Gym Motivation
(Unorthodox Suggestions)
Here's Part II of our "Gym Motivation" series.
Part I featured somewhat more Orthodox suggestions. While mainstream, I don't think they are bad and I felt it necessary to remind you and try to expand on them.
Sometimes, there's no reason to get too creative if you have SIMPLE techniques that work.
Part II (this) and III will explore Less Orthodox ways to get excited about getting to the gym, so eventually - you are on autopilot and these techniques become second nature or unnecessary.
Don't expect ALL these techniques to be totally obscure or innovative - if you can't motivate yourself to hit the gym with the Orthodox techniques, chances are - there is probably nothing I can say to help you. The responsibility lies with YOU - not me.
These suggestions are meant to throw gasoline on a fire that is already somewhat burning.
These suggestions serve as icing on the cake and have motivated me through the years.
Unorthodox Ways to Get Motivated for the Gym
#15 Get Yourself a Whole Bunch of Fresh Music on Your iPod/mp3
I'm surprised that this technique wasn't mentioned too often on mainstream websites. You'd think it would be.
It's worth sitting down for an hour or two and spending a few bucks to download some motivating music off iTunes, Amazon or Google Play to take to the gym with you.
Here's a few of the 97 songs I've downloaded since February 1.
Click to Enlarge
(Shut up - you like Nickelback too. Everyone does.)
I've been a believer in this one for a long time.
There's nothing worse than going to the gym and being forced to listen to Adam Lambert or Jon Mayer sing some "sensitive" Top 40 Pop garbage.
As late as 2005, I had a fanny pack with a CD-player in the gym with me. (totally out of style - even for '05)
If you are totally strapped for cash - you can download music videos with a YouTube Downloader such as KeepVid or secure your music through other less legal means.
If you have a smart phone and you want to listen to random songs within the same genre, I recommend 'TuneIn Radio'. There's an app for iPhones and Androids.
You can pickup just about any radio station in the country and there's a live list that tells what's playing on every station.
There's a TON of cool stuff you will come across.
I really love this app. It rarely crashes or has any problems whatsoever. A+ from this Loser.
You don't even have to be connected to high-speed Internet to get a full non-stop stream.
Even if you hate all music, you can still probably find something you'll love on here. There's plenty of talk radio and other stuff.
Or you can join the human race and listen to the best decade of music of all time. (Alternative Rock)
(Classic Rock and 90's Hip Hop is tight too)
For intellectuals that do a significant amount of cardiovascular training, there's plenty of audiobooks that can make the time FLY by.
I've listened to quite a few books that I've always wanted to read. It's more engaging (happily distracting) than music or TV.
You can easily knock out two things that most people hate - CARDIO and READING. That's efficiency baby!
For engaging audiobooks I highly recommend-
(pretty much access to ~every known book in the world)
For some people, including myself, music/audio can be the difference between a good and shitty workout.
I'm just not as dedicated as I used to be - and I know it.
If some music/audio gives you 10 more minutes of motivation or 10 more RPM's of intensity - it's totally worth it.
#16 Join a High-End (More Expensive) Club
Committed guys that are already motivated can go to a shitty $9.99/month "hardcore" gym where the equipment is old (or "old school") and have great workouts.
This article is not for them.
When I moved to Los Angeles in 2008, I joined Equinox Fitness in West Hollywood. Somewhat by choice, somewhat by necessity.
It was $179.99 a month.
(and I signed a year contract)
The other nearby gyms looked (and smelled) like a poorly lit fitness rooms that you'd expect in some shitty Vegas Atlantic City motel.
Although overpriced - I never had more motivation (post-college) to hit the gym. It would be a total waste of money if I didn't. There was plenty of other things to do at the gym if I wasn't feeling the weights that night.
I was in really good shape all 2 years that I trained there.
I met a lot of my close friends in Los Angeles at Equinox and countless absolutely gorgeous women.
Of public gyms, Equinox-WeHo is appropriately considered the 'celebrity gym'. They even have Valet parking. (I would walk to the gym)
(fun fact: Equinox is right across the street from the house Mystery and Neil Strauss lived at in 'The Game')
Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, David Beckham, Dolph Lundgren (Ivan Drago), Fabio (he is in AMAZING shape... no joke) and a ton of others go there.
Call me insecure (I was in 2008) but just seeing (and sometimes talking to) these stars was really good for my self-esteem as a timid newcomer to Los Angeles. It was actually huge.
While my friends were entering a mid-day sugar comatose while working jobs they don't like - Clint Eastwood is asking me what type of diet I follow and if I can help him. (true story)
#17 The Juice Effect
(Or Other Supplements)
Nothing on this list or any suggestion would get me excited to hit the gym than ordering juice and receiving it.
