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What's your motivation to workout, when you've been sweating buckets for months, but it seems like you never get anywhere?

MuzikDan 5 Feb 28
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Plateaued? Examine your diet. Are you eating 5-7 small, hi-protein meals that are no farther than 3 hrs. apart? A good multi-vitamin/multi-mineral? Getting enough good fat and minimizing the 'bad' fat? Whole grains and minimizing simple carbs/sugars? As many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible (with the exception of corn) ? Fat-burning (a preferable term to cardio) should be 4-7 times a week and 20-40 mins. each time. The fat-burning part is not that complicated and you only need to get your heart rate and breathing elevated enough to JUST be able to carry on a conversation (60-80% of your max heart rate) . I find fat-burning boring so I read or watch TV while doing it. For lifting 3-5 times a week, working the entire body 1-2 times a week and the lifting portion of your workout should not last more than 50 mins. And remember the key to muscular development is progressive resistance with good form. You get to decide how many of these things you want to do but they can be done and will help you progress. Good luck and feel free to message me with any questions.

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I have not been able to get to the gym in 2 weeks. Tomorrow if I don't have to work, I'll go to the gym. As well as on Sunday. I need my workouts to survive. Gettin' those gains.

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I think of human evolution.. foragers to what we are now.. time is what matters and remember this shall pass too.

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Yeah, there's a point where it's really hard to gain that extra muscle form (or strength) or lose that last extra pound.

When you first work out, you get this massive gain in a very short amount of time. You get hyped from the adrenaline hitting your muscles and dopamine hitting your brain. But as time goes on, that amount of work-to-result ratio becomes steeper, requiring you to work harder and longer to get smaller progress again and again. Many start to use performance enhancing drugs at this point. It's the only way to get to that next level for competition or personal goal.

What's my motivation to get that next step? Nothing. I stopped doing weights (or actual work outs) in my mid twenties. And even back then I was content to simply be healthy. I only really did it to get some definition rather than bulk or strength - which I've now lost, of course. 😛

To keep fit, I play team sports a couple of nights a week after work. And sometimes a social team sports in the weekend. Motivation is not only to win, but to simply be part of the team. EDIT: And I walk as much as I can. A 20 minute walk to the shops beat a 10 min drive and a 5 minute race for parking.

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At this point I don't work out to really get anywhere. I have a physical disability that has limited a lot of what I can do. The one thing I won't stop until I'm absolutely incapable of doing anymore is taekwando. Twice a week I manage to struggle through it. My motivation is that I just really love it, even though I'll probably never be good at it. It hurts a lot, but I always feel so happy when I do it. My instructor and class are so kind and offer me so much support and understanding that it keeps me enjoying it. That's my motivation to keep going is it makes me happy, if I lose weight or gain back some strength then those are just bonuses.

If you're struggling with motivation, try switching it up to something you really enjoy doing. Anything can be a work out if you get creative. I think switching it up might also help get over that plateau too. Have fun, results will come when you stop focusing on them. Good luck!

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If you stop, you will lose out on the good feeling you get from doing it. Like with anything else in life, if you want more, you've got to do more. So step it up, change the routine, push on to the next level. Don't stop a good thing. Joni Mitchell said it best when she sang, "Big Yellow Taxi".

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If you don't use it, you lose it, so at 65 years old, I want my body to work.

I only do things I love to do..hiking, swimming,climbing mountains,
dashing around on my "gallopers," which takes care of the stretches/weight lifting,
doing eight pull-ups in my room,
walking up the stairs at least once a day to the 5th floor instead of taking the elevator,
walking everywhere under a km away,
lugging a heavy camera/lens combo around doing bird photography.

Just living in Thailand, I'm walking everywhere to buy fresh food daily, get crushed ice in the evening to chill my boiled egg, walking to the main road to catch a songtheaw (pickup truck bus), walking around downtown to go shopping for certain items not found near me.

Pic: I'm standing by a Buddhist temple in Nakhon, Thailand, while walking home from the van station after a trip to the Mu Ko Similan National Marine Park.

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I have none. I need none. I use none. But I dance when possible. A nice work out room, but I prefer the pool room. I still can bank some shots. Good coordination. Priorities have changed my friend.

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i work out to make sure my body still works and can get jobs done. The hell with how it affects the way my body looks, I do not care, and I care less about people who judge me by appeareances

What he said! Use it or lose it! But you may want to consider changing your routine every 6-8 weeks, too...the body habituates to whatever you do. For example, try interval training, or change the % of cardio you do vs. Weights. Change from high reps to low reps with more weight, etc. Also try Tiny dietary changes. Above all, do as i say, not as i do!!!!

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My fat ass is still looking for it...

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