[gstang23]

When you are doing cardio like a stationary bike or just working out in general, how do you keep motivated?

I get bored very quickly. After about 8-10 min on the bike I pretty much stop. Not cause im tired, but im like "eh". And I dont know what to do. I put on a movie or watch some mpg files on my comp. Or listen to music. But after a few min, my mind gives up. I dont know if I have mild attention deficit disorder or what. But I cant stay focused. Its frustrating because I am trying to lose more weight. I lost about 80 pounds over 8ish months and ive plateaued for the last month. I did it mostly through walking, better eating, and more water daily. As well as adding a multi vitamin. (I dont do the weight loss pill thing. If I wanted a crutch, I would break my leg) So I thought I would take my cardio to the next level by biking. Im at 205 with about 20ish more pounds to lose. So its doubley frustrating when im so close to my goal. And its not that im not motivated. I want to be healthier. Im happy with the energy gains. The congrats on what ive lost. Plus theres a certain Canadian girl im trying to look better for.


What do you all do when this happens? How do you overcome the workout blahs?

[VitaminC]

You can do "Intervals".....I do 4 minutes with my heart rate high (162-170), and then one minute low (135-140), and high again.......It makes the time go a little bit faster.....You can think of it as only having to do 3 more chunks of the "High", 2 more chunks of the "High", one more chunk...etc....that is if you do 20 minutes....

I also look at the butt of the girl in front of me at the gym.

[Robair]

back when I was in shape, I would push myself, give myself challenges...

Ever puked from working out? I would challenge myself, see how much I could take.

Are you on stationary bikes? Do they record time and distance? If so, instead of trying to go for a certain time,,, go for a distance and try to improve your time. Continually challenge yourself to better your 'score'.

Or you could go for the same amount of time by try and get more distance... either way, put a number that you have never quite accomplished before in your head before you start, then try to attain it.

[VitaminC]

Intervals is really good for your heart, because it trains it to work at different levels.....

If you always just go hard, it would be like teaching it to always run in 5th gear, even when you want to do something in 3rd gear.....

I found after doing the Intervals for like 2-3 weeks my heart rate started to come down a lot faster.....

You can start doing 3/2 minute intervals and then go on to 4/1 minute intervals. At first you won't be able to get your heart rate down in the 2 minute "slow time".....

After you can get it down to like 135-140, then try doing the 4/1 intervals, and soon you will be able to get your heart rate down in 1 minute...

[gstang23]

Yeah its a stationary bike. Would prefer a real one, but I live in an area where its not practical to ride. So I just bought this. Wish I could go to a gym, but I just started a new job. And I dont get paid for 3 weeks. And of course that means its bill catchup time when I do get paid.

Some of the things ive tried are like I said. Watching a show or vid on my computer. What has worked is music videos. I play 2 of them back to back and give myself the goal of going till they finish. IVe also given myself a time goal. Like 8-10 min and ive counted the time (1 1000 2 1000 3 1000 etc).

Ive done that too. Ill stay on till it says ive gone x time, or burned x calories.

Guess it just boils down to self motivation and wanting to do it. Give myself the small goals. Couple min at a time. And go from there.

[Blue_Nose]

Bikes are so boring though, I have the same problem. Go for a run, get some fresh air, more exercise, and better scenery.

As for work out energy, I'm hooked on whey shakes... I was instructed to drink it before, during and after the workout... mix up 1/2 scoop beforehand in 1 cup (I use 1/2 milk and 1/2 water, because all water tastes like crap, and all milk makes you want to throw up in the gym), and then a full scoop afterwards. Dextrose (ie, corn sugar) also helps a lot.

I find I have a lot more energy in the gym than if I was drinking gatorade (which would be just the dextrose), and feel a lot better afterwards (not stiff, etc). I'm the least motivated when I don't feel like I ave a lot of energy, so that might be your problem as well.