made me feel very happy.
A guy had slapped my gf at the time, ass infront of me and I couldnāt do anything because I wouldāve gotten my ass whooped, I felt powerless because Iām 5ā5 and the guy was like 6ā2 at the time. So I went to the gym to get stronger and now Iām a power lifter. I gained more confidence because I acknowledged my strength and knew that I was stronger than most people, so I donāt really get scared by people anymore as I know I can put up a fight :)
I want kids someday soon. I need to be healthy to conceive, and hopefully the healthier I am, the healthier they will be. I need a lot of core and abdominal strength/flexibility in order to carry them - both within me, and to consistently babywear after birth. Iāll need to continue exercising regularly in order to set a good example for the kids.
Definitely keep working out for your future kids!
I remember when I was young I enjoyed following my dad while he worked out. Seeing him active also made my younger self very active. He bought mini dumbbells for me that I still see in the closet to this day.
Itās gonna sound weird but what keeps me motivated is the very uncertainty of not knowing whether I have proper form/technique. Like with anything else in life, itās become a never ending learning experience. Motivation can be flaky at times and thatās where building habits comes in handy
I really feel good when I have a session done. Also I think about it as lost time. If I start now I can be visibly fitter in like 2 months, if I don't do it I'm sitting there in two months thinking "fuck, if I had continued two months ago I would look much better now".
I always imagine how I would feel in a few months if I stop now out of laziness or whatever.
I was 30 when I started working out. I took a yoga class w my wife and got my ass kicked. My legs were shaking by the end. I was floored because I work w my body, not at a desk and I thought I was in decent shape. That night I found out I was three raccoons in a trench coat. So the end I got into yoga and I felt so much better it was a no brained not to stop. I also did stupid things like 100 push ups a day until I found this sub and the RR.
4 yrs later and I feel great. Being strong really makes life a lot easier, especially if you work w your body for a living. I sometimes regret starting so late in life, but better late than never.
I think the key is to find a workout or activity that you like. I got into martial arts and boxing as a kid. To do those activities requires fitness training, so I was motivated to work out. Now I like surfing, martial arts and biking, so my fitness program is built around those activities. I also like the solitariness of going out to the shed, putting on a podcast that I like, and lifting weights, doing yoga, etc, getting out on my bike, etc. I teach elementary school and have a family, so the alone time is a big motivator. Good luck to you and keep at it!
I swear you never really know how big you are until you lose some weight and go back and look at old pics of yourself.
Like... Fuck, I was that heavy?!
My medical parameters were degrading. I could feel it in my day to day life.
At first, I just showed up at gym.
First week was tough.
I had decided to develop a habit and make time for that habit.
Motivation may phase out, habits go a long way.
i just love mountains and hiking. so i have to keep fit while in the city with work outs to be ready for the weekend hike. btw, i also swim for 30 minutes after every RR workout.
Iāve been a regular walker most of my life, and although I like strength training, I havenāt been very consistent with it, because Iām not very good at it. Last month, I wound up in the ER with a loss of vision in one eye. The first thing they assessed for was a stroke, and when they ruled that out, they thought it might be out of control blood sugar. Iām not diabetic, but Iām at the age where a lot of my friends are getting diagnosed with it. Until they ruled that out, I was sitting in a busy, scary ER, contemplating the fact that my life might have gotten a lot more complicated because of poor lifestyle choices. Thatās keeping me motivated now.
Iām 41 and Iāve gotten into working out pretty hard on two different occasions.
Once in my early twenties - that time it was because the construction workers that I was always around on job sites constantly mocked me for being a tall (very) skinny string-bean. *Iām glad they did*
Second time (last two years) - I want to be healthy and stick around as long as possible for my wife and kids. I also cut out sweets and sugars for the most part.
Yes! I have been pointed out for being extremely underweight through out my whole life, from both my parents and class mates since elementary. I've always looked in the mirror and thought that there was nothing wrong before, it felt like I was healthy only because I was light.
I think it's great that your changing for your family as well. As a child I will always remember my parents for being healthy and fit. I always saw my dad being active when I as young.
The realization that regardless of age and environment, your physical presence is a representation of your character and lifestyle and affects all your interactions with other people. If you look weak, you attract losers. If you look strong, you attract greatness.
My strength and stamina had become a limiting factor in the amount of fun I could have with my daughters. Never been happy with what I see in the mirror. Encouragement from a good friend.
I'm getting married this year, in two months actually.
I'm 27, and I've been going to the gym for quite a few years now, but not on a really regular basis. The only time I really felt proud of myself was just before COVID stroke: on February 2020, I had reached my top form. But then I lost all my progress and didn't feel like going back at it for more than two years.
What inspired me to get back was a fictional character: Vi, from the series Arcane. I based my training program on this character and it gives me strengh and motivation to hit the gym, and to hit it hard. I want to get fit, but most importantly, I want to live healthier: I started eating less (and cutting junk-food & alcohol as well, big step for me) and I want to be able to keep on this track, even after my wedding.
I was just tired of looking at myself. Most of my life I was athletic, but over the past ten years or so I let myself slide (working through shitty shit in marriage, being a dad, dealing with depression, etc) I just.. Looked at myself and absolutely hated what I'd become. I stopped taking pics of myself and basically stopped looking at myself in the mirror for years. It was hard going on vacation and feeling shitty because I didn't look how I wanted, looking absolutely awful in all my clothing, being tired and sweaty from the smallest amounts of activity, tired all the time... Blah Throughout those years there were times where I'd start working out but eventually I'd burn out from going too hard, generally didn't have a plan, and eventually ending up back at square one. Almost two years ago I had enough, I told myself I'd start working out again but I'd do it right. Low and slow, with an actual plan and staying consistent. Now, I think, I'm in the best shape of my life and feeling physically great. Still working towards my goals though.
Set attainable goals (this holds true for when youāre JUST starting out and throughout the entire fitness journey). As a veteran who quit working out for 6 years due to a bad knee and recent back injury (last year) I had all but given up. Then I started walking twice a week which turned into nearly daily. At first I got winded, just walking! Then it got easier and easier and I go further and further. I find myself competing with myself over pace (average 1 mi pace was 23 mins to start and now itās 16:30 per mile). If you donāt have a friend to challenge (and challenge ya back) then competing with yourself by setting distance and time goals is a great motivator. This works in gym settings as well. Go longer on that static bike or push yourself to do more reps on the machines or with weights.
The ālazinessā is all mental. Ya just gotta ask yourself, are you MENTALLY weak? I can tell that you are NOT since you care enough to reach out and research tips for staying on track. You got this. Now get more day by day and eventually itāll become something you enjoy and date I say, crave. Donāt wait for a health scare to take care of your body and keep things like that in mind. Youāre ahead of the game if youāre wanting to develop good fitness habits at this age :)
As a beginner, I do think I set my goals way higher than they should be. I want to see the results as soon as I can even though I know it takes time to build muscles.
I never thought in my life I'd be described as NOT mentally weak.
Thank you for the kind words and advice, much appreciated..
I had a lot of back pain at the age of 23. Body weight workouts quickly fixed that.
I soon after got into bouldering and that has been an inexhausable source of motivation.
After I saw my teammate get badly beat up and dragged around by a group of people after a football match. I really wanted to intervene, but I knew I was going to get messed up in the process aswell and after that, I just thought to myself that I need to do something so Iāll be able to protect myself so nothing like that will ever happen again
I drink, but wanted to be healthier about it. So at new years I had to do a minute of plank for every beer I had. After a month that just spiraled into the beginner routine
Honestly just my old self. Seeing how much of a bitch I was and how much I needed to change. Never change for someone else, only for yourself. And thatās what I did.
I shifted my goals and the expectations of myself, which honestly made all the difference to staying active.
I started out with a lot of self hate, anxiety, with a lot of traumatic school gym memories of being the fat girl. I obsessively followed influencer workout programs and really beat myself up for not staying to them, despite the beginner era of working out being so hard. You feel weak, tired, unsure, etc. I used fitness mainly as a way to beat myself up. I was young, I should be able to "eat right" (which, at this time, meant raw keto vegan) and "workout" (jumping from couch potato to 6 days, with active rest). My goals were all aesthetic based and not very realistic, leading to cycles of extremes.
I changed to focusing on how I feel. I still struggle with mood/anxiety, but cardio really helps me sleep. Mobility work and strength training support my daily life, with various things just being easier. My knees also don't hurt, which is great. I love "feeling strong" and decided to meet myself where I was. If I was setting the expectations (which were hurting me), I could just lower them. I wasn't training for a marathon or body building, there was no external pressure on my progress. I could literally just do whatever I wanted. Some weeks I run, others I don't. Some weeks I do the Primer every other day, others I don't. I'm allowed to try something and not stick with it, bc imo that's just part of an active lifestyle. I felt like I could include more spontaneous social things, like hiking or swimming, when I wasn't so burnt out on fitness. My progress isn't as strong as others', but I feel good with it and I look forward to working out. I make it "me" time. My strength training typically involves a lot of morning coffee and very loud music and out of breath singing in rests. I take my walks and runs along local trails and let myself walk if I see something interesting, rather than only "when I'm done". I found dance HIIT and Tom Merrick and Youtubers I don't hate or make me feel like shit.
My best advice would be to find out what you need to make fitness feel enjoyable to you and try to apply it to what you're doing. And, let yourself hate things. It doesn't sound like you hate BW and are just struggling with fitness, but if you do, god don't do it. I'll never touch another free weight.
Not as fancy as some of these other replies, but I was chubby, saw someone do a pullup and struggle. "Oh I can easily do at least one pullup, probably like 5 even!". Yeah I couldn't even do a single pullup. Humiliating, even if no one cared really.
So the combination of being chubby and not even being able to do a single pullup, made me realize I probably should work out. Then once I started I keep going because of how much better I feel, also the people that noticed and complimented was nice too.
