Having a really hard time finding the motivation to work out during covid .. get me in gear fellas

cola

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I hate running. I can not just go outside and run. My cardio used to be basketball but the gym is closed.

During covid so far I’m ashamed to say I’ve gained 9 lbs. I occasionally muster the will to do some push ups..

I have the following work out equipment:
Two 35 lb dumbbells and a single 75 lb dumbbell, can’t buy too much more equipment because I live in a small space ..Guys give me some motivation, I refuse to come out of this looking like the dad from family matters ..
 
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nicksaiz65

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I hate running. I can not just go outside and run. My cardio used to be basketball but the gym is closed.

During covid so far I’m ashamed to say I’ve gained 9 lbs. I occasionally muster the will to do some push ups..

I have the following work out equipment:
Two 35 lb dumbbells and a single 75 lb dumbbell, can’t buy too much more equipment because I live in a small space ..Guys give me some motivation, I refuse to come out of this looking like the dad from family matters ..
Hmm... maybe if you don't wanna do cardio you can just do a calisthenics workout, and really watch your nutrition?

I can't do the basketball like you suggested for me a while back lol. So I've just been doing calisthenics and running 4-5 days a week. I'm seeing some pretty good results
 
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Look here boy, you black. Ain't no body gon love ya if you turn fat. You gon be the lovable Fat Albert that don't nobody wanna sleep with. Ya ain't Ricky Ross and ya ain't Biggie, so get yo azz to do some push ups. Run like you bout to try out for the dang combine ya fudge. Don't ask me if I like you, I respond to you, that should tell you something boy. Now what you gon be? A nice carbonated Cola that brings life to the world or a Pepsi? I don't raise no Pepsis in this house and you sure as heck ain't going out there actin like no La Croix like Bryant Gumble. So get yo azz out there, run like you runnin for the last spot at a party with all women in it and Dan Bilzerian is the only man other than you, and stop being a got dayum Pepsi!
 

dr.harker

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I hate running. I can not just go outside and run. My cardio used to be basketball but the gym is closed.

During covid so far I’m ashamed to say I’ve gained 9 lbs. I occasionally muster the will to do some push ups..

I have the following work out equipment:
Two 35 lb dumbbells and a single 75 lb dumbbell, can’t buy too much more equipment because I live in a small space ..Guys give me some motivation, I refuse to come out of this looking like the dad from family matters ..
Bro. I blew my knees out after running on concrete for the first step weeks of lockdown. Best advice I got from a friend: buy a bike. Guaranteed there is someone selling a decent bike on Craigslist for cheap. Cardio problem fixed. Then, after the bike ride gets your blood pumping you’ll be in a better mindset to do some work with those weights you got.

You’ll drop those 9lbs the second you get on the road and ride.

Eat meat and raw veggies. Kick the carbs.
 

BackInTheGame78

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I hate running. I can not just go outside and run. My cardio used to be basketball but the gym is closed.

During covid so far I’m ashamed to say I’ve gained 9 lbs. I occasionally muster the will to do some push ups..

I have the following work out equipment:
Two 35 lb dumbbells and a single 75 lb dumbbell, can’t buy too much more equipment because I live in a small space ..Guys give me some motivation, I refuse to come out of this looking like the dad from family matters ..
I hate running too...try looking up Nate Bower Shadow Boxing workouts on youtube. He has tons of them. My trainer had me doing some of those and they are intense!

Also look up the 4 minute belly fat destroyer workouts by Turbulence Training...I do those in the mornings, they are intense and work pretty well too.

Mixed in with some bodyweight workouts I have managed to drop about 20 lbs so far during all of this. Still about 10 lbs left to go to hit my normal summer weight and running about a month behind normal but with no gym its not too bad all in all...a lot of people have gained weight so at least I have made some progress...
 

Lynx nkaf

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David Goggins gets me pumped up to run a marathon.

he speaks directly to me, anytime I struggle I think of myself as a soldier, a marine, a ranger.
My mind has been soft since I started my new position last month.
That would be great to be as fit as him and be able to talk while running. That's a sign of good health; to be able to talk under exertion.

If cola doesn't like running, what about long distance walking?
 

Mike41090

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I actually lucked out considering my workplace gym has been open (literally the only gym open in the world at the moment lol) during the entire pandemic. I’ve always been able to jump into a consistent routine for months, even years on end......The way I’ve been motivating myself is kinda from a weird perspective to be honest. I’ve been going to the gym 6-7x a week and been telling myself that while the ENTIRE world is not working out or at most doing their fugazi ass home workouts with a crap diet (most average people that pretend to workout), Im one of the luckiest people out their having a gym at my disposal while no one else does. It makes me believe that come the end of the pandemic (which is hopefully the summertime), I will hands down have the best body/ be in the best shape out of anyone. Which I can honestly say I’m in the top 2 percent because I’ve been going HAM everyday. Even if you just have your home to work out in, take one out of my playbook mindset wise and treat it like the rest of the world is sleeping (not working out) and hit it hard.
 

