WEEK SEVEN :: What Is The True Secret To Staying Motivated Long-term?

[admin]

TOPIC: What Is The True Secret To Staying Motivated Long-term?

For the week of: Nov. 22nd - Nov 28th.

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So many people start a workout and/or diet routine (usually as a New Year's resolution), but then stop a short time after. Why is this? Why do some people stick to it for years when others can't stick to it for months or even weeks, even though they were extremely excited in the beginning.

The only way to truly get the body of your dreams is to stay consistent over many years. What is the secret to staying motivated over the long term?

BONUS QUESTION: What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can? (For example, listening to Metallica.)

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it.

Thanks!
Bodybuilding.com

[ravadongon]

If you are serious about your health and well-being, you will take action and begin an exercise program, and you will benefit in all these ways. Once you see the results, you will become even more motivated. Action creates motivation!

Set Goals

Goal-setting is a great way of staying motivated. Goals focus your workout program and clarify what you are trying to achieve. As you attain each goal, you gain encouragement and further motivation. Here is how to achieve the goals you set and obtain results.

1. Make sure your goals are measurable: A vague goal, such as "I want to be fit," gives you nothing to shoot for. Decide when and what you are going to achieve, such as "I want to gain 20 pounds of muscle by August 1st."

2. Be realistic: Make sure your goals are achievable. If you set your expectations too high, you will get frustrated, lose interest and will be more likely to quit. Make sure, however, that your goals are not too easy; they should be challenging enough. When you achieve a challenging goal, your pride and satisfaction will create more motivation.

3. Set short-term goals as stepping stones to your "ultimate" (long-term) goals: If your long-term goal is to bench press 250 pounds by 2005, then set short-term weekly or monthly goals of the weight you will need to bench press to achieve your long term goal--develop a plan. It is a lot easier to accomplish a goal one day or week at a time, such as increasing 2.5 or 5 pounds a week, than it is to think that you need to increase your bench press by 50 pounds.

Make It Fun

Another way of assuring that you stay motivated is to make exercise fun. If you perceive your workout as a chore, you more than likely will not stick with it. Here are some techniques for making your workout something to look forward to.

1. Add Variety: If your weightlifting is getting tedious and boring, change one of these factors:

- Vary how often you do an exercise and the number of sets and reps you do.
- Find an alternate exercise; for example, if you always do the bench press using a barbell, try doing it with dumbbells.
- Change the order of the exercises you do for each muscle group and the muscle groups themselves.

2. Include Friends and Family: Training with a workout partner not only makes your training session more fun, safe, and intense, but will also increase the likelihood of your showing up at the gym. Make sure you pick a partner whose goals and interests are similar to yours and who is willing to spot you correctly and motivate you to do your best, not someone you know will do the complete oppsite.

3. Fight Discouragement: If once in a long while you blow off a workout because you choose to go out with friends, just accept and enjoy your choice--do not feel guilty. Otherwise, the sense of failure can make it harder to get yourself back on track. Focus on how much progress you have made so far, not on how far you have to go.

4. Expect and Prepare for Plateaus: If you feel you have reached a plateau and/or are bored, do not give up--this is a natural part of working out. Make sure to vary the exercises, sets, repetitions and order of your workout--continually search for new ways of making your routine fun and exciting.

5. Schedule your Workout: If you always exercise on the same days at the same time, your routine will become a fixture in your life, not a whim. Not going to the gym will feel unnatural. Including exercise into your busy schedule will be an adjustment, and staying motivated will be equally challenging. Change is difficult for many people. However, if you have the willingness to work through the initial emotional discomfort as you move step by step through a safe and effective program, you will find the confidence, commitment and determination that will ease the way.

When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change well worth the effort. Remember, Action creates motivation!

Bonus Question

Different things work for different people. For some music gets them motivated, for others it might be thinking about about someone or something they hate and taking their anger out by lifting the heavy weight! But what I found works for me is going over my goals for that particular workout, it gets my mind on what I've got to achieve.

[JnJ23]

What Is The True Secret To Staying Motivated Long-term?

There really isn't a secret. Staying motivated for a goal has got to be something you really want and not a short-term fix. You really have to take a look at your goal's and be realistic becuase you are not going to get what you want overnight; it take's consistancy dedication and of course motivation. Instead of having one big goal that will last year's to attain it is a better option to make several goal's out of it. For example if someone has a goal to lose 100lb's in a year, make that into 12 goals(one per month). Loosing 8-10lb's a month is a bit more realistic and actualy more motivating than looking at 100lb's in a year.

Another way to get your motivation up is to bring a workout partner along with you to keep your head up during depressing/tireing times. I remember when i asked my friend to start working out with me because I was losing motivation and had no clue what to do. I can tell you that once he started working out with me and pushing me a bit further than what i was able to do, I made the best progress in the shortess amount of time.

I feel that treating yourself every now and then is a must. Alot of people deprive themselve's when they should really treat and give themselve's a pat on the back for the hard work they done. Treat yourself to some new gym clothe's to help with motivation. Have your favorite dessert once a week for the hard well-earned week you had.

To me, one step that is harder than actualy going through the process of reaching your goals is actualy having to change your mind-set and realize that this is what you want to do and you finally decide to do it. This should be your motivation--having a strong enough mind to change your life and be what you want to be.

Motivation play's a part in everyone's life. You have to be ambitous, realistic, and more importantly you have to want it. Take a look at your goal's make fun out of your goal's and be creative with your goal's because nothing feel's better than reaching your goal; once you have done that, you will be respected and make yourself a better person. I know I have.


BONUS QUESTION: What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can? (For example, listening to Metallica.)

Take a look in the mirror. Are you happy with what you got? Are you where you want to be? Are the db's going to beat you down? Get mad, get angry, and take a quick look at those weight's. Imagine all the people in the gym chit-chatting to one another about how that guy(you) can no way in hell lift that weight. Show them who's boss and demolish the gym!! That's motivation.

[BigJoe15]

What Is The True Secret To Staying Motivated Long-term?

