What's YOUR motivation?
 

Alrighty- so I've gone about oh, eight years of my life saying that THIS was it, I was gonna lose weight, I was gonna start exercising. A few times I've managed to keep exercising, mainly when I had a health and fitness class that made me go to the gym to get a grade. And I've lost weight those times too, even when I wasn't being totally rigorous and going to the gym every day. And this year, I told myself again, THIS was it, I was going to do it, and I did for a while, but then, I stopped.

I looked at myself today and thought "this just isn't me anymore." I don't look like how I want to, and I feel like my body isn't a true representation of ME.

I know some of you will have snide comments about how I should get off my lazy ass, and I'm past all that. I wanna know what keeps you motivated? I live in an apartment complex with a 24 hour access gym facility, and I feel like if it was just 100 yards closer to my apartment, I *might* be motivated to go; when I say that to myself I feel so ridiculous for being so un-motivated. I'd really appreciate any and all help with how to start/ where to start/ how to maintain/ how to lose weight steadily. I've had a comprehensive health and fitness course, so I know about heart rate and fat burning zone and diet and things like that. But I still need some help!

So, all you wonderful TFPers (and you guys are great about giving advice on anything!), what did YOU do to get off the couch? What was YOUR motivation?

ps- feel free to PM me if you have any good, long winded (or even short winded) suggestions/advice for how to actually go about changing my lifestyle.

Sophmore year of college. I just decided to lose some weight, started swimming and running every night followed a few months later by going weightlifting occasionally. Now that I'm down to a more appropriate weight for my build (157 light build, down from 200) I'm going to gain endurance for sports and muscle for strength and to a lesser extent, to look better. Of course, the eye candy at college gyms is a plus too :). I really don't know what keeps me motivated however. I do enjoy the sports and lifting is ok since I run into a lot of friends at the gym. My motivation used to be looking better to help me get girls more interested (shallow, but seemed like a good idea when I started) but I've pretty much failed at that so I don't really know anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if it were the feeling that I would fall back into my high school self if I stopped. Hopefully that makes sense, although it's of dubious help.

I never was really overwieght, but I go to the gym several times a week to work out any stress or anger I have. I also like to go to the gym before I go out at night (around 5 I'll go so I have time to shower and change and go out by 7:30) because it makes me feel much more self confident and when I look in the mirror I always look 1000 times better than before. Once you get into a routine then you don't really need to worry about being motivated because you will automatically do it.

depression.. getting out and doin something keeps that shit away.. that and i wanna get back to how i was when i graduated from highschool.. i want that 8pack back

I say "you can read that book if you're going to be on an exercise bike", so I hop on down and read for half an hour before doing a round of weights. :)

I get a bit irritable if I don't go to the gym these days, so thats pretty much why i go! :)

Well SAGE, I was kind of in the same boat as you. After highschool, I was about 150 and I am 5'11" with the skrawny body. I had a neck and head together looked like an upside down triangle. My neck was was very, VERY thin and I had bad posture because of it. I wanted to get bigger and fill myself out. I went to the gym and I kept thinking, I know it will take a while but it will all be worth it. Before I knew it, I am 195 and I can bench around 260. I went for my driver's licence photo and I really saw the difference. Now all I can think about when I go is I don't want to look like my old licence.

I never lost my baby weight, other than the actual baby and loss of accumulated fluids...about 20 extra pounds. I just decided I was tired of looking like that, I wanted to fit comfortably in my clothes again and I refused to buy bigger ones. Plus, I want to look decent for my upcoming high school reunion, which is vain of me, but it's the honest truth.

my health. Ended up in hospital with 245/155 blood pressure and no known cause (not really overweight & don't smoke) also suffer anxiety decided to try & help myself and joined the local gym. Haven't really lost weight but bp and anxiety have improved.

