What inspires you to exercise...

[columbine]

I checked out Scottish country dancing just on a whim, and got hooked! It's sort of like the dancing version of that game Simon, where you get shown a pattern and then try to follow it. It's very beginner-friendly, and I love the music. Dancing is great! And people do it absolutely everywhere, be it salsa, 12-step, Israeli, square dancing, Greek, contra, morris, ballroom... it's pretty easy to find a place to dance, and nearly all (except square dancing, at least around here) encourage switching partners, so you can just go on your own if your sweetie is too busy or self-conscious. If there are too many men or too many women, some just dance the opposite part.

And in Scottish dance, the men dress better than the women!

Love, Columbine

[Flatcoatluver]

I take 5 different dog classes every week and twice a week I am working (my job is on my feet all day). I also like to go shopping. So I don't actually work hard on excercising, but I know that will come once I lose more weight. I also like to go to our neighbor's pond and run around there with the dogs. It keeps all three of us happy. I also like to dance in my room.

[chrangharris]

The fact that since having a baby I only have one pair of jeans that fit the way they are supposed to! On a plus note, I've moved 2 pants sizes down since December! Money is tight and if I want to wear my clothes, I need to get down one more size!

Also, hubby loves that I'm working out and always complimenting me! I think about those compliments and it gets me moving again!

[finn's mom]

Music motivates me. I dance all the time! I swear, it's the ONLY reason I'm not overweight and still pretty toned (at least my lower body anyway). I need to work on my midsection, although I don't dislike the way my body looks dressed. I just want to be able to feel confident in a bikini this summer and with my little pooch, I don't. Eating well gives me the motivation to exercise, too, and lately I've been eating really well and I feel awesome! I haven't had a soda in over a month and I have already lost a few pounds just taking that out. Not to mention the multitude of other things that have improved. It's hard, too, I love Coke!

And, Finn is pretty motivating, too, I have worked hard to get him back into shape, and I don't want him to get chunky again. And, he's just a much better behaved dog if I get him out on a good walk every day.

My energy level goes through the roof when I exercise, too, so that's motivating.

[Rachel]

I don't know that *inspires* applies with me. *Motivates* seems more appropriate. Like Kim, with me it's the health problems that might be avoided by exercising.

Although just because we know something is beneficial doesn't necessarily translate into action. What helps me keep up the exercise routine is just that....making it a routine...a habit...a scheduled part of my day. The momentum of that is what keeps me going. In fact I know that if I miss several days even for a very legitimate reason - like a bad cold - I find it very difficult to get back on track. When I think about missing a day, I talk myself out of it because that *momentum* of just doing it at the same time of the day will be broken and the next day will be so much harder.

I don't enjoy exercising at all, but I do have a sense of *at least I'm doing what I can* for the benefit of my health. It also feels so good to be done with grinding it out.

[kimlovescats]

I think it's neat that a couple of you mentioned dancing. THAT is the best form of exercise I do, and the one that is most likely to get me moving! I recently downloaded a lot of songs from my younger days, and I can't help it, the beat gets me MOVING!

[cyber-sibes]

I need something to get me motivated. I usually walk the whole time I'm at the dogpark, 4-5 times a week in good weather). But I've been pretty lazy this winter, not walking as much. I joined WW, so I've begun to improve my eating habits. The weather is starting to break - now we have flooding instead of snow. I've been taking the dogs to a park with pavement to walk a few times this week.

I'll keep checking these posts for good ideas.

[wolflady]

To give you a perfectly honest answer ... at the moment, it seems NOTHING motivates me to exercise. I used to be very diligent about it, going almost every night to the gym. For some reason, I just can't get with it anymore, and believe me, it shows!

Oh gosh, I'm right there with ya!

I'm a really unmotivated person, which sucks because I know I need to lose weight, and I know I'll feel better once I do...it's just so hard to get up off that couch! I know I can do it, because I was in good shape before when I was going to step aerobics and kickboxing classes regularly. It's easy to go when I have someone to go with, but once I don't have anyone...I tend to slack. It's boring going anywhere/doing anything by yourself, so it's just so hard for me. I look in the mirror and am disgusted at what I see, so you would think that alone would motivate me. *sigh* I wish it did...because my lack of energy is just downright...tiring!

I'm starting a new job at my old company on Monday, and when I was there the first time, I did go to the gym at lunch hour (since it was conveniently right across the street), so maybe I'll try to get back into that.

[carole]

I hope by starting this thread i will indeed help motivate some of you to do some exercise.

If anyone lacked motivation it was me, let me tell you why, i have fibromyalgia, you will have seen a post on it on PT, as some of our other member's here also have this chronic illness.,it affects many things, especially one's muscles,tendons and ligament, one aches all the time, and suffers from chronic fatigue,The best way i could describe this to you, is imagine when you have the flue how your muscles ache and how unwell you feel, that is what Fibro is like alot of the time, so exercise although necessary is extremely difficult for myself and fellow sufferers,it really does take me a hellava lot of motivation to get up and get on that treadmill.

Let me tell you though i am feeling so much better, about myself and my efforts, i have gone from no exercise literally to doing 5 kilometres a week now, I worked it out in a month I am actually walking from my city to another town and back, how's that folks? i have two days off to rest my aching muscles, i do weights for my arms and some tummy exercises,the best part is after three months of this i can now see some muscle developing in my arms and legs,yeah I'm no body builder, but it really is working and great for me to see.

So folks anyone who is feeling despondent about the thought of exercising, as i was, I hope you can read my post and get some inspiration from it.

I was in two minds about buying a treadmill, one i was not sure it was the right exercise machine for me,two i really could not afford it,and three i was scared i would do it for a while and it would be gathering dust, not so, i am more inspired to double what i am doing, but have learn't rome was not built in a day, and am taking it slowly.