Ideas to help motivate exercise for people who don't really enjoy it

[Jingthing]

OK, I'll explain my situation first.

I do a very moderate amount of exercise (OK, honestly I'm sure many would say quite a LOW level) and I feel although I would benefit from doing more, AT LEAST doing what I do is ESSENTIAL to my health.

If I don't do what I do ... I feel physically awful so I get an instant reward of feeling better, and instant punishment if I skip my normal routine.

So in that sense I am motivated ... and I do the activity pretty consistently now for many years. Not sure I would be so good about that if I didn't have the physical risk/reward thing going on, but no problem there, it is very predictable so that really helps.

BUT, here is the specific problem.

What I do is a session on my rower every other day and also WALKING around town, on the streets.

Walking helps but the rowing part is key.

I don't actually HATE to do the rowing but I find it boring of course ... and I find I often procrastinate doing the rowing until very late at night on the days (every other day) that I need to do it.

I know I would be in a much better place if I did the rowing earlier in the day ... but I almost always don't.

Of course occasionally it gets so late if just feels "too late" to my rowing for that "day" at all, although happily that doesn't happen very often, but it does happen.

Also I certainly HAVE THE TIME to do the rowing earlier so that isn't the problem.

It's getting motivated to actually push myself to do it earlier.

It doesn't happen.

So, I'm posting to see if others have had similar motivational issues and found ways to help with that.

Even silly tricks.

I'm open to try anything that could motivate me to do this earlier in the days.

What I am not looking for is criticism of my exercise program or a suggestion to do another kind of exercise or to go to a gym (NEVER!) I am really not interested and really feel I am OK doing what I have been doing. Not everyone is motivated to be a Men's Health magazine model.

For me this is about basic health and for my mood (which gets horrible if I miss the rowing).

Cheers.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Jingthing

[David48]

Exercising with a friend ... the mutual commitment is the driving force.

Ask one of your mates to join in with your exercise program on a regular basis.

Maybe your Partner could join in?

If no Partner, then a Mate is the best option.

Good Luck with that ...

.

[Jingthing]

A service something like this would be interesting, but I've never heard of it existing.

It could work for any motivational effort as I've described in the OP.

Every time you fail to perform the desired task, some of your money is automatically deposited to the odious cause of your choice.

You could pick that odious cause yourself.

That could technically be set up ... but then it would need to be enforced ...

Perhaps a business idea for someone?

There was a comedy show bit related to this done on an American t.v. show -- Nathan For You.

He did an experiment with overweight people to motivate them to lose weight (specific number goals).

If they failed, they would need to do something really horribly embarrassing to them personally (their choice designed at the beginning of the experiment).

It worked pretty well for awhile for most but for those who failed, the punishments were pretty horrible (as they were required to design horrible ones for themselves personally).

Actually, yes, this is the very same Nathan For You who started a "spoof" Starbucks in L.A. called DUMB Starbucks and got international publicity and attention from real Starbucks of course.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Jingthing

[Smokin Joe]

I have similar issues getting motivated. Even when I get up early I usually don't want to work out right away. What I'll do is link the exercise to food and make a deal with myself that it doesn't matter what time I exercise but I won't have breakfast until afterwards whether that is 9:00 AM or noon.

[h90]

The thing you must change is your mindset.....It is not about motivating yourself to do something you don't like. It is about starting to like it.

Most probably I would find my exercises as boring as you do. But I have to sit in the office and at 11 AM I brake for 1 hour. Turn on the music loud, ignore any problem urgent or not and do the exercises. So I enjoy it. But in fact I enjoy to run out of the office.

If you have specific TV series you like to watch. Than connect it with the training. Training and watching it. No watching without training. After some time the things connect each other making you believe you enjoy training.

And of course mental hygiene....Never every think you don't like the training....control your thinking. Than it is easier to keep discipline.

[h90]

I have similar issues getting motivated. Even when I get up early I usually don't want to work out right away. What I'll do is link the exercise to food and make a deal with myself that it doesn't matter what time I exercise but I won't have breakfast until afterwards whether that is 9:00 AM or noon.

When I did endurance training (afternoon) I always had a beer after the training.....same idea...

[h90]

That might be something for you:

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/i-strap-the-gadget-to-my-wrist-and-double-click-101397371719.html

it electro shocks you if you fail to train....

