Staying Motivated

These days I always workout first thing in the morning. If I don't, it won't happen. I'll get busy, distracted, unmotivated--whatever. It just won't happen. When my alarm rings at 5:30am or 5:45am or 6am (how long of a workout I'm scheduled to do dictates how early I'm getting up and heaven forbid I get up earlier than I need to), I do not leap from bed excited to exercise. Do. Not.

Shocking, I know.

Yes, there are some workouts I enjoy more than others (anything by Chalene vs. Insanity when I was literally counting down the days). But as a general rule, I'd much rather lie in bed and get thin by thinking about it.

It could happen, right?

My undergraduate degree was in journalism and my major is advertising. I was once reading an article in Ad Age (because why else would you read Ad Age unless you were in advertising????). In the article, the CEO of Proctor & Gamble was talking about his philosophy on his advertising budget. He was commenting that reducing your ad budget in times of economic crisis (sounds familiar even though this was 20 years ago. I can't believe I can talk in terms of 20 years ago. Ew.) is like skipping exercise. You might not notice the negative effects at first, but pretty quickly, you notice the effects of skipping.

That has stuck with me for a long time even though his main point was about cutting your advertising budget and not actually working out. But I think he was right on. And for the most part, even after all these years, his words keep me hopping out of bed at whatever hour so I avoid the negative effects of skipping my workouts, whatever they may be.

There are different ways I stay motivated. Maybe some of these ideas will help you because while we're all fired up about whatever New Year's resolutions we may have made at this moment, in two weeks, three weeks, six weeks time, will we still be motivated?

Stuff I do:
-I watch the Biggest Loser. It keeps me in line. And it's a wake up call. Whether you have a little or a lot of weight to lose, it's impossible not to see these people and feel motivated by their efforts (and frankly, I wonder if I could make it through a Jillian Michaels last chance workout. Probably not.). I'm always amazed at the end. I have to say, I'm also amazed that over time, the contestants are getting bigger and bigger as if no one has apparently learned from watching the Biggest Loser. To me, it's kind of like smoking and it boggles my mind that these people have watched the show yet continue to torture their bodies. Anyway, the Biggest Loser is eye opening every season. Watch it and face up to your own demons.

-I pick up a copy of Shape magazine. Great stores, great workout ideas, great food ideas. I know I'll never look like those models--and I'm OK with that--but that doesn't mean I don't look at them and feel motivated.

-I get online and talk to my fitness buddies. Which now includes YOU, but has previously been (and still is) my BeachBody forum pals. I have been on the forums for nearly 3 years and I kind of floundered around for almost 2 years before I hit my stride and tweaked the program so that it worked for me. That was when I saw results. Their motivating words, suggestions and booty kickings--which is what we call it when one of us is really slipping off the wagon and not being serious about nutrition and fitness--have been a great help. Our philosophy is slip ups happen. Don't torture yourself. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in the game. And when you slip up over and over again? They're there to say, get your crap together and get going. No mollycoddling. No whining. Just bring it.

-Phone a friend. Or e-mail one. My sister started doing BeachBody workouts after I did and we not only "meet" online in the "Supergym," we also call each other and e-mail. Why didn't I see you online this morning? Knowing she's going to be on there is very motivating.

-I'm grateful. One of the blogs I follow is written by a woman who was severaly burned in an airplane crash a year and a half ago. She is so upbeat and positive, but she also talks about how she lives in constant pain, how getting out of bed in the morning is torture. So when I'm lying in my warm bed and debating about whether or not I want to wake up and move my ass, I think about Stephanie and how just getting up is painful and I should be grateful that I can move without pain.

So, the moral is find what motivates you and move your ass. No excuses. Move. It. Take time for yourself whether it's 30 minutes before work, at lunch, right after work, after the kids are in bed (I worked out at 9pm at night for many years when the kids were young). You deserve 30 minutes. Period. Meet your excuses head on. You will have more energy--that's science, not just me flappin' my gums at you. Get those endorphins flowing and you will have more patience with your kids, more stamina at work and in life. Science. Don't fight it.

There will always be an excuse for you not to exercise. Always. Laundry. Work. Big project. Sick kids. Sick you. Meetings. Long hours. Travel. You can say you're "going to start on Monday." Guess what? Monday will never get here. You will fritter away the time and you'll be pissed two months from now. I can come up with a counter excuse to every one of those excuses.

So don't be one of those people who's pissed two months from now. Just do it.

The End.

Today's workout:
Fire 30, Stretch 10

Food
Breakfast: Chocolate Shakeology, almond milk = 200

Snack: Banana and almond butter = 289

Lunch: Amy's Mattar Paneer = 320

Snack: 3 cups popcorn = 165

Dinner: Stuffed chicken breast, potato skin w/sour cream (only one kid eats the potato skin so he eats the inside and I eat the outside!), salad w/greens, tomato, red pepper, low fat feta, lemon juice, Bragg's = 444

Total calories: 1418

Still trying to eat salty foods and keep myself puffed up until the weigh in. I wish it would get here already.

Keep up the good work everyone!