How Do You Keep Yourself Motivated?

[Mantra]

I'm a skinny dude who is ashamed to go to the gym but I really want to get a much bigger body and be more happy with myself lol

I've been willing to workout and build a bigger body in YEARS and everytime I actually started hitting the gym I left like a month after because I lost motivation I guess, probably because I didn't see any results (which is completely stupid because you can't really see results after one month).

How do you keep yourself motivated and confident?

 

[Cosgood]

I used to be heavy and about 10 years ago I was pushing 300 lbs. I got serious about my diet and I've been about 180-190 for a long time now. Just watching what I ate wasn't enough. I made myself go to the gym and I was really nervous working out and looking like a goof in front of people. You have to really push that stuff out of your head and realize that everyone there is after the same thing. To better themselves. You gotta start somewhere.

You're not always going to go to the gym ready to have a killer workout. I've gone plenty of times and just wasn't feeling it and have zero energy or motivation to do anything. I always said it's better to do a little bit of something than nothing at all. So if I just ended up walking on the treadmill, hey, at least that was a little something I wouldn't have done if I didn't go.

You'll find YOUR motivation where you least expect it sometimes. I'd been dealing with a nagging injury for a while and had gone up to about 205lbs. I've recently been able to get a handle on the pain and been more active and been back down to 185. Once you start seeing results you WANT to keep going. And to be completely honest, since joining this website and participating in the Zoom or chat feature, gotten some very nice feedback that has motivated to keep doing what I'm doing.

You're wanting to go from skinny to being able to put on some size. If you're not sure what you should be doing in the gym, man I tell you, YouTube and social media like Instagram have been great in learning exercises, form, diet, and workout plans. I'm saving stuff all the time to refer back to later.

Not seeing results right away can definitely be discouraging. You have to stay consistent though or it'll be all for not. Me, I may have lost some weight, but I'm definitely not happy with what I've been left with (loose skin), so I just keep at it. It'll never be 100% but I'm sure not going to go back to the way I used to be.

 

[dom1000]

I'm a skinny dude who is ashamed to go to the gym but I really want to get a much bigger body and be more happy with myself lol

I've been willing to workout and build a bigger body in YEARS and everytime I actually started hitting the gym I left like a month after because I lost motivation I guess, probably because I didn't see any results (which is completely stupid because you can't really see results after one month).

How do you keep yourself motivated and confident?

You have to force yourself to keep going and make it exciting and just keep your eye on the prize.
Being skinny and gaining muscle is easier than being heavy and having to lose weight, so consider yourself lucky.
Do free weights and swim laps (do pushups at home if you cant get to the gym), eat a Mediterranean diet rich in quality protein, cut down on sugar, drink coffee or sports drinks before your workouts to improve your mood.
Do a balanced workout —one body part each day, but at first put the most energy into building your chest because it will be the most noticeable part of your body.
Ask a friendly fit guy at the gym for work out tips.
Buy a sexy Nike or Lululemon workout outfit and cool sneakers that you only wear to the gym.
Get a pair of Airpods and listen to dance music while you are at the gym—that helps with mood and keeps the excitement level up (cue Starships by Nicki Minaj).
Get a trendy fade haircut to go with your (future) new body.
Take selfies of yourself every couple of weeks to track progress—maybe post them on here.
Have fun with it.

 

[Mantra]

You have to force yourself to keep going and make it exciting and just keep your eye on the prize.
Being skinny and gaining muscle is easier than being heavy and having to lose weight, so consider yourself lucky.
Do free weights and swim laps, eat a Mediterranean diet rich in quality protein, cut down on sugar, drink coffee or sports drinks before your workouts to improve your mood.
Ask a friendly fit guy at the gym for work out tips.
Buy a sexy Nike workout outfit and cool sneakers that you only wear to the gym.
Get a pair of Airpods and listen to dance music while you are at the gym—that helps with mood and keeps the excitement level up.
Get a trendy fade haircut to go with your (future) new body.
Take selfies of yourself every couple of weeks to track progress—maybe post them on here.
Have fun with it.

Hope you're right, but your words are good.
I won't get that dbag haircut just yet tho lol

 

[dom1000]

You have to force yourself to keep going and make it exciting and just keep your eye on the prize.
Being skinny and gaining muscle is easier than being heavy and having to lose weight, so consider yourself lucky.
Do free weights and swim laps (do pushups at home if you cant get to the gym), eat a Mediterranean diet rich in quality protein, cut down on sugar, drink coffee or sports drinks before your workouts to improve your mood.
Do a balanced workout —one body part each day, but at first put the most energy into building your chest because it will be the most noticeable part of your body.
Ask a friendly fit guy at the gym for work out tips.
Buy a sexy Nike workout outfit and cool sneakers that you only wear to the gym.
Get a pair of Airpods and listen to dance music while you are at the gym—that helps with mood and keeps the excitement level up (cue Starships by Nicki Minaj).
Get a trendy fade haircut to go with your (future) new body.
Take selfies of yourself every couple of weeks to track progress—maybe post them on here.
Have fun with it.

