Strive for Progress, Not Perfection…

 

Welcome to day 1 of the 25 Days of Fitness!

Today, being the first day of my little challenge, I’d like to talk about motivation. I know that a major reason that I start slacking when it comes to exercising and fitness is because I lose motivation. I start fitting into my jeans and forget about going to the gym, then the jeans start feeling uncomfortable so I start back up, then I stop, and it just a vicious cycle that needs to stop.

Many people set weight loss as their goal, and when they achieve it they forget about having to maintain the weight in order to kick the stupid little cycle of gaining and losing weight. And here is the hard part, in order to maintain the weight loss many of us need a lifestyle overhaul! This means not only constantly and continuously going to the gym and staying active but also changing our eating habits, drinking more water and less soda, watching what goes into our mouth and making sure that we balance out everything. However this is a post for another day in the challenge. 

Back to the original topic for this post… MOTIVATION

There are lots of things I am trying out for motivation these days, including sticky notes on my bathroom mirror of motivational sayings, laying out my workout close in plain sight so that I will put them on, putting on my old jeans to measure how far I can pull them up, and of course reading up on why exercise is important. However, my biggest motivator is my grandfather, who survived lung cancer at the age of 78 due to his excellent health. Six days after surgery he was out of the hospital, breathing at a 100% with only 3/4 of the lung capacity he use to have!

So here is my little motivation for you all:

5 Reasons Exercise 

1. You will feel better!

First and foremost! No matter if this is your first day of exercising or your 100th, you will feel better after just 30 minutes of exercise. This is mainly psychological, the fact that you got yourself off the couch and doing something gives you the knowledge that you are on a journey to fitness, which in turn makes you feel accomplished and better. There is also the whole endorphins deal, which is connected to your brain and therefore links right back into the psychology of exercise.  

2. You will also look better 

This might take more then just a day of exercising but once you start burning fat and building muscle you will see a difference in the way your body looks and feels. You will not only build strength but also develop better skin, and a healthier overall appearance. It really is true that exercise makes you glow!

3. Improve health

The better shape you are in the more boost your immune system is getting. So when the nasty flu comes around your body is ready to fight it off. This is of course not a guarantee against every illness, but by regularly exercising you increase your chances of staying healthy and feeling better.

4. Weight loss

Of course this one has to make the list! Ever wonder why there are so many different diets out there? If one works, why do we need all the others? Diets work for some people, and some work better for a group then other’s do for another. However, the best way to lose weight is through exercise, just make sure that your calorie intake is less then the calories used.

5. Increasing stamina and confidence

I’m going to knock out these two together, since they go hand-in-hand. The more you exercise the stronger your heart gets, which means it will pump more oxygenated blood through your body. Oxygen is not only needed for us to breath but it is one of the key healing tools when it comes to our internal organs including muscles. Hence, the more oxygen you can get into your body the better! Regular exercise will also develop muscles and enable you to work your body for longer period of time without getting tired. The stamina that you build leads to a better looking and feeling body which in turn boosts up your confidence.

BooM! Winning! 

(I couldn’t help but include this)

Please check back later this evening for my update on my work out. I will be heading over to the gym at around 5 PM Mountain Time.

If you are participating in the 25 Days of Fitness link up below and share what you’ve done for the day, and any tips you use for motivation.