Starting an exercise program is hard enough isn’t it? No matter what you plan or how easy it looks, it really isn’t as easy as you thought it would be to integrate into your daily living. One of the tricks is to make it fun so that you stay motivated.
The easiest way is to add music, some people don’t like working out to music, but if you put on something that gets you moving and is upbeat, the time will fly by. It has to be the type of music that gets you bouncing in your seat and makes you feel strong and full of energy. Another way to make it fun is to bring along someone whose company you enjoy, don’t bring along your spouse if you are at odds that day, it won’t be a fun time. Take someone that you respect and will push you when you need it.
Mix up your workouts, if you belong to a club that offers a variety of classes, be brave and try them out. Don’t get tunnel vision, walk over to that favorite piece of equipment every time and just go through the motions, eventually it won’t be your favorite and not only will you get bored but you also run the risk of injury.
What motivates you? According to statistics about 71% of men and 62% of women are overweight, with 31 & 33 % respectively being obese. Our children are even catching up at 18% of males and 16% females are overweight or obese and are on the rise. Our children should not be overweight or obese; they are in their prime years. We spend about 117 billion dollars a year on obesity and health related issues and that doesn’t even include the more than 33 billion dollars a year spent on weight loss products. We are spending so much time and money trying to fight the problem after we find out we have diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or heart problems. We take a look at ourselves and see that we are 20, 30 or even 40 pounds overweight and we just don’t feel as good as we use to.
Let’s say you go to the doctor and find out you are on your way toward getting diabetes. It’s an evil disease with so many complications. Up until now you work long hours, eat unhealthy and exercise is just another item on your to do list because you are taking care of everyone else. Now that you know where your health is heading are you going to make some changes? I certainly hope so, but now you’re already backed up against the wall and have to change everything all at once instead of taking the time to integrate changes. Do you think you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed? Did you know that if you are always in a state of stress it affects your ability to get the results you want?
Let’s talk about “fear based motivation”. You may fear getting heavier or you are starting to look like your mother. You may have even had a health scare; this stage is good because it motivates you to do something about your situation, but its not long lasting. Once you start to take action and the problem starts to fade, your fear dissipates and you go back to your old behaviors and relapse or hopefully you move onto the next stage, which will be discussed in my next article.
We are reacting to our individual situations after a health issue becomes evident. We need to be more proactive, change up what we do, stop making excuses and take action. Don’t wait until after that doctor’s appointment. The weather is getting nicer out and remember you “Gotta Move It 2 Lose it! (SM)”
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