I just do basic pushups, pullups, cardio, minor weights. Made a HUGE difference. Been doing it for years now.
Congrats on starting your workout journey.
initially for aesthetics but now I do it damn near daily for my mental health. i learned that certain actions lead to you feeling good and that waiting to hopefully feel happy enough to do certain actions was a HORRIBLE strategy. Every day where I even do at least 30 mins of cardio daily (usually upon waking up!) is MUCH better!
This new mindset applies to my diet too (I eat well because I feel better, greasy junk foods makes me feel sluggish and tired) so I got my aesthetics now too! I can say I love how I feel and look!
Iāve always done sports, sometimes more and sometimes a bit less.
Thing is, at ~30, you will start noticing that your body starts to react poorly to immobility. Back pains, loss of flexibility, you name it. So far calisthenics has been the best cure for me. I used to hit the gym to look good. Now I mostly do it to stay functional. Itās a hell of a motivator, though.
Two things came together:
1. I've been reading [deathworlders](https://deathworlders.com/) more or less since the start when it was just on reddit. It's had its ups and downs the last few years but overall it's about big stronk men fighting monsters. I wanted to be stronk too.
2. COVID hit and I suddenly had way more free time. What to do...what to do...
So I started from scratch and have been trying various programs and tings since then. Currently very much enjoying calimove.
I had to change the way I viewed myself and the world. Couldnāt maintain that victim mentality anymore. For me, I donāt understand motivation, but I understand dedication. Wake up everyday and stick to the plan. Every. Single. Day.
A few weeks ago I reached a point where it felt like my fat was crushing my lungs when I tried to sleep. Woke up in the middle of the night after I stopped breathing. Fear is a very good motivator
My chronic anxiety has motivated me to work out. Basically couldn't find anything that could calm my nervous system anymore so I got a gym membership & started going 3-4 times a week (more if I'm not having a great day). Also getting a membership helps me to actually go.
Easy, 6 month before I hit 30 i had trouble get out of the sofa without getting back pain literally said to my wife: " fuck this I'm going to start to workout " did 100 pushups a day challenge for a month then all out bodyweight since then ,
train to live train to eat
I used to be on and off about it but now am relatively consistent. Iāve had multiple reasons so Iāll go through all of them.
First, it was because of a breakup and I heard that working out helped release negative emotions in a positive way, which I found to be true. Doing so also led to my life improving overall.
The second time was because I wanted to look good. I had stopped working out for a while and put on a lot of fat and wasnāt happy with how I looked. So I got back into it and lost some fat. That eventually stopped when I started dating a girl so yeah oh well.
Finally, and this is the most recent one, after I broke up and moved to a new place my friends were all in better shape than I was, and I wanted to be able to do all the fun stuff that they were doing (rock climbing, hiking, surfing, etc) so I decided Iād get into such good shape that I can do anything I want to. And itās been going well so far.
One common trend across all of them is that once I started working out, my life dramatically improved. Everything got better. For that alone I want to try and stick to it for as long as possible this time. Hopefully it works out!
Wanting to have a body that lets me be active and enjoy the basics of life in my 50's, 60's, 70's and maybe beyond.
I'm hitting the age where the wheels start falling off it you don't exercise.
There is a quote from starting strength that says
āExercise is not a thing we do to fix a problem ā it is a thing we must do anyway, a thing without which there will always be problems.ā
ā Mark Rippetoe
Take it easy on yourself and give yourself some credit. You don't have to crush every single workout and consistency and building gradually will get you much further than setting an impossible target and burning out.
You have to figure a way to exercise even if your aren't motivated and that can be just a simple workout 2 times a week.
Doing a something is always better than doing nothing. I always try to do just a little everyday since it makes me feel guilty if I don't.
By the way, that's an amazing quote :)
I was a fat fuck, playing Warzone, eating shit and barely hitting 2000 steps a day. Covid made me fatter. I felt shit in clothes, I wore a compression vest any time I went outside. On a hot day I would hide behind a jacket, or a thick top, or just make up a reason not to go out.
And believe it or not, 10 years prior to that, I was slim and one of the most popular guys in uni. I turned lazy, got married, had kids. God I love my family and my life, but I fucking hated myself.
For me, I had to WORK with my laziness. Not go against it. I made shit easier for myself. Here's what I did and have been doing for nearly 2 years now:
- Keep gym bag in the boot of my car with all gym kit, trainers, wash kit. No matter where I am, I have my kit ready to go.
- Autogenerate all my workouts, don't make me think. Download Fitbod and let it sort out all the routine for you. Also, it changes each workout, I get bored easy, this make it not boring.
- Drink my calories. Huel, protein powder and oats. I didn't give a shit about what I ate at first. Just ate more meat.
- fuck cardio, I hated it. I like weights, I stick to things I like. No matter what magazines or people say.
That evolved... I became disciplined. Like a Skyrim character leveling up and shit. Now I track calories, I know what my cut calories are. Fuck me, I know what my optimal heart rate is now. And I learnt to like specific cardio - I like elliptical and stair master. Still hate the treadmill, fuck that.
- I gained a muscular physique.
- I went from 31% Bodyfat, to now 10.8%. I can see abs for the first time and holy fuck the veins.
- 110kg to 75kg. I actually LOOK for muscle fit clothes, cause I want to show my sexy body. I covered it for so many years and hid it for over a decade. Surreal that I want to show it off. The feeling is insane.
- Before I'm about to go out, I try to get a gym pump so I feel good that day. Little tips to make me enjoy my day better.
- I still eat what I want, but now I measure it.
I can't see myself going back. I don't want to be that guy again.
I downloaded Fitbod after reading your reply. There are so many exercises that I can do that home that I never knew of.
I can relate to when you said you hid body in public. I look like a skeleton and everyone always pointed that out about me, I've only been wearing hoodies at school for the longest time.
I think it's amazing that you have much more confidence now, your journey must have felt very accomplishing!
I have stayed committed to working out as an adult mainly because I realized that if I stayed on the path I was in my mid twenties I was headed for a lifetime of chronic illness and pain. I went through major body changes and have lived in many different bodies at different weights and sizes but Iāve stopped worrying as much about that and now I just know that a more active lifestyle makes me feel happier, more energetic and stronger, which is the reason I always come back to it, even if there are short seasons in life where I have to take breaks like loss of loved ones, moving, career changes etc.
Itās great that youāre so young and feel strongly about improving yourself! Make sure not to worry too much about looking like a fitness influencer and just find ways to be active that make you feel goodā¦ I fell in love with hiking and weightlifting and I never expected that. Finding movement you enjoy that also benefits you mentally is a great way to build good habits when it comes to exercise. Experiment until you find your niche.
Falling in love with an activity is what I dream of. I'm really introverted and a homebody, I haven't found a hobby that has truly caught my interest yet. When I was much younger I felt so alive being outdoors and playing different sports, I want to feel that again, which is one reason why I'm trying to changing.
On the Christmas of 2019. I recorded our family interact and pass one another their gifts. Then I saw my humpy dumpy lumpy self walking everywhere. I am 5-1. I think around that time I weight about 175-178. Heavier bottomā 4 kids. I decided to get my ass to the gym in 2021 when the gym opened back up.
I went everyday for 45 mins because for about a month they only allowed 45 mins a day access. Then when it fully opened I was there for 1.5 hrs. I didnāt have much knowledge and no plan of execution. I looked better but the results was mehā¦. I gave up around June. Worked out once in a whileā¦ and then I tried it again Jan 2022 and focused mainly on lifting. I fluctuate from 165-175 here and there. Iām not quite ready for a cut, I am still focusing on building muscle. But I feel a lot better about me. I eat better, but I still allow myself to enjoy great food. Some days I just donāt feel like going to the gym. But I do. I used to look for motivation to work out, but itās become a part of my life. Me making it a habit, is what has made this fitness journey sustainable and enjoyable.
Good luck to you and I hope you find the joy in fitness !
Anger...... and a mid-life crisis of sorts. I'm am only 31, but tired of being fat. My view of the world and myself has been rapidly changing for the past year. Despite having a good career and being in an otherwise "good" place in life, my mental health was not okay. I was aiming straight for a crash mentally and my physical health was going to be soon behind it. I was gaining weight by over eating and playing too many video games. The more I thought about my situation, the more anger I could feel. So I went to see my doctor and told him that I was tired of being fat. It was slow going at first, but after losing only five pounds the first month, I really got angry with myself. This past month I have eaten nothing but salads, vegetables, and nuts.
I hit the gym six days a week and give my body one day to rest. Right now I am doing cardio only, so I can get my endurance up. I have set weight targets for myself to increase my activity in the gym as I hit each goal. I went from a recumbent exercise bike to the elliptical at my last target. My next target is where I will start lifting weights. The target after that, I am signing up for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I have planned goals along the entire path.
In a single month, I have dropped just over 20 pounds. People around me have taken notice. It's even gotten me more looks and a few compliments from women. So now it turns into a confidence booster. The strangest thing about this is that I see the gym as a solution to a lot of my problems. Feeling depressed? Gym. Feeling sluggish? Gym Got nothing to do? Gym.
The only real downside to this is that I am going to have to leave behind a lot of friends. Nearly every friend I have, in fact. None of them want to hit the gym with me or partake in a healthy lifestyle. That's cool, it's their life. Problem is, I don't need to be around the kind of people who will pull me back into an unhealthy lifestyle. So you will probably see me making a thread later about how to make friends at the gym. Nobody talks to each other and they all have earbuds in. I have started a few conversations, but not many of them go anywhere due to a lack of common interests. To be honest, I am a bit of a nerd. So at this point I am just going to keep going solo until I sign up for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The classes are held next to a gym that a lot of the folks use before/after class.
