How to get the motivation back?

[GROTTO]

So before covid I was bodybuilding, super lean and fit. But due to covid and a knee reconstruction I've gone from 65kg to 90kg.

Anyway, I've been getting back into the gym but I've got no motivation, I just do a few different weight exercises without any real conviction.

I've kinda just stopped weight lifting and doing 30 minutes cardio a day now.

Does anyone have any tips on to how to get my head back into the game?

Youre welcome.

 

[GROTTO]

Motivation will always come and go, you need discipline instead. Just keep showing up and it'll get there.

Set really really really small goals. You'll find yourself hitting then easily for a few weeks, then you'll naturally want to increase them

Set yourself a routine and stick to it, the results will come provided you don’t deviate off it.

Short term, your motivation need be nothing more than "I'm a runner" or "I go to the gym 3 times a week" or "I walk the dogs every morning" - as in, that is now who you are, you are not someone who is overwhelmed and doing nothing.

Routine helps bigtime I find for me, it helps get through them ruts, if you're not feeling up for it or have plateaued with a normal sort of workout, then change it up, be it exercise selection or change the volume/intensity/frequency, the rut might be the body needs a rest,

This.

Energy and movement begets more energy and movement. Even on days where you dont want to just grit your teeth and get through it, eventually it becomes routine and you cant imagine life without it (within reason obviously, dont injure yourself).

Great advice by all of you in here, 100% agree.

Be disciplined, small achievable goals, routine and dont injure yourself.

Cager Macleod you mentioned in the OP, you used to be a Body Builder, so you would know well whats required to hit the weights and to succeed in this area.

My advice to you, is work within your limitations given your knee reco.

At least for the time being, set your goal to doing just the body part you enjoy and love the most and put and focus your energy into that. Use this as the stimulus to set the fire in you to then build and progress other body parts over time.

 

[Kram]

On the rare day I can't be bothered once you get up and get going it's always 100% fine.

Rogan is correct, the excuse mentality in today's society is ridiculous. Only has to be very small for a start, even just get out and get some fresh air, go for a walk down at the park for a bit and feed the ducks or something instead of watching TV.

 

[phantom13]

Id generally say i dont agree with Joe but in this case id say hes right.

He even makes the point that "some" unhealthy overweight people genuinely have restrictions on what they can do but the majority find a reason not to (and its really easy and convenient to do that, weve all done it at times).

Discipline trumps motivation every single time and twice on a Sunday. Hes right with the comment about feeling better when you do something physical too. I always force myself to get out for a walk if im hungover and it ALWAYS makes you feel better.

 

[GROTTO]

Id generally say i dont agree with Joe but in this case id say hes right.

He even makes the point that "some" unhealthy overweight people genuinely have restrictions on what they can do but the majority find a reason not to (and its really easy and convenient to do that, weve all done it at times).

Discipline trumps motivation every single time and twice on a Sunday. Hes right with the comment about feeling better when you do something physical too. I always force myself to get out for a walk if im hungover and it ALWAYS makes you feel better.

I found eventually this video, its one was originally looking for.

Its a bit like a cartoon powerpoint presentation so it keeps you alert for the entire time so the points sink in.

 

[evag]

Motivation will always come and go, you need discipline instead. Just keep showing up and it'll get there.

Yes! make it routine.

When I started working out again I decided that it would probably take me about 6 months to feel really good and see significant results. I figured that I could be at 75% performance by then, in 26 weeks. My goals are health and stamina, not major appearance changes.

This is where it gets weird but stay with me. I got motivation by thinking of my performance/effort as charging a battery. So 75 divided by 26 is roughly 3 per week. After 1 week of working out I was still slow, sluggish and tired. But of course I was, I was at 3% battery life. The next week i was at 6 %, and so on. I wouldn't be out of the 'red zone" of my battery until 20%, and that was almost 7 weeks. By then, working out 3 times a week was a habit and I sort of forgot about the battery life thing.

But when I got covid and was out of the gym for 2 weeks I reminded myself that my battery life had drained and I needed to work for a few weeks to bring it back to pre-covid levels.

Some people may think that is a weird way of motivating myself but it worked for me.

 

[EvieL489]

DO! Don't think.
Agree with you, don't over think.

 

[GROTTO]

Some people may think that is a weird way of motivating myself but it worked for me.