[ExPratt]

Ive trained in one form or another all of my adult life and , as you have, got bored with it on occasion. The best way I find is do your training pretty much within 30 minutes of getting up , knock it out and the rest of the day is yours. If you train in the afternoon or night, loads of things can put you off before you start. don't do hours either , nothing like 2 hours in the gym or training to make you feel bored before the start. 45 minutes max, if not enough up it to 5 days a week, 30 to 45 minutes

Up , train, cup of Rosy. breakfast

[GarryP]

How about hypnotism? There are a number of downloads available and they are not expensive. They are supposed to target the specific area of your life you wish to change/improve, etc. I wouldn't normally suggest something like this, but I quit smoking using hypnosis so I know it works for some people. It is also very relaxing listening to the recording.

[Chonburiram]

Wake up half a hour earlier do your rowing still in a semi awaken state, be happy that you saved yourself one shower bec your morning shower and your after exercise shower is the same, go out for a relaxing walk to your prefered breakfast joint, enjoy.

If you are in the right mood, do a second rowing during the day.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for the input, most of it seemingly sincere. It has given me some food for thought. I need something that will work for me of course and everyone is different. I don't have a time management problem ... it's a motivational problem. I've got the time. Doing it first thing in the morning is a good idea for people with jobs ... otherwise they really might not have any time to do it any other time. But you know adequate SLEEP is also vital to good health (and weight control) so I wouldn't suggest sacrificing sleep for exercise. Anyway, I know myself, and I don't do and won't do ANYTHING before breakfast and more importantly COFFEE! Really, forget about that.

Anyway thinking about this some more, for me at least, I think the key is more of what already works for me ... either positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement OR BOTH.

Also what might be positive reinforcement for one person wouldn't be much for another.

Also ENFORCEMENT of whatever tricky rules you set up for yourself is also key ... you not only need to motivation to do the task but also the integrity to follow through on the enforcement of mess ups, whether positive or negative.

With that in my mind I started thinking maybe try out a pure positive reinforcement method. Easier to enforce for sure ... if I perform, I reward myself, if I don't, I just don't allow myself the reward (which isn't really negative, just the status quo which is fine with me).

Then, what should the rules and reward be?

At first I thought, a good massage, but I don't actually enjoy that very much.

So then I thought ... FOOD.

Uh oh. Sounds dangerous for someone dealing with weight control issues to reward with food.

Yes, I know that kind of psychology (food as reward) contributes to people getting fat in the first place.

But bear with me ... here is a possible solution for me.

I mostly stick to healthy food choices these days and do not crave big cheating on things like cake at all.

So a cake reward does nothing for me ... I really don't want that in any way.

BUT ... what I would like is more LUXORIOUS (and expensive) healthier food. Like good sashimi for example.

So here is the idea I am working on:

For every three straight days I manage to do the program before 5 P.M. (that IS early for me) which is basically almost a week I reward myself with a more luxurious than usual (but still healthy food) meal (eating out).

Of course that costs money but I can afford it.

I am not sure it will work because there is no negative consequence to not performing as I don't really suffer not having this special meal every week. But on the other hand, it will be really easy to "enforce" a special treat if I do perform, and I do think I have the discipline to not reward this way if I don't perform.

It's kind of what I was talking about in the OP ... kind of a trick, it needs to be customized for each person. Probably the other idea of having to pay money to some odious cause would be more effective, but I'm not likely to enforce that punishment.

Will this idea work? I don't know. But if not, then I'll have learned something and try something else.

Even if it works half the time, that's better than I'm doing now.

OK, I just did think of a flaw in this half baked plan. I would of course be paying for the luxury and spending extra money is a bit of a negative reinforcement aspect. It certainly would be better if someone else was paying, but heck, no plan is perfect.

Any similar / related ideas to this that might have a better chance of working ... I'm all ears.

Cheers.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Jingthing

[h90]

You got it a bit wrong with doing it 3 times right get a reward.

You should find an immediate reward: Like my parents: 10 km with the bicycle, get 1 beer and go back (another 10 km).

So you trick your mind into liking the task. As the liking of the reward makes you like the way to the reward.

Pavlovs dog (google it).

As more simple the reward as easier it works.

Maybe No lunch (and of course no dinner) before the exercise?

