As part of the Abbotsford News’ monthly fitness series, personal trainer Kathie Marshall offers expert advice on nutrition and exercise. This month, she addresses exercise motivation.

I am too busy. My kids needs come first. My commute is long. I was too tired. Once I hear an excuse it turns into blah blah blah in my head. If anyone has heard every reason under the sun why someone cannot possibly be expected to exercise, I have. So how do we make it important enough or enough of a priority to actually follow through with our goals?

The quickest way to get yourself in a gym is to stop making excuses. I mean literally stop saying them out loud. If you constantly are telling people around you want to lose weight but…or I wanted to go to the gym but.. You need to stop. For one it’s annoying, for another it is just not true. Voicing these excuses makes them real to you, and because the people around you are too polite to call you out on your annoying excuse habit, you will go on believing that you are special and get to use excuses to not do something that you have identified as important. Everyone is busy!!! You are not special. You need to look at your own life and if 5am is the only time you have then that is your workout time. And yes, there is actually a 5am in the morning,

So we’re clear that there is to be no more excuses. Now lets look at initial motivating factors, what truly motivates you to want to healthier? Initially, motivation could come in the form of money spent on a trainer, an upcoming wedding or a friend losing weight and looking great just to name a few. In Anita and Jens case, the motivation was that the articles were going to be written regardless of whether they lost weight or not!! Look inside yourself to find what motivates you to want to exercise or do something healthy and then write these things down so you can refer to them when you need motivation.

As time passes the motivation comes from looking and feeling better, getting compliments, fitting into smaller sizes or running your first 5km. Basically the motivation to continue exercising and eating well is created by the act of following through for yourself.

Now maybe this whole getting healthier thing just isn’t important to you. Maybe it is important to your husband or doctor that you lose weight. Maybe you think it is supposed to be important so you say it is but really you wanna pour butter on your popcorn and eat real mayo. You cannot lose weight or get into shape unless you want to. And you know what? It is ok to have other priorities than fitness or weight loss. If you want to choose sleep over a 5am workout, I won’t stop you (or blame you) but know that you always have a choice. It is what you have to sacrifice that you may not want to give up, but technically you could. So it is still a choice.

Equilibria is your home for Pilates in Langley and Personal Training Langley

Add comment August 10th, 2008