Hope you're right, but your words are good.
I won't get that dbag haircut just yet tho lol

Ok its a deal! But hair grows back fast—get the dbag haircut just for fun. Just try it out. What city are you in?

 

[Mantra]

Ok its a deal! But hair grows back fast—get the dbag haircut just for fun. Just try it out. What city are you in?

Somewhere far away, in the middle east

 

[dom1000]

Somewhere far away, in the middle east

Do guys in your city go to the gym and lift weights? Is it a big thing there like it is in the USA?

 

[Scarletbegonia]

Maybe motivation is overrrated.
What’s the role of self discipline?

 

[dom1000]

Maybe motivation is overrrated.
What’s the role of self discipline?

Self discipline is number one above all else.

 

[deleted8734261]

Every time I catch myself thinking that I’m too tired, I say out loud “Go to the fucking gym”. I challenge myself to work harder especially when negative thoughts like tiredness, unwillingness to do the workout creep in.

 

[51arledge]

To the OP:
I see that you are gay (well 90%)...
Like you I was skinny my entire life. I was never overweight and was always active, somewhat muscular but so skinny it was embarrassing. I finally decided that I wanted my physique to be more like the guys I would like to have sex with, and that was my primary motivation! And it worked!

Also, it helps to have a workout partner. It's harder to bail on a workout because you don't want to let him down, and you can razz each other, help with tips on form, spot one another, etc. My workout partner for 14 years was my height and approximate weight, but 10 years younger and with a vastly different weight distribution (and he was straight). Because we were similar but yet different, I was stronger at some things than he, and vice versa. There was always room for improvement. He moved far away last year, so I'm looking for a new gym bud.

 

[51arledge]

I should add that part of my success was not just weight lifting, but also watching my diet, getting enough calories every day, and consistency.
Like I said, it paid off

 

[Call_Me_Dave]

I listen to this on repeat

 

[socalfreak]

I am not yet where I want to be.
So, I need to work more to get there.
That's it.
Many people aren't switched on & racing to the gym every day.... Especially the ones that are in really good physical condition.
It's hard work.
I made it part of my daily routine, like brushing your teeth. You just do it.
I train when I'm tired, lazy, cold, headphones battery dead, etc....
It sounds very cliche.... But, you get out of it what you put into it.
Average effort gets you average results.
If it was easy, everybody would look fantastic.

Think of it like you're driving your car to the beach...
After getting a mile or so into the trip, you pull over and stop.
What's your motivation to get back in the car and keep going?
Simple.... You're not at the beach yet.
You can do it.... But motivation comes from within.
Don't confuse it with inspiration.

 

[T_Lurch]

One of the things that initially kept me motivated was pure anger and the desire to keep from being bullied and pushed around. And hatred for my tormentors. This was at age 16.

After that, it was two reasons: one, an attempt to be more attractive to women (didn't work); and two, the added strength and size was a bonus, in addition to being healthier.

It's the second that keeps me doing it.

Picture yourself in the shape you want to be in. Then set short-term, small goals in that direction. Before you know it, you'll reach a goal, then set another goal, each one progressively further along.

 

[Snarky_succubus]

I'm a skinny dude who is ashamed to go to the gym but I really want to get a much bigger body and be more happy with myself lol

I've been willing to workout and build a bigger body in YEARS and everytime I actually started hitting the gym I left like a month after because I lost motivation I guess, probably because I didn't see any results (which is completely stupid because you can't really see results after one month).

How do you keep yourself motivated and confident?