[robblok]

Great to see JT rowing, is the problem related that you got to go out of the house to row. Then if you have the money buying a rower could work.

I got a concept rower like you know, one trick for me was to buy a program with it that i put on my computer. This way i could see myself row and record matches and previous rows so I compete against myself. This helped for me to make rowing nicer.

I have also tried watching tv while rowing.. its doable but have to find something really nice to pass the time and if you row a lot its hard to find new material.

Rewarding yourself for exercise.. you could do that but it would be a bit tricky as if its food you probably don't burn enough during rowing to make up for it. Your idea of Sashimi is good.. its protein.. healthy sounds good to me. I dont even see stuff like that as a reward but part of good food i sometimes eat.

[h90]

Great to see JT rowing, is the problem related that you got to go out of the house to row. Then if you have the money buying a rower could work.

I got a concept rower like you know, one trick for me was to buy a program with it that i put on my computer. This way i could see myself row and record matches and previous rows so I compete against myself. This helped for me to make rowing nicer.

I have also tried watching tv while rowing.. its doable but have to find something really nice to pass the time and if you row a lot its hard to find new material.

Rewarding yourself for exercise.. you could do that but it would be a bit tricky as if its food you probably don't burn enough during rowing to make up for it. Your idea of Sashimi is good.. its protein.. healthy sounds good to me. I dont even see stuff like that as a reward but part of good food i sometimes eat.

Nice, I read there is a similar thing for bicycle, were you get something (I don't know what) on the screen. Can you give me the link to that program? Maybe there is an equal one for bike?

[Chonburiram]

...Doing it first thing in the morning is a good idea ...

... I don't do and won't do ANYTHING before breakfast and more importantly COFFEE!...

Sleep well and enough, have a coffee, than row.

For me, things i dont like to do but have to, are done first. I cant motivate myself to do things i dont like, so i have to pull through; as earlier as better. First the work, than the pleasure.

With time passing by, your psychical/physical power to do the task diminishes..., i'm sure you know this all already.

[robblok]

Great to see JT rowing, is the problem related that you got to go out of the house to row. Then if you have the money buying a rower could work.

I got a concept rower like you know, one trick for me was to buy a program with it that i put on my computer. This way i could see myself row and record matches and previous rows so I compete against myself. This helped for me to make rowing nicer.

I have also tried watching tv while rowing.. its doable but have to find something really nice to pass the time and if you row a lot its hard to find new material.

Rewarding yourself for exercise.. you could do that but it would be a bit tricky as if its food you probably don't burn enough during rowing to make up for it. Your idea of Sashimi is good.. its protein.. healthy sounds good to me. I dont even see stuff like that as a reward but part of good food i sometimes eat.

Nice, I read there is a similar thing for bicycle, were you get something (I don't know what) on the screen. Can you give me the link to that program? Maybe there is an equal one for bike?

http://www.digitalrowing.com/

Dont think its there for a bike.

[Aussieroaming]

I download interesting documentarys to watch while I'm on the machine

[Jingthing]

I download interesting documentarys to watch while I'm on the machine

Not really set up for that ... I just listen to music. I do row at home so going out is not the problem. That has allowed me to do the rowing at ridiculously late hours, like even after midnight, but I know that is not ideal because the "crappy feeling" I mention before starts earlier in the day than that. So consistently doing this earlier (super early not needed) will actually predictably improve my quality of life.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

OK. like I said before, everyone is different.

My goals on this are very personal (and quite limited) and the potential motivator I feel is best customized as well.

I might have not explained before, the main goal is not waiting until VERY LATE AT NIGHT to do the scheduled rowing. Doing it at all "early" is really not important to my goal here.

It's a mix of harsh (for me) with maybe some liberal touches.

It's really what I think is a good mix of positive and negative reinforcement.

So, I have now "baked" my motivational program and I really think this has a very good chance of working:

1. Must START the rowing BEFORE SUNDOWN ... any time before SUNDOWN. The rowing can still be going on AFTER sundown.

2. Must do that THREE continuous times (subsequent days) to "collect" the reward.

3. No credits! Do two and then miss the third. No accumulation! Start all over again.

4. Any day missed (not started by sundown) ... still do the rowing later that night ... and suffer a rather immediate "punishment" of no alcohol drink that.