I just wanted to look better, plain and simple. I've always been skinny and just wanted to add something to it. I'm still not what I want to be but I'm much closer than I was before. And actually, now I'm dieting to lose a little bit of fat on my stomach to bring out my abs, and so far it's working. I really like what I see in the mirror nowadays and that makes me happy so I plan to keep it up.

And I keep doing it because I really enjoy it. I love being in the gym and always look forward to it, even on the dreaded leg days. So it's not a chore for me to go or to keep up with it, to me it's just a lot of fun.

thank you guys SO very very much! Keep posting your motivations! I'm on my way to finding mine... I know that if I go enough, I'll start liking it a lot (this has happened before) but it's the starting it up that I always have trouble with!

My best motivation was probably my brother. He works out more than I do, so if I ever feel like I want to work out but just can't, I can pretty much just look at him and be inspired (him being the younger brother, and shorter than me, I feel that I should have more muscle ;) ). My competitiveness has waned, but it's still a good motivator to see family members or friends doing what you want to do.

It took me so long to actually get out there and start to train... So many times of starting and then giving up till eventually I felt so bad I just did it and kept going. My SO has helped me a lot, and needing to train to get my black belt got me out there as well.

My father was never very active and his health started to deteriorate from about age 40. I promised myself that I would never let my health deteriorate due to something I didn't do. My wife encourages me to stay in shape and she is also pretty good about keeping in shape. We figure it's better to do this than to spend our old age crippled by heath problems. Finally, since I work a desk job, it's a nice change to get out and do something in the countryside.

I started working out about a year and a half ago because I wanted to get stronger and look better. I stay motivated because every couple of weeks I'm able to lift a little more weight, or I'll notice a little more muscle definition when I look in the mirror. Getting in shape has all but eliminated all the everyday aches and pains that I used to deal with. Not to mention that working out is the best stress relief I can think of. I look forward to getting to the gym after a rough day at work. There are so many benefits that I couldn't imagine stopping now.

It used to be for looks, I was tired of being the skinny guy that everyone under-rated during sports. That has changed now, I really don't care what people think of me.

When I was 19 I herniated two disks in my lower back. I hate taking pain pills so I tried looking for ways to get rid of the pain and discovered that strengthening my stomach fould help. Now one disk is in great shape and the other is mildly dehydrated, and I have no back pain. So I keep working out partially to keep the pain away.

Second reason: I picked up rock climbing about 4 years ago. So I keep my arms and legs strong because my life depends on it.

I think people generally make the decision for one of two reasons: either approach or avoidance. They either want to move towards something--looking good in their bathing suit, looking good for a reunion, improving their quality of life, looking better to the opposite sex, or they want to move away from something--looking out of shape, being in poor health, not having as many dates as they would like, and so forth.
Probably a combination of the two is best for long term fitness motivation, you have to both be disgusted with your current state, and also want an improved one.
I find that the best kind of workout is when you don't even know your working out. For instance i love to mountain bike (when the trails aren't covered by 2 feet of snow) and find that this activity is both invigorating and a good workout. Another plus to this is that I can go with my friends. If you are considering getting off the couch, I would highly suggest that you try to do it with someone who has similar goals, training partners are a huge difference maker.
I think at least a good portion of my fitness regimen is for vanity's sake, and don't see too much wrong with it. I also want to be able to be healthy into my older years and not have to use a walker the day I retire.

We have a great support/buddy system at our University for our Football program.

If you don't do your weights, you're responsible to your teammates. We keep eachother motivated.

I lift to I can look good, actually be better at breaking, and it's all for the ladies!

I started hitting the gym really hard to train for different races. Nothing is better than finishing a race no matter how long or short. Sign up for a 5K to start small and then train for it.

Traithlon's of any lenght really keep my motivation up, and then it is to beat my own score. After you get started you will really start liking the way you look and your overall confidence will get better. You will feel better and that will motivate you. Just find whatever works for you and stick to it. You can't let a bad week or weekend let you stop the routine. Find another person to work out with to keep the motivation. Good luck and keep us posted on your success!

