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Ok so I'm one of those guys that needs something to spur me on to work out. Some sort of motivation. I'm by no means one of those guys who's work out is as part of their daily routine as anything else.

I got sick recently and have found it hard to get the motivation to go back to the gym since.

So I figured that by listening to what motivates you, perhaps I could discover/inspire what motivates me.

Cheers guys!

I don't want to be fat and weak anymore. I want to go swimming without feeling self conscious.

I'm with Timberoo! I've already lost the bulk of the weight I set out to lose, but it's still not good enough. I'm happy with who I am, but I'd like to be a better me! I haven't been thin since I was 11 and it's time I have abs!!! On top of this, my original motivation was that I was denied the ability to donate blood and advised to not do strenuous exercise at age 21 because my heartrate was near that of a person having a heart attack. A good diet quickly resolved my blood pressure issues but it was only the beginning. I'm happy to say that I am a healthy (though not thin and defined...YET) individual. If you lack motivation, just think of your health. Exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle.

After 20+ years it is pretty much programmed into me. Also my grandmothers dying words to me .. "Son, never let yourself get in such shape as I am "(she was 93). Yep, it makes me feel good and feel and look younger.

I think of all the sex I'll get when I get myself into "fuckable" shape.

when i work out i feel better, think better, breathe better, move better. i dont get sick as much, my skin is healthier looking, and the pay off is the great body u earn by doing it all.

vanity

I've kept in shape on and off all my life but the last time I felt motivated to get serious about it was about two years ago when the following things happened in a three week period:

- I tried on a pair of 36" waist board shorts and they were too tight.
- I bumped into someone I used to work with and they couldn't believe how much weight I'd put on.
- I was swimming with friends when someone made a comment about my enormous gut.

The universe spoke to me and it seemed to be saying "get in shape you slob!"

I dont want to be like the guys I graduated high school with. Out of shape losers. So I lift for:

-my health. diabetes and high blood pressure is in my family

-my boyfriend, I want him to feel like his man is hot

-Myself. I want guys and girls to look at me. Vain....your damn right. I spent way too many years looking a mess. Lifting has made my self esteem go up.

Man there are lots and lots of reasons. One is that by doing it daily my body has become accustomed to it, I don't feel right if I don't get my daily endorphin fix. Two, I enjoy the feeling of health, vitality, and energy that it gives me. Three, I know the work that I do today might be the only thing that saves my life one day. Four, in guys who work out 5 days a week, there chances of dying from anything are much lower then sedentary people, its called all cause mortality, it also reduces your risk of cancer. The stronger you are in your youth the better chance you have of being able to live independently when you're old. The alternative being to lie in a nursing home some where where people have to change your diaper and you lie there waiting to die for 10 or 20 years...no thank you.

Now I know that I am probably going to get flamed like crazy for this, but some of it is vanity. I love walking into a bar and watching them fight over me like a pack of wild dogs. haha. It's nice to be able to go out and have people notice you, its nice that they notice all the hard work you put into looking great. I really think this sets you apart from most others. Lets face it, it takes a lot of discipline, commitment, and ass busting work to look great.

Last, a commitment to staying active and fit, or getting there, has a way of effecting every other area of your life. You get in shape and you hold your head a little higher, there's a little more spring in your step, you have energy, confidence, vitality, and life pumping through your veins. That's the kind of thing that seeps over and improves many, many aspects of your life, I would say damn near everything, from your professional/work life to your personal relationships, etc. Man this is good stuff, if you just can discipline yourself into sticking with it for six months I guarantee you will see this start to happen, and it will become a lifestyle instead of something you have to do. I have yet to see anything else that can have as much of a profound effect on peoples life, and that is why I train myself and I train others.

Hey guys! Great responses so far! And thank you YngHungSFSD for such a well worded response. That in itself is motivating.

I'm all for the health benefits and the sense of satisfaction it can bring when it comes to self image and esteem. Vanity I guess is as much a part of it as well. We all want to look good, because that helps us feel good as well. I don't think thats superficial then at all.

I'm thinking of perhaps taking one of my mates with me to the gym. I always seem to enjoy it so much better with someone else working out with me!

All I can say is to re-iterate what everyone has! After dropping from 260 to 170 then bulking up to 195/200, I can say it is the sense of accomplishment, the sense of completion, the sense of kicking my own ass, pushing myself. And now I will also add and agree VANITY!! It's GREAT getting attention, period!

Oh yeah, when start feeling bored, change up your routine. Add something new/different, delete something or just take a week off, it's ok.

I'm was kinda surprise nobody said anything about competitiveness. My reason is Im very competitive and I'm also looking to see how far I can push my body before it collapses. When I joined the military I was the oldest in my division 22 at the time and pushed myself to score higher then everyone else. When offered the chance to try for the Seal team I jumped at it. Went through hell and back but came out on top. I even got a few laughs out of it because I saw grown men 6'+ 250lb absolute solid muscle break down in tears that they couldnt continue because it was to much for them.

When I suffered nerve damage to my shoulder and blew out my knees I was devastated. Even had a run in with severe depression. Now that the Doc says Im fit for physical exercise again its back to the gym. Its tough too, 3.5 years of couch potato sucked the energy from me. I set small goals and double the bar each time. Unfortunately there are only 2 guys at my gym are still past me but they wont be much longer. Once I pass them then I guess its time to look at world records and determine what I want to accomplish.

tonyp321 saidI'm was kinda surprise nobody said anything about competitiveness.

