# What keeps you motivated?



## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

Hey all 

Well its been a long year. At 6ft4 going from 20stone 1lb right down to 12st 5lb then up a stone from doing weight training. Now iam sat a 13st 8 and find that I'am finding it difficult to stay focused. I'am biking lots and do the weights but really on a low right now with it all and find it difficult to get up and go. I'am happy with my weight and how I look with me now having muscle in the right places and found the actual weight loss easy its maintaining the level difficult.

I don't know if it's because I'am used to my weight now and so no need to focus or I'am finding the healthy food I'am eating a bit boring and need to mix it up more.

What keeps you all motivated? Your advice would be great.

Thanks in advanced.

Rob


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## djgregory (Apr 2, 2013)

My motivation simply comes from wanting to get bigger and bigger.

The skys the limit


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

It all depends on how you look at your sport :thumb:

Be honest with yourself and do it for the right reasons.

I LOVE POWERLIFTING! Just doing it makes me feel in touch with my true primitive barbarian/warrior self. I love knowing I'm stronger than 90% of the people on this planet, I like being big and strong. its what being a male is all about, but we have forgotten. Modern society has brainwashed many of us into this false academic world of meaningless crap. I like the health aspect about it to, which also makes me feel better psychologically etc.. 

I have broken my goals down into smaller increments to keep things moving and myself motivated. Set yourself long term goals and then if you reach them set some more :tumbleweed:


Year 1 and 2: get really strong in my four main lifts.

Year 3: Maintain strength on my main lifts, increase strength on my "Hypertrophy/Assistance" lifts to increase muscle mass, reduce body fat but maintain muscle mass (because as Wendler states, many powerlifters are closet bodybuilders) :thumb:

If you can bond with your fitness regime/sport and make it a fundamental part of you, the thing that really makes you tick and feel alive, then your more than half way there :thumb: 

Don't be ashamed that you want to be big and strong unless you like being a stunted male , revel in it, live your life :thumb:

If I can do it at 45 then what's stopping you. YOU! 

Now go and set some personal records and lift MORE! :devil:


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## steviebabe0 (May 14, 2013)

Why did you start training in the first place, dr's advice or just to get fitter/healthier? I started years ago to help with high blood pressure and have been going for over ten years now and feel guilty if I miss a session. Its a much used cliche but it is true, it does have to be a lifestyle change, if I dont feel like going/ not in the mood I just start with arms lightish weights and after five/ten minutes I've soon got going and back into the groove. Are you using pre-workout drinks, they help :thumb:


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## djgregory (Apr 2, 2013)

Take a photo every month and compare them all every so often, providing you are training right then you will see the benefits of it.

I also set a spreadsheet up which notes down all my measurements and weight, you can then see yourself getting gradually bigger.

Sometimes when you look at yourself you dont think you have got bigger until you compare with an older photo.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

djgregory said:


> My motivation simply comes from wanting to get bigger and bigger.
> 
> The skys the limit


Good inspiration but if your on a low what gets you motivated?



ITHAQVA said:


> It all depends on how you look at your sport :thumb:
> 
> Be honest with yourself and do it for the right reasons.
> 
> ...


Maybe that's it. I do all my weights at home and I've maxed out my weights on chest exercises. More weights might be the way forward. I love mountain biking and try get out every other night. It's like a switch, when it's on I'am completely focused and almost obsessed with what I eat, how I train etc but when it's off, I'am the complete opposite I struggle with keeping focused on food training etc.

Allot is happening in my personal life right now which I think is contributing to my recent dive in motivation. It's as though as soon as things get tough (and they are at the mo) that really gets to me training and food wise.



steviebabe0 said:


> Why did you start training in the first place, dr's advice or just to get fitter/healthier? I started years ago to help with high blood pressure and have been going for over ten years now and feel guilty if I miss a session. Its a much used cliche but it is true, it does have to be a lifestyle change, if I dont feel like going/ not in the mood I just start with arms lightish weights and after five/ten minutes I've soon got going and back into the groove. Are you using pre-workout drinks, they help :thumb:


It was more to get healthier I piled on the weight and was really out of shape to the point where when I walked up the stairs I was so out of breath it shocked me so that's when I did something about it.

The life style change has been huge, cut out alcohol, tea, coffee and all sugary foods etc.

What gives you the get up and go when your at your lowest training wise.



djgregory said:


> Take a photo every month and compare them all every so often, providing you are training right then you will see the benefits of it.
> 
> I also set a spreadsheet up which notes down all my measurements and weight, you can then see yourself getting gradually bigger.
> 
> Sometimes when you look at yourself you dont think you have got bigger until you compare with an older photo.


I don't really want to get bigger, I don't want to look like I'am carrying two pigs to the market but I'am twice as big by putting over a stone in muscle on this year through weight training.

Just need to have a bigger goal I reckon


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## JamesCotton (Feb 25, 2013)

At 44:


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## steviebabe0 (May 14, 2013)

You could be over-training and not giving yourself enough recovery time. I use a gym because if I had the weights at home they would gather dust as theres always something else to do. You may find a gym helpful in that you could train with others and learn new routines, there is always guys there who will advice you. Motivation wise I just look at it as a job and something I have to do (or I wouldnt) and always try to go mid morning (I work shifts) as if it got to afternoon I would probably not bother. You do sometimes have to force yourself yes but as I said earlier once I'm there with earphones/music sorted its ok


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

You have to be realistic when personal issues are at the fore other objectives take second place those smart objectives need to be part of the long term goal although we all need some immediacy of results.

I too have been encouraged to eat more healthier over the preceding years as part of the change process, those small tweaks and adaptations build collectively into an overall strategy that accumulative lifestyle change, part of success in motivation is finding what works for you, change takes time we know that from the start, I too kept a log of my diet to see or compare those improvements what worked or not. Making those changes part of you routine does help, it is challenging to keep on target all the time, the Op has success making having reached one goal changing direction is never easy, I do try to use the same skills and strategies developed over time.

With my running days now over I have need of alternatives to get me where I need to be, I am always encouraged with others success.

Good luck John THt.


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## Bod42 (Jun 4, 2009)

ITHAQVA said:


> I LOVE POWERLIFTING! Just doing it makes me feel in touch with my true primitive barbarian/warrior self. I love knowing I'm stronger than 90% of the people on this planet, I like being big and strong. its what being a male is all about, but we have forgotten. Modern society has brainwashed many of us into this false academic world of meaningless crap. I like the health aspect about it to, which also makes me feel better psychologically etc..


This is spot on for me, being strong is what being a male is all about.

For me the gym is my rock, it never changes, never gives me s**t and as soon as I walk through those doors I'm there to do a job. This year has been s**t, lost my job, my house, my car, my girlfriend and now been told that I cant stay in New Zealand but I still train. The gym for me is different, my golf game has gone to **** due to the stress but the gym is simply me against the iron, there are no excuses, there is no bull**** involved, it is all me, once I'm in there none of the other crap matters, I suppose its my release from the world. The other day I benched 143kg, there was no magic, no excuses, no luck, no one can take that away from me, it was simply me against the weight and when the world has gone to **** around you then I like that simplicity.

It sounds to me like you reached your goals so you taken your foot off the gas. I did the same years ago with my Bench, I wanted a 120kg Bench Press, once I got it I took my foot off the gas and didnt pay it much attention which resulted in me losing strength. What I should have done is set my next goal at 150kg and kept pushing on. Decide on some new goals and hit them head on.


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