#HealthyMe: Six ways I’m getting my workout mojo back
Julie Bitely
| 3 min read
I’m happy to report that as of this writing, I’ve exercised five of the past seven days. Woot!
I wanted to share what’s been working for me with the hope that anyone else struggling with motivation can turn it around.
I’m getting it done first thing. I signed up for a 5:30 a.m. boot camp class at Sixth Street Park. By putting my workout first on my to-do list, it’s harder for me to skip. Plus, seeing the sunrise reflected in the Grand River every morning is pretty spectacular.
The view of Sixth Street Bridge crossing the Grand River from an overlook at Sixth Street Park, where boot camp takes place.
Wendy Hanson is my boot camp instructor. She’s a certified personal trainer who’s transformed her life. When Hanson started boot camp as a student, she weighed 201 pounds and couldn’t run a mile. Now she’s fit and healthy with a personal mission to help others.
Hanson said if you’re not a morning person, making your workout a non-negotiable part of your schedule also works. Put it on your calendar and respect that time.
“Setting my ‘me time’ as an appointment sets me up for success,” she said.
I paid for it. I hate parting with my hard-earned cash for stuff I don’t use. Since I paid for the class, I know I’ll be more likely to keep going.
It’s familiar. I’ve taken this class off and on over the years, so I knew what to expect. I’m all about trying new things, but if you’re just trying to find motivation to get going again, returning to something that’s worked before might be what you need. Finding what feels right to you will make it something you want to keep doing.
I’m accountable to others. Even though it’s boot camp, nobody makes you drop and do push-ups for missing a day. Still, knowing that my classmates are getting up just as early as I am, makes me think twice about skipping.
When Hanson started, boot camp provided that same measure of accountability for her.
“I needed to think people would notice if I was gone,” she said.
I set a public goal. Simply sharing that I wanted to work health and fitness into everyday life made me take action. You might not be writing blog posts about your fitness pursuits, but you can easily share goals with family and friends and ask them to help you see them through. You can do the same through social media or even by setting goals through #HealthyMe right here.
I’m giving myself a break. You’ll notice I didn’t work out every day this week. I also ate pizza on Wednesday and the button on my pants did not come flying off. I’m learning to live with doing enough for me and striving to look at every hour of every day as a new opportunity to make better choices. I’m calling that success.
What’s working for you this week?
Photo credit: Wendy Hanson
This blog post is part of #HealthyMe, a personalized web experience based on your health and wellness goals. To sign up today, visit https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/healthyme