That doesn't kick in til I'm there working out!! Then that takes over completely!

Kaotic, if you want some suggestions on how to get yourself motivated, I have a word doc that I recently wrote for a trainee with some ways to motivate yourself that have worked for others, I didn't put it here because I didn't want to kill the thread with a feature length reply, but if you want it drop me a message and I will reply with it.

Cookies and genetic longevity.

Aside from vanity, I work out to relieve stress.
It really helps to clear my head.

And anyways, there are so many activities you can do that make working out fun! Playing football with a bud, throwing a Frisbee, jogging around the park, biking, hiking, swimming, playing soccer, yard work, cleaning the house... All physical activities can make for a good work out.

Just like some of the other guys above mentioned, it is nice to get attention from all the work you do to stay fit. hahaha

my personal trainer. Cause he's smokin and I have big crush on him. HAHAHA. No, honestly it's been engrained since birth; my parents were varsity/division 1 athletes and it's always been the motivational tool (i.e., "get your ass to the gym or get ur ass kicked by mom and dad at the next family volleyball game") - think about it, it would've been EXTREMELY embarassing had I been unfit to beat them.

Staying fit and healty, allows me to eat whatever I want as long as I stay fit, controls stress levels

i'll admit to the vanity too

health reasons: family history of HTN, hypercholesterolemia

the fitness and strength affects everything i do, from nursing to volleyball

DanteCA saidPlaying football with a bud

When I lived in Wisconsin, we used to play football while drinking beer too.

FEAR of getting fat (like my father).
"
Movies: "G.I. Jane" and "Prefontaine"

Music: Fedde Le Grand "Put Your Hands up for Detroit"

because i am only attracted to hot guys (i.e. 9s and 10s)... and if i wanna get one, i gotta be one

I'll say vanity and chronic heart problems in my family.

started off with the vanity thing

Now its depression control, being able to sleep better, enjoying food more, being happier and generally feeling better.

Now the vanity thing aint so important, especially now.

Looking good...

and having a good body gives you a
Gay get out of Jail free Card

I want my clothes to fit me. Also, I seem to have more of a sex life when I'm working out than when I don't. I think there is a connection there somewhere.

1. To be able to eat ice cream whenever I want.
2. To live well and better.
3. I love running - at this point it's not even about the exercise.
4. To enjoy sex to the fullest.
5. To not get fat.

Global Domination.

A better-looking body.
A stronger heart.
Seeing other guys with similar builds in the gym working out pumps me up to work out harder! It's all about competition!

Having some 'alone time' in rat-race Manhattan to do something positive and constructive for myself.

Wanting a better body.

I work out because I love feeling the way I do and I the way I look.

I also do it since most of the men in my family die young from heart disease. I don't want to end up like that.

And I love out performing guys younger than me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17BfDEwLyXc

There is a lot of longevity in my family with grandparents, aunts, and uncles living into their 90's. I want to be the healthiest I can be up to the moment I drop dead. Oh, and a healthy dose of sheer vanity.

WELL I'D LIKE TO SAY FOR MY HEALTH....But looking good is the best motivation. and when your ex starts making passes at you while his boy sneers at you, its your ultimate revenge!...

What motivates me to workout is being a weekend warrior (and keeping up with my buds on the trail or out kayaking.)

I do it for all the hot men in the world.
........................

It's pretty simple for me: I have a very clear mental image of how I want to look, and I'm going to do everything I can to obtain that. I'm fairly goal-oriented, so the prospect of reaching that goal makes for good motivation for me.

Along the way, though, I realized that the gym impacts me mentally as much as it does physically. The regular physical activity effectively negates my mild hereditary tendency towards depression. I have, over time, really come to love going to the gym and working hard. It's cathartic and strangely relaxing. Even if I weren't trying to build muscle, I would probably continue to go just to benefit from the magical head-clearing powers of a decent workout.

Peer pressure, having the opportunity right in front of my face, sustainable nutrition for my workout.

Yeah this is a great list, and a lot of the things said here are very true. The comment on being attracted to 9's and 10's and having to be that to get that, damn straight bro, very much a motivation here as well.

The competitiveness, completely agree with that. Not only is it a competition with others, but its a competition with the self, to see just how far I can push this body. Every time, I've pushed myself beyond what I thought I could take, I found that the body rises to meet the challenge. Eventually, you learn that genetics is bullS*it and you given time and effort your limits pretty much don't exist.

It definitely is a catharsis as well. It's the best way to blow all the accumulated debris and stress right out of the nervous system.

This is a great topic and great answers.

I'd like to throw a dash of revenge into the motivational mix.

Ever been dumped or blown off? Just wait till the day you get to see their face when you walk through the door with your healthier, sexier self.

1-Distorted body-self-image
2-Worries about how others perceive me
3-Trying to keep my place in the horrible rat race that is gay community
4-Having an intellectually over-stimulating over-engaging life and needing some dead-brain activity to calm me down and make my mind stop working for an hour or two.
5-Trying to stay young because no one wants you when you're old unless you're rich and I don't like paying for love.
6-If I don't workout I am even more unpleasant than I am when I workout.
7-Gym is like free porn with all the mandy (man candy)
8-I love the sauna when there's no one there.
9-People gush and act silly around me which makes me feel superior to them.


:-p