There is no secret to staying motivated in the long-term. There are however a number of factors which can effect how motivated to are and how motivated you remain. Motivation is all in the mind, its being able to deal with emotions and general problems which can cause you to 'give up' on training.
One must have the mindset of an athlete to suceed in staying focused. What does this mean? This means remaining focused on the goal ahead for example, building as much muscle as possible in two weeks or gaining 20 pounds. In the same way an athlete focuses on winning that race or jumping a certain distance, bodybuilders should have a goal and stick to it. This provides somthing to aim for and a feeling of satisfaction once that goal is achieved. This increases self-belief thus increasing long-term motivation.
Another important factor is remaining positive. This counters negative thoughts which are usually reponsible for people giving up.
"My genetics are terrible I dont know why I even bother!"
Sound familiar? If the same people who say that were to step back, look at their bodytype and list the advantages and adapt them to their training. They would enjoy training much more and become more focused to suceed in the long-run. Positivity is a factor which cannot be overlooked, if you think you are failing you will fail, simple as that!
If you have both a focused and positive mind-set you can effectivly deal with distractions, enjoy your training and remain motivated. There really is no secret to this. Some are better at doing this than others however, everyone is capable of attaining a focused and positive attitude.

Bonus Question

Just before a workout try listening to any kind of music or watching a film that motivates you. This should help to get you into the correct frame of mind for working out. Everyone is different so this may work for some not for others.
For those who aren't motivated by this type of thing, try closing your eyes (stay with me) and repeating a possitive phrase over and over in your mind or imagine what your body could look like after a year or two of training. Place emphasis on getting your mind ready to tackle a solid workout, you should aim to workout like it is that last one you will ever do. So you want it to be your best, right?

[Dante205]

You dont need goals and you sure as hell don't need to make it fun or do some kinda scientifical explanation on why people cant stay on track....IT'S ONLY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE F***ING LAZY!!!! so if you cant keep up with it you shouldn't be complaining about it....COMMITMET!!! And another thing if you dont have the balls or dignity to give the life style everything you have day in day out then you shouldn't be doing it...NO EXCUSES!!! how could you not keep on track with something that feel so good...would you give up sex??? NO!!! all you need is your 2 balls and remembering that feeling everytime you bleed out another set or sweating out a few more reps and you leave your ass hanging on the floor to were you cant move! Knowing that you accomplished something. thats all there is too it.

1. LAZY!!
2. COMMITMENT
3. EXCUSES

BONUS QUESTION:
First of all you shouldnt have to motivate yourself because you should already be happy enough that your going to get the honor to do it. Intensity is the key. slap yourself to were it hurts!!! GO CRAZY GO NUTS!! THE WHOLE POINT OF THE LIFESTYLE IS FEELING THE POWER! FIND THAT SPARKE AND MAKE IT INTO A F***ING EXPLOSION!

DO WHAT IT TAKES !

[gumby51cm]

The best thing i have thought of doing is changing things up, a split, a routine, times your train, diet, ect.. Constant change seems to keep me interested. And sometimes , if i just get all around bored with it, i like to take a week off, then once im back in the gym its like i havnt been there before.

[C-Los]

Q:What Is The True Secret To Staying Motivated Long-term?

A:Enjoy it.

Q: What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can?

A:Think of someone you really hate.

Thats it. Now give me my money.

[ericgonzalez]

Yes, I'm serious.

Let me share a little story with you. I promise it won't take long. I'm the son of immigrant parents who had to toil in sweatshop type jobs to put food on the table. My dad and my mom are my heros, and that's because while life was rough for me and my sibling, but rougher for them. Ironically, watching my dad slave away pushing cement slabs around all day and come home to major back pain each night was the best motivation to hit the books instead of party and piss away time during college (although I did the a little latter too!). Watching my mom come home flustered because her fatass plant boss smoked around her all day pissed me off. I was fervently determined not be end up in the same rut. I was AFRAID to have that happen to me. I was AFRAID to have my children someday look at me and think the same. I had to get ahead. There was simply no other option.

Now consider why people don't stick to resolutions: why they continue to scarf down biggie size french fries and continue to smoke. Year after year. Big Mac after Big Mac. And then it happens - a stoke, or a heart attack strikes without warning. For those fortunate enough to survive, they tend to stick with diets quite strictly. Why? simple: the whole experience brought home a message: if you dont' stick to it, you will die prematurely. They're ARAID of having another such incident, which could spell the end. There's no other option - they have to stick with it.

So the point here is that fear, positively channeled, produces results. That's true at the gym, and at anything else in life. PEOPLE WHO SUCCEED AT ANYTHING IN LIFE ARE TERRIFIED OF FAILURE. For them, failure isn't an option. These folks find motivation everywhere they look - there are far too many people who get winded climbing a flight of stairs, can't fit into standard airplane seats (and not because of too much MT1 mind you), get stomachs stapled, and suffer from all sort of health related ailments you and I are blissfully unaware of. Even those who are blessed with good health have to look at themselves in the morning. Most who don't work on their bodies dont' like what they see, and that's a big driver of low self esteem and stress. Am I AFRAID to become like "them"? You bet. Becoming like "them" is not an option.

Are you afraid of becoming like "them"? I mean REALLY afraid?

So what are you going to do about it?

[Audioslave]

The first step in staying motivated is to ask yourself, "why am I doing this?" Once you find out the reason you are dieting and exercising you can build off of that. Basically what you are doing is choosing your goals to stay motivated. So that is your first tip

Tip #1
Setting Goals
Everyones goal is going to vary from person to person. Some people may be dieting and exercising for health, sports, a better body, or strength. Do NOT set an unrealitic goal. Setting a goal which is only achievable within years of training will only get you frustrated and make you quit early. So whatever your goal is, make sure it is short and simple. Then after reaching your short-term goal, make a more long-term goal. A short-term goal may be going to the gym 3 days per week. A longer-term goal might be increasing your bench press by 50 pounds. Setting these goals is the first tip to becoming involved in a long-term exercise plan.

Tip #2
Create A Fun Exercise Regimen
There is no need to bore yourself out with the same old routine all the time. Change up your routine whenever necessary. Switch up exercises every week. For cardio, find a sport you enjoy, such as softball or basketball. Maybe you enjoy walking or bikeriding. A workout routine needs variety. Instead of using a treadmill or stationary bike, on nice days you can walk or bike ride outside. Whatever it is, make it part of your workout regimen.

Tip #3
Track Your Progress
Creating a workout log and taking pictures are great ways of tracking your progress. Seeing how you increased your strength and better your body will only make you become more motivated. Doing this will also help you find out what works best for you.