Poonani Maker

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Today for some reason After work, I had a Ton of energy to workout - could have doubled my workout, which would be almost 4 hours if I had the time. I was not tired at all really and it's usually an as5-kicker. I ran the 3-mile run in the middle of the HIIT very fast and did more pullups at the park than ever at 9. I Don't really know Why I had so much energy after 9 hrs of work. Usually I don't. I take Triumph testosterone and just recently added Tribulus after remembering how it worked together a couple of months ago. That could be it. Also, getting a Full lunch, which I never hardly ever get a full meal, may have contributed to the undying energy I've had tonight. I just feel so young for the first time in a Long time. Also, I always start my workout with 20 to 30 minutes or more of jump rope, to where my shirt is getting halfway soaked with sweat as well as my hair. Music helps. Also use a Bosu Ball for pushup planks and walking on hands in a semi-circle - supposed to do a full 360 but I do not have the room in my home, which is one of the reasons I'd like to buy a new home, but my area is still hot and I can't even view a home I may want after 2 days cause it's sold. Also, I have a $300 JAWS smoothie maker (3.5 horsepower) using a Cucumber, Granny Smith apple, either Spinach Kale Rainbow Chard or Collard Greens, Carrots, Celery, and Knudson Cider and Spice for the liquid (about 3/4s a jar).
 
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corrector

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My advice to the OP: is to buy a stationary bike that can fit into your apartment, buy Occulus Quest if you can find it, and the VZFit and get a nice fan next to you and bike anywhere you want in the world.

Personally I have a small half-bike (just the pedals), and would pedal infront of the TV-screen or projector and play a youtube video of a bike trail somewhere.
 

Dash Riprock

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@cola,

You can go outside and run if you choose to. I dislike it too, but still do it. I used to have a routine which included biking to the gym doing a huge workout and biking home. I'd run on the treadmill for 20 minutes to warm up before lifting during winter months.

Now, I run 2 miles 3-4x week as my warm-up before lifting. Back in February (I predicted the Covid would shut everything down) I ordered a bunch of home gym stuff off of Amazon and built a garage gym, I can do 90% of what I was doing at my $130/mo. gym. Strangely, I'm actually gaining some size because I think I shocked my body a bit with the new equipment. I have a 90# Doberman I run with. So I run/lift 3-4x week and hike on other days. I average about 4-5 miles per day as some days I do an AM/PM hike or run.

I've actually made some gains strength-wise and am in better cardio shape than pre-Covid and I was in top shape then.

It CAN be done.

Bottom line is you have to discipline yourself to do it. Nothing is holding you back but you. Start small; power-walk or run/walk/run/walk. You can do a lot with just the dumbbells you mentioned; rows, tri's, lateral raises, curls, and push ups and you've about covered it. Buy a jump rope and fit ball too.

Here's a pic from last week after a run and about to lift. I do have the best running and workout threads in the neighborhood!

Good luck!
 

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Lynx nkaf

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@cola,

You can go outside and run if you choose to. I dislike it too, but still do it. I used to have a routine which included biking to the gym doing a huge workout and biking home. I'd run on the treadmill for 20 minutes to warm up before lifting during winter months.

Now, I run 2 miles 3-4x week as my warm-up before lifting. Back in February (I predicted the Covid would shut everything down) I ordered a bunch of home gym stuff off of Amazon and built a garage gym, I can do 90% of what I was doing at my $130/mo. gym. Strangely, I'm actually gaining some size because I think I shocked my body a bit with the new equipment. I have a 90# Doberman I run with. So I run/lift 3-4x week and hike on other days. I average about 4-5 miles per day as some days I do an AM/PM hike or run.

I've actually made some gains strength-wise and am in better cardio shape than pre-Covid and I was in top shape then.

It CAN be done.

Bottom line is you have to discipline yourself to do it. Nothing is holding you back but you. Start small; power-walk or run/walk/run/walk. You can do a lot with just the dumbbells you mentioned; rows, tri's, lateral raises, curls, and push ups and you've about covered it. Buy a jump rope and fit ball too.

Here's a pic from last week after a run and about to lift. I do have the best running and workout threads in the neighborhood!

Good luck!
you did make gains in your arms Dash, since the cola show us your look thread a few months ago, congrats, keep going
 

Robert28

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I started back today working out in the gym.

