Somehow, knowing my sister was also overweight, helped me to feel okay with how I was. "Hey, it's not so bad, Heather's not super fit, either." I know it's stupid, but there you have it.
Well, my sister has betrayed me. She's gone and gotten all "into" exercise. Curves! Yoga! Zumba!
What?
I don't even know her anymore. This is the same sister who commiserated with me about not even having the gumption to go for a walk every day. And now she's going to the gym? Every day?
So I went and ate a chocolate bar. A king sized Symphony bar.
Don't judge. It was really good.
Heather tells me, "When you're my age and you don't have kids home anymore, you can start doing more things for yourself. This is my time now--it'll be your time one day, too!"
Those were really pretty words. And I know she meant well by them. But I know the truth. I have all the time I need to get healthy--I just have to WANT to do it.
I heard Wendy Ulrich say the biggest mistake we make is waiting to be motivated to exercise. She said, motivation follows action. That we should trick the "energy-consuming gremlins in our brain". Act first and we'll find we like it, and then we'll want to act again.
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| First you have to get up and walk. |
Makes sense, right? I mean, that's what Heather did. She started with Curves. A very basic exercise program. She could stop at the gym on the way home. She made it as easy on herself as possible. Now, she's lost some weight, gotten into the habit of regular exercise, and she's discovering her motivation is changing--she's motivated to go work out.
I think this theory applies to virtually everything in life we know is "good for us" but we put off anyway. Guess that's why Nike found so much success with their "Just Do It" campaign. Because that's the real secret to success--it's not having the great body, or the super computer brain; it's putting your feet on the path toward the place you want to go. It's putting action before motivation.
Heather hasn't betrayed me--she's enabled me to see that tough things can be overcome, even when you're OLD! (Yeah you're older than me, Heather! There will always be that!)
Have you ever gotten somewhere worth going by putting action before motivation?
Or do you always wait to be inspired before you act?
27 karate chops:
I just did a blog on similar weight loss motivation.
I usually do need motivation before I act, especially when it's something I don't want to do. For the weight loss, I decided to "make up" my own motivation. It's been working pretty well so far.
I think you have to start with motivation but have action even on those days when you're not motivated. I need to get back into that action.
For those of us who don't have your sister's time, doing a little bit more than once a day, like 10 to 15 minutes, can work and get the job done.
I have a friend with fibromyalgia. She walks 30 minutes most days and eats no wheat or much sugar and it does help her control her disease. Not sure if it would help yours or if that diet would work for you.
My motivation used to be my dogs. They needed to be walked twice a day whether I needed it or not. Now that I have a fenced in yard, there is no motivation for me.
The weather also plays a big part in my motivation. Who feels like walking when it's 25 degrees outside? I keep telling myself in the spring, in the spring. I'm hoping to just get off my duff and DO IT.
Well, she's right - if you wait for motivation it'll never happen.
And had to laugh at your comment about her always being older. That's what I tell my brother as well.
I lost and weight (and continue to lose it) because of determination, not motivation. And yes, it is hard at times...but I do it for my health, my kids, my hubby, and me. And for whatever reason, that seems to help.
With writing, it is the same. I don't wait for motivation, though I am highly motivated by deadlines. LOL!
I was doing so well with exercise last summer and fall. I lost like 20 pounds. Then one of our cars broke down, and I couldn't go to the gym after work. I need to get back into the rhythm of it.
Start small and build. Isn't that how you started writing? I doubt you sat down, knocked out 20,000 words in a weekend and decided you would do that forever. Park further away, walk to get something in your house instead of asking the kids to get it. You can do it.
I do have a friend who is managing her fibro through food - it's Joy from my writers group. There is a link to her blog from our writing blog - thinkingthroughourfingers.blogspot.com
I loved your comments today! I need to apply them to myself! Maybe we can start checking in with each and make sure we have exercised for the day... sometimes if you are accountable to someone else,it helps you get motivated and determined not to be the one that didn't exercise!! Or maybe we can walk around our circle together. Then we can chat and exercise!! Love you!
I'm somewhat addicted to running. But on days I don't want to wake up early and get out there, I have to remind myself what I feel like after I run: I feel like the day has started well, and I can do anything. That tends to get me out of bed. Good luck!
All this talk of exercise is making me tired. And how dare you eat a Symphony bar without me. The nerve. LOL
Motivation? Sometimes it needs to just be a swift kick in the butt. But, yeah. I get what you're saying here. It's something I need put into practice myself.
Oh, Ali! I feel ya on the Fibro. It's major suckage. I struggle with it as well, and it has changed a lot in me, not for the better I'm afraid. But I'm trying to change that through physical therapy, Yoga, and of course writing. Start small, and keep your spirits up. Hope things get better soon!