Tip #4
Slowly Work Your Way Up
Never start an exercise program thinking you are advanced. If you are a beginner, then train like a beginner. Overtraining will lead to injury, which will stop you from working out temporarily, and possibly permanently. Begin slow, and in time, add more exercises, and intensity to your workout.

Tip #5
Be Patient
Results don't come overnight. It will take around a month or two to really start seeing some results. In the long run it will be well worth it. But you must be mentally strong to continue a workout regimen.

Tip #6
Stay Angry
I know it might seem a little strange but think of exercise as a way of relieving stress and anger. If you can associate anger with exercise, then the more angry you are, the more you will workout.

Tip #7
Get A Partner
A workout partner is a great way to make sure you exercise. They are also great to make you push harder. If you use them for a weight lifting workout they are great to help with form and for spotting. A relative or close friend would make a good training partner.

Tip #8
Reward Yourself
If you have followed your diet very strictly then you should treat yourself to a desert, or junk food. If you have reached any of your goals, then you should reward yourself with a gift such as a bathing suit, or smaller (or bigger, depending on your goal) size clothes.

Tip #9
Look At Pictures Of Your Ideal Physique
Look at pictures that will inspire you to workout even harder. If you workout at home put up pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, or whatever physique it is you admire. This is a great way of motivating yourself to reach that ideal physique you desire.

Tip #10
Remind Yourself
Constantly remind yourself why you are working out. Whenever you feel like skipping a workout or cheating on your diet remind yourself how you want that body, or that you want to excel in you sport, or be healthier. Think of all of the benefits of exercising. Remember the reasons you started your diet and fitness plan.



These are my top 10 tips to stay motivated. Sticking to an exercise regimen can be very hard. It can become very tedious after a long period of time. You have to be mentally strong and disciplined to follow a workout routine. But if you follow these 10 tips, then you should stay easily motivated and have a long, healthy time in fitness.

Bonus Question
What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can? (For example, listening to Metallica.)

This is a good question. A lot of people skip a workout because of lack of motivation. Well, like you stated, music is a great way of motivating yourself before a workout. Something hardcore like Metallica is usually best. I like listening to Rage Against The Machine before I hit the weights. Another way of motivating yourself directly before a workout to make you lift the most you can would be to lie to yourself. Think that you are the biggest man in the gym and that 45lb plates are just peanuts. Remember, weightlifting is as much mental as physical. And the last technique to get yourself motivated is to get angry. Think of someone you hate, or think of bad memories such as people picking on you. This will build you up with rage, and rage is a great key of getting adrenalin flowing and lifting heavy weights you've never dreamed you could never lift.

[Liquid]

I think the secret to staying motivated long term, is staying motivated short term. When you are motivated you strive to reach your goals. If you keep making goals and meeting them then this inspires you to make bigger goals and then you will be motivated to meet them.


maybe someone can elaborate on this ...

[chewwy]

Topic of the Week 7

The tradition of New-Year resolutions always brings a throng of new bodies, worse for wear after the Christmas festivities, into gyms across the globe. All these people have plans to be fitter, stronger, slimmer, buffer… and enter into their new way of life full of optimism. The gym is a hive of activity, full of our lycra-clad hopefuls, huffing and puffing on the treadmills, and lifting great weights with force and vigour. The future looks bright.

Now fast forward six months, to the same gym. What has happened? Only a couple of dedicated souls remain, now looking appreciably better than they did those six months earlier. The others, who have since departed, walk sluggishly past outside, snacking on fast-food, as they feel the need to loosen their belt yet another inch. The only good thing to come of their efforts and failures in the gym is that those lycra pants now lay buried deep at the bottom of their wardrobe, never to see the light of day again. And thank goodness for that.

---

Sound familiar? It’s not that unusual at all for people to soon lose the motivation they once had for something, and this of course includes bodybuilding. But why? Why does the driving force, which solely pushes the person along to make a positive change to their lifestyle, slowly lessen and disappear? First, we will have to look at what that motivation actually was in the first place. In this case, it is quite simple – get big, get fit, get muscles. By doing this, one makes him/herself more attractive to the opposite sex, improves their overall health, and is able to use their newfound strength functionally. And of course, we know, through proper training, diet and rest, this is attainable. and so, we find our first reason for people giving up:

Lack of results – unless a training schedule is accompanied by good diet and plenty of rest, the results will minimal. People go and spend an hour slogging it out in the gym, only to them go to a fast-food joint, get a burger, then go partying until well into the early hours. This means no results, and the person finds themselves questioning why they are spending so much time in the gym (not to mention money…), and take the seemingly logical step of packing up.

This can be countered, through getting in that nutrition and rest. There is a wealth of information readily available, in books, the internet, and particularly on bodybuilding.com. All this information should allow you to shape your workout so that maximum results can be achieved.

Furthermore, even if results are being achieved, it can be hard to tell they are, and they often go unnoticed. Keep a training log where notes of your workouts and lifts can be recorded, so you will be able to remember all your strength, mass gains etc. Even better, keep a photo-journal like me – just take a shot of yourself once a week, and them keep comparing your new pictures with those from when you were starting out. Gains will be easy to notice, and they’ll promote confidence that what you are doing is working for you, and give you the motivation to get even bigger!

But, what if you are making gains? To some it seems strange, but I know of people who have been bodybuilding for quite some time, then just decide to give up. This reason, I believe, is the one that causes most medium to long term bodybuilders to give up:

Too many sacrifices – Think about it. Spending an hour a day, four days a week lifting weights in the gym, plus cardio, the going home to a protein shake. Lunch is chicken. Dinner is chicken. Your bedtime snack is either a protein shake… or chicken. You go to bed at 9pm, never go out, and never enjoy yourself. Ok, so that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but is true that the bodybuilding lifestyle is not suited to everyone. It requires 100% dedication, and you often receive very little in return.

The way to resolve this is to reward yourself. Finally get that 250lb bench? Buy yourself some new clothes. Finally reach 200lb and 10% bodyfat on the scales? Go out for a big meal with friends. Or whatever, it’s completely up to you. This way, you have a reason to reach your goals, and something to look forward to.

Just remember though, keep those goals realistic, measurable, and relatively short term. The prospect of buying yourself a new PC game doesn’t sound too exciting when your target is to double your body mass and halve your bodyfat, since by then the game will most likely have been confined to the waste bin of history, and that’s if you ever do reach that far-fetched goal…

Remind yourself regularly of why you originally started bodybuilding. Keep focused on those reasons, and look at what you can be. Buy bodybuilding videos, read bodybuilding books – immerse yourself in the world of muscle. Let your heroes become Arnie and Ronnie, and always keep yourself reminded of what muscle is, and what it stands for.