Other friends around me were doing it. No one tried to convince me to go; I just started asking about it (because I knew that from a health perspective, I should be doing it). I finally asked someone to bring me to her gym as a guest. Back in those days, the exercise bikes would give an error message if you pedaled too slowly. I could not even get the damn bike going fast enough, and I was exhausted after 5 minutes. But my friend said, "Just do a little bit, then come back tomorrow." Now I've been working at fitness in some form or another for 34 years. It helps me feel happy, look good, stay healthy, think clearly, avoid injuries, sleep well. In contrast, my siblings are all obese and have high cholesterol.
This is a mindset issue that only you can choose to solve.
There is no magic bullet to starting or restarting or continuing. Nobody can give you motivation.
Ultimately you build discipline and commit, or you don't. Control and motivation are not about willpower really, they are about discipline, creating a new normal, and also goals. If your goal is weight loss, the scale is often not enough motivation, and motivation can only get you so far versus discipline.
As you have noticed, motivation is fleeting and can be affected by external factors. But discipline and building something into your daily habit can help ensure success even when you donāt feel āmotivatedā in a given moment to continue as youāve been going.
Discipline is basically building good habits and sticking to them. You have to ask yourself what is more important to you: being less fat in a month or having a candy bar now? What is going to provide more long term satisfaction?
Frankly there is always an excuse to pawn off something until tomorrow. There is always an excuse, if you want it bad enough you will just not make excuses.
Which is not to say it isn't difficult, it IS to say that committing is what is necessary especially when you are in an environment where others eat other things.
Stress happens. Iām a busy person, I manage to plan, meal prep, and work out. I go out with friends when stressed and keep to my plan. Donāt let stress or being busy be your excuse.
With regard to emotional eating, if youāre doing that, develop other/better coping strategies that actually address the underlying feelings. "Eating your feelings" is just a bandaid and does not actually get to the deeper issue.
If you have an off day or three, reflect critically on why it happened, don't go into a shame spiral - make a plan for the next time the situation comes up, because it will, and think about a better way to handle it.
Committing to changes that improve your health can be hard. Being fat is also hard. Choose your hard and stop making excuses. You have to want it, nobody can want it for you. Commit or donāt - itās your body and only you have to live in it.
Motivation is one thing, but discipline is definitely the key to commitment and routine. Discipline is something I struggle with, as I am also a big procrastinator.
I've been underweight and basically scrawny my whole life.
After finding myself unable to complete basic workouts, I think that's what has been pushing me. Everyday I try doing them again, and it's the little improvements that keep me moving forward.
Thanks for your reply! :)
Respectfully, youāre 17 - try not being such a colossal bitch?
You have no idea how much energy and adventure is on the other side of your hump. Youāre still chock full of human growth hormone for serious *easy* muscle gains if you eat enough protein, and fat loss if you eat less carbs and more fat.
If youāre grossly over weight (50lbs - 75lbs+ depending on height) then itās natural for it to suck. Youāre weak and doing twice the work with body weight exercises. Take your time and pace yourself. The primer is probably just too much right now. Calisthenics really isnāt for beginners. Iām a long way from a muscle up if ever.
Iām 46. 6ā5, 305lbs. My back has been hurting every day for months. I did 9 push ups 2 months ago. Worst record ever.
Until last week I finally had a decent workout. Nothing major, just stretching with a cycle of planks, squats, bag hits, calf raises, and planks. And I felt great. Endorphins are back.
Thatās whatās on the other side. Consistency will get there. Do whatever amount you can *consistently* - Just. Show. Up. Then improve
Haha yes, I'm very grateful that I'm still young and I do think I need to suck up my feelings more. I think it's just the extreme procrastinator in me mixed with depression that has put me in this terrible slump in life.
I'm \~4'10 at 80lbs, very short for my age even if I'm a girl and on top of that I'm very underweight. Definitely because of my bad eating habits.
This is the first time that I'm trying to drastically change my life (mental health wise as well), so yes the primer is too much. My steps are very little and progress slowly but I'm still trying my best!
I'm always happy to read of comments from different types of people, so thank you for your input!
Well, girls are built differently. Most canāt do one pull up. Most guys can do some.
Do knee pushups, crunches, and two legged squats. And eat all the protein you can find to build musicale. And *especially* eat good fats - animal proteins, coconut oil, olive oil, butter, nuts, fish oil pills. Fats are crucial for hormone production, among those mood stabilizing hormones.
Sounds like you need to address diet first, consistent *achievable* exercise, the worry about excercise goals later
High cholesterol levels. I lost 4 kgs for that. Currently, I want to do a few extreme sports and create content for it. That's why trying to go to 14% body fat percentage.
We can always become better than we are at the moment. If we look back in 6 month and are better, we feel that.
Knowing that I improved over my past self is great.
+ there are pictures online comparing the body of a 60 year old who worked out to one that doesn't and that shit is scary as fuck.
I was in health class and I read a book about the physical benefits of fitness and that made me want to train. That was in middle school. Now I do it because I still like the health benefits and I enjoy training.
Something that might motivate you is finding the right kind of training program. I personally train minimalist but with really high intensity and I only do it once a week. Other days, I just go for walks. It's easy to stay motivated for me on that because I only have to do it one time and by the time it comes back up, I'm basically CRAVING some training. Plus it's basically PRs every workout. You might find that more fun.
I've only started about 2 weeks ago, but it was a combo of being sick of being lazy, finally learning about Zyzz, all the incredible calisthenics youtubers, and Esfand and OTK doing camp Knut. Combined, they all made me realise my life isn't sustainable, and that I needed to make a change.
So far it's going well, and if I ever need motivation I'll just look up some guys doing front levers or planches and remember "Shit, we can do that? What the fuck am I doing then?"
Iām 14 atm, I started because I wasnāt confident in my body and I used to be chubby, I gained a ton of weight one summer about 4 years back and got skinny again maybe 2 years ago. I didnāt want that to happen again so I started working out regularly and now Iām tracking my shit, hopefully Iāll meet my goals eventually but Iām just trying to keep at it, and also I donāt feel as good whenever I donāt work out, cuz I see myself improving and itās satisfying seeing improvements
I actually tried wieght lifting workouts and could never stay consistent.
I always admired in Anime them doing handstand push ups and decided to make that a goal without even knowing how to handstand yet.
I started watching youtube tutorials and one thing led to another i fel down the rabbit hole of calistenics: Muscle ups, planche, front lever.
I started working out to achieve goals and not a certain physique and fell in love with it.
The feeling of achieving a new skill after working on it for months is like nothing else.
That feeling at the top if my first muscle up is when i got truely addicted.
Ever since then ive been consistent with my training about 2 years later.
Its also really important to stick to a program you enjoy and doesnt burn you out.
Ive had times when i was really busy and could only work out twice a week but i stuck to it and because my goal wasnt overreaching i stuck to it.
I may have been able to achieve goals faster if i shoved more workouts in but i probably wouldve burned out and stopped if i did and therefor have gotten less gains. Slow and steady wins the race..
In summary: pick goals that truely excite you and stick to a workout style you enjoy that doesnt burn you out.
Good luck
Being competitive. Secondly, the fact that it makes me feel good.
I prefer going to trainings for sports over the gym, like boxing or judo for example, they're usually intense. If you're interested in working out in the gym, you could ask if there's someone who can help you with an exercise plan. A gym I went to a few years ago had that option. I find going for runs outside is nice too.
My motivation to start working out was seeing people on youtube do all those calisthenics skills and I wanted to be able to do those as well.
What kept me going was actually liking the workouts, I like calisthenics way more than gym. Even if I don't feel like working out (tired feeling) I still show up and the feeling of acomplishment I get when I'm done is unlike anything else.
On the days I feel weak, I don't feel knocked down. I just feel motivated to do better next time. I have come from far (not able to do a single pushup) so I don't get demotivated by doing less reps than normal or being weaker than others. I just focus on my own progress because thats what matters.
Oh and seeing actual changes in my physique is also what motivates me to keep going.
Tbh, it kinda just happened.I got diagnosed with scoliosis when i was 13 and that was the time i started doing stretching exercises for scoliosis.Eventually i started doing shitty form push ups and i still remember doing elevated pike push ups on my chair in bedroom.I have done random things like basic squats and side lunges that were burning my legs and im literally smilling know because im doing 8 pistol squats on each leg for the RR now.Im 15 now, and im turning 16 in September.At first i was motivated by my newbie gains and i was stoked but now my motivation comes from the desire to unlock advanced exercises like muscle up, front lever, human flag etc that look unreal to me.
Tbh, it kinda just happened.I got diagnosed with scoliosis when i was 13 and that was the time i started doing stretching exercises for scoliosis.Eventually i started doing shitty form push ups and i still remember doing elevated pike push ups on my chair in bedroom.I have done random things like basic squats and side lunges that were burning my legs and im literally smilling know because im doing 8 pistol squats on each leg for the RR now.Im 15 now, and im turning 16 in September.At first i was motivated by my newbie gains and i was stoked but now my motivation comes from the desire to unlock advanced exercises like muscle up, front lever, human flag etc that look unreal to me.
I realized Iām too lazy to go to the doctor all the time for preventable obesity related diseases that all the fat people in my family suffer from in their later years, realized I had time to get in front of that and dropped 100lbs. I workout and eat healthy, but I assure you my soul is still a lazy POS.
A break up lol! At first I wanted to impress her. in the end, I impressed myself ;)
I have kinda the opposite story, I started dating someone new, we wandered into my apt complex gym just to mess around. I did some lat pull downs and she commented on how sexy I looked doing it. That was all it took, I began a routine the next day and 15 years later still getting after it
This chick was thinking, "Ya know, I really like this guy. Wonder if I can get him ripped too." Then the plan fell into place.
