Increase my self-discipline? How?

October 31, 2007 2:07 PM

Bolstering self-discipline: I'm stuck in a cycle of knowing that I need to make exercise a regular part of my life. At this point I can only go to the gym right after work during the week. I can also sneak in exercise on weekends. The problem? I cannot seem to maintain any kind of routine for more than 2 or 3 weeks.

I started off a few months ago being very gung-ho about going to the gym after work. I really enjoyed the exercise. Then I had a period where I couldn't go, and that brought me back to square one. At the end of the day I feel tired, I feel unmotivated, wah wah wah. Have you ever cracked the whip on yourself and made it work for you? How did you do it?

posted by DrGirlfriend to grab bag (24 comments total)

For me it was going to spin class where I became one of the regulars. Thus gymgoing is also a social event for me.
posted by konolia at 2:17 PM on October 31, 2007

At some point, for me, it got so that I feel "off"--physically, I'm not talking about guilt or regret or whatever--if I don't do something sweaty and endorphine-y.

Maybe you just need to hold out until you reach this point? /not even kind of a fitness expert
posted by everichon at 2:20 PM on October 31, 2007

It was hard. I think the point where it became habitual was when I realized I had lost inches from my waist and many pounds of fat. Positive feedback is a great thing.

If possible, try going in the morning before work. This helps energize you for the rest of the day and lets you slow down in the evening when you want to go to sleep. As a nice benefit, gyms are usually pretty empty in the mornings compared to the evening.

Best of luck to you.
posted by chairface at 2:26 PM on October 31, 2007

everichon:

I reached that point a year ago, but i still didn't get myself to start going again.

Dr. Girlfriend:
When I was a regular at the gym, I got myself over there on unmotivated days by reminding myself that however I feel right now, I'll feel way differently when I've been on the treadmill for 15 minutes.
posted by svenni at 2:46 PM on October 31, 2007

It might not work for everyone, but it does work for a lot of people: You can "trick" yourself into working out by telling yourself that, if you're tired, you're only going to go for a "light" workout. Maybe you'll just run slowly on the elliptical machine for fifteen minutes and see how you feel.

Once in a while, you'll feel that, hey, you really are tired, then pack it in, and go home, but more than likely, you'll feel energized and think "Hey, I'm already here, so I might as well do more."

But if you don't, hey, at least you did some training that day!

I actually tried this last night. I was in a rotten mood, my calves felt fatigued, my nose was bleeding, and I got lost on the way to the gym because of a police roadblock. I decided to go home, then though, "Eh, I'll go and see what I can do." I ended up working up a pretty useful amount of intensity and feeling way better.
posted by ignignokt at 2:48 PM on October 31, 2007 [1 favorite]

When I was in a similar situation, I made a list of exercises or machines I liked using, and cycled through them (one day, 25 minutes on a bike; the next workout, treadmill). Once I'd hit a previously-defined benchmark for those exercises (I've done 5 hours of running, or I've done 2 hours of weightlifting) I "rewarded" myself by doing an exercise I really enjoyed, which was swimming.
posted by holyrood at 2:50 PM on October 31, 2007

I don't know if this'd work at your gym, but what worked for me was to join a gym with TVs at the workstations and schedule to go during an engaging program. It got so I looked forward to going so that I could find out what happened next. Maybe you could orchestrate this by loading up a tv series on a portable player that you bring to the gym, and never allow yourself to watch it at home.
posted by xo at 2:53 PM on October 31, 2007

I started going to the gym to get in shape and what kept me there is that whenever I stayed in the office for my break, they piled the work on me and I never got a break, so I went to the gym to stick it to the man! That motivation got me over that hump where it's hard to force yourself to go; after that hump is overcome you will start to feel the physical benefits and see them in the mirror which should keep you going. I find that on days when I feel like crap, the kind of day that would cause me to say "I'll just skip the gym", if I go anyway, I leave feeling MUCH better. You just need a few days like that to really inspire you.

Summary: find some motivation even if it's spite, and then let the rewards of your workout motivate you. Good luck!
posted by kenzi23 at 2:58 PM on October 31, 2007

I think it being a social thing is the key. There's days when I feel like I should go to the gym--or even want to--and can't quite make myself go if I'd be the only one going. If someone else goes with me, I'll go even if I don't feel like it. You need a buddy AND a routine.
posted by Cricket at 2:59 PM on October 31, 2007

You needn't go to a gym - experiment with different forms of exercise that perhaps aren't as time intensive or as much of a hassle.
posted by fire&wings at 3:01 PM on October 31, 2007

Oh. I forgot a big item. One of the reasons I kept going was my iPod and podcasts. I got hooked on the drama podcasts (Red Panda Adventures, anything by Sigler, Seven Son, Billibub Baddings, Escape Pod, etc..) which helped make the time on the treadmill slip by fast. It also forced me to go so I could catch the next chapter of whatever I was listening too.

