Monday, November 24, 2008
Every week I overhear people beating themselves up because, once again, they have failed to get their ?lazy? bottoms to the gym. The time has come to accept that the innate nature of human beings is that we need external motivation in order to maintain a successful exercise program. That is a simple fact. The energy wasted becoming frustrated and angry with ourselves for failing to be something we are not is tremendous. That energy would be better spent finding an avenue by which to succeed in our exercise endeavors.
So, let?s begin with the knowledge that we are not meant to be ?islands.? We are all intricately connected, and the more we try to buck that current the worse we feel. How about going toward acceptance of the reality that we are supposed to rely on one another for support, support of all kinds, including our fitness programs. This community is so blessed to have many excellent choices and opportunities for fitness outlets. There are tons of fitness classes to choose from at each of the facilities within this county. Never worry about taking a class for the first time, because everyone in there had their first time too and will be understanding of you. Inform the instructor that this is your first time attending, so that he or she can give you some extra guidance. Before you know it, you will begin to make friends in those classes, and between feeling motivated by the instructor and the camaraderie you build with other participants, you will then be missed when you are not there. You will also feel as though you let them down by missing class, and it won?t be long before your body will give feedback about how much it misses class as well. All of this makes for an effective way to sustain motivation.
Hiring a personal fitness trainer is an awesome way to acquire the motivation for being loyal to your program. Most of the facilities offer this service and frankly, there simply isn?t any substitute for that ?one on one? attention, expertise and connection with someone you know has your very best interest foremost in their mind. When hiring a Personal Fitness Trainer, it is a must that they be highly trained, certified by an accredited organization, and that they have plenty of experience training your peers with issues similar to yours. It is also paramount that you really, truly ?click? with your trainer and feel in your heart and gut that the two of you have a positive, honest and caring relationship. Even if you hire a Trainer for only one session, if upon your initial interaction you do not ?click? with them, find someone else BEFORE you spend your hard-earned money. It?s important that your experience be totally positive in every way.
If joining a health and fitness facility is just not your cup of tea, how about a community sport? Team sports such as baseball, basketball, softball, volleyball and soccer are great fun and an excellent way to feel ?a part of,? necessary and involved. These are strong motivating factors that do work to keep us exercising. Check in the local newspaper or with the Waynesville Park and Recreation Center for available teams and sign-up information.
Group fitness activities may not cut it for you either, in which case I would recommend ?partner? training. Basically, you hook up with a friend, your spouse, a parent or sibling and make a pact to be each other?s motivator. This works very well for many people, so that when one of you really doesn?t feel like going for a walk around the lake, to the tennis court or over to the gym, the other one is usually able to persuade you to go anyway. Of course, it works both ways, which is the beauty of it. There may be the occasional time when you both just give in and meet for coffee instead, and that?s okay too. Remember though, you can chat and train at the same time, even though the workout may be less intense. Every little bit counts. May you find your way to a successful approach that works for you ... you are so worth it. Happy fitness!