People wildly over-value motivation and greatly undervalue dedication. For me, it’s about making a commitment to myself and respecting myself enough to follow through on that commitment just as I would if I’d made a commitment to someone else. Things that help - 1. Get a trainer or a coach. Even if it’s just for a little while. Nobody wants to spend the money. I get that... but they’re there for a reason. When I started lifting I was horribly intimidated by the gym. I was seriously overweight, barely mobile, physically and emotionally broken, and felt like everyone was staring right into all of that. My trainer was a physical separation between me and the rest of the gym. My bodyguard. He gave me something to focus on instead of just thinking about how insecure I felt or obsessing about who was looking at/judging me. Having a trainer is also great for the obvious... they teach you what you’re doing. If you go in with purpose, know where you’re going and what you’re going to do, know how to use the equipment... You’re not going to stand out like a sore thumb while you flutter from machine to machine trying to piece together a workout with no confidence in how to do that. Hire the trainer. It’s well worth it.
2. Find a way to hold yourself accountable publicly. Whether it’s telling your friends/family what you’re doing on a regular basis, starting a blog, posting on social media... whatever works. If you make it publicly known to those who’s opinions you value, you’re more likely to move your ass and get it done. Hearing them encourage and congratulate you for your consistency feels a lot better than having to answer “how come you stopped going to the gym”.
3. Photos. Progress can be hard to see just looking in the mirror. Take the photos even if they make you uncomfortable. Hell... especially if they make you uncomfortable. Take them in the same place and poses so the lighting is consistent and you can see what’s really changed and what hasn’t.
4. Set yourself up for success. I kept spare gym clothes, shoes, and headphones in my trunk for years in case I forgot to grab them that day. No excuses. There were a number of times that I forgot to replenish that back up... so I’d just go buy whatever I was missing even if meant spending $40 for a shitty pair of sneakers. NO excuses.
5. Make a deal with yourself on the days you really don’t feel like going that you’ll at least show up and do _____. Whether that’s 15 minutes, 2 miles, 3 lifts... whatever you’re into. Commit to yourself that you will show up and do that little bit and if you still don’t want to be there that day then go home... but at least you showed up and did *something*

I promise it’s do-able. If I can, *anyone* can!

 

[Mantra]

People wildly over-value motivation and greatly undervalue dedication. For me, it’s about making a commitment to myself and respecting myself enough to follow through on that commitment just as I would if I’d made a commitment to someone else. Things that help - 1. Get a trainer or a coach. Even if it’s just for a little while. Nobody wants to spend the money. I get that... but they’re there for a reason. When I started lifting I was horribly intimidated by the gym. I was seriously overweight, barely mobile, physically and emotionally broken, and felt like everyone was staring right into all of that. My trainer was a physical separation between me and the rest of the gym. My bodyguard. He gave me something to focus on instead of just thinking about how insecure I felt or obsessing about who was looking at/judging me. Having a trainer is also great for the obvious... they teach you what you’re doing. If you go in with purpose, know where you’re going and what you’re going to do, know how to use the equipment... You’re not going to stand out like a sore thumb while you flutter from machine to machine trying to piece together a workout with no confidence in how to do that. Hire the trainer. It’s well worth it.
2. Find a way to hold yourself accountable publicly. Whether it’s telling your friends/family what you’re doing on a regular basis, starting a blog, posting on social media... whatever works. If you make it publicly known to those who’s opinions you value, you’re more likely to move your ass and get it done. Hearing them encourage and congratulate you for your consistency feels a lot better than having to answer “how come you stopped going to the gym”.
3. Photos. Progress can be hard to see just looking in the mirror. Take the photos even if they make you uncomfortable. Hell... especially if they make you uncomfortable. Take them in the same place and poses so the lighting is consistent and you can see what’s really changed and what hasn’t.
4. Set yourself up for success. I kept spare gym clothes, shoes, and headphones in my trunk for years in case I forgot to grab them that day. No excuses. There were a number of times that I forgot to replenish that back up... so I’d just go buy whatever I was missing even if meant spending $40 for a shitty pair of sneakers. NO excuses.
5. Make a deal with yourself on the days you really don’t feel like going that you’ll at least show up and do _____. Whether that’s 15 minutes, 2 miles, 3 lifts... whatever you’re into. Commit to yourself that you will show up and do that little bit and if you still don’t want to be there that day then go home... but at least you showed up and did *something*

I promise it’s do-able. If I can, *anyone* can!

you're amazing. thank you!

 

[twoton]

I do it because I enjoy it. More than anything else I do in life, I like exercise. It's fun. It's rewarding in and of itself. Regardless of how fast I run or how many reps I do or how much I lift on any given day, the simple act of physically exerting myself is satisfying in the most visceral sense.

Number two on the list is mindless channel surfing, but I don't have live TV anymore.

ETA: In other words, don't do it for what you see in the mirror. Don't do it for other people's approval. Do it for yourself because you want to do it.

 

[deleted116951]

I just tell myself I'm getting older and don't want to die from a silly little fall. Cardio, core strength, balance. That's what you need in your 40s+.

 

[TrueB2]

I know it's been said, but having someone to workout with really, REALLY helped me! I don't workout with them as much currently, but if I feel my motivation slipping I'll message them and talk about how much we've gained, what types of exercises we are currently doing, etc. Having someone to talk with about it definitely helps if you don't have someone to actually go to the gym with