motivation

[Sandylynn]

Hello,

I was wondering what motivates everyone to keep working out and eating healthy. I'm having a hard time with the eating healthy part. Does anyone know of any motivating bodybuilding books or movies to get inspired? Thanks in advance for your help.

Sandylynn

[MsFit]

Doing contests keeps me motivated. Also, strangely enough, dieting and training motivates me.

Aside from that, I watch a vareity of tapes, such as Pumping Iron II (The Women), Getting Physical (An old 80's flick about female bodybuilding), and past contests I have taped, as well as my own.

I just released a newsletter yesterday on motivation. You might want to checkout my site, The Elite Physique and sign up for a free newsletter under weight loss or female bodybuilding...which ever you prefer.

[hotgymchick]

I actually made a huge list of things that motivate me the other day when I was writing in my journal....a few are:

Running in a division 1 college
wearing anything I want
the pride of being in good physical condition
inspiring others to get their fitness on track

I watch all the rocky movies for motivation. obviously I dont box, but his tenacity motivates me, I really like when he drinks the eggs raw in the morning then goes running up the steps

[playmaker]

hotgymchick i agree with your list but you forgot the most important.....MEN

[Sandylynn]

Hello,

Great answers everyone. Thanks for responding. The reason I asked this question is because I have 100#'s to lose and I have a tendency to get off track. Reading these post helps alot, so keep them coming. Thanks again.

Sandylynn

[hotgymchick]

MEN! haha thanks playmaker.

Pick up a copy of Oxygen, or Muscle and Fitness (and M&F hers). the female models featured are gorgeous representations of physical fitness. no skin and bones anorexics.

AND THE MALE MODELS

Picture him next to you when you are doing cardio. I have on more than one occasion torn out a particularly hot male photo and put it on the cardio machine i was using. Silly, but whos to complain?!

[Laurie]

Nice thread.

Motivation.....let's see.

I've been married for 32 years....so I already have my MAN (grins)

Health, flexibility, strength. I had weighed from 225 up to 260 and back to 240 during those years. Just got tired of it. Could not wear anything near what I wanted.

Although never looked anywhere near those Oxygen models, I do have pictures from my college days when I was 175 and actually looked rather well. Being largeboned, broadshouldered and all. I was riding a 10 speed all over San Diego and was rather fit to begin with from doing yardwork. Played a number of sports in high school in the days it was required for all four years (graduated in 1969). Same thing with College. There was a weights gym in both....but a girl/woman lifting? "Not done" back then.

Loved watching the Saturday "Hercules"/"Tarzan" movies. Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott were my "heroes". Not too many strong women role models back then though. But there were a few.

My motivational viewing is watching the "World Strongest Man"/ "Strongest Women" contests. In the latter, so many women bodytypes to prove you dont have to be an Oxygen model to feel better about yourself. Watching the occasional female/male bodybuilding contests too. May never get to THAT point but can appreciate the determination and work to get there.

My greatest motivation is watching so many women my age, or older, around town who are still trapped and hobble around with aches/pains. Or with physical/health problems from bad eating habits and lack of exercise. I know of some who have had the gastric bypass after trying to lose so much weight for through various ways. I even thought about it at one time when I was 260 for several years. But somehow drifted back down to 240.

Thought I would always be that way.

Then I found lifting. Then this site and all the great people here.

[mirror]

Fear of osteoporosis
Lifting heavier than last time
Stoking up metabolism
Feeling as well as seeing changes in my body
Feeling more powerful mentally as well as physically
more confidence ...

hehe how selfish and vain is that.
thinking about it, I don't do train for any reasons other than self-gratification.

[TrishB]

I've been working out for over 25 years and it is just part of my lifestyle now. But every January I get into a really strict regime of diet and workouts. That is when I set my goals for bikini season.

You really need to set short term goals for yourself. Figure out where you want to be in 12 weeks...and then plan on how to get there. For me, if I have a plan set and put down in writing....both for training and diet....I will follow it.
Keep a daily log, so you can see your progress. It helps to see how well your hard work is paying off.

[Aurora]

Originally posted by MsFit


Aside from that, I watch a vareity of tapes, such as Pumping Iron II (The Women), Getting Physical (An old 80's flick about female bodybuilding

ME TOO! Whenever I feel like I need a picker-upper I watch that movie. Its ~THE~ most motivational flick I have ever seen. You need to check your pulse if that doesnt do the trick.

[Emma-Leigh]

I am well past the 'need external motivation' phase of exercise - I do it now because I feel like crap if I don't. It has become such a part of my life that I am unsure of what would happen without it.

But, there are a few things that motivated me to start:

1. Health - Apart from the important things such as osteoporosis, heart disease, blood pressure etc etc there is nothing better than feeling fit, healthy and strong and knowing that I have the ability to run/lift/move if I need to.

I also love testing my limits - seeing how far I can go, and how much I can cope with!

2. My mother - My mum is amazing. She is 53 years old (I am sure she will not mind me saying that ), 5'6 and 125 pounds and she maintains a BF % of 14% year-round with basically no cardio but a good weights routine. She is asked to model for classes at a local massage therapy school because she has such great musculature (annoyingly.. I happened to inherit my fathers body type... who happens to look like humpty dumpty... **sigh**)... Anyway... she is inspirational!

3. Personality wise, I am slightly 'obsessive'. More specifically, I have OCD personality traits meaning I am slightly prone to 'desires for perfection' that extend to all aspects of my life. So - I have a nearly uncontrollable drive for self-perfection which translated to making myself as fit/healthy/capable as possible.