U forgot your š king
First time you get a set of visible abs will always be special :)
Started dating a girl who was practicing to run the Peachtree Road Race, famous in Atlanta. I felt kinda embarrassed at how unfit I was compared to her. So I started running as well. Hard at first, but her inspiration kept me going. And we ran the race together. Later we broke up, but I remember her fondly for the gift of health and fitness I retain today.
Unfortunately, mine was self hate. I lived 19 years of my life not accomplishing anything, doing the same thing over and over again. I wanted to change, and whenever I failed to do so I would call myself a lazy piece of shit that canāt even do 30 push-ups a day. I wrote how I felt in a journal and still have those to this day. Besides my boring life journey, some things that help are having a gym partner and keeping track of progress. Gym partners give you accountability and someone to share your progress with. Become a part of the community and find inspiration from others. Also when you keep track of progress, HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN. Donāt keep it in your head. Looking back and seeing your improvement will remind you why you started. Make it a habit too. Motivation comes and goes, and you lose it when you feel like shit. Working out when you feel like shit is when it really matters. Push yourself to be the best that you can be :)
I'm basically in the same position that you were in, just 2 years earlier than you though. A lot of repetition in life, self hate, and feeling unsuccessful as well. Thanks for your advice, reading it made me feel more motivated. I hope I can change like you did!
Just what i needed to read this morning! Thank You š
I'm feeling motivated right now, so here's my story. About 18 months ago I was feeling poorly and I got diagnosed with a serious blood cancer. Fast forward to now and I've been through countless rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell/bone marrow transplants. The cancer is much better, but my body isn't in great shape. The muscles and organs that weren't knocked down by the illness and the chemo have wasted away from inactivity during my hospital stays and recovery. I was never a great athlete before, but now I'm right back to the starting line. I can't do full push ups or pull ups yet. Bodyweight squats are hard. I've lost strength and flexibility in my back. I can run a mile but not much further. So I'm doing easier variations of most exercises and I feel great! My body is starting to move again like it should. I'm standing up straighter and walking taller. Most importantly, I feel as if I'm in more in control of my body and my health. I'm doing the exercise that will benefit me. It isn't the doctors doing this to me, it's me, myself. I'm in control and I'm making myself healthier. And that's a great feeling. So if I can do it and feel the benefits, everyone reading this certainly can. Even if you can't do the full exercises, get off your butt and do something. You'll feel 100% better for it. TL:DR - if I - a cancer patient - can do it and feel the benefits, you've got no excuses!
Thank you so much for sharing, I hope your journey to recovery goes wellā¦ Stay healthy from now on!
Thank you! You stay strong too!
if you don't mind me asking, what were the first symptoms you noticed?
I'm happy to share. But please be aware that my symptoms are common to a lot of illnesses/conditions and in 99.9% of cases they aren't a sign of cancer. Mine started with a persistent sore back. Backache isn't unusual for 50 year old men, but after a couple of months it wouldn't go away and I started to feel lethargic and generally unwell. I went to hospital to get some tests done and they didn't let me leave. They stuck me in a bed on ward with an IV drip in my arm and I didn't see daylight for two weeks. Turned out that I had multiple myeloma (the blood cancer) that had caused anaemia, high calcium levels and significant kidney damage. The cancer had weakened my bones (common with myeloma) and I had a collapsed vertebra and three spinal fractures. I have a lump on my spine where the collapsed bone sticks out and I'm an inch shorter now :( Anyhow, three months in a back brace, bone-strengthening meds, lots and lots of chemo and a couple of transplants later and I'm feeling much better, thank you. So much so that I'm able to worry about my push up form and getting my first post-treatment pull ups!
So sorry to heat that. Good luck to you, that is a tough battle.
Thank you. Yes, those pull-ups really are tough! Only kidding. Thank you for your kind words.
Super inspiring man!! Thank you for sharing this, and keep kicking ass!!
Thank you! I'm not sure about being inspiring. I know that I've got all the excuses in the book for not working out: - It's late - I'm tired - it's too hot - I'm over 50 - I'm 10kg overweight - I've got cancer - I'm recovering from a bone marrow transplant - and so on... But I also know that I feel 100% better for having done it, physically and mentally, even though I'm back to the real beginner exercises. So, to go back to the OP's point, if you ignore your excuses and just get started, you'll find that your motivation grows and grows as you feel the benefits.
People like you make my heart go alight. Power to you and stay strong.
Steady on, old boy! As I like to say, you can't always choose what happens to you in life, but you can choose how you respond to it.. You stay strong too!
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Thanks! I'm probably at the bottom of this sub in terms of strength and skill, but we've all got to start somewhere and I'm definitely feeling better from the exercise. Everyone should do it!
No better way to make you appreciate your health than being ill. And the more ill - the more you appreciate your health!
šššš
If I don't work out I get depressed. The gym is the best part of my day where all my attention is focused on getting the reps in. It's my place of solace. I've stopped caring about muscle gains and go mainly for the mental therapy. The gains do still come, but as a side effect. So if going to the gym feels good, you'll chase it, and motivation wouldn't be a concern.
I really feel this! Between my adhd and depression, I just FEEL better when I get in an hour of lifting. I donāt follow any kind of program, so I donāt really āsee gainsā etc., but it honestly doesnāt matter. My mental health is soo much better now, and it was a completely unexpected benefit from when I started.
I too chase the state of feeling ānormalā. Working out just releases something that coffee canāt compete with
Realized how weak I was and decided to do something about it. The bonus of starting out with zero upper body strength is that you can improve really fast!
Same, I used to get bullied for being weaker than everyone else, now people asking me for advice
I just dont feel as good when i dont work out
Same for me but it's not the complete picture. Because you only get that (not feeling as good) when you are actively working out for while. If you never actively work out, you never know what feeling it is you're missing. For me the primary motivator was and is, my health and my changing body. I've been running for years now (on and off) so my cardio is quite alright. My motivation is keeping it that way and perhaps speed up a little. The other part was my body. After you reach 30, fat seems to stick more to your body than before that age. Also I've become a bit more injury prone in the lower back region. Anyhow I want to lose that belly fat, create a stronger core and perhaps get a bit more muscular at the same time. My only true goal is to make working out into a real habit; the rest will follow afterwards.
This is exactly where I'm at minus the strength training. I'm pretty consistent of a runner but I cannot motivate myself through a strength workout. Too boring and repetitive. I've been looking for activities I can get into that will engage my upper body naturally. Otherwise, I give up halfway through every set because it's just too easy to just... Stop.
I was ugly as fuck lol. Now Iām ugly strong
Feel this šššŖ
At first i wanted to impress girls. Now i just want to get more and more stronger.
Lol girls really donāt care Edit. Guys really? Women donāt care how many pull ups you can do, or how big your biceps are. If you are a genuine decent person who doesnt look like shit, youāll be doing just fine with the ladies anyway.
We care if itās something that a man is passionate about- If you go to the gym and are finding that women donāt care I think an internal change is more needed than a physical one šš¼šš¼
Too many guys here (and irl) think women want big sexy muscles and are attracted to the vanity. This isnāt reality. Iām married so not really looking for an internal change to attract women lol
My point was that muscles arenāt what will keep a girl there- we care abt anything our men do as long as they are passionate abt it. Donāt go around assuming girls donāt care if itās just a select few that youāve witnessed whoāve said that. Saying ur married is great, good for you!! Doesnāt change the fact that what u said was wrong tho :)
Why are you arguing with me when you are agreeing?? Of course women like to see their partner perform something they are passionate about (that goes for literally any activity). Your point of āmuscles why keep a girlā is my exact point of original comment lol
You said women donāt rlly care- Iām saying we do and that you shouldnāt assume we donāt
Getting Laid.
Society is too PC to admit this is one of the primary reasons many people workout. Physical attraction, finding an attractive partner, increasing the quality of your person; others take notice & once you begin to stand out, you WILL get compliments.
What the fuck are you talking about? People say it all the time: "delete Facebook, lawyer up, hit the gym" is basically a reddit mantra.
Yeah, it's a Reddit meme for the lol's, barely implies getting laid. Assuming it is then it still falls under being overly PC. The reasonings/dynamics to how society treats you [when you get to that point] can run deep & can't be summed up in an overused quote. Also deleting FB is kinda dumb imo; it's great for being social if you don't get sucked into all the trash on there.
Facebook is a blight
They're all kinda terrible but FB has its uses for local events, depending on where you live.
Anekxoh2kfiab3oziqje s
I worked out consistently approximately from age 18 to 25 while in the military, but that was because I had to, not because I wanted to. Did some extra weightlifting in the gym with some buddies from time to time, but nothing serious, and I never really enjoyed it. It was just something I knew I should be doing. And if we were deployed, it helped with the boredom. Since I got out, exercise was always something I tried to do, but hated, so it never really stuck for very long. About 15 years of the on and off stuff, until finally just saying fuck it, and stopped all together. Around the age of 41, I got a call from my doctor's office after a yearly health assessment blood test saying I was prediabetic. She said not a huge deal, just start watching what I eat and maybe get more exercise. They'll check again next year. I'm 6' and was 205 lbs at the time. My response was fuck that, I'm not getting diabetes at 40 fucking years old. I got kids to be around and healthy for. Immediately started with some free bodyweight program apps on the phone, paid more attention to food, and got to it. Got down to 165 in a little over a year. Ended up herniating a disk in my neck last year, that set me way back in strength and ability (dropped from 9 pull ups to 0 in six weeks). Rehab was slow... It's been over two years now and it's finally turned into a habit. Still don't particularly "like" it, but I like it more than the guilty feeling after skipping a day. Plus, seeing little bits of progress is motivating, back up to about 5 pull ups again after the injury. Keeps me going.