150 battle rope slams
100 medicine ball slams
50 box jumps
75 walking lunges
10 mins on the Bowflex max trainer

I slacked off for a month and a half and had to ease back into it.
 

oldmanofthesea

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You have dumbells?! Those are worth their weight in gold right now. It's nuts. I've been pondering throwing some cement cinder blocks onto a steel pipe and using that for squats, dead lifts, and presses.

I run 4 times a week, about 5 -10 miles per run. I've gained 4-5lbs during the quarantine, despite my running, mostly due to diet and alcohol consumption. I've started on a macro diet, using Carb Manager to track my macros and calories for the day. I've put myself in a 500-700 calorie deficit (or try to). The weight comes off very quickly from the diet alone, but it can be tough when hanging out with the GF and cooking stuff together. Also, alcohol increases my hunger and decreases my willpower so I tend to over-eat when drinking.

One thing that really helps me love running is competition. Consider running some local 5k races. If you are competitive at all, it can really light a fire and passion under you to improve and see your results in the next race. You can turn it into vacations and weekend trips too - there are amazing races of all distances.... 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, ultra marathons etc, all over the country and world, both in urban areas you've always wanted to visit, but also in the wilderness on the trails. The competitive nature of running helps keep me in it and striving to get faster/better. I also meet more than a few hot in shape girls that way ;)

So here is my input:
1. Try to not drink at all, or drink as little as possible. Alcohol has a lot of calories, it lowers your willpower, reduces testosterone, increases your appetite..... list goes on and on.

2. Get on a macro diet and use the Carb Manager app to track your carbs/calories. If you find macros to be too much work, just use the app to track your cals and ensure you are in a calorie deficit of 10-20% per day. If you need any help with anything related to this, let me know because I've become really good with it (from figuring out what combinations of things to eat to hit your macros to using the app itself etc)

3. Think about getting into a competitive sport, like running, to help . Also, a lot of people hate running because they go way too hard, way too fast. Subtract your age from 180 and that is what your max heart rate should be when running. If you have a watch that shows heart rate, that will help you track it and stay under it. Otherwise you can use the "conversational" rule. You should be able to have a conversation with someone while you run without being extremely short of breath. Between breathes you should be able to say, "this is my conversational pace". You jog slowly, then when heart rate goes beyond 180-age, you walk until it drops 10 beats below that number. Then you run again. It should feel good and refreshing, not exhausting, high-effort, and painful. This pace is also right in the prime fat-burning aerobic zone, where the majority of your energy is coming from fat instead of stored glycogen. That will help with weight loss, and keep your glycogen stores fuller for your weight lifting efforts. If you follow the running advice I've given here, week by week you will watch the percentage of time you spend running vs walking increase, until finally you are running easily 100%, and from there you start running faster and faster, while still feeling easy. Last thing to mention on this, for a new runner who isn't in extremely good cardio shape, your pace could be anywhere between a 9:30 minute mile and a 14:00 minute mile. If you are out there going faster than that and it hurts and feels high-effort, you're going way too fast.

4. Try to do your workouts in the morning. Just get them done with. You'll feel better all day long and will feel really accomplished.
 

Poonani Maker

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^^ The only reason I run is to get to the monkey bars (kinda new age either too fat or too thin and too short so I have to bend my legs which is not ideal for balance; they're cordoned off by police tape but idgaf) in my neighborhood to do pullups. For my workouts it's all about minimizing the cost if I can. Bosu ball was only on sale for only $100 last year, jump rope was $13 a Power Systems Pro Vinyl - I really like the handles.
 

17 shots

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That soft feeling in your chest that you get as your muscles turn to soft boobs is all the motivation you should need. Do burpees, they work every muscle and release hgh

Kobe would of got off his ass and got it done. Where is your mamba mentality
 

gravityeyelids

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I think you're looking at "working out" completely wrong. This is why people prefer the term "training" and not "working out". Working out is just something you do to feel like you're getting in shape, to get a little workout buzz, a little pump, say you workout, etc.

If you want to ACTUALLY make any appreciable results, doing some hunky dunk 35 min resistance training workout once a week is going to do absolutely nothing for you. You're more or less wasting your time.

You need to make it part of your routine, and you need to progressively overload and make actual PROGRESS. If you were properly tracking and progressing, you wouldn't even be here actually asking this question. You would understand that consistency is close to the only thing that matters for fitness.

TRACK what you're doing and if you start going backwards, then you know that you are not making progress. Simple. If you do 4 sets of 15 pushups one week, and then the next, you can only do sets of 12, something is wrong. Whether it's your training, nutrition, or recovery. Tracking your reps and weight and volume holds you accountable and gives you quantifiable progress.

