Help me muster the motivation to go to the gym!

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I've had a membership to the gym for almost a year and I've gone maybe three times since I joined.

My weight is out of control. I'm the heaviest I've ever been at 320 Lbs (145 kg) and I need to get it down.

I don't know how to motivate myself to go to the gym consistently. Got any tips?

Thanks!

I started working out a little over a year ago. At first I was like you, I rarely went to the gym and my membership was more like a fat tax. Here's what helped me:

Do your research. Learn as much as you can about different exercises and muscle groups. www.bodybuilding.com is a fantastic site. They even have sample workout plans and instructional videos.

Commit to two days a week at first. No matter what, no excuses, GO to the gym on those two days. After a month, add a day. Continue to add a day each month until you are up to five days a week.

Try some group classes if they are offered at your gym. It's a great place to start as a newbie.

I prefer to go to the gym early in the morning before I go to work. The gym is less crowded in the morning (and less intimidating). Plus, I found that I would always make excuses for why I couldn't go after work. I need to make dinner, run errands, I'm too tired, etc.

Add some fitness pages to your facebook. I prefer the funny ones like Gym Memes, Derek Weida, and Broscience. Definitely check out Broscience on youtube. The guy is hilarious and I find that I see working out in a more positive light when connected with humor.

Good luck! Fitness is a journey

^ Like! Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FGee4kQHEY

What worked for me was to engage my inner bookworm to learn about muscles, exercise, metabolism, and so on.

All of that said, on days when I was scheduled to work-out but had no motivation I compelled myself to just show up at the gym, even if I immediately turned around and walked back out. Just showing up was most of the battle for me.

For the first several months I focused solely on cardio, which I was able to stick with because I learned how to read a book while doing it. I found I could read quite well while rather leisurely using a step machine. Using this approach I lost 70 pounds.

The nice thing about cardio & reading, for me, was that quite soon the endorphin rush from the exercise became sufficiently rewarding that I looked forward to doing it. So at that point it was self-motivating.

I found a cardio-centric eating plan that allowed me to enjoy my much-loved complex carbs while still burning off body fat. As I said, 70 pounds worth.

Best wishes!

Wow! 70 pounds, that's amazing! I need to lose about 120 lbs.

After losing that much body fat, of necessity I switched to strength training with a focus on building muscle mass. I was able to put back on 35 pounds of lean body mass.

This was in my 40's and I was in the best shape of my life. It was healthy fun and very rewarding, with the result that my "second childhood" was a blast. I did, though, stop short of getting the cliche little red convertible sports car, though I did consider it.

What kind of benefits? Do tell!

It was comical to be on the receiving end of how people respond positively to a visually appealing physique. Let's just say that the dating experiences I missed as a teenager were well made up for in my 40's. And yeah... that provided some very strong motivation to get to the gym. (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.)

well, I'm married. Fat lot of good getting in shape will do me. Get it? It works on several levels.

The sense of accomplishment when you finish working out always outweighs the anxiety of going. It doesn't matter how you did, its the fact that you did it. The trick is reminding yourself of that.

I do at home workouts so I don't have to get all "dolled" up for the gym. Then I can hop in the shower afterwards. The workouts I get are from Beachbody and when I finish the workouts I feel like I really accomplished something! Plus seeing all the guys on the DVD's sure isn't hard on the eyes either.

My newest workout - Insanity Max 30. No equipment necessary. You pay for the DVD's, but its a lot less than a gym membership and can be used over and over. No driving to the gym and waiting to use equipment. I highly recommend at home workouts.

A body weight exercise plan is a great way to get started. You can do it from the comfort of your home, work, the park... or really anywhere with no equipment needed. It really helped me get started. At my peak I was 270lbs.

After a few weeks, I felt good enough to start running. (edit: run walking) I completed 3 half marathons, several 5K's and a 10K in just over a year after starting with body weight exercises. Start walking a few times a week and then add in a few walk/jog/walks. Jog until you need a rest but continue moving. Before you know it you'll be running for a couple miles without walking. Once you feel good running for a mile, sign up for a 5K about 2 or 3 out.

Unfortunately, I've let the weight creep back up on me since then my last half marathon. I weighed 187lbs the day of my first half marathon, approximately 8 months after I began run walking. So, I'll be starting with the body weight exercises again. This website has been an incredibly useful resource for me.

nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Sure. First, at that weight, you need to see your physician to get some tips and a medical workup. He or she can
better direct you at this point. But remember, a person can get fit at home, too. I work out 6 days a week,
eat healthfully, and stay active with the help of dvds, a simple set of weights, a yoga mat, and a pair of walking
shoes. But I do feel that you had best start with your doctor's advice. Best to you, Alice

Join https://www.fitocracy.com/

It's a fitness community mixed with a game of sorts; you input your height and weight, and every time you train you input the excersize you've done (weight/reps/time etc.), and recieve a score, which counts towards an experience bar. You level up, and eventually get achievements. If you're anything as nerdy as I am, this should help at least a little bit .