I’ve been struggling with motivation.
I have a food alarm that goes off every few hours (fucking thing!) so that I eat more regularly. I’m having more protein. I *think* it’s making a difference in that I have been lifting some heavier weights, but the heavier weights might have happened anyway… who knows?!?!!
I bought some new gym pants and running shoes. I figured after 6 months of wearing the same gazillionty-year-old ones, I deserved some new and shiny, plus I thought new goodies might give my interest a bit of a kick back up.
The gym pants are made of a ‘wicking’ fabric: thin, stretchy, and clingy, they show every flaw and jiggle. I know I have complained about not really *seeing* my progress, but I know 100% for sure that I would not have worn them 6 months ago without a big t-shirt over the top. Today I wore them to the gym with a tank top and didn’t think a thing of it (except “Really, I’m wearing a catsuit to the gym…AGAIN?!”). This is proof of progress *in my own mind*, so yay!!
My lack of motivation has not impacted my *going* to the gym, so I’m pretty smug about that. I still go 5 times a week (plus pilates twice a week). I am just whiny about getting there and sluggish when I *am* there. Today after quite a bit of ‘blah’ over the last few weeks, I felt awesome for the first time in ages: strong, energetic, raring to go. Totally *raaawwrrr*.
I took that to the gym and had a great workout.
Thing is, I don’t know why I have ‘the kick-arse’ on some days and totally not on others. If I could figure that out, it would really help a lot because I could just *do that thing* and get on with it.
I discussed with a fellow gym-bod the idea of watching porn and taking that energy to the gym*. I haven’t done it yet, but I get the idea. I get helped along by encouragement from some of my workout crew on twitter, which is awesome (thank you!). But I get inspired to push by beautiful boys.
Sometimes it’s the pretty thing firing my imagination with message-flirting, or I can draw a mental picture of him working out (how can that NOT be inspiring, and fucking HOT?!) or ‘see’ him dancing wildly (this helps me with cardio, I don’t even know how my brain works). Or sometimes it’s watching some fit, strong man doing slow deliberate lifts to failure in front of me. Both give me energy-shots that make me work harder. I just need to figure out how to harness that kind of inspiration reliably instead of in an ad hoc manner.
Obviously I just need to bring some pretty to the gym with me. Easy!
* I looked for studies that talked about this, but it seems to be a myth (ref: The anabolic effect of dirty films). Must do some testing.
6 comments
I find that boredom is an issue when I lack motivation. If I’ve been doing more or less the same thing — like going to the gym, doing some cardio on an exercise machine and then weights at the same gym — for six weeks, my interest drops off.
I try to mix it up. Take a class, read something online about a different type of workout, try free weights, do a pullup/pushup/situp challenge, whatever. Just something new.
“I try to mix it up. Take a class, read something online about a different type of workout, try free weights, do a pullup/pushup/situp challenge, whatever. Just something new.”
*nod nod* I’m a challenge like that. I like routine. With the gym work in particular, I actually *should* be changing things not for the boredom but for the muscle-building variety and I am terrified to do it because I chose the exercises I do now for specific reasons and I fear (and believe) that making changes will demotivate me *more*.
I think having a few personal training sessions would probably work, but I already asked for some fabulous submissive man to volunteer and none did. SELFISH!! Of course, I *could* just pay someone like a normal person… but that’s really no fun at all!!!
Ferns
I think we all struggle with motivation. Not sure if anyone else does it but usually with me its just my mind.
Respectfully,
mysticlez
*nod nod* Motivation *is* all in the mind.
It would be great if I could just figure out that doing A, B and then C triggered the motivation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.
People are complicated!
Ferns
I’ve been struggling with motivation myself and not seeing the small changes that are happening makes it harder, but people keep telling me I’m losing weight. *shrug* If we could just bottle motivation and sell it…
I think external validation can help because we often can’t see small improvements ourselves. We’re too close, see ourselves every day, can’t see with fresh eyes.
Sounds like you are doing great :).
Ferns