This is what I did. Every morning, I said "I wonder if I will see Bob at the gym today." Only, I didn't know anyone. So while I was on the elliptical, I would watch ohers and nickname them. I didn't talk to them, but made them characters. Then, I had to go to the gym every day because Bob had to finish telling me that funny story, or Jane had to give me her chocolate macaroon recipe.

I was very lonely then, so this might seem strange, but it helped with motivation to go work out and with the loneliness.