If you get bored with going to the gym, to do the same workouts over and over, then mix things up, and add variety. Even switch from training for mass to training for strength or power, and if you really do feel exhausted, take a week or so off, to let yourself recover. After this rest, you’ll be more motivated than ever to get back in the gym, pumping iron. also, if you find your visits to the gym to be rather lonely, bring a friend along. Whatever their ability, they will supply you with a desire to workout to the best of your ability, whether it’s to compete with them, or to lead them by example in your footsteps.

Finally, use, and show-off what you have achieved. Go out, meet new people, and they’ll be sure to be enthralled as you flex your muscles, or impressed with your everyday feats of strength. Walk the streets feeling more confident, and safer, and dreaming of what you are yet to achieve…

Finally, there is another reason that is quite common, and causes people to get downbeat and quite:

People putting you down – whether it’s your friends in school, partner, drinking buddies, there’s always going to be someone who looks on your activities in a pessimistic light. You may regularly get told that “you’ll never do it”, and these kind of remarks can get you depressed, and self-doubting. Instead of just ignoring them, take them on board, and when you’re in the gym push yourself to the limit, in order to prove these people wrong. Imagine how it will feel when you loom over them, and they’ll no longer be able to criticise you. And remember, this isn’t just a fantasy, you can do it. You will do it.

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Bonus Question – before the workout, it’s important to feel 100% at your best, ready lift as much iron as possible, and get the most from your workout. Firstly, on a rather technical note, I find it is essential to be well fed and watered, with a supply of quick-burning carbs, so you have the energy to do what you’ve got to do in the workout. Once the energy is flowing through your body, I love putting on some of my favourite, lively music. For me, I like dance, techno, anything which is just screaming at you to move. Lyrics just seem to overcomplicate the issue. But I know those who find a screaming guitar really gets them pumped up… obviously it differs from person to person, depending on your tastes. Just clear your head of everything else, let the weights be your only thought. Once you are in that right frame of mind, go for it. Enter the gym confidently, set up your weights confidently, and lift the weight, as if it were a slave to you, fully in your control. Ignore any others that may be around you in the gym – this is between you and the weights only.

[Audioslave]

Great articles guys. Good job once again chewwy.
I must say, one downside to this topic is that all the answers were somewhat repetitive. Otherwise it was a good topic.
Good luck fellas :)

[Audioslave]

I think the secret to staying motivated long term, is staying motivated short term. When you are motivated you strive to reach your goals. If you keep making goals and meeting them then this inspires you to make bigger goals and then you will be motivated to meet them.


maybe someone can elaborate on this ...

I understand what you are trying to say. But a lot of people are impatient and don't want to wait for results whether they are short-term or long-term. Another factor which causes people to quit is hitting a plateau. I should have added that as an extra to my tips.
Be Prepared For Plateaus
This is important because people often give up when results slow down, stop, or sometimes even reverse. You should have a plan ahead of time on how to break your plateau. Whether you are using a new routine, supplements, or a new diet, is completely up to you. But whatever it is, make sure you are prepared.


Otherwise, I think I understand what you are saying Liquid. Basically, making exercise part of your everyday routine for short-term, it will eventually become part of your lifestyle long-term. Only problem with this, is that people are lazy and don't have the will power for it. But I think I understand a sense of what you are saying about reaching your goals.

[Altered Beast]

Staying motivated is easier said than done. Everyone is different; what motivates me will not always move another. Luckily, there are several helpful keys to success that will help anyone in any aspect of life.

Goals
First, you have to set goals. What do you want in life? Do you want to lose weight? How much and by when? Be realistic and specific; write it down because just saying it is not enough. For every long term goal (six months or more) write two short term goals that will help you attain that goal and keep you on track.

Sacrifice
Nothing in life is free; what are you going to give up to attain your goal? It can range from quitting smoking or just eating at home more; be specific and once again write it down. If need be, keep the note of your goal under your pillow and read it every morning and night.

Drive or Leverage
There are basically two types of motivation: leverage and drive. Leverage is something you should do while drive is something you will do. A bet or dare is an example of leverage. It'll last a short period but eventually fade if done or not. You must have drive to persue a goal, something that continually tips in your favor. Fitting back into pants you wore in high school can be seen as leverage while being around to see your grandkids graduate is commonly known as drive.

Emotion
Emotions play a vital role in achieving a goal and once again everybody is different. Does getting mad motivate you? Happy? Sad? It can all vary. Think about what you're trying to achieve and let yourself enjoy it. If you dislike what you're doing you won't keep it up.

Definite
Be sure you are not cheating and make a commitment to yourself. Maybe say your goal in front of your co-workers or family so that you don't give yourself an out besides success. This may help you follow through this time around.

Tips:
-Proper exercise, nutrition, and sleep
(essential when trying to lose fat or gain muscle, but greatly will help you with any goal)
-Keep a log
(write down your exercises, measurements, and food intake. Even start a personal journal to help log progress)
-Schedule your Workout
(Make time schedule it like anything else important)
-Change
(keep your diet and routine changing; keep this fun and hopefully minimize plateaus)
-Improvement, not perfection
-Train with a partner

Bonus Question:
Q: What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can?

A: I wake up pull the sleep from my eyes (makes falling back a sleep impossible IMO) . Splash cold water on my face then read my goals , sacrifice, drive, and leverage (Like I did before bed). Go threw my stretching ritual then I am certain, confident, and ready for the day. I listen to this burned CD made just for weight training, and have a music video compilation VHS tape for aerobics. Motivational pictures on my ceiling above my bed, on the back of the door, and on the bathroom mirror help with sluggish mornings.

[hepennypacker52]

How to Stay Motivated


1) Set realisitc Goals

This one is obvious, and I'm sure many people have tried this in the beginning, and still failed. Your goals have to be within what you can accomplish. You don't just set out to lose 20lbs a week, and then when you only lose 5, you're angry even though that 5lbs is a great loss. Set a bunch of short terms goals leading up to where you want to be in a year or so. But remember, be realisitic!.

