Workout Motivation:: How I Found My “Why”

I have not always loved working out. In fact, I used to hate it. 

To me, working out meant a) running, which I hate or b) using a super boring machine at the gym. This isn’t to say I wasn’t active. I’ve always been a dancer and I still currently teach. Plus, I’m a mom. But it didn’t keep me healthy or from gaining weight.

I gained more than the “freshman fifteen” and never lost it. Add in two pregnancies, and you get the picture. I was tired, felt terrible, and had high blood pressure. I was on the verge of medication. I needed a change.

I worked on my diet first with portion control, but I was still flabby and tired. I knew I needed to exercise, but I couldn’t motivate myself at home. So I joined our local gym for the first time since becoming a mom. I’d failed with gym memberships before but I didn’t know what else to do. How was this time going to be different?

Childcare

Did you know some gyms have free childcare? This was huge. No need for a babysitter or to bribe my mom to watch the boys. Plus, they’d get some social/play time. They weren’t in any type of preschool, so it was new friends and new toys. Plus, child-free time for me! No one hanging on me or calling my name a thousand times.This might be all the motivation needed to get to the gym. However, just because you’re there, doesn’t mean you want to exercise. Even though alone time seemed awesome, I still wasn’t excited. Those treadmills were still just as boring.

Classes

That’s when I found my thing: classes. Since I’ve taken about a million dance classes, I’m not sure why I hadn’t tried any before. Zumba seemed like the closest workout to dance, so I decided that would be my first. It was crazy. It was loud. It seemed like a new world. Everyone knew the music and routines, or at least it seemed that way to a newbie like me. But, no one laughed. Honestly, I don’t even think anyone noticed me. So, even though I looked like a mess, I didn’t let it discourage me. After a few classes (more like ten), I started to get the hang of it. The hour went by fast. Plus, I really worked up a sweat. I was finally enjoying my workout, and it made me want to try more.

Boot camp is a mixture of weights and cardio. I’ve never worked out with weights before, but luckily, when you do it in class, you get instruction. Perfect! Boot camp was hard, but in a good way. It really got my heart pumping, my muscles working, and calories burning. It was always different, too, so no boredom. I finally saw some definition in my arms and felt strong. 

Your  Workout Motivation

My gym time became non-negotiable. Not only am I getting healthy, but it’s “me” time. At home, I’m constantly making decisions and doing things for other people. At the gym, I just listen, do, and take care of me. I love that my blood pressure is normal without medication, that I have more energy, and that my clothes fit better.

That’s my workout motivation. But, it might not be yours. The key is to find your why. A gym or class may not be your thing. You may love running. I won’t judge. Just keep trying until you find it. There’s no time limit on finding your workout motivation. As a mom and as a person, your health is important. 

What’s your workout “why?”