After trying everything from work out partners to betting on my work out consistency, I finally found motivation. My wife. I met a beautiful girl a few years back who quite simply was in the best shape I've ever seen. She flirted with me and I got her number. I realized that in order to compete with other guys who might try to charm this beautiful and wonderful woman, I'd not only need to be intelligent, charming, confident, a dork, and friendly, but in excelent shape. At the time, I was about 223 pounds with a belly and little definition. A few years later, and quite a bit of work, I am holding at about 170 pounds and I can sprint for about a mile without stopping. No belly, little body fat, superior health (I haven't been sick in well over a year) and a better night's sleep than I thought possible have been perks. My wife and I have a beautiful daughter and will be together for the rest of our lives.

I started working regularly 3 years ago, started running 3 miles every other day and gradually moved up (started lifting weights too). Now I'm up to 25-30 miles a week and can run a 5:40 minute mile. I started because my sister started running one summer we were both home working during college. I stuck to it basically to show her that I could. Now my motivation is much much different. I have gotten in the best shape of my life and I feel that if I were to lose that I would be letting myself down BIG TIME. I also love the way I look (shallow I know), I love the way exercising makes me feel and I love that I am succeeding at something.

I lift and do other stuff so I can eat and look decent. A side benefit is that I feel great. when that happens, I get the motivation to push longer on the cardio, and that ;eads tofeeling even better and eventually pushing ecen harder. It's a positive cycle I can live with - no pun intended!

I realized how fat, unhappy, and lazy I really was and decided to take a plunge. On my 24th birthday, I stepped on the scale and it was 201 lbs. I still had the mindset that I was 150 lbs like when I was 18.

I followed a friend to the gym and he got me on an elliptical. I thought I was gonna die from just 15 minutes of it. My HR was around 190 when I was barely moving on it, and I realized that I only burned about 200 cals in that time...

So, the next day, I started browsing forums on nutrition and exercise and since then I've been hooked.

I'm now a semi-lean 13% BF, down from 25+%, 31" waist, 165 lbs and I just started my first bulk a few days ago. I feel better than I ever have my entire life.

I can't wait to pack on some muscle now.. .

I think setting SMART goals is the best way to stay motivated.
S- specific
M- measurable
A- attainable
R- realistic
T- tangible

Set both long and short range goals. When you meet a goal you feel great about it and want to keep going. I know it's easier said than done, but it helps me.

Looked at myself in the mirror after a 3 month long ecstacy binge, thought fuck that and picked up my weights.

There have been times when i feel like i'm going nowhere, that i'm no different, but the times when i look in the mirror and see how far i've come makes all the effort and hardwork worthwhile.

Mostly it's being able to fit into my clothes. Going up a size would mean having to buy a lot of new clothing, and while I like shopping, not being able to fit into my favorite dress would be a big drag.

I go by clothing fit. If I step on the scale and find that I've gained 5 pounds that month, but find that I'm filling out my clothes better, I'm fine with that. If things start to get tight, I'm not down with that; it's more time on the recumbent bike and stair master.

my motivations:
preventing boredom (general exercise)
staving off depression (general exercise)
the need for speed (biking)
ability to rip people's heads off next time i'm in a fight (weights)
oh, and impressing chicks :)

Hard work is good for the soul, and it helps you to sleep..... insomnia and depression suck.

If you don't like lifting, walking is a great way to get out and do something. Maybe try some different activities like dance, bowling, etc. until you find something you like and that might help you keep motivatied.... Though I've never tried it, a couple of the women at work swear by yoga...

couldnt have said it any better myself.. except i run more then bike..