2) Get a partner with the same goals

If you have someone there right beside you trying to achieve the same goal, it will provide a great amount of motivation. Training with a good partner will also help prevent you from slacking off, the first thing that happens with a failed regimen.

3) Make things interesting

Get together with a group of friends who share the same goal as you, and have a friendly bet. Don't make it $5, because who cares if you lose $5. Make it somewhere around $50-100, whoever loses the most weight wins. This way, if you start slacking, you lose a good amount of money. If you win, you win a great amount of money, and lose weight at the same time. Now what doesn't sound fun about that?

4) Enter a competition

This one will shock a bunch of people and make them say, "are you kidding me? I'm nowhere close to being in contest shape?!". Just get over whatever fear you have and enter a competition. Once you do that, you will work so much harder and not stop, trust me. Don't enter one in 2 months, look for one down the road. This will give you another reason to train hard, and it works

5) Plan ahead

This one is HUGE. So many people fail because they just go to the gym, don't write anything down, and then come home. Setting up a detailed plan/diet will :

a) Make sure you know exactly what you're doing

b) Also provide motivation. You find a new plan and start it, you're all excited. Keep following that plan and thinking of what you're going to accomplish, that will even put more trust into the plan, which will then also put more trust in yourself.

6) Track results, but not that often

I would mark this as probably the biggest reason why people start up a program, then quit 2 weeks into it. It can be extremely negative to weigh yourself every day, weight fluxuates throughout the week, so you will get different readings all the time. Take measurements/weight/pictures about every 2 months, you will be able to see a difference then, and this will motivate you even more.

7) Have 1 cheat meal a week

Sticking to a solid diet for a full week deserves a reward. A cheat meal brings much satisfaction to trainees who are having a hard time eating clean. Eat what you want for this meal, but do not let it get out of hand.

8) Buy some weighlifting/diet books and movies

Doing this will :

a) give you a greater understanding of what you're doing, which will translate into bigger gains

b) motivate you. look at what other people have achieved, and let that motivate you

9) Alievate as much stress as possible

This one is also a biggie. If you're stressed about everything, it will be extremely hard for you to gain. This goes hand-in-hand with tracking results too frequently. Don't let things stress you out. Make weightlifting something to look forward to, not just another thing on your to-do list.

10) DO NOT make excuses

It's just lame, and will work against you. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't achieve your goals, and this means YOU!!!

11) Make time

No matter how busy your schedule is, make sure you take out at least an hour every day to workout, and plan it. Worrying about finding time to workout is just another stress that will work against you. Another thing that goes with this is SLEEP. Make time to sleep, it is very, very important.

12) Join a web forum

This will also provide a ton of motivation. You can find the answer to almost any question, and people are there just like you to motivate you along the way.

13) Join a gym

This will also help with motivation, and keep you consistent. Why are you paying for a gym membership if you aren't even going to the gym?

14) Sacrifices

Don't think of taking other things out of your life as sacrifices, think of them as things that will allow you to develop an outstanding physique.

15) Be consistent!

Yes, easier said than done. You have to get through the first two months without letting anything get in the way. Once you do that and see the results, you'll want more.

*BONUS QUESTION*

What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can? (For example, listening to Metallica.)

There are a few things you can do :

1) Take some kind of stimulant/pre workout energy booster (caffeine/taurine). This will keep you energized at the gym, and will give you a greater desire to lift, because you actually have the energy to do it.

2) Listen to music/watch movies that pump you up.

3) Pray.

4) Write down the records that you want to break today.

[Audioslave]

Pray? Wow, that's one that I've never heard before.

[alxandr_thgreat]

you have to be serious about what you want to get done.

[da rel hogan]

First real attempt at writing anything related to bodybuilding. Comments here or PM would be extremely appreciated

---

The true secrets to staying motivated long term.

Get those days when you feel like you’re not getting anywhere? The very thought of having to go to the gym makes you think up hundreds of ways to convince yourself not to go. The egg white and protein powder shake makes you carve for something a bit naughtier. You’re probably not alone.

Like most things in the world of bodybuilding, motivation is based at an individual level. What works for somebody else doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you. If you need motivation it’s up to you to find what will work for you. Most things will work short-term yet you are after the holy grail of motivational tips, you need to find what works long term.


General motivation tips

Progress record
You need to record progress to see that your efforts are being rewarded. It will help you long-term to find out what works for you and what doesn’t. Record your weight weekly or daily with a weekly average. Don’t be discouraged when day one you’re x pounds and then day two you’re x pounds + 4. Body weight fluctuates with food and water. Record your workout and max lifts. Not only will you want to beat your old records, it should help identify any plateaus early on.

Posters
There are two types of posters you could try to keep your mind focused. A picture of when you first started along side a current photo. You could also post up a picture of someone you inspire to look like. Secondly you can buy motivation posters.

Take photos
Every 3 months or so take some photos using the popular bodybuilding poses. These are great poses to show the muscle mass you have and make it easier to notice the small changes in your muscular development.

Think positive
The most important. If you’re thinking you can’t do it, you probably won’t. There are many things you can do to think positive, although perhaps these should be on a separate topic.

Motivation specifically to nutrition

Let everyone know you are eating healthy.
May sound obvious but if people know you’re not supposed to be eating detrimental, foods then you are less likely to cheat in their company. Any true and respectful person will only encourage you to meet your goals.

Experiment with foods
Healthy food doesn’t mean dreary tasteless food. There are so many different things you can do to ‘spice’ things up. You can simply buy low-carb sweeteners, sauces etc… they can completely change the taste of a meal. See

Consistence Vs Inconsistence Diet plan.
Some people find a fixed consistence plan a better way to say motivated and can stick to the same foods. Others like me need to have the feeling that you’re not locked down to a particular diet. So add some change to your diet. Keeping the kitchen cupboards full also helps to add unpredictably to your diet.

Record food eaten, but roughly
Using various resources online or a pen and paper it doesn’t matter. If you record just some basic values it will get you thinking each time you eat. Am I getting enough protein? Have I eaten too much or too little? Remember we are human and if you have a cheat meal just add it to your daily intake. If I have a cheat meal I make sure I make that visit to the gym. Clears the conscience

Motivation specifically to workouts

Listening to your music
Music you like, music you enjoy listening too will help keep you focused. Some songs make me fell motivated and unbreakable, the perfect types of songs whilst working hard in the gym. Remember to mix it up once in a while. Listening to the same songs all the time will end up boring and will probably have the reserve effect.