If you juice - you know what I'm talking about.
When the box arrives - it's like Christmas day.
There's nothing more exciting than going to the gym KNOWING that you are getting significantly bigger, faster and stronger.
Knowing that each workout is 10000% more productive than normal.
The "pump" from juice is incredible. One of the best natural highs that you can experience.
Your muscles literally feel like they are going to burst out of your skin. You feel like Superman.
I miss those days; I don't use super-physiological dose of steroids anymore.
I admittedly blew way too much money on worthless dietary supplements in my 20's.
But for natural trainees - ordering some useful supplements can somewhat mimic the psychological "juice effect".
Get some amazing tasting protein powder (so you look forward to taking it) and a pre-workout supplement that gets you super amped, focused and pumped up.
If you are following "Good Looking Loser's Weight Loss Diet" get the mandatory supplements - they work great and can motivate you.
If you've never tried a pre-workout stimulant, then you are in for a nice surprise.
I'll give some in-depth reviews at a later date.
I don't love the notion of "throwing money" at things to get results but it undoubtedly helps motivate a lot of people with their fitness goals.
Sure, it's temporary motivation. I understand that. But you have to start somewhere.
Our recommendations are hardly expensive anyway.
- Our articles about anabolic steroids or "Get Juiced" are on GoodLookingLoser.com.
#17 Schedule a Photoshoot or Beach Vacation
As mentioned in "19 Things You Need to Do in 2014 (Part II)", scheduling a professional photoshoot can be quite motivating.
It gives you a purpose and a deadline.
That's what we call...
A Goal.
90 minutes with a professional photographer has never been less expensive.
Check out the local photography deals on Groupon and you will may find one for just $50-60.
You could also schedule a trip to the beach or to some warm climate where you will be forced to remove your shirt in front of members of the opposite sex.
You don't have to travel to the Caribbean - just a place where you can chill with your friends for a couple days.
Even planning some summer trips to a public pool to talk to a few girls can be effective.
In Florida and Los Angeles, we have plenty of pool parties and people are in pretty good shape.
Chris in College (2006)
#18 Sinex
Here's a little trick that "Mr. Tampa" taught me.
His pre-workout stack consisted of -
- 3+ cups of coffee
- This $5 over-the-counter medication
(you want the NOSE SPRAY - not geltabs)
It helps breathing quite a bit - even if you don't have sinus issues.
Gets you going. But in a different way that I can't quite describe.
Maybe it's psychological but it feels like there's more fresh oxygen hitting your lungs.
#19 Make Yourself Look Like TOTAL Crap
(Last Supper Technique)
This is a bit of an oddball one.
I swear by it and so does former NBA Superstar/Fat Ass - Charles Barkley.
If you find yourself not liking how you look - it's time to push yourself over the edge.
Rather than following a below-average diet for months on end and telling yourself that you'll get in the gym soon - STUFF YOUR FACE UNTIL YOU ARE NEARLY SICK.
Then take a picture of yourself.
That's right.
Late at night - go to IHOP or Waffle House (crappy American breakfast places) alone.
Order 3+ rounds of pancakes, waffles, omelets, hash browns, sausage, biscuits with butter, milkshakes and whatever your weak self craves.
While they are bringing plate after plate to your lonely table, have a little talk with yourself.
Tell yourself - THIS IS IT.
- THE LAST BAD MEAL.
- I'm going to enjoy this.
- It's going to be good (well - until I start feeling bloated and sick).
- But I don't like how I look.
- Neither do other people.
- At this rate, I'm headed to become part of the 75% of men that are overweight and undersexed.
- IT'S ALL MY FAULT.
- But I can fix it.
- This is the last bad meal I'm going to eat until I have a 6-pack.
- That's right. Full 6-pack.
- Eat an amount just short of getting sick.
- If you don't have room for dessert. Order 2 of them.
- Get the bill. Notice that you ate enough for 4+ people.
- Pay the bill and don't be stingy on the tip. Your server did a lot of work.
- Leave the place thinking, "damn that wasn't actually that good..."
- Go home (DO NOT PUKE) and take a shirtless picture of yourself. Disgust yourself.
(post it on social media if you dare - more on this later)
- Go to the gym the next day and DON'T STOP GOING.
(make sure your fridge is 100% free of garbage foods)
This technique isn't for everyone. It motivates me though. Charles Barkley swore by it too. He lost 130lbs after a 9000 calorie IHOP run.
This year, I did my "Last Supper" at an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant - I'll put up the pictures in a month when I'm ~7% body fat again.
For some reason this technique works super well at places that serve breakfast foods, especially pancakes.