Well, I'm a bit of a geek/nerd I guess. I love Sci- Fi, read comic books, go to Renn Faires and the like, don't have any interest in sports, heck don't even know anything about sports! Anyhoo, at various conventions and especially at the Renn Faire I see lots of people that are very overweight and generally soft. That's sort of the stereotype of those with my personality ala "comic book guy" from the Simpsons. I was a big softy myself and just decided I didn't want to perpetuate that stereotype. I started going to the gym. Any time I considered slacking off I thought about how great it would be to be "muscle guy" at the Faire or look a little more like the heroes in the comic books I read. I hired a personal trainer for ten sessions and that taught me a lot and kept me consistent with going to the gym. Now that I know how to exercise and have made it a regular thing its not so hard to go and I enjoy it. Also after making so dramatic a change (I lost fifty pounds of fat and put on muscle) my friends comment regularly on my gym activities or what I'm eating (God forbid one them see me eat a french fry!) so knowing I am being watched helps motivate me as well. I'd recommend having a goal - a certain weight target and a realistic time frame to reach it. For me it was a 32 waist by opening day of Renn faire. If its a goal that involves accountability that helps. For example, set a date in three months where you'll go to some beach activity or meet up with a group of friends you have'nt seen in a while. That way you have the extra motivation of wanting to look good for the event. If you can hire a trainer or make appointments with a training partner that will help you get to the gym when you rather skip. Much like an airplane it takes a lot fuel to get off the ground but once your up there you its a lot easier. When you start exercising the first month will be tough but after that it'll just be a part of your life.

Thank you guys so much for all the comments! I've started a big swing in the right direction for my eating habits- more water, less processed carbs and fat, more lean protein, more veggies and fruits, and I found that was pretty easy. I've been using freeweights at home, and once spring break is over I'm going to talk to the head of the Health and Fitness dept at my college who's a good buddy of mine, so I can pinpoint just what it is I need to be changing. It's hard as hell to want to do it, but like I said it's so stupid to just keep looking at myself and telling myself I wanna change and then not doing it.

Keep the good advice comin!

Here's my list of motivatiions. it is in cronological order becuase as i grow, my singlemotivation changes. i generally only have one at any one particular time, no idea why.

1. 7th -9th grade - my friends. i had a lotof overweight friends and the couple who wanted to do somethign i agreed to go work out with them, and it worked well for myself and decently. cheering on a friend is less self centered and keeps you going simply becuase you dont want to to give up on them. make sense?

2. 10-12th grade - sports and that little voice that kept saying "you do this now and youll be able to look good forever" a bit naive but it worked then.

3. THroughout college ive had a few. Avoiding the freshmen 15 (which a lot of my friends earned), a challange from other friends and sometimes myself.

4 Bolder Boulder - I will run it one of these years. but that'll take a lot of training cuz 6 miles is no morning jaunt.

5. Boys - yea, its been stupid but its worked for me a few times. only side affect is it is short lived.

my current one? I dont want my summer to end up like last years, one that included three jobs for 16 hours a day and living off popcorn and soda at the movie theatre i worked at. it was dangerously depressing and i need to avoid that from ever happening again.

basically it has to be one that you find works. and if anythign, play the "youll hate getting there but love the feeling afterward" game cuz thats my prob. i hate getting ready and the first half hour, but afterwards i feel dangerously indestructable!

Im still looking for some motivation... I wish I could find it.

Well, I wouldn't wish my motivation on anyone, but here's mine. Last September, I lost a friend I've known since high school to breast cancer. When she went into the hospital the last time, I felt horrible. Partly because I knew she was losing the battle, but also because I had been squandering my youth and my health by not taking care of myself. So last August I started eating better. In September, I added a step class once a week with another friend from high school It was a small commitment to make, and it was as much a commitment to maintaining and celebrating a longtime friendship as it was to exercise, but we both felt like we owed it to Nancy to make the effort to be healthier. I've since started walking on the weekends and working out with weights, and I've taken up belly dancing. I've lost 42 pounds so far and still going...and loving every minute of it.

