How do you all manage to stick with it?

W

wudnit

Cathlete
I am, unfortunately, an on again/off again exerciser. I exercised from April through October last year steadily (5-6 times per week), doing mostly Cathe workouts (I actually started with Taebo and Kathy Smith and moved into Cathe). I loved it, but a friend and I went to a spa to celebrate 6 months of exercising and then that was it!!! I didn't exercise again until the beginning of last week!! How do you all make it a part of your life that you don't just give up on? I know it can't be great for my health.

It is also discouraging because, of course, I've lost most of my flexibility, strength, and endurance!!! I did Power Hour yesterday and had to stick with 5 and 8 pound weights. ugh!! I can no longer do a plank!! And, I am having to do modified push ups again. I know it is my own fault and that if I stick with it, I will get the strength, flexibility, and endurance back. It is just frustrating.

What brought me back to exercising this time is that I wasn't feeling great about myself and I was beginning to have back problems (I had back problems prior to doing Cathe workouts, but the Cathe workouts seemed to really strengthen my back last time. I am 43 and have a 2 year old so I need a strong back to pick him up.

Any advice on how you keep motivated is greatly appreciated!!
 
Oh Wudnit!

We all go through these types of struggles! Some "breaks" don't go as long as 6 months, so go longer. I've had times where I've gone a year or more, where I'll work out like one day & then not go back again for weeks/months, do a day & not again.

What worked for me was having someone to be accountable to. I have been pretty good about working out for about 4 years now. However, I still have periods where I wouldn't work out for a week or even a month during this last 3 years. I found Cathe about 2 years ago. This friend of mine saw changes in my body that made her want to be more consistent. She asked me to help motivate her. Which was actually kind of weird because we have a mutual friend who is almost religious about working out & has a physique like Cathe's. Anyway, when she asked me to motivate her, I decided that if I was going to motivate her, I had to be accountable too. If she thinks I'm not exercising, she certainly isn't going to. We don't work out together. But we talk about where we are in our progression. Even though she thinks I'm helping her, she is really helping me. When I'm "struggling" with my motivation, I call her & ask how she's doing. It has really helped.

Find an accountability group. Join a challenge, either here (the weightloss check-in, the transformation challenge)they are open to everyone or look for one over at www.fitnessvideofanatics.com. Those are changing on a pretty regular basis. While you won't be "required" to work out, it may help to keep you motivated.

I know what works for one, may not be the answer for another. Others will chime in throughout the day giving you their experiences. Take them all into consideration & find what works for you.

Good luck in your quest for fitness!
 
Welcome back! Good question, and I'm sure you'll get a lot of good feedback here from many perspectives.

For me, my motivations have changed over the years. I used to see exercise strictly as a body-size management issue, and although it is certainly important to maintain healthfully low levels of fat stores, there are so many other benefits that I take more seriously now. Most importantly for me these days is simply this: I feel absolutely horrible if I skip a session, physically and emotionally. Kind of like, alternately, a jar of peanut butter or a porcupine. Crappy mood, crappy fatigued stiff physical feeling.

I've kind of changed over the years, by becoming a certified group fitness instructor and learning by teaching as well as doing. I've also changed a lot by ending my cardio-first-last-and-always mentality and bringing in strength training in a big way. Also, I've given a lot of thought to the weekly schedule that works best for me, AND focusing on workouts that I simply enjoy doing that continually challenge me.

For you as a mother of a very young child, your time demands are significant! I'd be interested in others' responses who have those same time demands (I'm "childfree" by choice). I think a good motivator for you might also be to participate in these forums especially one or more of the workout-based check-ins, to keep the social aspect alive.

The practice of fitness can be a lonely business, because we're still in a culture that devalues the health benefits of physical exercise. It is indeed challenging, and I think keeping connected with other dedicated exercisers - especially here! - is of first importance.

Good luck! Keep posting!

A-Jock
 
We all have things that "come up" and we get out of the swing of things. Sometimes when I get sick (like now) it is hard to get back into it. Once I realize that being sick or taking a week off didn't sabotage all of my previous efforts, I get back into it full force.

What really keeps me consistent is how I feel after. I used to have depression and then one day I just started exercising and couldn't believe how much better I felt. I've also noticed that I get cranky when I don't work out and it is also a wonderful stress reliever as well. I'm sure you are aware of all that, but sometimes a reminder of all the benefits can help.

