For those of you who are overweight and just got started exercising...

[Nocturnal]

How is it going? Are you still motivated? I'm having a really hard time getting into a motivation mode. I can obviously see the benefits of doing this and getting into shape. I'll give you an example. I like look that guy John who posted his before and after pictures on this forum. I look exactly like his before picture. I have a GF right now but I mean I'm sure no other girls dig me from the looks that I get. So I mean I would feel a lot better about myself if I could honestly say I'm looking good, I feel good, etc etc.

MOTIVATION SUCKS WHEN YOU LACK IT!

 

[ThaGrandCow]

The first few days are the toughest. After you see your stomache getting smaller (lose that first inch) or your arms getting bigger, or your pecs being more defined, even just a little bit, you'll have all the motivation you'll need.

 

[Darein]

I found it got easier with time to work out. I dropped 50lb last year without working out much. Now I've been going to the gym 4-5 times a week and am starting to see some visible muscle growth, so it is getting to the point where I might actually look good in a few months. And that drives me to work out harder.

 

[BigSmooth]

You just have to get into a routine of exercising daily and break yourself of bad habits (i.e. I don't feel like going out so I'll have a pizza delivered). Once you make exercising just another part of your day, it's not a big deal.

Yeah, it's tough, but you just have to keep your goals in mind. Good luck.

 

[Nocturnal]

So once you keep at it, it eventually gets easier?

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
So once you keep at it, it eventually gets easier?

Yeah.

I have been training for about 4 years now. At times I just can't be assed but try to exercise with people. I train at a club (Olympic Lifting) and the atmosphere and the people make it easier.

I train because I want to be the best that I can be an win. You see changes, you see yourself lift better and more.

Set targets and goals for yourself. Break them and set higher ones. You will get MOTIVATED!!!!

YOU CAN DO IT!

 

[Wingznut]

Everyone is correct... Results are motivation.

I changed my eating habits about two weeks ago. (Notice that I didn't say "I started a diet", which would imply it being temporary.) Every now and then I think how much I would love to grab a burger or candy bar, but then I just can't do it knowing that I'd be pissing away all the hard work thus far.

 

[RealWarlock]

I'm still doing it ever since John the guy who lost 30 - 40 Ibs by posting his result in here last week.

I started last wednesday and checked my weight this morning... lost 3 Ibs!

 

[Feanor727]

I've been going for about 3 weeks now. I got uber-sick about 10 days ago and stopped for a few days, but I picked it back up once I got better. I just started weight-training in addition to the cardio I've been doing, and believe it or not just the weight training has motivated me more than anything else. That feeling I get right after doing a strenuous upper-body workout is probably the best I've felt in the past 3 years. It hurts like hell, but it's a good kind of hurt.

As far as the workout goes, I've been doing between 30 and 45 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week on an "Elliptical Machine" (kinda hard to explain unless you've seen them. looks like a stair-stepper, but the motion is mostly horizontal due to an elliptical flywheel that the "steps" are connected to.) with varying levels of resistance and incline to keep my heart rate between 140 and 160 the entire time (I warm up walking to the gym). The resistance and incline also give my calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes a good workout. The upper-body stuff I've been doing involves nautilus machines that do reverse-crunches, benchpress, double-chest, curls and shoulder presses. My goal is 3 sets of 15, but since I just started I've only been able to do 1 set of 10, 1 of 15 and 1 of 5-7 before my muscles turn completely to water.

When I was just doing cardio, it was kinda hard to motivate myself (the TVs in front of the machines helped though *hangs head in shame*), but the weight-training has really pushed me over the edge. I actually look forward to going to the gym and am having to hold myself back so that I don't do any damage.

 

[StageLeft]

Results are motivation as mentioned. Also you need to TRULY believe you can acheive your goals. A lot of people don't actually believe that they can look thin and hot like a big stud, but in actual fact they can if they really want to and give it a go. You can acheive your goals. So when you start and see results the motivation will kick in.

Of course for many - in fact most - in time the motivation goes, so you need to search within your soul why it's gone and why you originally had it and I think keeping it at that point is different for everyone. You can consider health, looks, etc.

 

[BD231]

I've lost 170 pounds, motivation shouldn't be a problem if you really want to loose the weight. My biggest problem was holding the mental toughness in my diet. I'm not really sure how I did it, outside of the three miles of running a day and the cutting of all breaded foods and drinks with sugar, I'd have to say getting strong and fast was my biggest goal. Now that I'm there, I can get away with eating junk food every once in a while and feel ok about it. I've yet to completely break the attatchment to food, but it's leaps and bounds better than before.

Break your emotional attachment to food, and connect yourself to life, friends and family. You will not regret it Nocturnal, the biggest key to staying slim is accepting a lifestyle change. Eat meats and veggies whenever possible, let junk food be the stuff you have rarely and your set.

 

[simms]

Ever since I saw John's page, I've been taking daily vitamins. I'll start working out after ISUs... seriously.

-Simon

 

[JohnStoneFl]

Keep at it guys, you all can do it! If you have access to a digital camera I highly recommend taking pictures of yourself each day. If you take them in the same place and then make a simple animated gif in using the before/current pictures, the subtle changes that are taking place each day become much more apparent. That is one of the ways I stayed motivated before I could see any visible changes. The little victories will help fuel your desire as you progress. I think the trick to making it happen is to not just get the ball rolling, but to really throw yourself into it 100%. If you go at it half-assed your interest will eventually wane, you'll get bored and you will not succeed. When you wake up each morning your goals should be the first thing you think about. You should plan your days around them. You'll have to sacrifice to do that--I did--but it was worth it. I work 60 hours a week, I'm married and I have friends, so it's not like I have tons of free time. I just made the time. If I can do it, so can you.

 

[RealWarlock]

I also noticed that my waist is now 43.5", which used to be 45".

That's pretty good for the first week.

 

[StageLeft]

Good thing about losing weight is the easiest time to do it is at the beginning. When your metabolism is racing and you're overweight you'll find it very easy to start noticing a difference on the scale. There's a reason why people say "The last 10 pounds are the tricky ones". When you're overweight by a lot the first 10 pounds are really a breeze and should set the stage for your continued progress.