Be a Man and Stay Motivated

When first getting back in the swing of things or just starting out, not just with fitness but really any goal, there is a build up of motivation. You're ready. You're willing. You're determined. Then life gets in the way. Whether it is just being busy, or wrapped up in yet another reason to be addicted to Netflix, it gets easier and easier to say, "I'll just take tonight off." or "Ehh... I'll just run 1 mile instead of 2, 20 sit ups instead of 50." They say it takes approximately 3 weeks in order to make something a routine. So what do you do in the mean time? BE A MAN! Or in my case a woMAN...

You must be:

Swift as a coursing river: When I am having a hard time staying motivated to go to the gym I turn my mind off. If I dwell on the fact that I am tired, or it is super cold out, I will convince myself not to go and run. I must change and get out the door as swiftly as possible.

With all the force of a great typhoon: It's easy to stick to the same old routine, same old weights. In order to really burn fat and build muscle you must increase either your weight or your reps. If I wake up the next morning after doing my arm work out and I don't feel a thing I force myself to go up in weight or throw in an extra rep. Force yourself.

With all the strength of a raging fire: Over the past week I have built up my endurance to run my 2.5 miles, or 30 minutes. It is time to man up and increase my mileage. It's easier said than done. There were many times I wanted to stop, to slow down, but I kept up my strength and kept running towards my goal. I ran 3 miles and it felt GREAT!

Mysterious as the dark side of the moon: One word: attitude. If you put your mind to something and keep your head held high, it is amazing what you can do. Push your body to the limits. Don't give up, man up.

Let's Get Down to Business, to defeat... THE BUNS!

Yes I just went there... If any of you read my prior adventures in Wonderland, you would know that I have had a severe issue with squats. I am pleased to update that I have finally conquered them. Although, I am pretty sure that the girl next to me thought I was a weirdo for watching her form, but I was able to really pick up my problems. 1) My weight distribution was off. The girl next to me held her arms straight out in front of her. Doing so made it easier to place more of my body weight on my heels and not fall backwards. 2) Stop thinking so much. I have always been worried about my form. My wellness professor from back in the day said an exercise only works if done accurately. I was always so focused on my form that I didn't just let my body do the work for me.

Like I said above, if you are determined, it is amazing what you can push your body and your mind to do. But it is easy to lose ones motivation and that is why you must find the strength to move forward and man up.