On many occasions it can be a struggle to find motivation to exercise. I’m lucky enough to be in the population of people who get excited and joyful about my workouts the majority of the time. I also know that this doesn’t apply to all or most people who want to get fitter, healthier and live more active lives.
People who struggle to get excited about exercise on a regular basis can still stay motivated by viewing their exercise from a different perspective. They might not be excited to exercise initially or enjoy the process all the way through, but they can find their motivation in knowing how great they will feel once they are finished.
Another struggle many people find themselves in is staying motivated when life gets stressful or unpleasant. At certain times of the year, people might find their mood changes for the worse (especially during the winter months) or that their energy levels drop. At this point in time, a lot of people find it harder than ever to remain consistent with workouts.
As hard as these points in time might be, these are the times when exercise can be most beneficial and therapeutic. I’ve read somewhere that low mood or stress are born of inertia, which is basically just stuck energy.
One of the best cures for stuck energy is movement.
I experienced this first hand this past weekend. I was gearing up for my half-marathon in Las Vegas. In addition to the stress of flying for the first time since 2007 and flying alone for the first time ever, I ended up sitting a lot more than I was used to.
I definitely wasn’t feeling 100% leading up to the race. I was exhausted and plagued by pounding headaches for the day and a half leading up to the race. A part of me even considered not going to the race at all and staying in my hotel room because I felt so awful.
It was largely due to the overwhelming support I received from the members here at Ascend that got me out of my hotel room and to the start line, so for that, I owe you all a huge thank you.
Miraculously, my headache and fatigue dissipated about an hour and a half before the race. I realized a big part of my problem probably had something to do with the fact that I hadn’t been moving as much as I was used to. I’d scaled back both my lower body strength training and my running in preparation for the race. I had a feeling that I’d feel much better after getting out and moving.
As it turned out, movement was exactly what I needed. Staying in my hotel room and forgoing the race would have been the worst thing I could have done. This was the first half marathon where I paced myself well and ran the entire distance – usually, I run too fast in the beginning and have to walk for intervals at around the eighteen kilometer mark – and I even ended up with a personal best time.
What I re-learned from this experience in Las Vegas is that it’s often the days when we don’t feel like moving our bodies, that we will benefit from this movement the most. Keeping this in mind makes it easier to stay consistent with a training program, even when other types of motivation might fail us.
Author: Kayla Van Egdom