What does fitness mean to you?
I recall Oprah interviewing a supermodel who claimed to stay fit by practicing a certain type of yoga several days a week. Oprah responded (paraphrasing here), “Oh you mean we HAVE to do this (the yoga) three times a week?” I thought, “hmm that’s not an attitude that is going to make doing any practice stick. If Oprah doesn’t get it, are we all doomed?” If you feel like you “have” to do something and you dread doing it, you are less likely to sustain the behavior. As wellness coaches, we light up when we see you choose to do a workout that brings you joy. That’s the good stuff in life that can help keep you motivated. Yes, I know; not all of us are happy gym rats, and we may need to drag ourselves out of bed to work out. Maybe, you’d rather not go for a run, but you recall how good it feels after you’ve finished. Focus on that good. Go big with how “good” it feels after you’ve taken care of your physical body. Even right now, remember a time when you felt content after moving your body in some way. What was it? That time you danced at a wedding? A time when you were swimming at the beach?
A tiny attitude shift can be enough to help sustain you when your motivation dips. As the seasons change, this is a time we can be susceptible to falling off our physical fitness routine. The days get shorter; temperatures are dropping. But this time of year, the beginning of a new season, especially Autumn, can be a great time to reevaluate what you are doing to stay fit. Are you getting bored with the daily walk? Is it time to look into the gym membership to see about indoor swimming? Maybe ask a friend to join you for a regular workout to have a buddy on hand to help keep you accountable.There’s one thing we can count on, and that’s change. As the seasons change, it’s a good time to give yourself a little time to see if it’s time to switch-up the way you take care of yourself.Fitness means many things to many people.It’s a lot easier to make friends with your body and give it the movement and nourishment that you enjoy. After all, you’ve got to live with yourself for a long time.We are also here to help! If you’re ready for support or want more information on understanding personal fitness, drop us an email or give us a call at 877-293-9355 ext. 0!
– Kelley Colihan Robertson, E-RYT
