No Energy No Motivation - This is no fun

[thumper880]

Over a year ago I got into a pretty good routine of working out 5 times a week and eating right. Lost 25 pounds and felt great.
Just 3 months ago fell off the wagon and stopping going to the gym (partially because of a new business we opened up but mainly it was just an excuse).
Now I am trying to dig myself out of this hole. Started eating right but still don't have any motivation. I am lethargic most of the time. Have cancelled on my PT 3 times already.....
Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

[JTraining]

Over a year ago I got into a pretty good routine of working out 5 times a week and eating right. Lost 25 pounds and felt great.
Just 3 months ago fell off the wagon and stopping going to the gym (partially because of a new business we opened up but mainly it was just an excuse).
Now I am trying to dig myself out of this hole. Started eating right but still don't have any motivation. I am lethargic most of the time. Have cancelled on my PT 3 times already.....
Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

I can relate......I think we have all been there at one time or another. I recommend that next time you feel unmotivated to work out go to your room and close the door. Get 100% naked and stare at the extra fat hanging on your body and ask yourself.........Am I OK being this way???? Am I OK going to the beach and taking my shirt off and letting people stare at my fat rolls????

I know this sounds a little harsh and kookie but trust me......it works. Our mind has a way of tricking us into not doing the work it needs to do to facilitate change. Visual cognitive therapy is very effective and makes us face our situation head on.

Good luck on making your break through!

[BrotherWolf]

Over a year ago I got into a pretty good routine of working out 5 times a week and eating right. Lost 25 pounds and felt great.
Just 3 months ago fell off the wagon and stopping going to the gym (partially because of a new business we opened up but mainly it was just an excuse).
Now I am trying to dig myself out of this hole. Started eating right but still don't have any motivation. I am lethargic most of the time. Have cancelled on my PT 3 times already.....
Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

It's hard but you need to find motivation within yourself, once you start it's easier to continue..
what really really helps is to see immediate results and that should be enough motivation ...

Follow a precise plan or program and stick to it and when you're done you'll have enough experience to be able to take breaks and not lose motivation...

I did "Starting strength" for 9 or so months I stuck to it until the end.. now lifting is just part of my daily life , just like work, sex, eating or sleeping..
The best part was seeing results right away , that kept me motivated along with seeing how far I could take it

[ehode]

When I need some motivation I typically will watch some of the bodybuilding motivational videos on youtube. Always gets me jazzed to work out.

You could always sign up for a 5k or 10k 3 months out and you'll find yourself having to run somewhat on a schedule. Then you'll find yourself hitting the weights since you got that groove back.

I think setting a beach vacation sounds like a great motivation.

[wendyreddinger]

Think about if you don't get moving now all the health problems that could occur as you get older!!! I just look at my own family and their unhealthy habits-----and diseases and issues that have plagued them---------IT WON'T BE ME!!!! Will it be you???

[ironwill2008]

Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

You don't need "gems of wisdom;" you need to get off you butt. I don't know what you expect anyone on an internet forum to tell you.

[djflex]

Think about if you don't get moving now all the health problems that could occur as you get older!!! I just look at my own family and their unhealthy habits-----and diseases and issues that have plagued them---------IT WON'T BE ME!!!! Will it be you???

good post , red no more I say



OP Hang two picture on your bathroom mirror, one of you now and one of your ideal physique. Keep them there and look at them every day ...just a thought

kinda like Rocky did when he posted Drago's picture..

[BBLou]

Set a new goal for yourself, one that is not easy and bust your ass to get there. Challenge yourself. That's the best motivation...

[paolo59]

LOL Going through something similar at the moment myself. I am normally jacked to go to the gym, can't wait til' my next workout. Lately I've been moping around and have had no desire to lift a weight. I don't know if it's the back to work blues after the summer vacation, or perhaps this hideous North Texas heatwave we're experiencing at the moment. Regardless, I've got to shake myself out of this present state of mind and lethargy and hit it. It's just after 7:00 P.M. am about to have a glass of SuperPump and I'll be hitting shoulders and chest within the hour. We'll see how it goes. Good luck to you! Sometimes you've just got to drag yourself to the gym regardless of how you feel.

[VoxExMachina]

I'm sorry to tell you, but you have to figure out how to find motivation from within yourself. Since people work out for different reasons, you have to find yours. All the motivational sayings, videos, or pictures in the world are only temporary kick-starters.

It's a matter of your dissatisfaction with how you currently look being enough to overcome your complacency.