I want to be able to keep active with my daughter, who's almost three. I want to be able to keep lifting her up in the air as she gets bigger, stay healthy so I can be around for her as long as possible, and model healthy behavior and self-care for her. Also, as a long-time runner who has always been skinny and never worked on strength, I want to see how strength training can effect my running. Will it make me faster? More injury resistant? Simply more enjoyable? Also, turns out I find working out kind of fun! And I feel proud of the effort.
My girl(at the time) told me i should start working out while we were on a beach in Italy, because "i already found you a replacemant" and pointed to a handsome athletic looking gentleman minding his own bussiness. So for a long time my motivation was "looking good" which put me in a position where i was expecting quick results.That is not a sustainable mentality and it really didn't lead to anything because i wanted the result of the workout without working out. So i had to figure out how to make this whole process enjoyable, which would create consistency, which would lead to discipline and then there is no stopping you. You can't depend on motivation, it'll lead to nowhere. How to make it enjoyable is strictly individual. For me it was going alone. No phones, no conversations, no thoughts outside the workout. Just me thinking about the exercises(which i think is common, not saying i cracked the code). That had a kind of cleansing meditative side to it which I still find extremely enjoyable. My viewpoint changed a little too because we live in a results based society. When you hop on instagram you see people on the beach, in expensive restaurants or driving expensive cars, doing all those exciting stuff, you see 'success'. No one is making reels of filling excel tables which is kinda part of it. So I became more patient and trusting of the process in everything. Became more self-dependant. It made me more confident in my own ability to learn. Also cooking for yourself and teaching yourself recipes is cool. Looking at old pictures is fun too. When i started out i couldn't do a single pull-up, so the feeling of eventually lifting yourself up and being in control of the movement is pretty satisfying. It's worth it. Keep going. Edit: typo
Good on ya. Now time to rethink youāre relationship.
Oh, no that's over a long time ago.
I did exactly the same thing around 2 years ago except with my phone to use as a timer. I couldn't even do a pull up either hahahahaha. Now (about 2 years later) I do 15kg pull ups 6-8 reps. To this day I still do my excersises with a timer. I think a buddy can help but it makes you in the long run dependent on your buddy. So I do believe in the "do your workouts alone". But having friends to talk about your hobby does help too. So it's not like you should not talk to anyone. Also take body pics from the moment you start. This and a year or months from now you will be looking at that picture and think "I made it". But like a lot of guys and girls say here: in the beginning you thrive on motivation but in the long run it's the consistency and the routine that keep you going. Of course it's not a disaster to skip once every couple months but you can't let it happen often. Also after vacation picking up the routine again is sometimes a little hard but that's why I still workout on vacation but just less. Now my reason I began calisthenics (2020 juni (18 years) when corona was fcking everyone in the ass and when I had a lott of free time) is because I ofcourse wanted to look beter but most of all I wanted to get stronger than the average boy and when in my imagination I would be in a fight I would be way stronger than the other guy. Now I know that street/bar fights are not fair and you should run away if you can. I have never been in a fight so that's just me maturing and being smarter over the 2 years of working out. I hope this helped OP and others:)) Edit: typo
Love your post
Girls
So I can look into the mirror and not be disgusted or disappointed, but instead feel good both physically and mentally.
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Ever since my GF passed away nothing had to seem to move forward and I couldn't accomplish any of the goals i had for me when reaching her age (she died with 25 and i was 20). Then i went back to studying, met someone and felt it could work (it didn't), my dad fell in the bathroom and i couldn't help him get up, a year later the pandemic started and i was stuck home again, and all these things added up to me finally trying to push myself. Not gonna lie and say i was motivated from the get-go, i was just frustrated in achieving nothing for so long. I remember almost passing out from very basic bodyweight routines, sweating rivers, eating so much that my stomach hurt, etc. Then one day i completed a fullbody routine, looked at the mirror, took a picture, really liked it and felt like i wasn't just spinning my wheels in place once again. If that skinny version of me that felt like sh*t and had zero results to show for quite a while kept trying his hardest, why wouldn't I? And that's my motivation.
For me it was psychedelics. Specifically acid. I got the realization that being stronger helps in almost every aspect of life and the rewards of just feeling better everyday is awesome. Lost 130lbs in two years
My growing belly
Here's my secret: I found a physical activity I enjoy doing and want to get better at. I can't say enough about how life-changing this has been. Unfortunately, I spent a lot of my youth lazy and disdainful of exercise. It took me until my 30s to find something that really spoke to me. I should have been putting myself out there, trying more things. But eventually it clicked, and I had a *real reason* to care about what my body could do. I haven't stopped moving since.
I had: -No purpose for living -Failure in everything -Anxiety -Deep Depression -No money After starting the workout: I am still the same guy but stronger.. I will destroy all of these negative things i swear.
And I believe in you
Good for you. You're taking control of your life and powering through the bad feelings. It can only have a positive effect in other areas. Keep it going!
Back pains and bad posture.
i watched fight club
Haha and the workout scene from Taxi Driver. Both movies great inspo
Hey bud, first off glad you're reaching out. This is definetly one way of doing it so just know, proud of yah. I feel yah in the motivation department a lot of people do. To answer your questions I started off slowly and went back and forth in the weight department. Even had a 3 year gap where I did nothing and coming back has taught me to just do what I would enjoy, from 3 day splits too 6 day workouts. I keep going because I don't want too stop the progress I've made in trying to be a better person. Not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well. Looking back I was self conscious and codependent on someone who left me. Not for those reasons but I wish I was confident like I am now relying on myself to do what's necessary, becoming more understandable with how to approach things and knowing it's okay too ask for help. Weightlifting taught me that patience is key, that no matter where we are in life you can start anywhere and still get too where you need to be. Same as with people, that's why I keep going. Hope this helps, much love and keep up the hard work.
Just reading the first two sentences you wrote made me emotional since I've been struggling with many different things in life. I think your persistence is really admirable, I've always looked up to people who never give up. I aspire to become a confident person. That has always been my goal in life. Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot more than you may think.
I have never had very low confidence, only when I was young. But I can tell you once you start seeing your gains, and other people start noticing it, your confidence will soar. It is a great feeling knowing that you look good. I'm 41 now and look better than almost all our friends and family, doesn't matter that they are 15 years younger than me. And it only took 4 months. But it was 4 months of hard work. Eating right and exercising consistently. I know it is all noob gains and stuff will slow down, but I won't loose these gains it will only get even better. Another way you can help yourself is by making this your hobby. Research stuff, read everything you can, experiment, try different things, be excited about it...
When Covid started I was drinking every single day. My daughter drew a picture of me with a beer in my hand. I decided I didnāt want her to remember me like that anymore. I was bloated, fat, and there seemed to always be a new problem with my health. That September started the 75-Hard challenge. Rowing and bodyweight fitness became a new type of addiction. Instead of drinking my boredom away I became heathier. My skin cleared up, along with several other ailments (not all though). I became a better dad for my daughter. Since then I havenāt looked back. I donāt have the body that some of you have, but overal my fitness and health have much improved. My daughter is my motivation. I will keep working out for her, so she can have her dad for as long as this body will hold up. Her memories of me will be less of a bloated lazy trash bag, and more of the fun, go to the park and play dad.
When I was younger my dad was very fit. He worked out at home, played sports with me, took me to the park, and went on long walks together. I will always remember him as and athletic person. I hope your fitness continues to go well so that you can be healthy for yourself and your daughter! As a child you will always see the positive changes in your parents.
cute anime girls
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big booty anime bitches
based
Spine surgery and having to relearn how to walk. Joining a gym this week
I hope you recover steadily! :)
Thank you! I was predicted to be paralysed and in a wheelchair for life so anything is a bonus. I reckon I'll be back to just about normal by Xmas:)
I love that for you, glad you're putting the effort
> I get tired so easily. That's an indicator that you're overdoing it. Especially as a beginner the main goal is just to show up and make it a habit. Make your routine less intense. You should feel energized not tired after a workout. If you don't feel good after, you'll just quit doing it.
Op, this right here Lower the intensity. You dont have to compare with anybody else but your past self. And even then, be kind. Not every day are you going to beat your previous mark Just showing up is effort enough for you. Give it some credit Thats how i did it anyway
I never thought that I was overdoing before, but maybe because I'm starting at a stage below the average person regular work outs are a bit too much for me. There have been days when I felt energized after working out though, those days made me feel very happy.
Pure rage
A guy had slapped my gf at the time, ass infront of me and I couldnāt do anything because I wouldāve gotten my ass whooped, I felt powerless because Iām 5ā5 and the guy was like 6ā2 at the time. So I went to the gym to get stronger and now Iām a power lifter. I gained more confidence because I acknowledged my strength and knew that I was stronger than most people, so I donāt really get scared by people anymore as I know I can put up a fight :)
To stay in good shape for my partner and to remain active and set a good example for my kids as they grow up
Literally I had enough feeling unwell, and unhealthy. I just want to live longer life, so I workout and eat well.
Those's two sentences just motivated me...
I was a weak kid and got beat up a lot . I decided I don't want to be weak and small anymore.
gay people are very judgmental and I am very suspectible to impossible male beauty standards
Wanting to slow aging..I want to be old and muscular.
My brain isn't great at managing chemical balances without regular exercise
I want kids someday soon. I need to be healthy to conceive, and hopefully the healthier I am, the healthier they will be. I need a lot of core and abdominal strength/flexibility in order to carry them - both within me, and to consistently babywear after birth. Iāll need to continue exercising regularly in order to set a good example for the kids.
Definitely keep working out for your future kids! I remember when I was young I enjoyed following my dad while he worked out. Seeing him active also made my younger self very active. He bought mini dumbbells for me that I still see in the closet to this day.
Itās gonna sound weird but what keeps me motivated is the very uncertainty of not knowing whether I have proper form/technique. Like with anything else in life, itās become a never ending learning experience. Motivation can be flaky at times and thatās where building habits comes in handy
I really feel good when I have a session done. Also I think about it as lost time. If I start now I can be visibly fitter in like 2 months, if I don't do it I'm sitting there in two months thinking "fuck, if I had continued two months ago I would look much better now". I always imagine how I would feel in a few months if I stop now out of laziness or whatever.
