Tuesday Health: Exercise Motivators

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Lynn's picture
Submitted by Lynn on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 6:59am.

the dang treadmill...I fell off the treadmill, so to speak. I didn't get on it for about three weeks. I can't really say why. I wasn't feeling well, it was hot, blah blah blah.

So I decided to research exercise motivation strategies and found one (and only one, strangely) really good article: The Motivation to Move. Answering the questions in that piece really brought it into focus for me.

I'm still not used to exercise making me feel better, but after my rehab experience, it's true: I feel better when I get on the damn treadmill. My PVCs diminish, I sleep better, I stand straighter--everything's better with the treadmill.

All other reasons fade into the background for me. That's my sole exercise motivator. Some people need variety. I don't care if all I ever do is the treadmill. Some people need company. I prefer to be alone with my audiobooks. And so on. The only motivator I have is that I feel better.

What is/are your exercise motivator(s)? Or are you still looking for yours?

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Shaun's picture

Walk to Walk

Submitted by Shaun on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 8:34am.

In the years BK (before kids) I walked daily in every kind of weather. AK, my exercise has been far more sporadic, especially after DD4. The last year slowed me to near sedentary, between a broken big toe (worse than you'd think!) and creeping, and then very severe, depression.

So I am back on the walking tip. I love walking outside first thing in the morning. I love fresh air, I love being alone, I love early morning (though I rarely see it now). I do need to lose a lot of weight right now, but I am trying not to think of that in connection to walking.

Instead, I have been thinking of a story in Miracle of Mindfulness where a man visiting a Buddhist monastery has a choice: Wash the dishes to get them clean, or wash the dishes to wash the dishes. To the delight of his friend, he chooses to wash the dishes to wash the dishes.

So I try to "walk to walk".

Is it motivating? I don't know? I have a long list of "real" motivations (depression, weight, health, etc.) that get me out the door some days, but not enough to make a major dent in these problems. Rather than try to psych myself up about how much I need to work harder, I'm trying to walk to walk.

Shaun
www.redseahomeschool.wordpress.com

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witchiepoo's picture

Strength

Submitted by witchiepoo on Wed, 06/20/2007 - 7:28am.

I feel stronger when I exercise, physically and mentally. I can work through lots of stressors and get them out, rather than taking them out on the people I love.

Also, it's often my only alone time of the day, and as a big-time introvert, that's the only way I keep a tenuous grip on my sanity.

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Andrea's picture

That is a very interesting

Submitted by Andrea on Wed, 06/20/2007 - 6:08pm.

That is a very interesting point Jo - I am an introvert too and I do enjoy that about walking alone, until I get bored! I agree about the stress thing.

Keep on walking Shaun! What happened to the tapping??

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