 While you may not have an undying love for lunges or a yearning to perfect your pushups, most people can find some aspect of fitness that they’re passionate about. However, in order to find that passion, you may have to look back in your life a bit. Not to last week or even last month, but to when you were a child. Remember playing outside for hours, until your parents finally called you in for dinner? You didn’t realize it, but you were getting exercise, letting the endorphins flow and strengthening your muscles.
Compare that to your current exercise routine. If it is something like dragging yourself out of bed in the morning after hitting snooze a few times, grumbling to the gym and watching the clock on the treadmill, then immediately dreading your next workout, something needs to change. Many women do this day after day, year after year and not only is it making them hate exercise, but they’re likely not seeing the results they would like.
This is why: when you’re only doing something because you feel like it is the “right thing” or because you “should” do it, you’re likely not going to give 100%. If you’re doing something because you truly love it and are passionate about it, you’re not going to be glued to the calorie counter on the elliptical or the clock on the wall, you’re going to be pumping that body of yours because it feels good.
Believe me, I didn’t always follow this school of thought. For years, as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer, I followed the old “no pain, no gain” philosophy. I would run sprints, even though I hated them and I’d dread them day after day. Then, I did something daring. It was like free falling blind for a fitness guru. I took off my heart rate monitor that counted the calories and for a couple days a week, instead of doing sprints, I danced. I didn’t know if that could “replace” my sprints that I hated so much, but I knew I was in a rut and needed to do something fun. Now, I teach Zumba three times a week, (a dance workout), instead of running and I’ve never been happier and my results have never been better. I used to feel like I spent all my time at the gym and now I feel like I just spend my time being active and doing things I love!
I continue to look for other outlets that are fitness based, but also enjoyable for me. If I can avoid the gym and do something active, I know my mood is better and I’ll be more passionate about the activity, not the aesthetic effect it may or may not have on my body. For me, in the winter it is snowboarding, in the summer it is hiking.
For you, that alternative cardio might be hiking, tennis, playing sports with your family, going to a fun fitness class, swimming, or something else. The key is to delve into your true self to find that aspect of fitness that you can re-connect with. Sure, there is always a place for sprints and other activities that we don’t completely love, but, you absolutely need to incorporate something fun!
And, speaking of love and fitness, why don’t you just grab your partner for the adventure too? I bet your passion for your workout inspires some new passion and endorphins for your relationship too!
Now get out there and re-connect with your old-school, playful, fit self!
More articles by Jenny Anchondo
Jenny Anchondo is a certified personal trainer though the American Council on Exercise. She is also a journalist and morning news anchor for KOLD-TV, the CBS affiliate here in Tucson. Combining her two passions of writing and educating people about fitness, Jenny is a perfect fit into the Connections for Women family. To learn more about Jenny Anchondo we invite you to read her bio on the KOLD_TV website |
