Keeping Motivated to Exercise

This coming Monday (April 7^th) is World Health Day.  It’s the 64^th anniversary of WHO (1948) and this years’ theme is Aging and Heath.  We all have aging in common, and let’s face it - it’s better than the alternative. What better time to access where you are since we are now a quarter of the way through 2012.  Can you believe how quickly the time is going by?  How are you doing on the healthy goals that you set?  Still exercising?  If you are like most people who set an exercising goal for 2012, you’ve probably let it slip by now.

Due to recent jaw surgery, I had to stop exercising for a while.  “A while” was actually 5 weeks because before the surgery, in addition to working very long hours, I had a major sinus infection plus throat and ear infections that I was trying to kick.  Then following the surgery, I had another couple of weeks when I couldn’t exercise. Since exercising isn’t my favorite activity anyway, it would have been all too easy for me to just stop entirely.  But as soon as I had the OK to take it up again, I forced myself back to the gym.  I’ve been going again every morning and have increased my workouts gradually during the first week so that I’m now even beyond where I was before.  I’ve also started a weights class twice a week.  While I love lifting weights, I have trouble staying motivated if I have to constantly work out on my own so I find taking a class with others helps the time pass more quickly and it helps to keep me motivated.  I’m hoping that it will also help me get motivated to resume my weights on the days that I don’t have classes.

Following my surgery, I set myself a goal of walking a minimum of 3 miles a day and if I have the time I do 5 miles – that’s my goal for the day, every day for 4 weeks.  This isn’t just slogging along because I do intervals and inclines on the treadmill, increasing the speed and inclines to challenge my body when I can.  I’m not sure why I chose these distances or 4 weeks but it’s just a goal that I set.  These miles have to be in addition to any other exercise that I get throughout my day. 

Setting and tracking my goal helps motivate me to complete my goal. My husband gave me a Fitbit pedometer as a gift a few months ago so I’ve been wearing it faithfully.  It connects to my computer so that I can also log in the foods that I eat and calculate the calories that I take in.  Once you see the calorie in calculations versus the calories that you burn during your activities, the ratio in versus calories out all becomes much more real.

There are still days when I could so easily find a hundred excuses to not go to the gym.  That’s why I go first thing, very early, every morning. I am determined to accomplish my goal so I force myself out the door and once I get going, it’s not so bad.  I always feel better for having done it. 

So, are you still working on your healthy goals?  If the thought of going to a gym makes you cringe, there are so many other activities that you can do to keep active.  If you are bored with your usual exercise, try something new such as a new activity or a new class.  It will keep your body challenged and refresh your attitude.

 Join me by continuing your healthy goals for the rest of 2012!