Secondary motivation...a line I stole from the movie, American Beauty "I want to look good naked"

Although mine isn't as bad as Scarlet's, it's bad in a different way...I want to look good for the b/f.
And, my mom tells me I'm fat...everytime I go home I feel like shit. She doesn't even have to say anything anymore. too many visits where the first thing out of her mouth was weight related ("Oh, you've gained a few pounds" or "You've lost some wieght, now don't gain it back!"). Ugh...her weight insecurities have been nicely passed on to me.

My motivation is myself. I have been lifting weights for about a year now. I've been pretty active all my life, playing sports and biking. I like looking in the mirror in the morning and seeing that I am in shape. It also helps that now that I've been lifting weights I get compliments from friends and family. It makes me feel even better when I can help someone out with their diet and workouts. That's pretty much what keeps me motivated.

I just think about all those really hot chics that are gonna want my bod when its chiseled and ripped.

My mental health. Fitness has always been a part of my life, when im inactive i get depressed. I went through a stage when i was 18 that was pretty dark. I just started going for these 10km midnight runs. I did this for 3 years. I guess it was a kind of cathartic therapy. Also, somewhere in there, i like the pain, and the high after the pain. All the best.

Everyone's got their unique motivation-Be it for yourself or someone else. The thing I've notice is that to keep going-one have to make it a lifestyle. A daily routine of exercise and proper diet. Then once it becomes entrenched and habitual-Days or weeks without-will leave you empty and dis-satisfied.

For me.. my primary motiviation is that im sick of being podgy and decided to do something about it. Suffering from depression a little bit was a lack of motiviation but i started doing with with a friend, a gym routine. I can safely say this added activity in my life, - im going to the gym at least 3 times a week now - has gotten rid of my depression, im incredibly happy during the day and i feel fantastic. That was the only thing i changed in my life was become more active. Definately been one of the best decisions i've made.

I found it!! Graduation is coming up in 8 weeks- I wanna lose 15 pounds (or so) by then, and then in summer it's our wedding party, and i have a cute summer dress that i wanna wear. My ultimate goal is at least forty pounds by my next birthday (april 25, 2006). I feel wonderful about having a goal, and Martel is being awesome in supporting me. thanks for all your help guys!!

^^^ Good luck!!

I started going to the gym because I wanted to lose weight, and my husband kept me going for a little while. Once I started seeing results, more in my endurance than in weight loss, I felt a sense of accomplishment that made me want to push myself and see what I can do. Growing up I had very athletic cousins and I always felt like the fat one, and I honestly didn't think I could do anything athletic, so when I worked up to being able to run (well, jog) for 10 minutes straight that was a major accomplishment for me, and I want to keep going. It really changed the way I see myself.

My motivation was trying to not get so fat lol
Really i just started doing a bunch of things before i go to sleep and when i wake up and so far its working out pretty well
Ive been wanting to do it for awhile and i needed the motivation and just one day i did it and kept doing it haha

My biggest motivation was a good friend (and former marine) who looks better at 40 than I have looked in my entire life. He was the one who really got me interested in cycling, and has been my biggest motivator for a while now.

While I've was dormant a bit over the winter, I've already started cycling again and really want to push myself harder and further than last year. Some days I am my own motivation, because I want to be more than I am now and I know that I am capable of it.

My father was never very active and his health started to deteriorate from about age 40. I promised myself that I would never let my health deteriorate due to something I didn't do.

Because my ex is a B!TCH, and we both kinda gained some weight while being together. Everytime I looked at myself, I always thought 'I am this way because of her', so I started eating healthier and doing some light exercising. I went from being 5'11/185lbs to 150lbs in 6 months. I've still got fat that I need to lose as well as muscle to gain. It's amazing how the food I used to eat all the time almost makes me sick when I eat it now...i.e. huge plate of cheesy potato wedges!