(For reference I have ONE small drink nightly ... small San Mig Light or shot of vodka usually. I think it's good for the heart and mood.)

This would be a REAL punishment for me ... I really enjoy that little drink, but it's not such a harsh punishment that I don't think I can self enforce.

Exceptions?

In case of VERY GOOD reasons that there really was no time before sundown to start the rowing, an appeal can be made to the "court of me" to decide whether the excuse is legit or not.

No exceptions ever for entirely skipped days.

OK, so there it is.

It worked the first day!

Will I make it to the first reward?

Edited November 6, 2014 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

You got it a bit wrong with doing it 3 times right get a reward.

You should find an immediate reward: Like my parents: 10 km with the bicycle, get 1 beer and go back (another 10 km).

So you trick your mind into liking the task. As the liking of the reward makes you like the way to the reward.

Pavlovs dog (google it).

As more simple the reward as easier it works.

Maybe No lunch (and of course no dinner) before the exercise?

I hear you and that's good feedback but I think my program is designed better for my personal psychology. We'll see.

[h90]

You got it a bit wrong with doing it 3 times right get a reward.

You should find an immediate reward: Like my parents: 10 km with the bicycle, get 1 beer and go back (another 10 km).

So you trick your mind into liking the task. As the liking of the reward makes you like the way to the reward.

Pavlovs dog (google it).

As more simple the reward as easier it works.

Maybe No lunch (and of course no dinner) before the exercise?

I hear you and that's good feedback but I think my program is designed better for my personal psychology. We'll see.

I am just throwing ideas around and hope that one rings a bell for a suitable idea for you.

Just another idea: Immediately after the exercise a shot of vodka, if there is still light outside at the end of the exercise. Missed the time no vodka.

The wrong thing of this idea is: If it is already 9 PM what is the point of doing the exercise if the reward is already gone?

Another: Exercise done: reward vodka.

Exercise done before the sun is down, reward 2 vodka. Wouldn't fit good into your nutrition but just an idea.....

Maybe you can tailor something that fits you out of it.....

[Jingthing]

Thanks. I really think I've got it with what I've come up with. Will see. Maybe some of these general concepts (rewards/punishments) might help others meet their personal goals.I still think a business that automatically sends money to people you hate would be super effective for many people.

[h90]

Thanks. I really think I've got it with what I've come up with. Will see. Maybe some of these general concepts (rewards/punishments) might help others meet their personal goals.I still think a business that automatically sends money to people you hate would be super effective for many people.

Where can I sign up as recipient for your money?

[Jingthing]

Thanks. I really think I've got it with what I've come up with. Will see. Maybe some of these general concepts (rewards/punishments) might help others meet their personal goals.I still think a business that automatically sends money to people you hate would be super effective for many people.

Where can I sign up as recipient for your money?

That might work but I could probably do better.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Kitsune]

Once you changed your diet, your mind is clearer, your mind is more focused, you have more energy, so you will enjoy moving around and do exercise more naturally.

It's all in the mind and the mind needs also to be in perfect shape.

[robblok]

JT,

You and I are totally different, good though that you can row at home. I hope the reward / punishment system works for you. I know its totally not my cup of tea.

[Jingthing]

Once you changed your diet, your mind is clearer, your mind is more focused, you have more energy, so you will enjoy moving around and do exercise more naturally.

It's all in the mind and the mind needs also to be in perfect shape.

Count me out then! Perfection is above my pay grade! Seriously, this idealism and macho posturing is for the birds.

[Jingthing]

JT,

You and I are totally different, good though that you can row at home. I hope the reward / punishment system works for you. I know its totally not my cup of tea.

I know. I know. No need to rehash that old noise.

[Chonburiram]

Exercising with a friend ... the mutual commitment is the driving force.

Ask one of your mates to join in with your exercise program on a regular basis.

Maybe your Partner could join in?

If no Partner, then a Mate is the best option.

Good Luck with that ...

.

I would like to quote David's post here, maybe a personal trainer who comes at a fixed time to observe your exercise would be the way to go.

With your reward/punishment mindset you could make up some weird penalties for misbehave and rewards for obeying the law...

[Jingthing]

...

With your reward/punishment mindset you could make up some weird penalties for misbehave and rewards for obeying the law...

Sounds a little kinky, innit?