Get Up And Go!

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.- Jim Ryun

Yesterday I awoke to an email on my phone with the subject line reading EMERGENCY. I started sweating and bracing myself for terrible news. I quickly opened the email and the first line read: “I just ate an entire box of Chips Ahoy cookies please help me stop plus I have not worked out in 9 days! Make me get off my butt!” I laughed because this was not at all what I was expecting. I’m not sure what kind of story I thought that she’d share via email but an email about cookies was not it.

"How do you do it? How do you stay motivated? I just don’t know where to start" she asked.

I didn’t know what to say. It got me thinking about all the ways I find myself avoiding doing things that need to be done and all the self-help pep talks that don’t actually help but hinder me.
When I find myself wasting hours on end scrolling through my “friends” pictures on Facebook instead of working out, I try to get in touch with why I want to exercise in the first place. I tell myself these things:

You need to exercise.Your mind will function much better and you will be able to focus.

You must practice what you preach.

You want a long healthy life free of cancer, lung and heart problems.

I’ve already put in so much work towards being fit if I allow my sluggish self to ruin everything I will be unhappy.

The most common excuse I hear is “I’m so bored.” Easy solution! Make a date with a friend who is into fitness and won’t let you back out. That will not only keep you accountable, but you get to get some good girl time in as well. For me, I try to create a new fun and exciting playlist on my IPOD once a week. There are always new pop songs out so it’s so easy to find one with an energetic beat to get you in the mood. Maybe you are the type to listen to a podcast or you’d rather watch your favorite TV show while busting out the miles on the treadmill.
Work out for 10 minutes, then see. (Those 10 minutes invariably lead to much more).

Is your life super busy? “I have no time” is your motto?
Schedule your workout into your day...in ink! You make time to go to Target right? Why not make time for you? You’ve made a commitment and now you must stick to it. Nothing is going to get in the way. You will not cancel. I understand there are times that life gets in the way but more often than not you must make keeping yourself healthy a priority. To make it even easier, pack your gym bag the night before and leave it in the car or by the door; buy some new fitness threads and lay out your workout clothes before you turn in for the night. Or try getting up just 15 minutes early to do some type of short workout. (15 minutes is not that hard even if you hate the mornings) You might even do 30 minutes or you can do 15 minutes after you get home from work in the evening. Short bursts of exercise are just as good for you as doing 30 minutes all at once.

Working Out Is Hard.  Anything that requires you to put in some effort is worth it. Granted going to an hour long aerobics class on your first day at the gym may not be the best idea. Work your way towards that class so you can be injury free and you’ll be going again and again. Like anything else in life a little effort goes a long way.

Staying on track is a constant battle but if you make a few mental changes you will be a sassy fitness warrior in no time. Like the saying goes “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” the same can be said for working out.