I'm going to be the ******* that says - don't even waste your time bro because it sounds like you don't even want it that badly. That's fine, there are plenty of us out here that are willing to put in the work and be consistent, and they're just going to keep lapping you while you're sitting around wondering whether you should do it or not. And the people leaving you in the dust aren't even busting their ass every single day. They realize that showing up, and just doing SOMETHING even when you feel ****ty or tired or weak is what actually gets results. If you're not even willing to lace up your shoes and try, you have no hope. I'm sorry. There have been literally hundreds of times where i didn't feel like doing a workout. For a lot of this, the workout itself barely even matters - it's showing up, getting your foot in the gym (or wherever you're working out), and just start getting warmed up and go for it. You can even tell yourself "if i still feel like **** in 15 mins, i'll just stop". It's miles better than not showing up at all, and 70% of the time, once you get warmed up, it's easy. You're already there anyway, you're already warmed up and sweaty and halfway there, might as well just finish it out since you wasted so much time already.

"I hate running. I can not just go outside and run. " Sorry guy. That's not how this works. Just do it. No one cares about your excuses. If you don't like running than do jummping jacks, or run hills, or push a sled, or use a rowing machine, or go biking. The world will continue to lap you while you sit around and let your body decay and age. The older you get, the harder all this gets, and the more you ingrain bad habits, the less hope you have of ever achieving that body and health you want. Just put one foot in front of the other. Make a plan and stick to it. Even if it's just 15 mins of running at a time. Make a goal to go for 15 mins three times a week. Then the next week, go for 16 mins, then 17. Every week you don't workout, you are losing fitness, strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity. You are shooting yourself in the foot and making it much harder for when you actually do get out there and try to get in shape again. It's going to take twice as long if you keep putting it off.
 
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cola

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I think you're looking at "working out" completely wrong. This is why people prefer the term "training" and not "working out". Working out is just something you do to feel like you're getting in shape, to get a little workout buzz, a little pump, say you workout, etc.

If you want to ACTUALLY make any appreciable results, doing some hunky dunk 35 min resistance training workout once a week is going to do absolutely nothing for you. You're more or less wasting your time.

You need to make it part of your routine, and you need to progressively overload and make actual PROGRESS. If you were properly tracking and progressing, you wouldn't even be here actually asking this question. You would understand that consistency is close to the only thing that matters for fitness.

TRACK what you're doing and if you start going backwards, then you know that you are not making progress. Simple. If you do 4 sets of 15 pushups one week, and then the next, you can only do sets of 12, something is wrong. Whether it's your training, nutrition, or recovery. Tracking your reps and weight and volume holds you accountable and gives you quantifiable progress.

I'm going to be the ******* that says - don't even waste your time bro because it sounds like you don't even want it that badly. That's fine, there are plenty of us out here that are willing to put in the work and be consistent, and they're just going to keep lapping you while you're sitting around wondering whether you should do it or not. And the people leaving you in the dust aren't even busting their ass every single day. They realize that showing up, and just doing SOMETHING even when you feel ****ty or tired or weak is what actually gets results. If you're not even willing to lace up your shoes and try, you have no hope. I'm sorry. There have been literally hundreds of times where i didn't feel like doing a workout. For a lot of this, the workout itself barely even matters - it's showing up, getting your foot in the gym (or wherever you're working out), and just start getting warmed up and go for it. You can even tell yourself "if i still feel like **** in 15 mins, i'll just stop". It's miles better than not showing up at all, and 70% of the time, once you get warmed up, it's easy. You're already there anyway, you're already warmed up and sweaty and halfway there, might as well just finish it out since you wasted so much time already.

"I hate running. I can not just go outside and run. " Sorry guy. That's not how this works. Just do it. No one cares about your excuses. If you don't like running than do jummping jacks, or run hills, or push a sled, or use a rowing machine, or go biking. The world will continue to lap you while you sit around and let your body decay and age. The older you get, the harder all this gets, and the more you ingrain bad habits, the less hope you have of ever achieving that body and health you want. Just put one foot in front of the other. Make a plan and stick to it. Even if it's just 15 mins of running at a time. Make a goal to go for 15 mins three times a week. Then the next week, go for 16 mins, then 17. Every week you don't workout, you are losing fitness, strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity. You are shooting yourself in the foot and making it much harder for when you actually do get out there and try to get in shape again. It's going to take twice as long if you keep putting it off.
I think you were under the impression I’m somebody who never works out or has a fat or flabby physique, but that’s not the case.
 
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