A lot of guys (including myself recently) need to start looking like absolute crap to get really motivated for their "comeback".
Rather than progressively getting to that point - you can get yourself to that point in one night.
#20 Review Your Current State
(Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?)
Surprisingly, the connection between depression and a lack of motivation for physical activity isn't explored too much among the mainstream.
To me, who has suffered from mild depression throughout my college years and being a personal trainer to several people that just needed a friend moreso than a trainer - the connection is obvious.
It's hard to get motivated when you have no social or sex life.
It's hard to get motivated when you don't talk to more than a couple people a day.
It's hard to get motivated when you are unsure why you are even on this planet.
If you constantly find yourself struggling with consistency - it might not just happen in the gym.
Be honest with yourself and don't try to use "the gym" as a band-aid for bigger problems. I did that for years.
While exercise is certainly a mandatory part of the recovery progress, I believe (unless you are a competitive bodybuilder or athlete) that you are going to need something else to also get excited about. Ideally - that something should have a social element to it.
My buddy Clint wanted me to get him psyched up to go to the gym and stick with it.
Any motivation I gave him was temporary - at best.
Out of the blue, I told him to get a job as a bartender - even if he had to be a bus boy (low paid guy who helps the servers/bartenders) for a while.
He listened and once he got the job he had an immediate surge of motivation for the gym.
He was going to be seen, he was going to be talked about, all of a sudden - he needed to look his best.
Clint credits the little bus boy gig as the turning point of his entire life - he got past an ugly breakup with his ex-girlfriend and has never looked better in his life.
Like I said, if you are not motivated and find yourself dropping out time-after-time, you might need to be honest on where you are going in life or what your bigger goals are.
If you are depressed - admit it.
Your goal should be to BEAT DEPRESSION and not simply "go to the gym".
#21 Face Gym Anxiety
At times, myself and guys twice as big as me, have something we call "gym anxiety".
It's not completely debilitating - but it's enough to make us avoid going to the gym at peak hours and dislike the "walk up" to the front desk at the gym when signing in.
It's enough to have an emotional response to people who are "watching" you.
As we know, however, the actual anxiety is never as bad as the perceived anxiety.
Rather than regarding "gym anxiety" as something to be avoided or minimized - I highly encourage you to try and take on the challenge.
It's a safe drill in social freedom.
Exposure therapy.
By getting past the majority of your gym anxiety, you'll start to develop a tolerance to people watchers, be more comfortable with your body and simply just BE PROUD OF YOURSELF.
Once you are comfortable with going to the gym, start going in sleeveless t-shirts and then try tank tops.
You'd be surprised how much beating gym anxiety can help lower social anxiety.
(tip: make eye contact when you are walking up to the front desk and ask "Hi, how are you?" to whoever checks you in. It's EXACTLY what the walkup on an approach looks/feels like. Don't wait for them to greet you - YOU INITIATE IT.)
Peak of Total Douchebag Era (2010)
#22 Have a Phenibut Dance Party
Here's one from deep inside the experience and mind of Good Looking Loser.
Remember how I told you that Phenibut makes music sound incredible?
It does.
Although I DO NOT recommend taking Phenibut everyday - it's worth using once in a while for the gym - especially if you have a long block of cardio scheduled.
Try it.
YOU TELL ME IF CARDIO HAS EVER BEEN EASIER.
Don't be surprised if you want to do it for 2 hours without stopping.
Don't be surprised if you want to dance in front of everyone.
You'll never be more socially-free in your life.
Natural endorphins and Phenibut makes for an extremely gay ole time.
Here's my recipe -
(ideally on an empty stomach to maximize fat burn)
- Lipodrene (not available on Amazon.com - dose will vary)
- 2500+ mg of High-Quality Phenibut
- 3 scoops of BCAAs (before workout)
- * Focus XT or Piracetam supplements (this is optional)
- 2 scoops of BCAAs (during workout)
I would start with 2000mg or 2500mg of Phenibut - that should be enough for 'euphoric cardio' for most people.
Some might need more, upwards of 3000mg.
Give it a shot a few times (not in a row), it's worth seeing if you can get there.
BRING YOUR HEADPHONES. Don't try this without music.
How will I know it's working?
- You will feel INCREDIBLE.
You'll feel like you are at a live concert. You will feel like you FEEL every beat/note of the music.
(try trance music - that is particularly good for this)
Again, you might need to try this a couple times and play with the doses in the stack - but it's absolutely awesome when you get in the zone and it lasts for 8+ hours.
Not actually what I workout in...
For further suggestions, exclusive to the Good Looking Loser Fat Loss Diet, check out this post-
Part III of this article will be continued here-
If you use any Less Orthodox ways that get you amped up for the gym -- tell us below.
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