Another thing you can try is set mini goals for yourself, such as using heavier weights with Power Hour. It is amazing how excited I get if I can lift just a pound heavier during a workout. This is definitely helpful to think about because none of us wants to have to start back at square one (been there done that). It sounds as if you are already on that wavelength. Don't beat yourself up about taking a break and you should just also feel proud that you started back and even did Power Hour! That one still scares me!

#1 thing to remember-Muscle memory!! You will be surprised at how quickly your body will respond
 
I think for me it's a combination of things that motivates me to keep at it. # 1 is the use it or lose it philosophy which it looks like you've experienced. It's not like if I quit exercising I'll stay at my current weight and shape - I know I'll start going backwards. I'm 46 and I have seen what happens to friends who take care of themselves and those who don't. I don't want to look and feel like a middle aged woman and I know I have to exercise to stay in shape. #2 I have a great support group. My DH is my biggest cheerleader. He's always telling me how great I look and how proud he is that I take such care of myself. I also check in with a group of wonderful ladies on the Transformation Challenge who help to keep me motivated. I follow a rotation for several weeks at a time. I've done the tank top rotation and now I'm following Mandy's 12 week rotation. I enjoy having a plan. #3 I stay informed. I read a lot about health and fitness which encourages me to pay attention to my mind, body and spirit. #4 I've learned not to burn myself out. I shoot for 5 wo's a week. Sometimes I feel like 6 other times I may only get in 3. I would think having a 2 year old would be a great motivator. You're going to want to be able to keep up with him/her on the tennis court, swimming pool, ballfield or whatever for many years to come. My boys are 21 and 17 but I can still run them around the tennis court pretty good. I also remember how tough it can be having a two year old and exercise was always a great stress reliever. Well, I've written a book here but I hope some of it will help. Good luck! Gloria
 
Thank you all! I knew I could count on this group for motivation!!!

I appreciate hearing from all of you. I will try to start a rotation and check in with the folks on this board often. In addition to the 2 year old, I have a 20 year old, 19 year old, and 16 year old, so I am always struggling to keep up!! I do know how important it is to stay in shape. I want to be able to play ball with my 2 year old when he is 10 (and beyond!!).

I do feel exercise is a stress reliever. I think my biggest problem is that in order to exercise I have to do it first thing in the a.m. (other commitments: full time job, children, household) keep me from exercising later in the day. In order to make it to work on time (and get my 2 year up and going), I have to get up at 4:30 a.m. to workout. It is tough, but I'm determined to stick with this. I want the nice arms I had last summer!!!

Can someone tell me where I can find the Tanktop Rotation, sounds like it would be right up my alley!!

Thanks all!!

Mary
 
Marlene123’s Tank Top Arms Rotation

Editor’s Note: This has been one of the most popular rotations of Spring 2002, and it comes from Forum regular Marlene123. In a year’s time Marlene has lost 27 pounds and become lean and cut. Here’s how she achieved real “tank top arms”:

“Here is my current rotation which I have been doing for 10 weeks. I plan to do two more weeks of this, then two to three weeks of Slow & Heavy and then back again. I have had such incredible success with this rotation that I hate to let it go even for a few weeks but I know I must to cause some muscle confusion.
Anyway, here it is (and I admit, it's a killer):
Day #1: Pure Strength Chest, Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Day #2: CTX Leaner Legs
Day #3: CTX Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps plus cardio
Day #4: Cardio
Day #5: MIS
Day #6: Cardio
Day #7: Cardio or rest
As you can see, this routine works shoulders, biceps and triceps three times per week, chest and back twice and legs twice. I do abs 4-5 times per week as well.”

Lots and lots of rotations on the ezboard ya ya site. Have fun! Gloria
 
Welcome back! I feel everyones motivation is different. Mine is simply the fact that I love to exercise and love what it does for me both physically as well as mentally. I've been exercising regularly (at least 5 days a week) for 15 years now.
Maybe you should start out slow and work your way up. For instance exercise 3 days on 1 day off or every other day. Some people tend to "burn out" exercising too much and when they take a "break" it can be a LONG one! Don't push yourself too hard and don't beat yourself up if you do miss a workout. Some people prefer to workout first thing in the morning. You get it out of the way and won't be interrupted later.
Keep logging on here with us and we'll give the support you need! I have found this site to be soooo helpful and encouraging!
Take care, stay consistant and stay positive-Susan
 
I think you've already keyed into some things that will motivate you, such as preventing back pain. We all have to find what works best for us (for me, it's a combination of vanity--I don't like that cellulite, where did it come from??--and pain reduction---if I don't keep my legs strong, I have knee pain. I also start having back problems if I don't workout).

