Dealing with demotivation

[Honorable_Venerable]

I think you don't have anything to motivate you anymore. So you have to dig deep down inside yourself to find the motivation.

 

Thanks LadyRLD - That's it in a nutshell. Thanks to TMan for your suggestions - this answer sort of follows from your last post too.

Let's start by this question: Why did you start exercising to begin with, what got you into swimming? Maybe if we start from there we can find some passion within you to keep you going. Or maybe go a month or two without exercising at all and see how you feel. I think doing this will show you that you did have an endorphin rise when you were exercising. You could just be sooo bored with what you are doing you don't notice it. But take some time off and see how much more worse you will feel. I get depressed if I go two weeks without exercising. So I don't let myself go that long without.

OK. I used to fence and do judo. To do these I needed to have decent level of fitness, both strength and endurance. So I used to work out, swim and run. I had a bad car accident which resulted in a bad knee injury. I limp, lurch and hobble (usually without a stick!), and no longer have anything resembling the mobility I need for fencing or judo. Unless I feel like spending my time as a punchbag or a pincushion !

 

My drivers to exercise were that it allowed me to take part in the sports I liked (the health benefits, though real and valuable, were very secondary). Now I can't fight or fence, I can't muster the enthusiasm. I can't effectively run either, so I cycle since I can do that a bit better. It still must make an amusing picture though:o.

Edited September 25, 2010 by Honorable_Venerable
spelling

[florence of suburbia]

It still must make an amusing picture though:o.

 

Why does it make an amusing picture?

[Honorable_Venerable]

Why does it make an amusing picture?

You must have seen the Warner Brothers cartoons with Wile E. Coyote, and when he runs it's sort of a random selection of flailing limbs going all ways at once? When I run, it looks like that (albeit without the grace and style;)) and when I cycle, it's sort of like that too, except on wheels:D.

[gypsy_nicky]

Fitness is important, valuable and has long-term benefits, but...

Exercise is boring, repetitious, dull, miserable scut-work.

 

How do people resolve these two, and hence stay motivated?

 

How do you deal with the fact that exercise-derived improvements are small (often vanishingly small, and bitterly hard-won) and incremental, and so difficult to "sell" to oneself as progress? How do you counter the fact that exercise, especially cardio, simply leeches away time? How do you deal with the fact that it never changes?

 

For the record, I destest all and every team sport, and can't run due to a knee that was ruined in a car accident. I force myself to swim and cycle but I gain roughly the same level of enjoyment I get from (equally necessary) visits to the dentist, and vastly less than taking a dump.

 

I don't and never have, achieved any sort of "feel good" after exercise or a workout (I just feel knackered, sweaty and irritable), it does nothing to lift my mood, and certainly doesn't raise my energy levels - in fact quite the opposite.

I've come to the conclusion that these statements that exercise raises your mood and energy level are just so much hooey for the gullible, and a way of trying to disguise something innately unpleasant and dull, but necessary.

Any suggestions?

 

some people really don't find exercise enjoyable. In terms of motivation, why are you exercising? For most, its like brushing your teeth-it maintains health and prevents problems developing later in life, but is not enjoyable to do.

 

If your main goal is to lose/maintain weight, exercise can only do so much because even a really long intense session (1hr) won't really burn a tremendous amount of calories (2000kcal ++)) per persons weight. Only pro athletes can do this since they engage in their respective sports 4++ hrs per day.

 

The best is still restricting calories.

[florence of suburbia]

You must have seen the Warner Brothers cartoons with Wile E. Coyote, and when he runs it's sort of a random selection of flailing limbs going all ways at once? When I run, it looks like that (albeit without the grace and style;)) and when I cycle, it's sort of like that too, except on wheels:D.

Maybe that's a clue to what you need -- a roadrunner to chase!

[Chocolat]

I think perhaps you have not found the right form of exercise for you. Whe you do, it will not be a chore but something you are inspired to do.

 

For me, lifting weights is like this. I love feeling strong and each gain I make - more reps, more weight on the bar, whatever -- makes me feel like a goddess. I can do anything! It doesn't hurt that lifting weights makes me look great, too, but what motivates me most is the feeling I have in the gym.

 

On the other hand, I tried running and I found it mind-numbingly boring. I hated every step.

 

So perhaps the answer is that you need to try different forms of exercise until you find the one that lights your fire.

[Honorable_Venerable]

Maybe that's a clue to what you need -- a roadrunner to chase!

Now why didn't I think of that? Where's my Acme catalogue?

[florence of suburbia]

Watch out for falling anvils!