Having a workout partner
Some people love them, others hate them. The workout partner. Having a bit of competitiveness and having someone yelling at you to “Lift that last rep” wouldn’t do any harm.

Find exercises and/or body parts you love
Do you have a favourite day? Or a favourite exercise? It really does help when it’s that time of the workout.

Consistent workout routine
Once you devise your workout plan thoroughly it encourages you to stick to it. If you suffer from DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) just factor this in.

What can you do immediately before a workout to be sure you are motivated to lift the most that you can?

Pre-workout nutrition will make you feel fuelled up and ready to go. Be prepared.

Additionally there are some great supplements on the market which is specially for getting bigger pumps and more energy whilst working out.

Overall KNOWLEDGE is needed to understand the basic principles of bodybuilding. Once a person gets over the basic misconceptions of bodybuilding, such as “muscle grows quickly”, “gain muscle loss fat”, and are still interested and motivated then they will have a good future in bodybuilding.

If all else fails, try http://forum.bodybuilding.com especially the “post your pictures” section.

KNOWLEDGE is power. With KNOWLEDGE comes motivation.

[ravadongon]

WOW! A lot of good well detailed posts this week... This is sure to be a close one :D

[hepennypacker52]

WOW! A lot of good well detailed posts this week... This is sure to be a close one :D

True.

I could use the $50 lol, I have no money and my tub of ON is depleted. May the best man win though :D.

[short_dude]

The problem with such a question is that there is no secret to long-term motivation. Americans want a secret solution to everything. Why do you think people actually buy Flex Magazine or MuscleMedia and think that such magazines contain secret or magic workouts and they must copy the routines in there. Because people are idiots and uninformed on training and nutrition, yes. But most importantly because they see the pictures of these guys who do these routines and claim that if it works for them then it must work for themselves too. The laziness is everywhere.

There is no magic formula to staying motivated like a 1-800-MOTIVATE hotline that most Amercians try to call for everything else. The secret to motivation is not explicit, but implicit. It is desire. You have to really want to make progress. You must define what progress is by setting goals, both long term and short term. You must have a reason to spark your desire. If you are not serious about your desires and aspirations then long-term motivation will not work for you. With proper desire, missing a workout due to an unforseen circumstance will feel the same if not worse as having to miss the Penn State game that you bought tickets for 3 months ago because of a family emergency. You must have this desire from square one. This desire can be to prove a point to a previous school bully, to lift a certain amount of weight for personal satsifaction, to have certain body measurements, or numerous other things. Whatever it is, it must be as much of a priority in your life as school, your career, your family, or your religion. If you have such a desire, there will be no reason why you do not go to that gym. If you don't, then you might as well wait until next New Year's for your annual workout because you are wasting your time.

As far as preparing for a workout, if you think certain songs or pre-workout routines are a necessity for you then by all means carry out your superstitions. The single most important thing you must do to prepare for a workout is go over your training log before each and every workout. First you must have a log where you track every workout and every exercise. If you did Dumbell Presses with 115 pounds for 3 sets of 6 last week then you know that for this weeks workout to be beneficial you must get at least 7 on that first set with the 115's. For every exercise you know what needs to be done in the gym before you even get there. If you don't beat last week in the gym, then why even go?

[~jAmeZ~]

How to be a Bodybuilding Juggernaut
The secret to staying motivated is inside all of us. I’ll tell you how to find it and how to unleash it.


Stop Acting like the New Year’s Crowd
The New Year’s Resolution crowd is in love with a fantasy. They look inside themselves and fall in love with a warm, soft-edged image. They picture themselves 30 pounds lighter. Striding along the beach with confidence. “Ah yes,” they sigh, “I would love that to be me.”

Fuelled by the glorious fantasy, they attack the gym with force. A tidal wave of glossy-eyed lycra.

The bubble bursts quickly. They realise that exercise bikes need to be pedalled. Weights won’t lift themselves. And, let’s face it--their busy, modern lifestyle just won’t give them the time!

The sweat and the pain are not compatible with that warm, soft-edged image. In their fantasy, they did not have to sacrifice anything to walk that beach with confidence. So they make their excuses…and drift away from reality. Back to a warm and comfortable fantasy that…maybe…will be realised next year.

The Secret of True Motivation
Truly motivated people are different from the New Year’s crew. They do not say, “I would like a muscular body”. They say, “I want a muscular body more than anything. I’m going to do what it takes to get one, no matter how long it takes me!”

How do you get that frame of mind? The secret is desire. True motivation always has a powerful catalyst. True motivation is personal. It’s that one commanding reason that lights a fire under your arse and rallies you to action.

You need to search yourself and find that desire. Find the one reason you should get up at 4am to lift weights. The one reason you should push the pain barrier on the 10th rep. And you need to focus on it.

Albert Einstein once said if a man can concentrate for three minutes, he can conquer the world. This level of concentration isn’t easy. But it’s the level of focus you need to succeed.

So find your reason. Maybe you’re skinny and sick of being pushed around. Maybe you want better health. Maybe you want to stand on the Olympia stage and crush all comers.

Now get your stopwatch. I’m not joking. Try concentrating on your desire without any other thought entering your head. For three minutes. The first time you try, I bet you won’t make 20 seconds.

When you can do it for three minutes, you’re ready. You’ll no longer be thinking, “I’d like a muscular body”. You’ll be burning inside for it. And you’ll be prepared to lift the million tons of iron it takes to get it.

The Difference between Motivational Tools and True Motivation
Make sure you don’t confuse motivational tools for true motivation. Motivational tools are…well, tools. Things like training diaries, workout partners, loud music and written schedules.

True motivation is not something you can touch. It’s your personal, driving force. It’s something no-one else can take away from you.

Think about it. Most of the New Year’s crew use training diaries. Some of them have workout partners. And every bozo owns a Walkman.

But what those quitters lack is the powerful desire of true motivation. They haven’t focused on the one thing they want more than anything else. They haven’t fixated on an idea until it became a desire. When these quitters get to the difficult 10th rep, nothing burns them to go further. They stop. And write “10 reps” in their training diary.

Motivational tools are excellent companions for true motivation. But until you have found desire, you’re like a tree with no roots. The first breeze that comes along will knock you flat. Stand tall. Take the hard knocks. And take the time to search for roots that run deep.