My motivation is the brand new pair of jeans I bought in what I thought was my size (damn old jeans stretching!) but am unable to pull up past my thighs (well...I *could* do it...but I'd be tottling around like walking on stilts). I like tight jeans, but I have also become partial to breathing in the past few years... I don't want any overhang and I don't want to be wearing long sleeves and long pants all summer long. Not to mention the mental clarity I get from a good elliptical session - love that.

So why haven't I gone to the gym?! *rolls eyes*

I've not struggled with my weight a lot but after pregnancy I managed to loose about 60lbs in a year. Now and then I'll gain sometimes 15-20 more than my feel-good weight. The way I loose is by making small changes a little at a time. I usually start by not buying the chips, soda, candy or desserts. Often it's the desserts that are my biggest loss. The smaller changes don't make me feel like I'm denying all that much because it's more gradual. Also when it comes to excercising - So often I have trouble getting myself to do that - I'm always thinking "I gotta do this first and then..." until the "and then" ends up being bedtime. The way I counteract that is by going to walmart, gas station, park, or somewhere I enjoy or to get something small (like a pack of gum at the gas station) and on the way there I ride my bike. Last summer I found that without trying I seemed to gain a lot more tone in my abs and thighs because I biked EVERYWHERE. Instead of driving I rode my bike.

What keeps me striving for the feel-good weight is that I just don't feel good at all. I always have low blood pressure and when I gain weight I get an achy, tired, sick feeling that absolutely NOTHING fixes.

I really like these motivations- they speak to me.
I don't really have a driving force behind my fitness though. It's just part of my life, like brushing my teeth in the morning or getting dressed.

The Marine Corps :)

sounds about right....
a guys gotta do SOMETHING when he has 6 hours b/w his classes... @_@

but then again, in the beginning, i was getting LAUGHED at by chicks.. =(

but now it's nice to not be the weakest guy in the gym everytime... but i still always am the smallest...

I saw a picture someone took of me 5 years ago, before I started working. I was in really good shape. I'm determined to get back to that shape.

women, and trying to get into the fire brigade.

my motivation is really to just keep a healthier lifestyle above all else. I'm through with the daily junk food and nightly ice cream. those aren't good for me and your body doesn't feel good afterwards. if you concentrate more on the *process* (staying healthy) than the *results* (being thin), it will make a lot of difference. sometimes, i look at myself in the mirror and still think "I still have a long way to go before I look like I want to." or "i'm not seeing any results fast enough". Being impatient can really hurt and when I think about that, I just shrug it off and try to remind myself that i'm doing this as a lifestyle change. Looking my best will come in time and what you're doing NOW is still helping and still giving you results even though you may not be able to see them right away.

I also motivate myself to excercise knowing it's one of the best natural anti-depressants. I'm a really sensitive and emotional person and I've found my moods and energy have improved drastically since keeping up with work outs. If I miss one too many days, I'm back to a moody puddle. :P

I find that playing music that lifts my spirits helps. The number one trick for me though is to NOT stop when I get home. I train after work so I come in the door, get changed and go. No sitting down, snacking, opening the mail etc. Just get changed and go.

Most people are right once they get to the gym :-)

my primary motivation is that it feels good and makes me happy.

other than that, I don't have any tricks or anything ...

it's just a matter of deciding to do it, and then actually doing it.
then, keep doing it. stay on track.

oh, and make yourself comfortable while doing it.
for me, that's as simple as some music, some decent clothing (I'm on a serious budget, but I still managed to recently get a pair of pants, 2x coolmax shirts, and 2x running socks).

and, especially when starting out, just focus on doing it.

my current fitness method is jogging, and I know I'm sloooow. (especially if i'm tired from not sleeping enough). for now, I don't worry about being slow. I'm not pushing myself on how fast I'm going (not too much anyway), I'm just making sure/getting into the habit/developing the discipline to do it as often as I reasonably can.