Sometimes it takes a long break for us to realize that we really need fitness in our lives. I've been working out very steadily for about 8 months, but that was after coming of 7 months or so of not working out, or working out so little that it didn't make any difference. Like working out, NOT working out can become a habit. Don't let it get to be one.

Some things that get me going when I don't feel like working out (of course, some days I take a break, even though I have a workout scheduled, because my body is telling me it needs the rest and recuperation in order to do a good job on the next workout):

Making rituals: I've read that people who run consistently start having an increase in heart rate just by putting on their exercise shoes. It's because their body and mind is now accustomed to the fact that exercise will follow, and body/mind prepares. My rituals include selecting my workout wear (a cute new outfit, even if no one else ever sees it, is sometimes quite motivating!), setting up my weights or putting down my interlocking mats (for Boot Camp). After you've gone through the preparation, it's just natural to follow up on it.

Setting up a specific time to workout. This works for me. When I get home at 4:00, I know that I'll be working out at 5:00, so I begin to prepare. I can watch a half hour of TV and have a light snack, or I can use this time to write out what I'm going to be doing--if it's a weight day. If I'm particularly de-motivated, I can watch little snippets of the DVD of the workout I'm going to do to motivate me; then, when 5:00 rolls around, I'm ready.

I think photos and measurements taken every so often can also be motivating. I have no "before" photos (nor any "durings" or "afters," come to think of it ;-), but I can remember what I felt like when I saw how out of shape my legs had gotten. I wish I had taken photos, no matter how discouraging they might have seemed at first. Instead, I keep a mirror in my workout area, and I can see that things are tightening up (my "outline" is looking good, even if what's filling it in isn't yet quite where I want it to be).

Other things that can motivate:
Reading a good fitness book or a good article in a fitness magazine.
Setting short-term personal goals and working towards them (ie: I want to increase the weight I can lift on chest presses and lat rows).
Some people "pay themselves" for working out by putting a dollar in a jar every time they work out, and using the accumulated funds at a certain point for a non-food-related treat (new exercise equipment? a day at a spa?)

Don't forget the motivation of forums like cathe.com and videofitness.com
 
There's been a lot of great advice given here. This may sound overly simplistic, but here's kinda what I've done in the past to make the mental shift needed to prioritize exercise in my day.

I think of exercise in the same way that I think about brushing my teeth. If I don't do it regularly, then I'll feel like crap. As wierd as it sounds, doing this motivated me and made me make more time for workouts (getting up a little earlier, putting off dinner a little later, etc.)

Also, don't set your workout goals so high that you'll feel like you failed if you don't meet them. If you can only devote 15 minutes in a given day to exercise, then make the most of that 15 minutes and pat yourself on the back for doing it.

HTH
 
First thing....don't be to hard on yourself.You have a 2 yr old and you are 43! Thats a great accomplishment right there.
Second thing....personnally I think that exercise becomes an addiction.Once you have been doing it for so long.I think we first get addicted to the great results we see but eventually it becomes part of everyday.For me atleast.
I use to exercise off and on all the way through school, then stopped.I started again at the end of collage and haven't stopped since.5yrs later, here I am. I feel horrible if I don't exercise,sluggish and it feels as if I am missing something. The way I stay motivated is that I do something EVERYDAY!:7 Even if it is a walk, which most days it isn't.I read one time that if you stop exercising for more then 3 days it is really hard to get back into the swing of things.So, now that you are back at it, don't let yourself go longer then 2 days without doing something.
Other days I have to kick myself in the butt to get up and do something.I am contray all the way through it and I want to stop but after I finish I am so happy.It was worth being mad for an hour b/c if I don't get up and do something my mind isn't gonna let me rest.so it is not like I am enjoying sitting on my behind , doing nothing.I am just thinking about what I should be doing.
Some may not agree with me that I think it is an addiction.For me it is.An addiction that I am proud to have.Its not something I LOVE to do everyday but if I don't do it ,I would diffently have some form of withdrawl systems:+
My advice to you would be:
don't take more then 2 days off in a row.If you can do something everyday.Break your cardio and weight workouts into 2 seperate days.
Even if you don't want to do something,force yourself to.You will be alot happier in the end and once you get 20 min into it you will be o.k.These are the rules that I follow...and it is always a great reminder when your pants start to get to tight.You could always try that:7 :7 :7
Lori
 
Lori-I agree with you...it is definitely an addiction.There are alot of people who are like-do you really exercise EVERY day?...(like it is a bad thing)and I am like yep!For me it is like-you shower everyday-you eat everyday...so why not workout??I consider it a healthy addiction though and you feel like you can accomplish anything when you are done(especially after imax1).;-) You really do feel SO much better after you just do it!!:)
 
Hi!