That said, here a few thoughts that may resonate with you:

• The more in shape you are, the longer it will take for you to "rot" away as you age.
• Your quality of life over the next 40 years will be better
• If you put in the work, day in and day out, eventually it'll become a lifestyle and motivation will be easier to keep. So just commit to working out regularly for 3 months, and don't think about everything you need to achieve. Baby steps...

This always helps me, too:

[Marius_Ursus]

Over a year ago I got into a pretty good routine of working out 5 times a week and eating right. Lost 25 pounds and felt great.
Just 3 months ago fell off the wagon and stopping going to the gym (partially because of a new business we opened up but mainly it was just an excuse).
Now I am trying to dig myself out of this hole. Started eating right but still don't have any motivation. I am lethargic most of the time. Have cancelled on my PT 3 times already.....
Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

As someone who has been amazingly inconsistent and made all sorts of excuses over the years and suffered from occasional bouts of depression, all I can advise is for you to get in the gym and start doing it regardless of how you feel. In my experience motivation follow effort when I can't get my ass moving.

[janzbot71]

I'm with the others in this thread who are telling you to just put one foot in front of the other, "jump off the diving board", "crap or get off the pot", etc.

It's what your post is all about -- so just don't skip the next PT session, or the one after that. Soon it will be a habit. Just do the first step and don't skip your next session. Then get back to us.

[yakabebe]

Ran across this a while back and you would be well served to have a read.

The best way to change your mental state is by understanding the outcome of negativity. Carefully read the consequences of negative attitude and they will serve as reminders as soon as your mood goes down. You will think twice before getting upset, angry or depressed. And Yes, you cause your own mood and you can change it by simply focusing on good aspects of your life or imagining something positive. You are not at the mercy of different kinds of negative feelings that visit you when you least expect. You can control how you feel.

As soon as you spot a negative aspect of a situation or thing, try your best to find its positive aspect instead. For example, if you oversleep, you will think that you will be late for work. Instead try to find something positive that you gain from over-sleeping. You may realise that your efficiency will increase significantly because of the extra hours of sleep. So always look at the positive aspects of any situation that you find yourself in.

You should try to understand what causes your negative attitude. It might be that you live with a person who constantly ruins your mood or it may also be something to do with your past. Maybe something happened to you that made you deeply upset and you have not recovered from that incident since. Try to understand that the incident is long gone, and you should not live in the shadow of it. Your past can only have influence on your present if you let it. Remember, your whole power is in the present moment.

Positive thinking is not enough. If you cannot find the cause of your negative attitude, you will only cover this attitude with positive words which will do no good to you. So try to find the cause of it and this will allow you to change your negative attitude.

Sometimes causes are internal rather than external. In fact, any external cause will lead you to the deeper, internal cause. For example, you might understand that you are negative because your family makes you negative. But when you dig deeper, you may realize that you feel unworthy as a person and you project this unworthiness onto your family and that makes you angry at them. It's true that the qualities you don't like in other people are yours, so it's not others that are at fault but you. So in this example you uncover that it's your limiting belief of unworthiness that makes you negative. The next step will be to eliminate it and then your attitude will improve.

[whatevergirl]

It's hard but you need to find motivation within yourself, once you start it's easier to continue..
what really really helps is to see immediate results and that should be enough motivation ...

Follow a precise plan or program and stick to it and when you're done you'll have enough experience to be able to take breaks and not lose motivation...

I did "Starting strength" for 9 or so months I stuck to it until the end.. now lifting is just part of my daily life , just like work, sex, eating or sleeping..
The best part was seeing results right away , that kept me motivated along with seeing how far I could take it

^^ I like this advice.

I agree...and sometimes motivation doesn't really come before the workout, but sort of comes in spite of it. There are times when I don't 'wanna' but remember the accomplishments from the time before...and that gets me moving.

If you are physically struggling...like it's more physical than mental, OP...are you getting enough sleep? Nutritionally, how are things? Are you taking any supps? I just started on an energy supp...and even if you don't ''wanna'' work out ...YOU WILL on this stuff. (it's called jack3d) Not saying you should take a supp...but sometimes, we just need a little boost to get us going.

I hope you find what works. This is all about consistency...and doing the things you don't always want to do. Good luck!

[StressMonkey]

How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

If it's really frustrating you then there seems to be a simple solution to end the frustration. A bunch of strangers can't make you want something for yourself.

[uncbob]

Just keep looking in the mirror--naked if possible

If that doesn't motivate you then you aren't vain enough

[IronCharles]

First thing you need to do is identify WHY you want to go to the gym. Without clear direction, it's difficult to focus.

Take a piece of paper and write down all the reasons you want to get in shape. Also write down all the negatives you can think of that could happen to you if you don't take control of your health. Post the list somewhere where you can see it every day.