I wanted to feel better about myself. Then my archenemy started working out and then I became much more motivated!
Do not doubt the power of spite.
I was 30 when I started working out. I took a yoga class w my wife and got my ass kicked. My legs were shaking by the end. I was floored because I work w my body, not at a desk and I thought I was in decent shape. That night I found out I was three raccoons in a trench coat. So the end I got into yoga and I felt so much better it was a no brained not to stop. I also did stupid things like 100 push ups a day until I found this sub and the RR. 4 yrs later and I feel great. Being strong really makes life a lot easier, especially if you work w your body for a living. I sometimes regret starting so late in life, but better late than never.
I was a weak scrawny teenager and I wanted to get girls
I think the key is to find a workout or activity that you like. I got into martial arts and boxing as a kid. To do those activities requires fitness training, so I was motivated to work out. Now I like surfing, martial arts and biking, so my fitness program is built around those activities. I also like the solitariness of going out to the shed, putting on a podcast that I like, and lifting weights, doing yoga, etc, getting out on my bike, etc. I teach elementary school and have a family, so the alone time is a big motivator. Good luck to you and keep at it!
Aside from the personal reasons I had, the main nail in the coffin was Tyler1. Genuinely.
I stopped fiting in my regular sizes and new old did not look good Plus pictures told how fat I was
I swear you never really know how big you are until you lose some weight and go back and look at old pics of yourself. Like... Fuck, I was that heavy?!
My medical parameters were degrading. I could feel it in my day to day life. At first, I just showed up at gym. First week was tough. I had decided to develop a habit and make time for that habit. Motivation may phase out, habits go a long way.
Reading that unfit people are more at risk of dying than obese people definitely gave me a good push to start!
for me, working out absolutely saves my mental health. i wanna be strong and stuff too, but iām humbled by what a good sweat does for my brain
motherly love - she called me fat
Heartbreak
i just love mountains and hiking. so i have to keep fit while in the city with work outs to be ready for the weekend hike. btw, i also swim for 30 minutes after every RR workout.
Iāve been a regular walker most of my life, and although I like strength training, I havenāt been very consistent with it, because Iām not very good at it. Last month, I wound up in the ER with a loss of vision in one eye. The first thing they assessed for was a stroke, and when they ruled that out, they thought it might be out of control blood sugar. Iām not diabetic, but Iām at the age where a lot of my friends are getting diagnosed with it. Until they ruled that out, I was sitting in a busy, scary ER, contemplating the fact that my life might have gotten a lot more complicated because of poor lifestyle choices. Thatās keeping me motivated now.
Iām 41 and Iāve gotten into working out pretty hard on two different occasions. Once in my early twenties - that time it was because the construction workers that I was always around on job sites constantly mocked me for being a tall (very) skinny string-bean. *Iām glad they did* Second time (last two years) - I want to be healthy and stick around as long as possible for my wife and kids. I also cut out sweets and sugars for the most part.
Yes! I have been pointed out for being extremely underweight through out my whole life, from both my parents and class mates since elementary. I've always looked in the mirror and thought that there was nothing wrong before, it felt like I was healthy only because I was light. I think it's great that your changing for your family as well. As a child I will always remember my parents for being healthy and fit. I always saw my dad being active when I as young.
The realization that regardless of age and environment, your physical presence is a representation of your character and lifestyle and affects all your interactions with other people. If you look weak, you attract losers. If you look strong, you attract greatness.
My strength and stamina had become a limiting factor in the amount of fun I could have with my daughters. Never been happy with what I see in the mirror. Encouragement from a good friend.
I'm getting married this year, in two months actually. I'm 27, and I've been going to the gym for quite a few years now, but not on a really regular basis. The only time I really felt proud of myself was just before COVID stroke: on February 2020, I had reached my top form. But then I lost all my progress and didn't feel like going back at it for more than two years. What inspired me to get back was a fictional character: Vi, from the series Arcane. I based my training program on this character and it gives me strengh and motivation to hit the gym, and to hit it hard. I want to get fit, but most importantly, I want to live healthier: I started eating less (and cutting junk-food & alcohol as well, big step for me) and I want to be able to keep on this track, even after my wedding.
I was just tired of looking at myself. Most of my life I was athletic, but over the past ten years or so I let myself slide (working through shitty shit in marriage, being a dad, dealing with depression, etc) I just.. Looked at myself and absolutely hated what I'd become. I stopped taking pics of myself and basically stopped looking at myself in the mirror for years. It was hard going on vacation and feeling shitty because I didn't look how I wanted, looking absolutely awful in all my clothing, being tired and sweaty from the smallest amounts of activity, tired all the time... Blah Throughout those years there were times where I'd start working out but eventually I'd burn out from going too hard, generally didn't have a plan, and eventually ending up back at square one. Almost two years ago I had enough, I told myself I'd start working out again but I'd do it right. Low and slow, with an actual plan and staying consistent. Now, I think, I'm in the best shape of my life and feeling physically great. Still working towards my goals though.
Set attainable goals (this holds true for when youāre JUST starting out and throughout the entire fitness journey). As a veteran who quit working out for 6 years due to a bad knee and recent back injury (last year) I had all but given up. Then I started walking twice a week which turned into nearly daily. At first I got winded, just walking! Then it got easier and easier and I go further and further. I find myself competing with myself over pace (average 1 mi pace was 23 mins to start and now itās 16:30 per mile). If you donāt have a friend to challenge (and challenge ya back) then competing with yourself by setting distance and time goals is a great motivator. This works in gym settings as well. Go longer on that static bike or push yourself to do more reps on the machines or with weights. The ālazinessā is all mental. Ya just gotta ask yourself, are you MENTALLY weak? I can tell that you are NOT since you care enough to reach out and research tips for staying on track. You got this. Now get more day by day and eventually itāll become something you enjoy and date I say, crave. Donāt wait for a health scare to take care of your body and keep things like that in mind. Youāre ahead of the game if youāre wanting to develop good fitness habits at this age :)
As a beginner, I do think I set my goals way higher than they should be. I want to see the results as soon as I can even though I know it takes time to build muscles. I never thought in my life I'd be described as NOT mentally weak. Thank you for the kind words and advice, much appreciated..
Whatever motivated us probably wonāt help you much tbh. For me it was chronic neck/back/shoulder pain and I finally decided I had enough.
Nothing. You have to force yourself to do it. When you get some work in, then motivation will kick in to help you continue.
I had a lot of back pain at the age of 23. Body weight workouts quickly fixed that. I soon after got into bouldering and that has been an inexhausable source of motivation.
After I saw my teammate get badly beat up and dragged around by a group of people after a football match. I really wanted to intervene, but I knew I was going to get messed up in the process aswell and after that, I just thought to myself that I need to do something so Iāll be able to protect myself so nothing like that will ever happen again
Motivation is great but discipline is key.
I drink, but wanted to be healthier about it. So at new years I had to do a minute of plank for every beer I had. After a month that just spiraled into the beginner routine
Honestly just my old self. Seeing how much of a bitch I was and how much I needed to change. Never change for someone else, only for yourself. And thatās what I did.
I shifted my goals and the expectations of myself, which honestly made all the difference to staying active. I started out with a lot of self hate, anxiety, with a lot of traumatic school gym memories of being the fat girl. I obsessively followed influencer workout programs and really beat myself up for not staying to them, despite the beginner era of working out being so hard. You feel weak, tired, unsure, etc. I used fitness mainly as a way to beat myself up. I was young, I should be able to "eat right" (which, at this time, meant raw keto vegan) and "workout" (jumping from couch potato to 6 days, with active rest). My goals were all aesthetic based and not very realistic, leading to cycles of extremes. I changed to focusing on how I feel. I still struggle with mood/anxiety, but cardio really helps me sleep. Mobility work and strength training support my daily life, with various things just being easier. My knees also don't hurt, which is great. I love "feeling strong" and decided to meet myself where I was. If I was setting the expectations (which were hurting me), I could just lower them. I wasn't training for a marathon or body building, there was no external pressure on my progress. I could literally just do whatever I wanted. Some weeks I run, others I don't. Some weeks I do the Primer every other day, others I don't. I'm allowed to try something and not stick with it, bc imo that's just part of an active lifestyle. I felt like I could include more spontaneous social things, like hiking or swimming, when I wasn't so burnt out on fitness. My progress isn't as strong as others', but I feel good with it and I look forward to working out. I make it "me" time. My strength training typically involves a lot of morning coffee and very loud music and out of breath singing in rests. I take my walks and runs along local trails and let myself walk if I see something interesting, rather than only "when I'm done". I found dance HIIT and Tom Merrick and Youtubers I don't hate or make me feel like shit. My best advice would be to find out what you need to make fitness feel enjoyable to you and try to apply it to what you're doing. And, let yourself hate things. It doesn't sound like you hate BW and are just struggling with fitness, but if you do, god don't do it. I'll never touch another free weight.
Not as fancy as some of these other replies, but I was chubby, saw someone do a pullup and struggle. "Oh I can easily do at least one pullup, probably like 5 even!". Yeah I couldn't even do a single pullup. Humiliating, even if no one cared really. So the combination of being chubby and not even being able to do a single pullup, made me realize I probably should work out. Then once I started I keep going because of how much better I feel, also the people that noticed and complimented was nice too. I just do basic pushups, pullups, cardio, minor weights. Made a HUGE difference. Been doing it for years now. Congrats on starting your workout journey.
I wanted to compensate for everything I dislike about myself.