Never weird, if it works for you, then its the right approach.

 

[phantom13]

Yes! make it routine.

When I started working out again I decided that it would probably take me about 6 months to feel really good and see significant results. I figured that I could be at 75% performance by then, in 26 weeks. My goals are health and stamina, not major appearance changes.

This is where it gets weird but stay with me. I got motivation by thinking of my performance/effort as charging a battery. So 75 divided by 26 is roughly 3 per week. After 1 week of working out I was still slow, sluggish and tired. But of course I was, I was at 3% battery life. The next week i was at 6 %, and so on. I wouldn't be out of the 'red zone" of my battery until 20%, and that was almost 7 weeks. By then, working out 3 times a week was a habit and I sort of forgot about the battery life thing.

But when I got covid and was out of the gym for 2 weeks I reminded myself that my battery life had drained and I needed to work for a few weeks to bring it back to pre-covid levels.

Some people may think that is a weird way of motivating myself but it worked for me.

That’s far too much math for me but I like it.

 

[GROTTO]

That’s far too much math for me but I like it.

Reminds me of the time, I was looking for four 1.25kg plates so I could put two on each side for my bench press but couldnt find them.

Of course there was plenty of 2.5kg plates laying around.

 

[phantom13]

Reminds me of the time, I was looking for four 1.25kg plates so I could put two on each side for my bench press but couldnt find them.

Of course there was plenty of 2.5kg plates laying around.

To be fair you want aesthetics on your bar. I used to use the same bar for some shoulder work I’d use for bench. Safe to say a 10, 20 and 10 does not look as pretty as 2 x 25s

 

[Kram]

I have the opposite problem, an occasional day off would be beneficial but I just can't not do anything haha.

 

[GROTTO]

I have the opposite problem, an occasional day off would be beneficial but I just can't not do anything haha.

Generally speaking I dont ever plan for a day off. It happens when my body begs me to not go in. Thats when I listen.

I actually look forward to the gym most days I go in. I think its because I go by Push/Pull/Legs, there is one or two exercises I like to really challenge myself and set up goals. Mini goals, lead to bigger goals.

The days that I forced myself to go in when Im being lazy and couldnt be f**ked, Im usually happy to hit the weights after a warm up and dynamic stretch.

Sometimes I think my preworkout drinks are designed just for me to get out the door of my house instead of for lifting weights, lol.

 

[GROTTO]

Didnt want to go to the gym this morning, motivation was shot.

TBH I just couldnt be f**ked. I slept well, reasonably stress free, been eating healthy and body was generally feeling good too, no real injuries or concerns. If two of those 4 categories are screwed, I would have skipped training. I had no excuse. I was hoping to have one, lol.

However, I dont mind admitting I saw a youtube video (may have been on tiktok ) about just being consistent in regards to training. So I managed to roll myself and dawdle into the gym at 6.30, which was damn hard thing to do. My warm up was painfully exhausting and draining to get though. Then the moment happened, my CNS fired up and I managed to hit my workout not only hard but well, had some nice progressive overloads with a lift or two, here and there. Just as importantly I had no injuries, body has a nice feeling of soreness of a good workout. I am glad I did go is the bottom line.

In all my years of training, there has been only been one occasion fortunately, have I ever left the gym and regretted going.

If anyone has trouble of not enjoying or wanting to exercise, I will say this. Try going at different times of the day. I have trained at all crazy times and have to admit hitting the gym early in the morning. Not only does it set the foundation for a great day, but it sets a feeling of accomplishment and it makes it harder to skip due to any variety of problems.

I think if there was one message I could convey to anyone lacking motivation or trying to drive themselves to exercise, is that the gym ( meaning any form of exercise, even just walking) should be considered in the same way that we need and place importance of sleeping properly, eat healthily in having a good balance and looking after our body and mind.

 

[Milpool]

If you can just show up, do your sets of deadlifts or squats and plan to finish I usually find myself keen by the time I'm done and carry on with other stuff, if not, at least you got your main lift in and you're better off than if you hadn't gone, plus then you get the mood boost and psychological boost that usually leads to better choices.

It does help that I just use my dodgy arse squat rack out the back, if I had to get in the car it'd be a different story. I can usually just try trap the kids in the trampoline and do anything and that usually leads to a quick workout.