I had a great conversation this week with my 83-year-old mother-in-law Meta who still exercises frequently. I asked her how she began and how she stays motivated to keep doing it.
She told me growing up in the Netherlands exercising wasn't part of any routine. She played a little field hockey, she biked a lot (of course!), but general fitness wasn't a priority or goal. She really began exercising for fitness after she slipped a disc in her late 30s when she tried bowling for the first time. She got three doctors' opinions. Two said surgery. One said exercise. She chose exercise, joining a small group that went to a gym regularly. Beginning only with bodyweight floor work, she found she LOVED it. Ever since, she's been a regular exerciser, experimenting and doing everything from Aqua Aerobics to Spin to Yoga, 4-5 days per week, for nearly 50 years.
Naturally, not everyone loves to exercise. In fact, most people have trouble doing it regularly. My husband Emilio much prefers his exercise to be competitive (Soccer) and has trouble motivating for regular fitness. He does try though. He says his motivations can vary from year to year. Mine is that I feel better overall about myself when I do it. Better meaning productive, it's not all about aesthetics.
YOUR reason to exercise though should be yours alone. Whether it is general health-driven, wanting to look a little bit more toned, losing a few or more pounds, being competitive with yourself or with others, even being part of the FitByKellie community; find your motivation and own it. You don't have to defend or justify it to anyone.
Once you do find that motivation, I hope my classes give you the endorphin rush that reinforces your motivation. That endorphin rush is a scientific fact. The word endorphin comes from putting together the words “endogenous,” meaning from within the body, and “morphine,” which is an opiate pain reliever. In other words, endorphins got their name because they are natural pain relievers. They raise your pain threshold and produce both sedation and euphoria - naturally!
Finding YOUR reason to exercise is individual, but the reinforcement for that motivation is universal. I love sharing that universal reinforcement with you.
Kellie