Exercise has become a scary word for many people. It is often associated with torturous hours on the treadmill or tripping over ones own feet in a class where everyone else seems to know the moves. It is no wonder so many people find it difficult to get motivated to exercise. Simply knowing it is good for you is not enough. To discover the kind of motivation that comes from within and lasts, follow these three guidelines: find the joy in exercise, incorporate it into your life in a way that complements not complicates it, and change the way you think about exercise.
Push-ups: for all ages and abilities
The push-up is a fundamental exercise that I routinely use with most of my clients. It works the whole body and can be easily modified for either the 75 year-old woman or the 25 year-old athlete. Push-ups engage numerous muscles including the core (a group of muscles which support and protect the back), chest, shoulders, and triceps (the area on the back of the arm that can get loose and wobbly, causing the “double goodbye” effect when waving).
Drenched with happiness
“Drenched with happiness after running intervals in the rain with Julia”. This was my husband’s Facebook status last Saturday after an exhilarating run in the woods. Thoroughly soaked and physically worked, we giddily welcomed the first storm of the season. I was perfectly content savoring the experience between the two of us, however, and had trouble understanding why he felt the need to share it on Facebook. He argued that while most people are bundled up in their homes during the stormy weather, we went out and had an incredible adventure. He believed that sharing this with others would inspire them to get out there too.
Mommy Workout
As a mom, I know how challenging it is to fit everything into a single 16 hour day and squeezing in a workout can sometimes seem as likely as conquering Mount Everest. We’ve learned to be quite creative when it comes to taking care of our family and keeping our house in order, but we seldom work ourselves into the equation. While pondering this dilemma one day, I experienced a multi-tasking epiphany. It dawned on me that I could, in fact, get in a workout and spend quality time with my girls all at once. We had so much fun making this video. And let me tell you, I was sore for 3 days!
Humbling Tales Of An Athlete
In my twenties, my body would do just about anything I commanded. If I could will myself to go for a 100 mile bike ride or a 3 hour run, my body would follow without question. When extreme fatigue set in during the last 5 miles of a 50K trail race, I kept my feet moving toward the finish by setting incremental psychological goals to get to the next rock or tree. The physical challenge always seemed secondary to the mental obstacles.
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