I wish you great luck Sage, it sounds like you've got it going in the right direction :)


Edit - I agree with anti-fish - patience is absolutely necessary. results can come relatively soon, but may not be what you really want (example, I've not lost more than a kilo, but I feel like I'm becoming notiseably stronger, and I feel more confident).

don't want to look like a wimp at boot camp. granted i can probaly outrun all of them, but still.

and i feel more confident.

and it makes me feel better. happy. yeah.

I have to lead by example. Therefore, if I am working with people like Ranger here and he is kicking my ass at PT, then I have failed as a leader.

You fail as a leader, there is nothing left.

Therefore, I say FEAR OF LETTING THE GROUP DOWN is my motivation.

When I'm in shape I just feel "ON". you know? That feeling of being an alpha male...

for the girls too of course. ;)

One thing that motivates me is seeing gradual, measurable improvement.

I started running last year when my roommate dragged me to the gym with him - and I would always be running against my previous times, in my head, and be thrilled about gaining some time here, etc..
I find that weightlifting can get a bit boring, but I have another goal there: pull-ups. I started at 0 and ended up doing 10 or so in a row. Stuff like that made me feel better about my health, my strength, and my attractiveness.

I stopped going to the gym after a while because of some knee problems, and because my life was undergoing and bigger transition. I've been seeing a doctor again for my knee - though I'm not terribly satisfied with him and I might look for another one. And I started going to the gym again, and now I went back from 0 to 3 pull-ups, and soon enough I'll get back to 10, I know it :)

what's recently motivated me to start exercising again is the realization that I've lost a lot of muscle. i can't stand looking in the mirror and not seeing a well-toned body look back at me, so I'm at it again, and this time for good (as it's never been this bad).

To be the most competitive athlete I can be in my sport.

You've got that right. I just got promoted to Corporal and although I'm putting out a first class PFT the only event I've maxed out is the crunches. My motivation is to be able to live up to that expectation as an NCO.

That.......and I just like how I feel so much better when I'm excercising. Went through a period just out of highschool where i let myself go, gained about 20 lbs. It's a huge boost of self-confidence when you can look in the mirror and don't see love handles and actually can see some definition in your abs instead of just the pony keg that used to be there.

I watched my father suffer from various circulatory and cardiovascular related breakdowns as he approached the ripe young age of 65. He spent the next five and half years of his life in and out of hospitals and had one bad procedure after the next, and one series of throwing clots after the next, and one more bag of heparin after the next, and then more blood draws for more tests, and then it was on to congestive heart failure, and then hemo dialysis, and then infection after infection followed by I.V. antibiotics that made his teeth rot out, and then non-contrast CAT scans but ooops and sorry we used dye this time so he has to come back tomorrow (YOU MORONS IT WAS ORDERED NON-CONTRAST BECAUSE HE'S A DIALYSIS PATIENT!!) and then a semi permanent central line in his chest wall to be replaced by a tesio cathedar on the other side and then more surgery to replace the infected tesio because the fistula or shunt in his arm won't seal properly and he bleeds out and off of the dialysis machine (okay three times to replace the tesio but that's not unusual is it??) and then finally ... after all that and a lot more ... finally he gave up when they told him they were going to have to amputate his left foot because there was no circulation there and no chance of it returning. He told them politely but firmly no. They said but....and he cut them off and told them NO! They said we'll come back and talk to you about it again tomorrow but we really can't wait too long to do this because... and he cut them off again and said, "You will wait as long as you have to because I told you bastards NO!"

His suffering ended that very next morning. I can only hope that he was comfortable and pain free at the end but aware of what was happening. I hope he was able to be at peace as he took his last breath because after all of the suffering he endured as his body broke down he certainly earned the dignity of being able to die in peace. Although we said good bye to him the night before we did not think it would be the end. None of us were with him when he died and that makes me sad.