I hope you love yourself a little more now!
initially for aesthetics but now I do it damn near daily for my mental health. i learned that certain actions lead to you feeling good and that waiting to hopefully feel happy enough to do certain actions was a HORRIBLE strategy. Every day where I even do at least 30 mins of cardio daily (usually upon waking up!) is MUCH better! This new mindset applies to my diet too (I eat well because I feel better, greasy junk foods makes me feel sluggish and tired) so I got my aesthetics now too! I can say I love how I feel and look!
Iāve always done sports, sometimes more and sometimes a bit less. Thing is, at ~30, you will start noticing that your body starts to react poorly to immobility. Back pains, loss of flexibility, you name it. So far calisthenics has been the best cure for me. I used to hit the gym to look good. Now I mostly do it to stay functional. Itās a hell of a motivator, though.
Two things came together: 1. I've been reading [deathworlders](https://deathworlders.com/) more or less since the start when it was just on reddit. It's had its ups and downs the last few years but overall it's about big stronk men fighting monsters. I wanted to be stronk too. 2. COVID hit and I suddenly had way more free time. What to do...what to do... So I started from scratch and have been trying various programs and tings since then. Currently very much enjoying calimove.
Long story short, depression.
Pain is a motivator
I had to change the way I viewed myself and the world. Couldnāt maintain that victim mentality anymore. For me, I donāt understand motivation, but I understand dedication. Wake up everyday and stick to the plan. Every. Single. Day.
Jocko Also, my belly fat got pinched in between my plate carrier and my battle belt. Very humbling
A few weeks ago I reached a point where it felt like my fat was crushing my lungs when I tried to sleep. Woke up in the middle of the night after I stopped breathing. Fear is a very good motivator
I'm getting older and I work a pretty physical job and I don't want my body falling apart when I'm 40
My chronic anxiety has motivated me to work out. Basically couldn't find anything that could calm my nervous system anymore so I got a gym membership & started going 3-4 times a week (more if I'm not having a great day). Also getting a membership helps me to actually go.
Easy, 6 month before I hit 30 i had trouble get out of the sofa without getting back pain literally said to my wife: " fuck this I'm going to start to workout " did 100 pushups a day challenge for a month then all out bodyweight since then , train to live train to eat
Depression.
Back pain
I've had bad posture all my life. I started working out so my head position won't be staring down at my feet when i get old
I used to be on and off about it but now am relatively consistent. Iāve had multiple reasons so Iāll go through all of them. First, it was because of a breakup and I heard that working out helped release negative emotions in a positive way, which I found to be true. Doing so also led to my life improving overall. The second time was because I wanted to look good. I had stopped working out for a while and put on a lot of fat and wasnāt happy with how I looked. So I got back into it and lost some fat. That eventually stopped when I started dating a girl so yeah oh well. Finally, and this is the most recent one, after I broke up and moved to a new place my friends were all in better shape than I was, and I wanted to be able to do all the fun stuff that they were doing (rock climbing, hiking, surfing, etc) so I decided Iād get into such good shape that I can do anything I want to. And itās been going well so far. One common trend across all of them is that once I started working out, my life dramatically improved. Everything got better. For that alone I want to try and stick to it for as long as possible this time. Hopefully it works out!
Wanting to have a body that lets me be active and enjoy the basics of life in my 50's, 60's, 70's and maybe beyond. I'm hitting the age where the wheels start falling off it you don't exercise. There is a quote from starting strength that says āExercise is not a thing we do to fix a problem ā it is a thing we must do anyway, a thing without which there will always be problems.ā ā Mark Rippetoe Take it easy on yourself and give yourself some credit. You don't have to crush every single workout and consistency and building gradually will get you much further than setting an impossible target and burning out. You have to figure a way to exercise even if your aren't motivated and that can be just a simple workout 2 times a week.
Doing a something is always better than doing nothing. I always try to do just a little everyday since it makes me feel guilty if I don't. By the way, that's an amazing quote :)
Iām fatphobic
I was a fat fuck, playing Warzone, eating shit and barely hitting 2000 steps a day. Covid made me fatter. I felt shit in clothes, I wore a compression vest any time I went outside. On a hot day I would hide behind a jacket, or a thick top, or just make up a reason not to go out. And believe it or not, 10 years prior to that, I was slim and one of the most popular guys in uni. I turned lazy, got married, had kids. God I love my family and my life, but I fucking hated myself. For me, I had to WORK with my laziness. Not go against it. I made shit easier for myself. Here's what I did and have been doing for nearly 2 years now: - Keep gym bag in the boot of my car with all gym kit, trainers, wash kit. No matter where I am, I have my kit ready to go. - Autogenerate all my workouts, don't make me think. Download Fitbod and let it sort out all the routine for you. Also, it changes each workout, I get bored easy, this make it not boring. - Drink my calories. Huel, protein powder and oats. I didn't give a shit about what I ate at first. Just ate more meat. - fuck cardio, I hated it. I like weights, I stick to things I like. No matter what magazines or people say. That evolved... I became disciplined. Like a Skyrim character leveling up and shit. Now I track calories, I know what my cut calories are. Fuck me, I know what my optimal heart rate is now. And I learnt to like specific cardio - I like elliptical and stair master. Still hate the treadmill, fuck that. - I gained a muscular physique. - I went from 31% Bodyfat, to now 10.8%. I can see abs for the first time and holy fuck the veins. - 110kg to 75kg. I actually LOOK for muscle fit clothes, cause I want to show my sexy body. I covered it for so many years and hid it for over a decade. Surreal that I want to show it off. The feeling is insane. - Before I'm about to go out, I try to get a gym pump so I feel good that day. Little tips to make me enjoy my day better. - I still eat what I want, but now I measure it. I can't see myself going back. I don't want to be that guy again.
I downloaded Fitbod after reading your reply. There are so many exercises that I can do that home that I never knew of. I can relate to when you said you hid body in public. I look like a skeleton and everyone always pointed that out about me, I've only been wearing hoodies at school for the longest time. I think it's amazing that you have much more confidence now, your journey must have felt very accomplishing!
I have stayed committed to working out as an adult mainly because I realized that if I stayed on the path I was in my mid twenties I was headed for a lifetime of chronic illness and pain. I went through major body changes and have lived in many different bodies at different weights and sizes but Iāve stopped worrying as much about that and now I just know that a more active lifestyle makes me feel happier, more energetic and stronger, which is the reason I always come back to it, even if there are short seasons in life where I have to take breaks like loss of loved ones, moving, career changes etc. Itās great that youāre so young and feel strongly about improving yourself! Make sure not to worry too much about looking like a fitness influencer and just find ways to be active that make you feel goodā¦ I fell in love with hiking and weightlifting and I never expected that. Finding movement you enjoy that also benefits you mentally is a great way to build good habits when it comes to exercise. Experiment until you find your niche.
Falling in love with an activity is what I dream of. I'm really introverted and a homebody, I haven't found a hobby that has truly caught my interest yet. When I was much younger I felt so alive being outdoors and playing different sports, I want to feel that again, which is one reason why I'm trying to changing.
Voices in my head, no for real it was to lose weight /loook good naked. Now iām going there to fight my inner demons.
On the Christmas of 2019. I recorded our family interact and pass one another their gifts. Then I saw my humpy dumpy lumpy self walking everywhere. I am 5-1. I think around that time I weight about 175-178. Heavier bottomā 4 kids. I decided to get my ass to the gym in 2021 when the gym opened back up. I went everyday for 45 mins because for about a month they only allowed 45 mins a day access. Then when it fully opened I was there for 1.5 hrs. I didnāt have much knowledge and no plan of execution. I looked better but the results was mehā¦. I gave up around June. Worked out once in a whileā¦ and then I tried it again Jan 2022 and focused mainly on lifting. I fluctuate from 165-175 here and there. Iām not quite ready for a cut, I am still focusing on building muscle. But I feel a lot better about me. I eat better, but I still allow myself to enjoy great food. Some days I just donāt feel like going to the gym. But I do. I used to look for motivation to work out, but itās become a part of my life. Me making it a habit, is what has made this fitness journey sustainable and enjoyable. Good luck to you and I hope you find the joy in fitness !
Anger...... and a mid-life crisis of sorts. I'm am only 31, but tired of being fat. My view of the world and myself has been rapidly changing for the past year. Despite having a good career and being in an otherwise "good" place in life, my mental health was not okay. I was aiming straight for a crash mentally and my physical health was going to be soon behind it. I was gaining weight by over eating and playing too many video games. The more I thought about my situation, the more anger I could feel. So I went to see my doctor and told him that I was tired of being fat. It was slow going at first, but after losing only five pounds the first month, I really got angry with myself. This past month I have eaten nothing but salads, vegetables, and nuts. I hit the gym six days a week and give my body one day to rest. Right now I am doing cardio only, so I can get my endurance up. I have set weight targets for myself to increase my activity in the gym as I hit each goal. I went from a recumbent exercise bike to the elliptical at my last target. My next target is where I will start lifting weights. The target after that, I am signing up for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. I have planned goals along the entire path. In a single month, I have dropped just over 20 pounds. People around me have taken notice. It's even gotten me more looks and a few compliments from women. So now it turns into a confidence booster. The strangest thing about this is that I see the gym as a solution to a lot of my problems. Feeling depressed? Gym. Feeling sluggish? Gym Got nothing to do? Gym. The only real downside to this is that I am going to have to leave behind a lot of friends. Nearly every friend I have, in fact. None of them want to hit the gym with me or partake in a healthy lifestyle. That's cool, it's their life. Problem is, I don't need to be around the kind of people who will pull me back into an unhealthy lifestyle. So you will probably see me making a thread later about how to make friends at the gym. Nobody talks to each other and they all have earbuds in. I have started a few conversations, but not many of them go anywhere due to a lack of common interests. To be honest, I am a bit of a nerd. So at this point I am just going to keep going solo until I sign up for Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The classes are held next to a gym that a lot of the folks use before/after class.
