i'm really struggling with exercise. a couple of years ago i exercised every day and lost 90 lbs . i've since quit exercising and gained 70 back!

i know i just need to 'do it' and i've 'done it' before. i'm just not motivated here.

Hi Spiffy Since you have exercised before I don't know if this will help but I wanted to suggest things that motivate me. First, I love music so I save that for when I exercise, then I have something to look forward to. If I want to listen, I have to exercise. Another thing I do is reward myself after so many days in a row of exercising. Just some little treat, whatever makes you happy. A new CD maybe.

Sometimes it's hard to get going but I know I'll feel better afterwards. Be kind to yourself, like when you're feeling more tired than usual don't do the usual amount of exercise, save that for those energetic days. I have my equipment in the basement so another thing I do is put bright happy things to look at also. That same old staircase can get pretty boring.

Hope this helps
Serene

Thanks Serene
i'm rewarding myself with my weight goals, but i hadn't thought of rewarding myself for exercising. i'll give it a try

Spiffy,
One thing that helped me was to work on forming the habit first, then the exercise. I have put exercise on the bottom of my list for years. But I will usually set too high a goal when getting back into it. So I started out about a year ago to just go out and do ANYTHING! Walk to the corner and back.....or a couple blocks or whatever I felt like doing. I didnt put so much emphasis on how much I did or how far......just that I would get my shoes on and go do SOMETHING! I wanted to form the habit first. From there I have built it up. I also noticed that I was speaking lots of negetives when exercising.."This is so boring. I hate this." That will really drain the motivation. Now I do a route along the beach that I love....dont go to gyms......they bore me. I listen to the radio or tape as I walk. And lately I have been telling myself "I'm a runner. There is a runner in me." Power of positive suggestion! It has given me extra stamina and strength to run farther and with more of a positive result. I still dont LOVE exercise.......but I'm getting there!
Peaches (eating well helps also...caffiene and sugar will zap any motivation!)

hey Peaches!!. Yeah Peaches!! I did the same thing as Peaches. I concentrated on forming the habit first. You know, like break it down into little bitesized goals. 15 minutes every day for a week. Just a week. Then I did it again for another week. Then another and another. At the end of a month I rewarded myself with a small treat. Ice cream maybe or a magazine I like. Then up the ante a little. 30 minutes every day for a week. Then another week. Then another. So on and so forth. But for me I had to do it in goals. They are what motivate me. Goals. The little habits that accomplish a goal makes discipline.