Make some simple goals for yourself, that you can achieve without a lot of difficulty. Say, you want to lose 5 pounds by the end of the month, or you want to be able to bench press 50 more pounds within 6 months, or you want to be able to fit back into your suit or your favorite pair of jeans by your High School reunion, or something similar. Don't make it a daunting goal, like "I want to lose 75 pounds" or "I want to win a bodybuilding contest next year", or something else not likely to happen. Make it something that is reasonably within reach.

Also, watch this video. This man's story has motivated many of us on this site. I have met him, and he is genuine and straightforward. The things he has been able to accomplish are proof that you CAN overcome the odds, you CAN better your life, and you CAN find the motivation within yourself to get the job done.


http://videos.bodybuilding.com/watch...ng-oldsuperman

[beachguy498]

Think about if you don't get moving now all the health problems that could occur as you get older!!! I just look at my own family and their unhealthy habits-----and diseases and issues that have plagued them---------IT WON'T BE ME!!!! Will it be you???

I have about a zillion people that cross my path every day that motivate me not to be that guy!

BG

[pharmamarketer]

IMO No one here will be able to help other than maybe make you feel better with a verbal band aid. You will need to get through this on your own and figure out what gets you motivated. I have had my own struggle in the past so i know this to be the truth for me

[PSUinDC]

What does "eating right" mean to you? This probably doesn't sit well with the majority of the people in these forums, but I've felt 10x better when I've eaten a "Paleo" type diet with no grains and no sugars. You get completely off that roller coaster of insulin high then insulin crash (feeling crappy).

Most people in this thread are pushing to amp up your "motivation", but if you feel crappy because of diet choices, even if you think its right, then there might be another way to work through this rut.

Just my 2cents.

[Firminator4]

Over a year ago I got into a pretty good routine of working out 5 times a week and eating right. Lost 25 pounds and felt great.
Just 3 months ago fell off the wagon and stopping going to the gym (partially because of a new business we opened up but mainly it was just an excuse).
Now I am trying to dig myself out of this hole. Started eating right but still don't have any motivation. I am lethargic most of the time. Have cancelled on my PT 3 times already.....
Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

Like many others have said here - my advice is "get in the gym". There are times when I don't feel like working out especially this summer when it has been so hot and humid that it feels like all the energy is just being sucked out of you everyday.

I go to the gym regardless. Once I get into that environment - I RARELY have a bad workout. One set becomes two sets, two sets becomes three and away I go. It is virtually impossible for me to not feel good when I'm in the gym. I'm addicted to the sound of weights clacking against each other and looking around me and seeing people all trying to be better today than they were yesterday. Just go and I'm sure things will work out for you.

Good Luck

[Robosco]

Have you considered buying your own equipment and setting up a home gym? It might not be as good as a real gym but it has several advantages. It cuts down travel time to gym. It's also easier to get back into shape because it's right there. Setting up the gym is motivation enough. Less chitchat between sets will make your total workout time shorter. You'll constantly improve and upgrade your gym, which adds to your motivation.

[Brackneyc]

I've been called out on this before, but I'll say it anyway, because I believe it to be 100% true. You just don't want it yet. That is all that it is. Unless you have an undiagnosed medical condition (including mental issues, such as depression), you simply have not yet hit the point (sometimnes called "the bottom") where it (your health and overall fitness) is important enough to you to put it out in front of all the excuses.

Once you get there, you will know it. It will "feel" different than ever before. Unfortunately, some folks never get there. Not much you can do about that. When you do, it will seem easy, almost addictive in a manner of speaking.

[snoack]

I've been called out on this before, but I'll say it anyway, because I believe it to be 100% true. You just don't want it yet. That is all that it is. Unless you have an undiagnosed medical condition (including mental issues, such as depression), you simply have not yet hit the point (sometimnes called "the bottom") where it (your health and overall fitness) is important enough to you to put it out in front of all the excuses.

Once you get there, you will know it. It will "feel" different than ever before. Unfortunately, some folks never get there. Not much you can do about that. When you do, it will seem easy, almost addictive in a manner of speaking.

this probably sums it up as well as anything I've read on this forum in any of the many "help, I'm not motivated" threads.

Training can't just be something you do. It has to be who you are.