My biggest motivator is not wanting to start back at square one. I have two young kids (4 1/2 and 17 months) and after each of their births it took me a year to get myself back in gear. With my second, I actually got started pretty quick but got sidelined by a horrible case of poison ivy and that was it! Once I fell off the wagon it took me another 8 months to start up. My new year's resolution was just to get in great shape. I've learned that when my daughter takes a nap, the FIRST thing I do is workout. Right now I'm just doing Cathe weights, and for cardio I go outside with my kids and walk (a baby jogger is great) or just run around playing with them. Also, I love hearing people say how great I look for having two kids, so sometimes that's all the motivation I need! :)

These days, knowing that summer is coming, I want to be able to wear great clothes and look great, too! The days I don't want to do anything but watch General Hospital I'll remind myself of going to the beach, the pool, etc. and I'm up and going! I also know how much better I feel when I'm working out on a regular basis and it makes all my relationships (with husband, kids, friends) run more smoothly!
 
Please don't be so hard on yourself!

My motivation has come with years of trying, quitting, trying, quitting, trying, quitting etc. I finally got sick of the yo-yo aspect of being good then being bad. Finally I decided to make a LIFE change. I decided I must find a program that fits with my LIFE and MY time and MY 2 year old (I have one too!).

I am NOT a morning person... and I started working out at 5:00 a.m. Only because that is the ONLY time I am guaranteed a workout. Now I am absolutely addicted to it and look forward to each and every workout. I am now starting to get up at 4:45! 2 years ago I would have laughed my head off at that thought!!!!

It is the only time I get alone a day! It is the time that I can be in control of my time, of my body and of the result. It helps me feel so much better about myself. I have learned that it is not about having the perfect body but more about just "feeling good" and "feeling fit". Making it thru Imax2 with no modifications and still standing is a hell of wake up at 5:00 a.m. How can your day NOT look bright after that? How can you not feel like you can conquer anything?

I also think it is only partly results. Seriously, for how much I work out I should be buff by now. But, I know I eat too much and all those other things we are all guilty of now and then. But what my workouts do give me is the control, the peace and the energy I need to be the best mother, wife and friend possible.

I like Lori am addicted to the workouts. However, I think I am more addicted to the fun, the friends, and most importantly the personal power and feelings!

Maybe you should look deep inside YOU and see what your personal goals are? What makes you happy? WHY are you thinking of working out again? Find ThOSE reasons and in there just MIGHT be YOUR own special motivation??? I think to each of us it is different!

LOL!
 
Please don't be so hard on yourself!

My motivation has come with years of trying, quitting, trying, quitting, trying, quitting etc. I finally got sick of the yo-yo aspect of being good then being bad. Finally I decided to make a LIFE change. I decided I must find a program that fits with my LIFE and MY time and MY 2 year old (I have one too!).

I am NOT a morning person... and I started working out at 5:00 a.m. Only because that is the ONLY time I am guaranteed a workout. Now I am absolutely addicted to it and look forward to each and every workout. I am now starting to get up at 4:45! 2 years ago I would have laughed my head off at that thought!!!!

It is the only time I get alone a day! It is the time that I can be in control of my time, of my body and of the result. It helps me feel so much better about myself. I have learned that it is not about having the perfect body but more about just "feeling good" and "feeling fit". Making it thru Imax2 with no modifications and still standing is a hell of wake up at 5:00 a.m. How can your day NOT look bright after that? How can you not feel like you can conquer anything?

I also think it is only partly results. Seriously, for how much I work out I should be buff by now. But, I know I eat too much and all those other things we are all guilty of now and then. But what my workouts do give me is the control, the peace and the energy I need to be the best mother, wife and friend possible.

I like Lori am addicted to the workouts. However, I think I am more addicted to the fun, the friends, and most importantly the personal power and feelings!