BONUS: How to fire up before a workout
Truly motivated people make a pact with themselves to endure something that hurts. The pain can be physical. It can be emotional. With bodybuilding, it’s both

Before your workout, go and eyeball yourself in the mirror. “Listen, punk,” you might say to yourself, “I WANT this…and you know WHY.”

Focus on your desire, and you’ll conquer the gym.

[chewwy]

yikes. the admin has quite a bit of reading to do...:p

[2pac21]

One of the biggest reasons people stop their new workout/diet routine after a short time is due to a lack of results. They have a New Year's resolution to get in shape and they are determined to stick with it. During the first week they are excited to get into the gym and destroy those weights. They come out of the gym feeling exhausted from their workout and they like how it feels. They are happy to feel the soreness in their muscles the next mourning. The next week they start to get into a routine. It also starts to get repetitive. It’s not as fun as it was the first week and the scale hasn’t moved as much as they expected. They start to wonder if it would even make a difference if they went to the gym at all. The next mourning while they are watching TV, they come to a channel playing the movie ROCKY. When the movie is over, they can’t wait until their next workout.

I think that movies like Rocky are one of the best kinds of short-term motivation. It will surely get you pumped up and excited for your next workout. However, you will need more motivation if you are going to stick with it for a long time.

GOALS

Setting goals is a very important part of staying motivated. Anybody that has a new workout routine should set goals for themselves. Write your goals down on a piece of paper and look at them often. You should set a long-term goal that outlines exactly what you want to accomplish through your workouts. This way you know what you are aiming for and where you are headed. You also need to set short-term goals. This way, it won’t take you years to achieve your goal. If you set short-term goals to gain/lose a certain amount of weight after a month, then you have a sense of accomplishment after you reach those goals.

CHALLENGES

Another great way to stay motivated is to challenge someone. Find someone with the same goals as you, and set some kind of challenge up. It could be to reach a certain amount of weight first, or to be able to lift more weight after a certain amount of time. Have a big reward for the winner. Have both people put in $50 and whoever wins gets to keep the $100. Find 3-4 people to challenge and have a reward of $200. That would be great motivation for myself.

TELL PEOPLE

Tell everybody that you know that you are going to get in shape. Tell your family, friends, or anybody that you see a lot about what you are going to do. Tell them what your goals are and how you plan to achieve them. If a lot of people know about it like this, you will feel like you can’t give up. You wouldn’t want to quit working out because you’re too lazy and let all these people down would you? There will also be some people that might tell you that you won’t be able to do it. Being able to prove them wrong would feel great.

TRACK YOUR PROGRESS

Since changes in your body will seem to come very slowly, it will be hard to notice them if you don’t track your progress. You should do things like take pictures of yourself, record your workouts, and track your weight. By doing this, you can see exactly how much progress you are making. Being able to sit down and actually see how much better you look now is very motivating.

CHANGE THINGS

At the start of this, I said how things will get repetitive. Working out can get very repetitive and sometimes boring. To eliminate this, all you have to do is change things up. Bring some headphones with you to the gym if you don’t normally. Go to a different gym. Do some different exercises. Do whatever you can do to make things different. This will make things seem new and make it less repetitive.

BONUS QUESTION

Before you go to the gym, look at the pictures you took of yourself. Look at the changes that your body has made. Know that if you keep going to the gym and working hard, you will look even better. While you are going to the gym, have some music playing that gets you pumped up. It’s a very easy way to get yourself ready to workout.

[Audioslave]

I wouldn't be surprised if it takes 2 weeks to get the results for this one

[BigNorwegian]

Its simple. Youve had to have gone through a time where you hated being who you were. Knowing you wanted to change, knowing you couldnt stand being who you are now, knowing that staying the way you were then was out of the question. Going through those hardships and suffering day to day being that old person has given me the power to always stay motivated, it has become part of me. And now it has paid off, people give me comments like, "theres no way you got like that today without taking steroids. I rememeber you two years ago, being fat with no muscle. Its impossible to go from what you were to what you are now." Its given me power, and because of this I'll never stop and it will always keep me motivated, from then, until im six feet under in my grave laying happily because I know Ive done what Ive wanted. Im not going to write a two page response like most of these guys/girls because I really feel as though its just this simple, and its how exactaly how I feel. You need to have suffered, and been put through a period of time where you realized you hated who you were, your habbits, and how you lived, to allow yourself to aquirre infinite motivation.

[Caspa]

How to stay motivated long-term covering every angel

Below are my opinions on how to stay motivated in the gym and out of the gym, long-term. I have listed a total of 9 things that I feel are most important to stay motivated, in no particular order.

1. Check out your physique in the mirror with the best possible lighting, and stray away from looking in the mirror with worse/no lighting.

I find that when I see my self in a mirror with good lighting it shows up everything, and I feel good about myself because I like what I see, which makes me more motivated and want to workout more due to the fact I feel all my hard work is paying off and I’m on the right track to getting big and not just wasting my time. When on the other hand, I look at myself in a mirror with poor lighting, I feel like I look exactly the same as I did when I just started bodybuilding.

2. Have a workout partner who will push you as hard as you’ll push him, otherwise don’t have one.

Having a workout partner to push you as much as you’ll push him, considering you’re actually going to push him to get his ass to the gym, then that might be the difference to not going the gym or going the gym for that workout. On the other hand if your workout partner doesn’t push you to go the gym, then he clearly isn’t that eager to go to the gym and will most likely leave you stranded on one more accessions, this has happened to me a fair few times so I’m just speaking from experience.

3. Try to workout at a gym rather than at home.

I have tried both of these and I find that working out at the gym motivates me more to get there as the gym has a certain buzz that is always going round. The I’m going to get my ass to the gym today lift my ass off and impress some lil noob, and don’t tell me you don’t think that, at least sometimes.

4. Check out pictures/videos of your favourite bodybuilder(s) or Jennifer Love Hewitt, both is goodJ (any other action videos with your favourite actors kicking ass in are also good)

Doing this makes you feel like you want to be like that guy. You want to be the hero. Hell, who doesn’t want to be the hero and get the pretty girl?

5. Make REALISTIC goals, STICK TO THEM, then make new ones.

Make sure the goals you make are realistic to you, not your mate, YOU! If you do this you will find that you will find it easier to stick to them, actual reach them, and all at the same time feel good about yourself and want to push yourself harder towards your next goals.