[creationd]

Over a year ago I got into a pretty good routine of working out 5 times a week and eating right. Lost 25 pounds and felt great.
Just 3 months ago fell off the wagon and stopping going to the gym (partially because of a new business we opened up but mainly it was just an excuse).
Now I am trying to dig myself out of this hole. Started eating right but still don't have any motivation. I am lethargic most of the time. Have cancelled on my PT 3 times already.....
Any gems of wisdom will be welcome...How do I do it..this is frustrating me inside out

Lots of really good advice here, but I think it boils down to just going back to the gym.
What is stopping you? It's you. You got to go back regardless of how badly you want to stay home. I feel this way from time to time and I just push myself through it, and I am always happy I did. It seems the time you take off from working out flies by compared to the days you do workout, so be careful if you do not start now you will be looking back at a year from now, then two years, three, four years gone. Just do it, that is all I can say.

[whatevergirl]

I've been called out on this before, but I'll say it anyway, because I believe it to be 100% true. You just don't want it yet. That is all that it is. Unless you have an undiagnosed medical condition (including mental issues, such as depression), you simply have not yet hit the point (sometimnes called "the bottom") where it (your health and overall fitness) is important enough to you to put it out in front of all the excuses.

Once you get there, you will know it. It will "feel" different than ever before. Unfortunately, some folks never get there. Not much you can do about that. When you do, it will seem easy, almost addictive in a manner of speaking.

I somewhat agree, and have seen you post this before. The only thing I'll say to it is...I think that people 'want' it...they just don't want to go through the pain of getting there. And there is pain and suffering along the way of any journey...of any goal worth achieving. So, the RESULT is wanted, but the steps getting there just seem ''too'' arduous, and thus the motivation wanes. I think that's more it.

OP--You can do this. You just have to do it, EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO. That is it. No magic bullet...just get to the gym or wherever you work out, and tell yourself, I'm going to lift for 30 minutes today, no matter what. When you're done with those 30 minutes? Set another goal for next time. The whole picture of where you want to be may seem daunting, but if you break down your goal into bite sized pieces, and knock those out day by day, you'll inch closer to your overall goal. Only bite off what you can chew right now...and you'll get there. But, do something...life's too short to have regrets.

Good luck to you!!

[BDrum72]

It's hard but you need to find motivation within yourself, once you start it's easier to continue..
what really really helps is to see immediate results and that should be enough motivation ...

Follow a precise plan or program and stick to it and when you're done you'll have enough experience to be able to take breaks and not lose motivation...

I did "Starting strength" for 9 or so months I stuck to it until the end.. now lifting is just part of my daily life , just like work, sex, eating or sleeping..
The best part was seeing results right away , that kept me motivated along with seeing how far I could take it

Exactly-it needs to be so ingrained in your life its like brushing your teeth and you won't feel right without working out.

[Dw33z1L]

I like the whole "standing naked in front of the mirror" thing. I do that all the time. ;-)

Srsly though, stand in front of the mirror and take a long, hard, honest look at yourself in your birthday suit. Preferably, while you're woofing down a donut or some other fattening piece of garbage. Look at yourself while you stand there eating that crap. Is that what you want?

OR, do you want to be able to look better than the men half your age; to be healthier at 50 than you were at 25; to live a longer, healthier life; for your wife to look at you with "that" look in her eyes; to lay on the living room floor and bench your kids just for the heck of it; to open pickle jars like no one's bidness; etc. Or...do you just want another donut and SETTLE for buying larger clothes, to not take your shirt off at the pool/beach, to make excuses why you shouldn't do things with the kids, and have another donut.

Going to the gym, at times, can be a royal pain in the backside. BUT, even on the days when going to the gym is the last thing I want to do, I go. Even if it's a crappy workout, it's better than sitting at home on my a55 eating Doritos and watching reruns of Seinfeld...any lard a55 can do that. It takes a special person to push themself beyond that and do something for themself. Didn't you ever listen to Mr. Rogers? You're special. Now get off your a55 and just go to the gym and quitcherbitchin. :-)

[mikieson]

OP..I have been going through some of the hardest crap Ive been through over the last nearly 2 months. I know what you mean about losing the battle at times. Its going to happen. BUT...in the end bro...Its up to you to dig your arsss out of it and get on with what you KNOW is right.

Lifting iron isnt so much about the iron...Its about the discipline and struggles "to me anyways"..You have to WANT to get in there, sweat,burn,puke,..and yes...Even on those days you think you have a headache, or dont feel good. You have to MAKE yourself. Its more of a spiritual journey than anything.

Good luck and hang in there...NOT because we said so...BUT because YOU want it.

[arsene]

If you are not ready to go to the gym, see your PT, eat right, etc., but want to make your first step that doesn't take any effort whatsoever, start a journal on this forum. Type out your thoughts, questions, whatever. Keep at least one entry daily. Before you know it, you'll be doing more than just typing. It has worked for me.