Monday, April 11, 2011

Exercise When You Don't Want To

Motivation - (n) That which prevents most out-of-shape adults from getting their lazy butts to the gym.

The problem with motivation, from my experience, is:  what does it take to get some of it?  Over the years, when I've lost motivation to get or stay in shape, it's never just one thing that gets me back in the right mind-set to do what I know needs to be done.  Lots of things have sparked motivation in me:

- Reading Fitness Rx Magazine and learning something new.
- A new song that fires me up to workout and I put it on my iPod.
- Seeing an old picture of myself when I was at my physical best.
- Seeing an old picture of myself when I was 200 lbs.
- Having a friend that pushes me to workout.
- Taking a new supplement that makes me feel like working out.
- Grocery shopping for healthy foods (and actually eating them).

All of these things have worked at some point in the past.  However, the one thing that never fails is, to quote Nike, just doing it.  I have always found that when I don't want to go to the gym, but then I go anyways, I'm likely to go back the next day.  Then, when I string a few days together, or even just a few days in a week, and combine that with healthy eating, my motivation begins to turn on.  I start to feel frustrated if I eat or drink something that doesn't fit with working out.  I find my self remembering to take my supplements, instead of forgetting.  When I eat good and take my supplements, I find myself looking forward to getting in the gym and doing something with all of that healthy stuff I put in my body that day.  I start to remember that those supplements are relatively worthless without a good workout and I remember that the most effective workout plan combines exercise, healthy eating, and (safe) supplements.

And what do you know?  I'm motivated again.  This topic is very fresh in my mind right now because I'm going thru it now.  I got the magazine and added new music to the iPod.  I went shopping for lots of fruits and vegetables and starting taking my supplements again.  I happened to see an old picture of myself from when I was on my honeymoon in Cancun (oh to be 24 again!).  And, my friend that I workout with is keeping me on my toes to help me get to the gym.  All of this is really helpful, but today I told my buddy that even though I didn't feel like working out, I better get to the gym anyways.  This was day 4 out of the last 5 days.  I'm getting my motivation back and the real key was day 1 in the gym.

So, when you don't want to workout, think about how good you're going to feel about yourself after a week of going, even when you didn't want to. 

Just make it to day 1.  Find your motivation once you're there.  It's waiting for you.

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