Maybe you should look deep inside YOU and see what your personal goals are? What makes you happy? WHY are you thinking of working out again? Find ThOSE reasons and in there just MIGHT be YOUR own special motivation??? I think to each of us it is different!

LOL!
 
i too was an on again/off again exerciser up until late september of last year. in august i had visited a friend in colorado and she sent me pictures she took of me when i was there and i didn't like what i saw at all. luckily by the time i received those pictures i had already started the process of exercising again. so what motivated me was seeing how horrible i looked in those pictures and what continues to motivate me is how i look and feel. everything's tight-no jiggling, i feel better....i workout at a gym and i'm there by 5am waiting for the doors to open, 4-5 days a week. there's about 10-15 of us who do that and THAT keeps me motivated seeing that they're there every day for the same reason i am. :)
 
This is an old topic but I wanted to bump it back up b/c I got so much motivation from it and thought some others might want to add to it!! I just started back consistently working out about a month ago. I have always worked out with the Firm and Cathe fairly consistently. Even after my 5yo was born, I hopped right back into my workouts! Well, now I have a 5 yr. old and a 2 year old(and I teach), and since my 2 yo was born, I have had more "off" periods than "on"! Very frustrating. For the first time in my life I honestly could NOT find a time to do it!!! I tried the morning thing and couldn't stick to it(or just DIDN'T) and I tried the after-bedtime workouts, and those didn't seem to last either! For the first time EVER, I thought the effort just was not worth it. I couldn't find 5 or 6 hours in my wk to devote to an hour long tape. I finally thought, "I'll do what I can. That'll be better than nothing" SO I bought a set of freeweights and a small home gym(bench with leg extension and lat/tri pulldown, etc). I started going into the garage when my 2 yo went to bed, and I started lifting 3 days a wk. This way, if my daughter needs me, I am free to stop and help and then come back. To my pleasant surprise, she loves riding her scooter in the other 1/2 of the garage and LOVES our "exercise time" together!! She even waits between sets to talk to me!=) Then another 2 or 3 times a wk, I pop in a Cathe step tape after my 5 yo is in bed. I feel like this is do-able. I can even save both my cardio days for the w'end if I need to - 1 on Sun. at the beginning of my wk, and 1 on Fri. or Sat.

I just really wanted to share this b/c I feel like I am working 1/2 the time and my results are very very good so far! My sister looked at my arms last w'end and said, 'Hey! I like those! Those are new!"hehe
Kathy H
 
Exercise is my hobby. It really is. I love it. I buy Fitness zines and books, read message boards, do check-ins. I have a club membership and a ton of videos.

Love
Edith
 
Oh I know what you mean, sometimes I've been off for more than 6 months out of laziness or lack of ambition. Once I was off almost a year due to illness (I just turned 48)
But definitely number one was staying tuned to a fitness forum, this seems to be a great one, my first time here - but I was with Fitprime before it went to pay, and The Firm before it also went to pay =then found Firm Yaya's and now here at Cathe's.(who is inspirational just to watch her! for sure) There's just something about being in this together with others that share your hopes, dreams, sorrows -don't mean to get sappy! but it really helps to share -the other thing I do is just VIEW some of my favorite tapes, I don't have to do anything, just watch - after about 2-3 weeks of that, it seems like I'm motivated enough to begin again. Slowly at first, giving myself time to break in again. Lastly, I know what I start to look and feel like if I DON"T workout! I feel, look and my body behaves so much younger when I'm doing weight work, I forget how much I've lost until I start back again and find my body is so much more responsive and strong! HTH!:)
 
Oh I know what you mean, sometimes I've been off for more than 6 months out of laziness or lack of ambition. Once I was off almost a year due to illness (I just turned 48)
But definitely number one was staying tuned to a fitness forum, this seems to be a great one, my first time here - but I was with Fitprime before it went to pay, and The Firm before it also went to pay =then found Firm Yaya's and now here at Cathe's.(who is inspirational just to watch her! for sure) There's just something about being in this together with others that share your hopes, dreams, sorrows -don't mean to get sappy! but it really helps to share -the other thing I do is just VIEW some of my favorite tapes, I don't have to do anything, just watch - after about 2-3 weeks of that, it seems like I'm motivated enough to begin again. Slowly at first, giving myself time to break in again. Lastly, I know what I start to look and feel like if I DON"T workout! I feel, look and my body behaves so much younger when I'm doing weight work, I forget how much I've lost until I start back again and find my body is so much more responsive and strong! HTH!:)
 
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