what keeps you going?

[shine]

I am new to working out and sometimes I am impatient with results and feel unmotivated. What tools do you use for motivation? I am dong p90x, and sometimes it helps to look at before and after pictures of other people who have done p90x. And I am looking for some tips/inspiration/ideas for when my mind is not in it.

[Ducati]

I think about the animals and understand that the better example of a healthy vegan I am, the more I can entice people to think about their own lifestyle and diet.

 

But I have to admit, right now I am procrastinating doing the Insanity. LOL I will get started the second I am finished with this post.

 

How are you today?

 

I am doing well myself.

 

I saw an accident at an airshow on Tuesday.

 

I am reading a book on non-violent dog training.

 

I just ordered my course materials for a personal trainer course.

 

The weather is crappy here today.

 

Did you see that sinkhole in Wisconsin?

 

Looks like another oil spill in Michigan.

 

Maybe I should eat before I workout.

 

I am running out of distractions.

 

OK, here I go now.

 

[Cold Fission]

When i think of the vision i had when i started wanting to be the best fighter ever and used to think about fighting all day everyday for 2 years straight it puts me back on track.

 

Sometimes things just like getting a better body to impress girls gets me motivated.

 

Seeing animal slaughter videos makes me feel depressed and crushed.Not good pre training.All it does is make me hate everyone(except you lot).

 

Visualize your goal, like a world title in your sport, and claw your way to it.That works best for me.

[Ducati]

Finished my workout. I feel great now! Well, as great as I can with shakey legs and sweat in my eyes:)

[xCx]

The sheer joy of loving what I'm doing is what keeps me pushing on. Getting into oly lifting and ultimatly knowing that at some point I have to step up and show my worth, that shit is motivating beyond beliefe.

[Jason X]

Troy and sosso's transformations. Mary, chewy, lobster and viva all getting along and keeping tabs on me. My rugby brothers and the hope that someday I can as motivating to the next lot as the folks before were to me.

[vege]

I have plans to publish a vegan cookbook, and I want to look great for the cover

No, seriously, I don't want to be a skinny plant-eater and make bad publicity for vegan diet. I want to convince people that you don't have to kill and torture animals in order to be strong and healthy-looking.

[Dietrich]

I was thinking about this recently too. Motivation.

 

I've had a few false starts this year, trying to just establish workouts as a habit. I tend to get interested in something, start reading about it, join webgroups (well, this one anyway) and read more...

 

Soon I'm bogged down in the details (what to do when, when to eat what, etc etc)... I would start doubting my methods, -often this has been the point where I got discouraged.

 

This time I made a simple decision. I would just lift the weights. Not every day, but at least twice a week. I have tried to establish this as a habit, something I need to do, to feel good about my week.

 

I still read advice from others, still tried to eat right, at the right times, in the right proportions. But first and foremost: Lift the weights. DO something.

 

Someone here said "Anything works for a beginner, for a while." This seems true. The more I stuck to my "habit", the more results I noticed.

 

This kept my enthusiasm high, and then I was better able to bring food and other aspects into the equation. Ever have a great workout, and then your enthusiasm peaks during the next couple of days when you should be resting and growing?

 

When this happens, and I'm recovering, I direct this enthusiasm toward eating the right things, foods that will make me grow and recover. If I worried about the ideal diet or schedule at the beginning, I would have found excuses to wait until... grocery day? The "perfect time" to work out? Next payday when I can buy this equipment?

 

I put all that stuff aside and just lifted the weights. Nothing too intense at first, just DO something.

 

I realize now that all the "little details" (like timing, diet, intensity level, cardio considerations)... These ARE important. But not without lifting the weights.

 

So yeah... Long story short, I kept motivated this time (knock on wood) by establishing my workouts as a habit, and bringing the other details into the spotlight later.

 

Lots of good information on this board. Thanks folks.

 

-D.

[Strategist]

My strong mental power .

I tell myself I can do it , I can be better than meat eaters .

I can be better than those who are much bigger size . I control my stress inside .

When I lift it , I unleash all my stress .

[chewybaws]

Strength gains and progress. No matter how slow it is, I can look at my progress over the last year and think where I'll be in 5 years time! Eating a lot (and clean) all the time is taxing, but this is enough to get my through it with minimal complaining.

 

Heavy ass squat/dead videos on youtube keep me motivated and my great group of friends on here checking up on my frequently!

 

I think following a program you enjoy certainly makes things easier and you automatically work harder.

 

Also the fact that most meat eaters I know that like to slag me off have less and less of a leg to stand on now