His suffering was primarily lifestyle induced. He smoked. A lot. He drank. A lot. He had a high fat, high salt diet. He was by any classical measure morbidly obese. He loved to sit on the couch and watch TV. All of those are past tense as he died this past December at the age of 70. I miss him dearly. I wish he would have quit smoking years ago when he had his first heart attack and the cardiologist told him that he would "keep having these fender benders until one day without notice he'd be declared totaled". But he didn't stop smoking. And he didn't change any other aspect of his life style even after each of his children told him that it was selfish of him to cheat us out of those later years of his life that we would love to share with him. I miss him. I miss him dearly but that's not going to bring him back. I wish he would have changed but he lived his life doing what made him happy.

I will not meet that end. I will not suffer the long slow demise that took my father. I will by the grace of God be able to enjoy the later years of my life by being an active person of age. I will be the one when I'm 79 saying that I don't want to play golf with the 55 year olds because they are old. :D I will be the one at the age of 84 playing the round of 18 in the morning then complaining on the tfp later in the day because my buddies didn't want to play another in the afternoon. I will be the one at the age of 90 working in my gardens around my house after I have painted the deck. I will enjoy my later years because of the good clean living and healthy choices I make today.

My motivation is simple: I love life too much to not want to enjoy it as long as I possibly can.

Simple daily changes you can make by becoming physically active can add emormous amounts of energy and an inproved outlook to your life. One simple rule about your nutrition which is the fuel that runs your body's engine: Nothing tastes as good as being in shape feels and nothing feels as good as knowing that the good choices I've made today will last a lifetime.

P.S. Not to mention that the ladies like a fit and trim guy and with my hairline I need all the help I can get :D

My motivation used to be sex. It was a wonderful motivator, the problem is I no longer feel the need of being in shape to have sex.

On the other hand I almost drown in a rip tide about a year ago. My endurance kicked out, and I could only float. I knew HOW to swim a rip tide, but I lacked the energy to do so. Had I paniced I would have drown but I have enough training from SCUBA and common sense to just ride it out and I was able steer myself enough to intercept a rock outcropping. I cut my foot but I lived. Had I been forced to float it out god knows where I would have ended up as I was going out to sea at the time.

If near death isn't a good movtivator I don't know what else is. (besides sex)

My motivation is pretty simple- get rid of my gut. I want to go to a pool, wear a skimpy bathing suit and feel confident with my body instead of ashamed and embarassed. I might get married soon, and I want to be proud to have everyone look at me. I want to take a trip to an exotic locale and run down the beach and feel great, not self-concious. Also, I like it when people look at me lustfully, which they used to do. Maybe it is selfish, or conceited, but so be it.

My motivation...

This may sound odd, but my motivation largely stems from a sort of philosophy. To me, running isn't just going out there and lifting your feet for miles, but rather a challenge of both the mind and body.

Obviously, it is a challenge for the body because of all the work involved and fatigue. But even more so, I believe it to be a challenge of the mind; a challenge to conquer the body and keep it running even when I feel that I have to give up.

I have found out that's why I like to run now, to conquer my own body with my mind to accomplish goals that amaze me.

Hm, sex and health.

My motivation is to have the power to visualize a self image of what I want to be and then make it reality. I won't give up that power.

I’m motivated by several factors but most primarily the reading the scales give me each day. Specifically, if it says anything below 80kg, I get disappointed and eat more and work harder. I’m naturally a skinny dude but with a lot of hard work and food digestion, I can maintain a somewhat normal weight.

Also, training is an awesome stress release. If I can’t make it to the gym at least twice a week, I feel like I’m letting myself down.

I see how fit my father is at his old age, and it motivates me because if i continued the lifestyle i was engaged in prior to the last few years there's no chance i would've been fit and happy at that age.

This coupled with the usual motivations of stress relief, feel good factor, and seeing gains/lifting more/running faster times all push me to work myself harder each day.. theres no way i will go back to being lazy. I also sleep better at night because i am physically drained, its fantastic waking up after a full nights sleep with parts of your body still stiff from the previous day letting you know that you had a good workout.