6. Have a good steady diet and stick to it.

This is sort of the same as number 5. If you have a good diet for bodybuilding, covering all the protein, carbs and calories that you need, and stick to it. Will make you feel good about yourself and will give you greater gains which will also help in long-term motivation

7. Have a CHEAT day.

Having a cheat day will help you stick to your diet and most likely keep you sane, as you actually get to eat whatever you want for a WHOLE day, and not just nibble here and there every other day which makes you feel crappy.

8. Change things up if you get bored.

I find this one very helpful, for diet and for workouts. If I ever find I’m getting bored of my diet or workout I’ll just change things around and make it more interesting which will make me want to continue with them and stay motivated.

9. Treat yourself.
Once I treated myself to a pair of weight-lifting gloves and straight away I wanted to get my ass down to the gym and use them. This works with everything bodybuilding base. Supplements are a good one to buy to help you stay motivated.

BONUS QUESTION
I feel what works best for me before a workout to make sure I actually workout, I’ll whack on some tunes and get pumped up. I’ll also picture myself huge on stage doing a pose-down. You can also picture things that piss you off and make you want to pound the weights taking all your anger out on them.

STAY CONSISTANT

[hepennypacker52]

^^This week is already over.

[Caspa]

damn.. thought i mite get away with it

[hepennypacker52]

I need a verdict! :D

Actually, I need lifting straps more, but the $50 would cover that, and a BF caliper, and chalk. When will week 8 come out?

[realnatty]

How to be a Bodybuilding Juggernaut
Truly motivated people make a pact with themselves to endure something that hurts. The pain can be physical. It can be emotional. With bodybuilding, it’s both




Damn, nice article bro. Sounds hardcore but true, I like it.

[chewwy]

I need a verdict! :D

Actually, I need lifting straps more, but the $50 would cover that, and a BF caliper, and chalk. When will week 8 come out?

patience is a virtue;)

[ravadongon]

Looks like the results are in people! :D

[The_Ripper]

Changing your routine on a regular basis, hands down is the best way. Mind you state of mind is very important !

[ProBuck]

Most people get discouraged when instant results aren't apparent. It ultimately boils down to one thing...how bad you want it. The mirror made me start working out and it certainly keeps me working out. I'm eating brown rice and grilled chicken breast right now. I used to love chicken. lol Again how bad you want it. :D

[Joey1Nut]

There is no secret to staying motivated long-term.If you can think it, you can do it and if you say your going to workout tomorrow, it really means your never going to workout.You have to break that psychological barrier
of ITS NOW OR NEVER!!!

Give up or litterally abandon television and computer and start using the stereo 24/7 literally while you workout,sleep,rest,benchpress and what not
but if you dont agree to the above i think you should give up your dreams of working out in the long-run and call your workout plan a temporary fix that will go down the drain

Best way to stay motivated is listening to (loud) music,while you workout with medium weights(the weight you can do,12reps constantly on the bench press because bench pressing is a proven fact to raise your
male hormone (testoserone) and your more likely to see results with more test
Second secret is to read the Holy bible for 20 seconds while taking a rest after a set of workout.
Third secret is to take off your shirt and look in the mirror,ask your self do i like the way i look(if not you got to make a change to what you eat).Weight lifters way of Healthy eating is eating eating 1 small meal every 2 hours because if you are hungry you lose 50% of your motivation

Fourth secret is the easiest, if you did all of the above everyday for 3 months you should see results and if not you shouldrepeat the steps above (take off your shirt look in the mirror)
if you look good its time to buy a tight sleeveless shirt and go down to the mall(best way to stay motivated is making the opposite sex attracted to you) im a guy and if alot of girls check you out and look at you with lust in there eyes, you know you accomplish something. this is when its literally hard to quit working out because you will now workout harder because you want more ladies to glance at you with lust.

Think of something your missing and really need(better body)and workout for that
Examples
More ladies to check you out
gaining muscles so that people will start noticing you

[chewwy]

There is no secret to staying motivated long-term.If you can think it, you can do it and if you say your going to workout tomorrow, it really means your never going to workout.You have to break that psychological barrier
of ITS NOW OR NEVER!!!

Give up or litterally abandon television and computer and start using the stereo 24/7 literally while you workout,sleep,rest,benchpress and what not
but if you dont agree to the above i think you should give up your dreams of working out in the long-run and call your workout plan a temporary fix that will go down the drain

Best way to stay motivated is listening to (loud) music,while you workout with medium weights(the weight you can do,12reps constantly on the bench press because bench pressing is a proven fact to raise your
male hormone (testoserone) and your more likely to see results with more test
Second secret is to read the Holy bible for 20 seconds while taking a rest after a set of workout.
Third secret is to take off your shirt and look in the mirror,ask your self do i like the way i look(if not you got to make a change to what you eat).Weight lifters way of Healthy eating is eating eating 1 small meal every 2 hours because if you are hungry you lose 50% of your motivation

Fourth secret is the easiest, if you did all of the above everyday for 3 months you should see results and if not you shouldrepeat the steps above (take off your shirt look in the mirror)
if you look good its time to buy a tight sleeveless shirt and go down to the mall(best way to stay motivated is making the opposite sex attracted to you) im a guy and if alot of girls check you out and look at you with lust in there eyes, you know you accomplish something. this is when its literally hard to quit working out because you will now workout harder because you want more ladies to glance at you with lust.


i think you can incorporate TV and the computer into your bodybuilding lifestyle and still be dedicated...

last paragraph - can't be serious... well, whatever motivates you:p

[Joey1Nut]

i think you can incorporate TV and the computer into your bodybuilding lifestyle and still be dedicated...

last paragraph - can't be serious... well, whatever motivates you:p

Yup im serious about the last paragraph
most body builders have gotten as far as my last paragraph
you dont know what its like untill you gotten good results, to the point opposite sex notice you
its harder to quit bodybuilding after this

[chewwy]

Yup im serious about the last paragraph
most body builders have gotten as far as my last paragraph
you dont know what its like untill you gotten good results, to the point opposite sex notice you
its harder to quit bodybuilding after this
yeah, but i'm sure ronnie coleman doesn't bodybuild just for the ladies...

[Chris_Seal]

Gym is my addiction and my drug....without it, i get really depressed.

I still hate some things like abs ect, but u set goals i guess to get motivated for them......i always feel pumped for the gym.