What keeps you so motivated to train at the gym?

For me most of my life I always been fat. In high school I made alot of dumb choices that cause me to go into depression. Dumb choices that still affects me even till today. I was in such a depression I gained alot of weight (330 pounds) and my life was going nowhere. I got to a point where I didn't know what to do with my life anymore, and I felt like giving up.

But last year I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself, and started figuring out ways to fix my problems. One of my main goals was to lose weight and get healthy. So for months I started watching what I eat and I went to the gym everyday. I ended up losing 67 pounds and I'm now 263. I'm determined to get a nice muscle build no matter how long it takes.

I look at myself in the mirror and imagine having a nice physique 1 day. That's what keeps me motivated to keep training at the gym. I'm still learning about new stuff when it comes to bodybuilding, and I hope to gain more knowledge when the months goes by.

For MY own personal motivation, it really all balls down to me just imaging what I really want to look like...

to help keep me going, I surround myself with alot of positive people who have similar goals of self-improvement (mentally as well as physically), and/or people in groups who strive to keep each other going

It's hard to do things by yourself these days, unfortunately

Im currently in the military so my motivation is to be strong enough to never let my buddies down being too weak or tired to comlpete the mission.

One of the natural pros said something like "Motivated, HA. That would be a step down for me, Im obsessed"
This is how I feel, you have to want it and love doing it. If you reach that point, its harder to not train.

Stepping on stage.

Knowing that as I age, if I don't train, I'll get weaker and my bones will become more fragile. That's no way to live. :o)

I feel for you man, I was in your shoes..Always fat in highschool girls didn't pay me mind...Although id like to believe that i haven't changed for the girls..But They are my motivation,Every week i get better and better,Slimmer and slimmer and one day The vision you Envision will become a reality, Train like a champion today, Live the rest of your life a champion. Best of luck my friend.

Seeing some of my family struggle with health issues because they didn't take care of themselves at a younger age. For me it's not just about looking good shirtless, it's about being healthy

ive worked so hard to get where im at..... started at 140 lbs , former recovering addict, dont wanna lose what i got now... thats my motivation

Always being small and weak as a kid. I missed a lot of school due to illness. Never tried out for sports because I was always too small. Now I'm strong and healthy,, and I have an insatiable drive to get bigger, leaner, faster, and stronger. I think it stems from a sense of loss, having missed out on all those things (sports) as a kid. In a way I think I'm trying to make up for lost time.

The confidence i have gained and the respect i have earned keep me motivated. Gym has changed me mentally more than physically (even though tonnes of people notice the physical change which is always motivating) i now have a attitude that is stronger than ever and all about being the best i can be. My beliefs have changed too i now know i can do anything... i repeat anything in this ****ing world that any other human being can do.

Glad to hear the Positivity on this thread. I know we all have are own obstacles to overcome in life, and even as we age well all still make mistakes. As long as we learn from are mistakes and keep moving forward in life is all that counts. I wish everyone the best of luck and hope you all reach your fitness goals. In the end life is all about doing things that makes you happy, and we all should live life to the fullest.

I used to be chubby too, what motivated me was looking at the pictures when I was fat and thinking to myself I do not want to ever be like that again. Seeing results first hand is what pushes me and it should push you.

Warning: blog ahead.


Junior year of high school; Junior prom was right around the corner. All the guys running around asking girls.
I won't bore you with details; I asked 3 girls to prom, got rejected 3 times. That really shot my self-esteem to hell. I was always a bit of a loser really, but that really put the nail in the coffin.

A month later, the school year was over.
I'm not sure what clicked, but I just got sick and tired of feeling sorry for myself. So on first day of summer break, I got my ass into the gym. Since day 1, I've been determined to never feel sorry for myself ever again. I will never settle for being mediocre ever again. I will never be average ever again.
I have a dream, a vision, and I will achieve it come hell or high water.

Everyone who ever doubted me will see what I am capable of. That's what motivates me most, to prove everyone wrong.

For me personally, I know if I bust my ass on day 1 then the next day I think.. why waste all that effort busting my ass yesterday if I'm gunna slack today? I went through all of that trouble yesterday, I might as well not make it go to waste. And I do this constantly from day to day.. really helps me remember my goals and keep my focus.

Often I think about my 18 yr old self... If only I could go back in time and bitch slap that guy, tell him to man up, tell him to make lifting a permanent facet of his life, to stick with it, to never quit. If I lifted continuously for four years (I'm 22 now), I would be a beast...but I didn't. I kept quitting. Got lazy. And now I am not the best version of myself that I [I]could[/I] have been.

And then I realize: I don't want my 26 yr old self to look back at me four year from now with that same measure of contempt. And therefore, I refuse to quit.

My dad always taught me there would be no solutions without problems and no progress without solutions.


Problems are always a part of everyone's life to what ever degree they are universal. The only difference is the lengths people are prepared to go to to solve their problems. I motivate myself by doing what alot of others do, "Do today what others' won't and tomorrow do what they can't".

My intention to do what it takes to solve my problems is my motivation.

Girls in yoga pants that don't really have any ass but try really hard to make it look like they do/girls that wear padded or push up bras (srs)

Why im doing it?
To prove to myself and to others that im not just a fat useless jerk that if i can put my mind to something i can and will follow it through. Iv done it before and slipped up so this time im going to keep it off.

The only way that I've been able to lose and keep away my obesity is to become a gym rat.

If that's who I have to be, fine, that's who I have to be. I've learned to love what I can and endure what I must. I'm a grown man, it's not all video games and ice cream any more...

You only need the motivation to get started.. then once u start going for a while it becomes a habit and a lifestyle.. ive only been going for four weeks or so and it's like that for me. it's like a car starting and hitting a constant velocity