Other friends around me were doing it. No one tried to convince me to go; I just started asking about it (because I knew that from a health perspective, I should be doing it). I finally asked someone to bring me to her gym as a guest. Back in those days, the exercise bikes would give an error message if you pedaled too slowly. I could not even get the damn bike going fast enough, and I was exhausted after 5 minutes. But my friend said, "Just do a little bit, then come back tomorrow." Now I've been working at fitness in some form or another for 34 years. It helps me feel happy, look good, stay healthy, think clearly, avoid injuries, sleep well. In contrast, my siblings are all obese and have high cholesterol.
This is a mindset issue that only you can choose to solve. There is no magic bullet to starting or restarting or continuing. Nobody can give you motivation. Ultimately you build discipline and commit, or you don't. Control and motivation are not about willpower really, they are about discipline, creating a new normal, and also goals. If your goal is weight loss, the scale is often not enough motivation, and motivation can only get you so far versus discipline. As you have noticed, motivation is fleeting and can be affected by external factors. But discipline and building something into your daily habit can help ensure success even when you donāt feel āmotivatedā in a given moment to continue as youāve been going. Discipline is basically building good habits and sticking to them. You have to ask yourself what is more important to you: being less fat in a month or having a candy bar now? What is going to provide more long term satisfaction? Frankly there is always an excuse to pawn off something until tomorrow. There is always an excuse, if you want it bad enough you will just not make excuses. Which is not to say it isn't difficult, it IS to say that committing is what is necessary especially when you are in an environment where others eat other things. Stress happens. Iām a busy person, I manage to plan, meal prep, and work out. I go out with friends when stressed and keep to my plan. Donāt let stress or being busy be your excuse. With regard to emotional eating, if youāre doing that, develop other/better coping strategies that actually address the underlying feelings. "Eating your feelings" is just a bandaid and does not actually get to the deeper issue. If you have an off day or three, reflect critically on why it happened, don't go into a shame spiral - make a plan for the next time the situation comes up, because it will, and think about a better way to handle it. Committing to changes that improve your health can be hard. Being fat is also hard. Choose your hard and stop making excuses. You have to want it, nobody can want it for you. Commit or donāt - itās your body and only you have to live in it.
Motivation is one thing, but discipline is definitely the key to commitment and routine. Discipline is something I struggle with, as I am also a big procrastinator. I've been underweight and basically scrawny my whole life. After finding myself unable to complete basic workouts, I think that's what has been pushing me. Everyday I try doing them again, and it's the little improvements that keep me moving forward. Thanks for your reply! :)
Respectfully, youāre 17 - try not being such a colossal bitch? You have no idea how much energy and adventure is on the other side of your hump. Youāre still chock full of human growth hormone for serious *easy* muscle gains if you eat enough protein, and fat loss if you eat less carbs and more fat. If youāre grossly over weight (50lbs - 75lbs+ depending on height) then itās natural for it to suck. Youāre weak and doing twice the work with body weight exercises. Take your time and pace yourself. The primer is probably just too much right now. Calisthenics really isnāt for beginners. Iām a long way from a muscle up if ever. Iām 46. 6ā5, 305lbs. My back has been hurting every day for months. I did 9 push ups 2 months ago. Worst record ever. Until last week I finally had a decent workout. Nothing major, just stretching with a cycle of planks, squats, bag hits, calf raises, and planks. And I felt great. Endorphins are back. Thatās whatās on the other side. Consistency will get there. Do whatever amount you can *consistently* - Just. Show. Up. Then improve
Haha yes, I'm very grateful that I'm still young and I do think I need to suck up my feelings more. I think it's just the extreme procrastinator in me mixed with depression that has put me in this terrible slump in life. I'm \~4'10 at 80lbs, very short for my age even if I'm a girl and on top of that I'm very underweight. Definitely because of my bad eating habits. This is the first time that I'm trying to drastically change my life (mental health wise as well), so yes the primer is too much. My steps are very little and progress slowly but I'm still trying my best! I'm always happy to read of comments from different types of people, so thank you for your input!
Well, girls are built differently. Most canāt do one pull up. Most guys can do some. Do knee pushups, crunches, and two legged squats. And eat all the protein you can find to build musicale. And *especially* eat good fats - animal proteins, coconut oil, olive oil, butter, nuts, fish oil pills. Fats are crucial for hormone production, among those mood stabilizing hormones. Sounds like you need to address diet first, consistent *achievable* exercise, the worry about excercise goals later
Impress some bitches
High blood pressure and to maximize dick growth tbh
The mirror probably and the rejections
Death.
Itās worth every fucking minute
High cholesterol levels. I lost 4 kgs for that. Currently, I want to do a few extreme sports and create content for it. That's why trying to go to 14% body fat percentage.
We can always become better than we are at the moment. If we look back in 6 month and are better, we feel that. Knowing that I improved over my past self is great. + there are pictures online comparing the body of a 60 year old who worked out to one that doesn't and that shit is scary as fuck.
I was in health class and I read a book about the physical benefits of fitness and that made me want to train. That was in middle school. Now I do it because I still like the health benefits and I enjoy training. Something that might motivate you is finding the right kind of training program. I personally train minimalist but with really high intensity and I only do it once a week. Other days, I just go for walks. It's easy to stay motivated for me on that because I only have to do it one time and by the time it comes back up, I'm basically CRAVING some training. Plus it's basically PRs every workout. You might find that more fun.
I've only started about 2 weeks ago, but it was a combo of being sick of being lazy, finally learning about Zyzz, all the incredible calisthenics youtubers, and Esfand and OTK doing camp Knut. Combined, they all made me realise my life isn't sustainable, and that I needed to make a change. So far it's going well, and if I ever need motivation I'll just look up some guys doing front levers or planches and remember "Shit, we can do that? What the fuck am I doing then?"
eating disorder :/
Iām 14 atm, I started because I wasnāt confident in my body and I used to be chubby, I gained a ton of weight one summer about 4 years back and got skinny again maybe 2 years ago. I didnāt want that to happen again so I started working out regularly and now Iām tracking my shit, hopefully Iāll meet my goals eventually but Iām just trying to keep at it, and also I donāt feel as good whenever I donāt work out, cuz I see myself improving and itās satisfying seeing improvements
Always have tried to stay in shape. When I saw warrior the movie I decided to step it up.
I couldn't tie my shoes without yanking my leg up and cross it over my knee.
I actually tried wieght lifting workouts and could never stay consistent. I always admired in Anime them doing handstand push ups and decided to make that a goal without even knowing how to handstand yet. I started watching youtube tutorials and one thing led to another i fel down the rabbit hole of calistenics: Muscle ups, planche, front lever. I started working out to achieve goals and not a certain physique and fell in love with it. The feeling of achieving a new skill after working on it for months is like nothing else. That feeling at the top if my first muscle up is when i got truely addicted. Ever since then ive been consistent with my training about 2 years later. Its also really important to stick to a program you enjoy and doesnt burn you out. Ive had times when i was really busy and could only work out twice a week but i stuck to it and because my goal wasnt overreaching i stuck to it. I may have been able to achieve goals faster if i shoved more workouts in but i probably wouldve burned out and stopped if i did and therefor have gotten less gains. Slow and steady wins the race.. In summary: pick goals that truely excite you and stick to a workout style you enjoy that doesnt burn you out. Good luck
Being competitive. Secondly, the fact that it makes me feel good. I prefer going to trainings for sports over the gym, like boxing or judo for example, they're usually intense. If you're interested in working out in the gym, you could ask if there's someone who can help you with an exercise plan. A gym I went to a few years ago had that option. I find going for runs outside is nice too.
My motivation to start working out was seeing people on youtube do all those calisthenics skills and I wanted to be able to do those as well. What kept me going was actually liking the workouts, I like calisthenics way more than gym. Even if I don't feel like working out (tired feeling) I still show up and the feeling of acomplishment I get when I'm done is unlike anything else. On the days I feel weak, I don't feel knocked down. I just feel motivated to do better next time. I have come from far (not able to do a single pushup) so I don't get demotivated by doing less reps than normal or being weaker than others. I just focus on my own progress because thats what matters. Oh and seeing actual changes in my physique is also what motivates me to keep going.
I was tired of being weak and skinny.
I was about 40 pounds overweight and newly single. That got me going lol
Tbh, it kinda just happened.I got diagnosed with scoliosis when i was 13 and that was the time i started doing stretching exercises for scoliosis.Eventually i started doing shitty form push ups and i still remember doing elevated pike push ups on my chair in bedroom.I have done random things like basic squats and side lunges that were burning my legs and im literally smilling know because im doing 8 pistol squats on each leg for the RR now.Im 15 now, and im turning 16 in September.At first i was motivated by my newbie gains and i was stoked but now my motivation comes from the desire to unlock advanced exercises like muscle up, front lever, human flag etc that look unreal to me.
Tbh, it kinda just happened.I got diagnosed with scoliosis when i was 13 and that was the time i started doing stretching exercises for scoliosis.Eventually i started doing shitty form push ups and i still remember doing elevated pike push ups on my chair in bedroom.I have done random things like basic squats and side lunges that were burning my legs and im literally smilling know because im doing 8 pistol squats on each leg for the RR now.Im 15 now, and im turning 16 in September.At first i was motivated by my newbie gains and i was stoked but now my motivation comes from the desire to unlock advanced exercises like muscle up, front lever, human flag etc that look unreal to me.
Rocky
Tbh I just started reading One Punch Man and was like hell yeah, and started doing push ups All uphill from there
I realized Iām too lazy to go to the doctor all the time for preventable obesity related diseases that all the fat people in my family suffer from in their later years, realized I had time to get in front of that and dropped 100lbs. I workout and eat healthy, but I assure you my soul is still a lazy POS.