She's right. I always have a hard time starting, but once I get going I'm always motivated to go further and exercise longer.
Pretty soon you'll like seeing the results more than eating the chocolate bar.
With exactly 3 weeks to go, I'm too big to exercise other than the running around after my sons, lol I enjoy exercising for the most part (I know I'm an oddball) so I can't wait to get back to it after the 6 weeks post delivery.
LOL. You are too adorable for words, Ali. I love the Symphony bar comment--that's just what I'd do. I've been right there with you, and age hasn't helped me either. I don't have the willpower these days to exercise, so I've been doing weight watchers. It comes off slower than it used to, but it DOES come off. Good luck! :-)
I hope you really love getting into fitness. It's so much fun once you really get hooked (which takes a stupid amount of time, unfortunately.) I don't usually mix worlds with writing and my day job, but we have HUGE success(I mean, save a life, erased pain completely kindof success)with Fibro if you're ever interested in talking about maybe finding someone in your area.
Without motivation, I would have no actions, I'd be a slug. The inspiration sure helps though, but most of the time it's a forced thing ;)
No judgement on eating the Symphonay bar. I was going to say add a Snickers bar next time for the protein from the peanuts.
Yeah, not the best idea to motivate weight loss.
However, I've actually been forced to make a decision. I've had plenty of motivation. I've needed to improve my health for a while but I had to decide it was time, and keep the determination to stick to it.
I've been working on my calorie intake. I'm very good at watching what I eat enter my mouth and get chomped away, but that wasn't the best "weight watching". With determination, I'm getting a little better, taking baby steps. Still tryiing to work up to that regular exercise though. That's a tough one.
I know there is a great message here about getting up off your feet and just doing it, but all I can think about is getting up off my feet and buying a king sized symphony bar. :)
I think Nike stole their slogan from President Kimball, right? ;) It definitely helps to put action before motivation. So, so true. Love you, Ali!
If only it was warmer, I'd swim more often. Not a fan of the indoor lap swim. That's right. I'm a water boy. :)
I have taken to heart what you told me about the phrase "I CAN'T" because you really can.
I just have to get up and do it. Because I know that I can. and you can too.
I'm guilty of the whole waiting thing. Part of it is because I know I'm also just lazy. It's a weakness of mine. But this is true. People always say the trick is to make these things into HABITS and then you'll just do them. :P
I was doing pretty good with the exercise thing for a while but fell off the wagon. I think it's definitely time to get back on.
This post was adorable, btw. I bet that chocolate bar was delicious! ;)
Holy smokes you sound just like me and my sister! We have both always been a little on the pudgy side..until I go and balloon out and she practically steps out of her fat and into a great figure. Bleh! But you are right. Just do it! I started Writer's Butt posts to help me stay motivated:) Cause I've got some serious Writers Butt!
I work best with motivation but sometimes I get up to do the things that I want to do but it is usually short lived.
Last year, I was living with my friends while my parents were overseas trying to find work and my friends and their family encouraged me to help exercise and lose weigth. Cause, well, I was almost 200 pounds at the age of 15. With someone working beside me helps to motivate because it makes me feel that I am not the only one who is trying and it is a great source to just hangout and have fun. So, about less than month later after walking and running outisde and on the tredmill and eating less and healthier, I lost 13 pounds! I was so happy and I felt better than I ever had in years.
I hope to lose way more than that. Right now, I am back with my parents and it is hard exercising on my own but I'll make due. I know people out there care about how they look and they think that losing weight will make them look better and nicer like the girls on runway models but for me, I;m doing this for myself and that is why I love it. :)
Thank you!
I really feel for you Ali! I felt pretty bad about my body for quite a few years but was never motivated to really lose weight until something similar happened - a former best friend lost a TON of weight really quickly. Like you, I'd always used her as a benchmark to tell myself I was fine. But suddenly even she'd gone and "betrayed" us lol I was so fired up that I finally got back into an exercise regiment and eating better.
Sometimes that external motivation is what you need to jump start. Now I'm trying to get fit again and like right now - I'm supposed to go to the gym but I'm soooooo tired. It doesn't matter, I've sleepily changed into clothes and I'm going to lacklusterly pack some Gatorade and tiredly get into the car and before I know it, I'll be on the elliptical.
I believe in you. You have so much willpower and faith there's no way you will fail.
Honestly? I hate the gym. It's incredibly boring. And yet I'm fairly fit. I go for walks on the beach (I know, sounds too cheesy right?), and I do a yoga class. I walk 20 mins to my car after work every day (well, every week day). That's my exercise regime, and I'm stickin' to it!
A brilliant idea. I think I need to put more action before the motivation because otherwise, it ain't happening. Congrats to you!
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