We are in the third week of December 2012. As you read these words, someone is still waiting for January 1st to start their work-out regimen? May I ask why? If you think about working out like a chore or task then you are not setting up yourself for success. Rest assured, in January 2014, you will be making another list of New Year’s resolutions and “working out” will be way on top, again. Why not change that cycle for yourself today? Here are some things to help you jump-start your work routine. You may even be motivated to start today.
Change the Name of the Game
First things first, you may want consider changing the name of what you do to get fit. Just saying the words, “work-out” or exercise has been known to bring grown men to their knees and get stomachs churning before exercise has even begun. The mind is a powerful thing. If you condition it to work in your favor by just changing you words, those thoughts will follow. Start saying things like, “ I am going for a walk, going to spend some time with my girls, going to invest in my health”, and see how different you start to feel. Shoot, you could even say, I am going to get sexy! The more hilarious the better! If it will put a smile on your face and more anticipation in your heart, then that’s what you should say.
Discover What Excites You
One of our purposes in life is to discover what it is that excites us. The problem is not really that you don’t like to work out. The problem is, you have not yet discovered what excites you. You see, you really don’t have to or even learn to like to run on the treadmill. Your job is to learn what type of physical activity “charges you up”. It could be dancing, cycling, sword fighting, swimming, boxing, running, hiking, surfing…a number of things. Don’t beat yourself over the head because you can’t run a 5K like your friend from mom’s group. Congratulate her and her celebrate her. If you really want to start running, consider asking her to help you get started, being an exercise mentor of sorts. If you hate running on the other hand, then so be it. Find another activity that you enjoy. No one can do that for you but you.
Discover What Motivates You
What keeps you motivated once you get started? Is it cute aerobic apparel, free weights, friends, diversity? I know some women that will keep going as long as they have their friends with them, cheering them on, and telling them that they can do it! I know other women that prefer to work out alone, but can keep the momentum going as long as their work-outs are diverse. Practicing yoga one day, cycling another, and spinning the next is not on heard of. As long as you can keep them guessing, they are tuned in. For me, one of the things that keep me motivated is great music. I can get at least 30 minutes of good cardio in as long as I keep some good music going.
Here’s some of what is on my work-out play list:
Don’t Stop the Music… Rihanna
Push It…Rick Ross
Stronger…Kanye West
Get Up…Mary Mary
Eye of the Tiger…The Best of Rocky
Jump…The Pointer Sisters
I Gotta a Feeling…Black Eyed Peas
(If music also gets you motivated, borrow some inspiration from my playlist above).
The other thing that keeps me motivated is, reminding myself of the reasons that I exercise. For me, it’s not to fit into a certain size dress or to get ready for my class reunion. It’s a lifestyle! If your motivation for getting fit is some big reveal then, what happens after the wedding, the class reunion? It can be a vicious cycle that can get you right back where you started really quickly. I keep a poster of the “Top 100 Reasons to Work Out” in my home gym and make it a point to look at it whenever I can. But even with all these things in place sometimes it gets hard.
Sometimes, no matter how much you try, it can be so difficult to get and keep motivated. If that happens to you don’t sweat it. Get back on it! Don’t wait until the calendar says January 1st to get things re-started. Why would you want to put that kind of pressure on yourself anyway? Every day is filled with new hope, new opportunities and new moments to get things started, no matter what day it is. So now that you have three good reasons to start working out today, what are you waiting for? Get excited, get motivated, and get moving!
By the way, leave a comment and tell me what’s on your playlist. Maybe I’ll add it to mine.
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Comments ( 2 )
Jermey
Timely advice for me. Thanks for sharing this.
Lisa -The Domestic Life Stylist
Hi Jeremy! Glad to hear.