Know what you want. Clarity is power. And vague goals promote vague results
I've been doing this exercise thing for a while. I was definetly hitting the gym on a pretty consistant basis in my early and mid twenties when I was single, needing to lose the freshman 15, and had all the time in the world. I got married and my husband and I always made it part of our weekly routines. I popped out some babies and I was either pushing a stroller and walking the dog for several miles, or I was hitting the gym fitness classes so that I could stick my little punks in the nursery and get a darn break for a little while. My point is, I was no stranger to the gym, but I was simply showing up to maintain my jean size and well, it showed in my results.
I wasn't joyful about being there. It was a chore. I marked it off my list. I did it because I had to in order to fit into my clothes, not the worst reason in the world although I wouldn't have known that because I never went further then that. A surface level reason to be at the gym works, but how well is the question. It gets you there, you struggle through with little direction, but there is absolutely no doubt about it, when I started to ask myself WHY, my results, my attitude, and my journey CHANGED.
Grab a piece of paper, better yet a few sticky notes{you just might want to put this on your mirror or something} and write down your biggest health and fitness goal, then ask yourself why, write that down, then ask yourself why again, and yep, write that down as well. Ask yourself why three more times and then you have reached the heart of the matter. Armed with a clear goal{no matter how big or small}, there's absolutely nothing you can't accomplish. Read it daily, breathe it in, pray about it, live with it, let it inspire you to make real change in your life.
So hey, I thought I'd be all revealing and let you in on MY why's....
My first goal at 38 was to be proud of the reflection in the mirror, because I had spent years comparing, and wishing, and hoping and I wanted to STOP hearing that girl in my head because she was a TOTAL DRAG. Her energy was draining to be around, her smile never lasted long enough, she was scared of hard work, she felt small and inferior. Getting fit meant living LARGER. I wanted to be healthy on the inside and the outside. I wanted the inside girl and the outside girl to share confidence, and work as a team, and shine. I knew my entire life that I wasn't living to my full potential. That I was leaving parts of me covered up because I was scared what I might find. Getting fit meant having the strength and the courage to uncover the parts of me I hadn't figured out yet.
I wanted to be healthy and fit for my boys. More than even that I wanted to be a role model for them... even more then that I wanted them to admire my hard work so that they might want to work hard...even more than that, I wanted them to think I was badass because boys relate to badass...even more than that, I might actually have to be strong because they are rowdy and crazy and I might have to take them down{like to the ground in a head lock!}...even more than that, I want them to be proud of the mother they have because I can't think of anything sweeter than hearing my boys later in life describe their mom as disciplined, determined, happy and joyful.
I wanted to get fit to feel sexy. Is that okay to admit? I mean everybody kinda pretends like its vain and superficial,but like... its a real thing. I wanted to feel confident and sexy and sassy and shiny for myself and my husband. He loved me no matter what, but he deserved me striving to be my best and if that meant sexier than okay, YES. Sexy to me meant uninhibited, relaxed, and open to a new and deeper level of intimacy. Something only confidence{in my mind, body, and spirit} would accomplish.
I wanted to get fit because I love clothes and I wanted to wear the ones I wanted to wear! Yep, some whys are really that simple. I wanted to buy clothes that made me feel good, not settle for mom jeans and baggie sweaters to hide my least favorite parts. I wanted a closet full of "YES!", not a closet full of "I have nothing to wear because I can't stand to buy clothes because I don't like what I see in the dressing room mirror".
I wanted to get fit to defy my age. I was getting ready to turn 40 and I was SCARED. Real, real scared. Everyone made 40 seem so dark and forbidding, like there wasn't much going on after. I was concerned that I would be put into some age box where they put on the lid, tie up the bow and tell you to stop dreaming like you did in your twenties. The problem was I NEVER dreamt enough in my twenties and I wasn't going down without a fight. Trying to defying my age was my way of finally defining myself the way I wished I had years before but didn't. When then I added competing and getting into the best shape of my life it gave me opportunities to try new things, and then try some more, and then grow and change. GROW and CHANGE, two things I will absolutely never regret{now my booty on the internet? Regret? Nah, not that either}.