Fit in the City - Leigh Ann Root
It's a proven fact that exercise is not only good for us, but improves our lives. So why do we have such a hard time motivating ourselves to move? Even the seasoned exerciser has those days where they cannot seem to get going. What is the key to motivating ourselves into a more physical lifestyle? How do we get started and keep a routine going? To motivate means to stir into action or feeling, to impart courage, inspiration and resolution to. I agree. This can be applied to exercise. Having the courage to change yourself for the better, inspire others to do the same, and resolving to live healthier every day. It means to mentally and physically prepare yourself for life. Reminding yourself, regularly, that by treating your body with respect and exercising it daily, you will be rewarded with a happier existence. This is about encourage and pushing yourself to be your personal best. Living longer lives and improved lives should be motivation, in itself. It come down to function. How do our bodies function when exercised regularly? How do they function when they are not? It's as simple as, move it or lose it! It doesn't take long to start caring for your body in a healthy way and seeing the positive effects. Walk. It also doesn't take long to see fitness gains diminish once one becomes sedentary. It's about simple maintenance, just like the material objects people own. As we age this couldn't be more true. We must be proactive with our bodies. I'm not talking marathons and mountains, I'm talking about little things that can add up to big changes. Putting aside 30 minutes a day to do something, ANYTHING, physical.
One of my biggest motivator for exercising is the adjustment it makes in my attitude. This is huge. It calms me, de-stresses me, and makes my problems feel smaller. My own "physical therapy", if you will. When I have treated my body right, the day is always brighter and seems to flow better. Sweat, for me, is like the grease that allows my wheels to move a little easier. Again, it's about function. I also have fewer aches and pains when I have respected my body.
Many times people are motivated by outside factors when it comes to exercise, like dress sizes or special events. This is fine as long as it's not the sole reason for the action. For instance, people will start out on a fitness quest with a end in sight, like an event or a number on the scale. Here, is one of the biggest mistakes people make. They see themselves getting "better" (or more physically fit) for only a period of time, instead of for life. I believe in having goals within a healthy life, but the journey should never end. The journey should be filled with new challenges and successes as you continue to maintain your health. Consistency and balance are the keys. This is true not only with exercise, but also, with eating right, with positive thinking, and with resting the body. We must treat our bodies as if they are our most important and valuable thing we own. Consider it a job. A healthy body can take you anywhere you want to go. By treating fitness as journey, people will keep learning and discovering how truly great they are. What does this all mean? It means people must make a choice. You don't stumble across fitness, you must create it. It simply means you must to schedule it into your life on a regular basis. Don't hesitate to motivate yourself any longer. Create great, move it or lose it!