While this seems minor, it isn't. Boredom is my biggest enemy at the gym.
posted by chairface at 3:07 PM on October 31, 2007 [1 favorite]

I am motivated due to a coworker requiring knee replacement surgery due to being fat her whole life. For me researching the realities of diabetes and other conditions related to basic health has motivated me. Look around to the people who have to take a handful of pills everyday and it makes you think twice about what you put in your body and how you maintain it for the long term. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for long term health and it doesn't have to be costly.
posted by 45moore45 at 3:07 PM on October 31, 2007

Oh, also, having a training partner helps a lot. You tend to feel more accountability when you have one.
posted by ignignokt at 3:24 PM on October 31, 2007

I always find that going after work isn't a solution. If I have a rough day, or a lot to do at night, I tend to skip the gym and feel bad later on. Instead I go first thing on the morning, I don't shower or eat at home in the morning, I pack my gym bag the night before and when I wake up I go straight out the door. Once you get into a routine, it will be hard to break. The secret is to make sure you get enough sleep, set your alarm, and just go.
posted by blue_beetle at 3:24 PM on October 31, 2007 [1 favorite]

Seconding the iPod (or whatever MP3 player floats your boat) and podcasts. I usually listen to high-energy dance music to keep me going when doing cardio, and more angry, high-bpm music when lifting. Using podcasts takes away the hassle of selecting the music yourself.

I've been working out 4-5 days a week for about fifteen years, taking a week or two off every few months. I feel the same way you do at the end of my breaks or when switching up my routine, but after a week or so of sticking to the program my lethargy vanishes.
posted by Thoughtcrime at 3:36 PM on October 31, 2007

I second the starting in the morning.

I am in the same situation, having trouble going to the gym consistently, and the only way I was able to get into a habit (about a year ago) was when there was a lull at work that allowed me to start my mornings consistently, and get to the gym at 8am to work with a trainer.

I have since changed jobs, and I work across the street from a gym that also has tv + dvd players at their cardio machines (which for weightloss can be a big contributing factor). I just went last night to demo it, and will be signing up today. I plan to work with a trainer also, as the financial obligation (more than the $30 a month) will make me want to stay on top of it. From my exerperience in the past, they help push your body harder than you would do yourself, and safer (if they are good) because they can keep track of your body motion and ensure you aren't doing something that will hurt you in the long run.

Diet and nutrition are important also.

I myself am horrible at staying on task with this stuff, and so while I have this great knowledge of what I should be doing, I rarely don't. It is tough, and it doesn't help when your friends are all fit or too lazy to even consider working out (and the ones that do work entirely different schedules than you).

I can offer myself as an e-workout buddy, as I am kickstarting myself tonight to get back in the saddle and get myself in gear.
posted by mrzarquon at 3:40 PM on October 31, 2007

Thank you, everyone, lots of varied suggestions! To address some of the ideas mentioned above, I do find that podcasts or TV viewing make time go by exponentially faster. Also, in the weekends I try to get non-gym related ways to excercise. When I can get motivated, that is.

I have been tossing around the idea of going to the gym in the moring before work, and my main obstacle is the thought of having to shower and get ready for work at the gym. Not crazy about that, but if it has to be done, then so be it!
posted by DrGirlfriend at 4:35 PM on October 31, 2007

Just remembered: I find that tracking my activity with sites like We Endure or FitDay, or just in a notebook, is very motivating. As well as inherently gratifying for some unknowable obsessive-compulsive reason.
posted by everichon at 4:38 PM on October 31, 2007

What's keeping me motivated right now is my previous dismal performance at a half-iron distance triathlon. I trained, but I wasn't dedicated.

So now I have a training plan for my next race in February. I'm three weeks into the plan and so far I'm sticking to it.

I realized that the only time I can guarantee that I'll be available to work out is in the morning, so the alarm now goes off at 5:00am, and I'm out the door at 5:20am, no excuses. This took about 10 days until my body now wakes up no later than 5:30am without an alarm.

When I don't want to get out of bed to go run I just think of how horrible I felt halfway through my last race. I tell myself that every day I train is another brick in the wall. I keep building that wall. A thousand mile journey begins with a single step. It's not the act, but the doing. Etc.

Things that help: trainingpeaks.com. Garmin Forerunner 305 (I love going for a run and then being able to see what I did in Google Earth). iPod.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 4:57 PM on October 31, 2007

I also have to go in the morning, or I simply won't go, regardless of my intentions, how shitty I feel, how guilty I feel, etc. So, yes, first thing in the morning is key.

Also key: you gotta go somewhere convenient. If I am even the slightest bit hassled by having to go do yoga, I won't do it. Even though I know that I will feel 1000000% better if I go.

And, finally, I don't know if you have weight or body image issues, but...I do, albeit slight ones, but I have found motivation in forcing myself to put on this totally slutty Betsey Johnson black lace dress I bought in a fit of...something, I don't know what, that I have never worn outside the house because, well, just no. But anyway, that is my barometer. It's looking better and better every week, and that feels pretty amazing.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 5:07 PM on October 31, 2007

Find a form of exercise that you enjoy. Gyms are not for everyone -- I personally find the idea of working out at a gym totally repellent.

Embark on a plan with a friend. Accountability is a HUGE motivating factor.
posted by loiseau at 5:39 PM on October 31, 2007

Find a gym that is on your way to work. If you're going to have to drive past it anyway, it'll be easier to go. If it's not it will be easier to avoid.
posted by blue_beetle at 6:02 PM on October 31, 2007

Knowing that there are specific other people who will be there and expect me to be there makes a huge difference--I get this from classes, personally, since it can be hard to convince friends to exercise.
posted by anaelith at 6:58 PM on October 31, 2007

What about making your commute your exercise routine? Get a bike, if it's feasible, and use that to get to and from work. Unfortunately, this only works well if there's an accessible shower at work (or if you've already got a gym membership and the gym is close enough to work, you can just shower there).
posted by spiderskull at 7:28 PM on October 31, 2007