1. fitness is achievable – start where you are at
Keeping fitness motivation alive is and will always be a challenge!
No matter what your age or stage is it is good when you can move your body and maintain some level of fitness. It does not matter what you do. We all have to start at some point, start where we are at.
I love being physically fit so that I can help others and encourage them to be fit too. I find that women of my age have either given up or do not believe that they can achieve any level of fitness. But you can friend, it is possible, it is achievable.
One of the key factors for me in keeping hold of my motivation fitness has been to maintain a healthy weight.
This is different for everyone and I love that. I was motivated to lose weight because I wanted to run. The motivation to keep up with the eating plan has sustained me as I get closer to my goal. I am not completely where I want to be, but I am closer than I have been for about 30years.
2. know your goal – what are you aiming for?
Keeping it simple is what has motivated me in my fitness.
I would love to have all the gadgetry and all the fancy clothes but where I was starting from, this would have been impossible. So, I just started with what I had and I am still going.
When I started running, all I needed was a pair of good running shoes. This was affordable for me and I simply dug around in my wardrobe for a t-shirt and shorts and headed out of the door. I was given my first running watch as a surprise birthday gift and that was super fantastic to be able to see my progress, but it was not necessary for me to get out of the door.
3. getting started – keep it simple
I am such a planner and a dreamer, this is true. This is also a time to have an honest look at why you are wanting to do it, and what is your fitness motivation. The truth is, planning is good, but don’t let it prevent you from getting out of the door.
Being realistic and keeping it simple, running your own fitness race, and motivating yourself will then become a reality. Put on your shoes and get out of the door.
It is lovely to be outside, you will enjoy it.
4. health check – visit your doctor
My motivation was to get fit and lose some weight but I checked with my doctor if this was a possibility and a potential reality for me. I am on medication for thyroid and I did not want to play around with that.
This helped me realize that the level of medication that I was on was preventing me from reaching my goal.
Stop, before you go any further!
Speak to your doctor and find a way to reach your goal.
Then after sorting this all out with the doctor I knew that my excuses were gone and that the only thing holding me back was myself.
5. be real – look at your practices
I also had to face facts and see what excuses I was making!
Only I was getting in the way of myself.
I was desperately trying to get beyond the energy level slumps that I was experiencing in the afternoons. I really did not understand this until I went on a balanced eating plan.
What I learned I was doing was eating chocolate here and candy there. It didn’t seem like a lot and I ate it super quickly.
Can you relate? Or, is it only me? I now know that I cannot keep certain foods in the house, what about you?
6. face facts – know your limits
Motivation for fitness is real for me but I also know of dear friends and family members to whom this is just not important.
It is different for everyone. This is true.
But moving our bodies is important for all of us. Do what you can. Do it for yourself. Your health matters.
One of my friends can only manage to walk to the shop and another can only walk to the post box. They are my heroes because they face huge health challenges but they try every day to get out of the door and move their bodies.
7. keep fitness motivation going – never give up
Staying motivated to stay fit is not easy to start and it is not easy to maintain.
It is possible though.
And it is fun.
If you are a young person, I hope you are encouraged to think about your fitness, starting now will help you later.
If you are older, join me – I started in my middle years.
Went painfully slow. I gave up, then slowed down, I dealt with injury and sickness too. I learned how to rest and recover and then I started again.
8. not alone – find a friend
I have found some friends to join me on this journey and that has continued to motivate me. We are certainly not on the same level. There are men and women in my fitness group and we are different in age too.
They all have completely different abilities, motivations, and reasons for maintaining their fitness but we love cheering each other on. Some of us do races together and some do not want to race at all.
When we do a race together I ask that I can run alone and that we meet at the end.
That works for me, what works for you? Let me know in the comments.
9. remember – be kind
Remember to be kind to yourself.
This is for me, for when I struggle along and want to give up. And this is for you, please do not tell yourself it is only for some people with a certain body type or shape.
No, no, no – this for you and me. I am not naturally shaped for this but I love it.
There was once when I remember being in a race where some world marathon racers were in and when they passed me, they were like the wind. I was super happy to stop, make space for them, watch them and then continue on in my race.
It also made me think of what journey they have been on to maintain their motivation for fitness to reach their champion status.
10. enjoy – your pace, your race
And last but not least. For me to stay motivated to keep on running I remind myself often that this is my own journey.
Once I shared with a friend the pace of another friend and he said it was not a run but a fast walk. I was shocked at first and then I was a little offended by this friend’s comment.
This got me thinking! Whatever my pace is or whatever your pace is, I say well done – you’ve started this journey and you got out of the door.
Maybe I have encouraged you to start your journey of motivation for fitness, remember to pop back here when you need a bit of encouragement.
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