Fitness

							Fitness - How Unmotivated People Like Me Can Work Out For LifeBy Gabrielle
Reilly

Living a full, well balanced life that includes physical activity can be very hard to
juggle unless you design your day to be most effective. Although most people
consider me VERY highly motivated, I have in fact a lazy nature. I am not
disciplined enough to consistently reach for “goals” but have always lived my
dreams and stuck to the program I have worked out since I was about 16. We live in
a “goal-oriented” society, but I still don’t see the statistics of people reaching their
“goals,” improving in many areas, including obesity, sticking to workout programs,
financial success, career success, etc. Many people appear to have a lazy nature like
me and find it hard to stick to reaching their goals. So if I have a lazy nature, how
do I actually accomplish what other people think of as my “goals” and stick to them
over the years? I hope some of these tips benefit your life as much as they have
transformed my life.

Firstly, instead of letting life just “happen,” imagine all that is possible. You can do
this by flicking through magazines on fitness, travel, fashion, interior decorating,
etc., whatever you want to focus on at the time. When you see a picture or vision
that gives you a burning in your belly, you are far more likely to achieve it. If you
do what society dictates you “should” do and you feel no sense of genuine desire,
you will be back to having to use discipline to accomplish the goal.

I consider life to be like the holodeck on Star Trek. “Computer… dog sledding in
the Artic. Computer… Fitness Model in America. Computer… horseback riding in
the Caribbean.” The only difference between life and the holodeck is there is a
greater time delay in real life than on the holodeck. When your thoughts are thrown
out into the universe with a burning in your belly but with no attachment to how or
when you achieve them, the perfect moment always seems to arise to live out the
dream. If you hang on too tight to the dream, you can gridlock like an athlete who is
not in the “zone” and cannot perform.

You find your mind will attract more circumstances than you could ever have
possibly mapped out if you had a precise structured plan. Structured plans limit
what is possible. A mud map sketch that heads you in the right direction but does
not limit you is what I have found works best for lazy, spontaneous people like
myself. However, as an athlete needs to work every day to improve his/her skills,
you must do something every day to move closer to your dream or it will just be
“wishful thinking.” When you have a burning in your belly, it does not feel so much
like work because you are excited, enthusiastic, and interested, which completely
overrides your lazy nature. Your results are far more likely to be received with the
interest and excitement you put out, improving your chances of success.

I know my philosophy is completely opposed to what we are traditionally taught in
self-motivation classes, but I believe when you have a vision you can see very
clearly, it removes much of the struggle and instead just becomes your destiny.
Your mind becomes a great magnet, attracting situations that will assist you in
achieving the goal. You become very consciously aware of situations that could
help you accomplish the dream. It is the use of what I refer to as the “scotoma
concept.” Ever notice when you buy a new car that you then notice all the same cars
on the road and they stick out like neon lights? Your scotoma (or blind spot) has
been lifted and now you see.

So, how do you apply these philosophies for living a fit lifestyle? Firstly, realize
you have two choices, you can either take care of yourself as you get older or not.
In your heart of hearts, would you rather show up at your school reunion forty
pounds overweight or would you love to show up looking trim, taut, and terrific?
To some degree I believe self-esteem, particularly in women, is related to physical
activity. Note I did not say self-esteem and weight are connected because in many
cases I believe that could be quite the contrary, for example in cases of girls with
bulimia and anorexia. With both men and women, exercising can relieve a lot of
stress, testosterone, and estrogen helping with PMS with women and aggressiveness
in men. People are fully aware of the benefits of exercising and the grave
implications of obesity, so I don’t need to rehash that, but I want to help you search
for what it is that would motivate you to work out consistently.

Before you begin an exercise program, you need to recognize exercising is a
fundamental rock that needs to be put in the jar first. Then you need to find a vision
that will give you the burning in your belly to actually do it and stick to it. What
makes you burn? Is it the class reunion? Is it a vacation? A partner? Is it being a
role model for your children to help reduce their chances of living a poor quality
life from suffering from obesity?

Find pictures that inspire you and put them on your bathroom mirror, by your
computer, or in your kitchen to constantly remind you of what you aspire for. Have
constant daily reminders to keep you focused on the bull's eye. The pictures also
normalize us. For example, as my long-term fitness goals, I have pictures by my
computer of Cory Everson and Elaine Goodman, who looks and says she feels
terrific at 39. Both women are in peak condition. I am normalizing myself to how I
want to maintain my fitness lifestyle in the future as well as now.

When and how you work out is also crucial. I have seen statistics that show people
who work out in the morning are 75% more likely to continue working out for the
long term. Something often comes up in the evenings or you’re too tired to make it
to the gym, etc., that throws your training off. I also have a struggle actually getting
to the gym, particularly in winter, so I have not stepped foot in a gym for probably
five years. It is also a lot more time-consuming going to the gym. I work out at
home with two pieces of equipment:

I have a stepper that I work out on for at least 20 minutes five times a week,
normally before lifting weights. There are two things I love about it… I can jump
out of bed at 6 a.m., walk down the hall, get on the stepper, and catch up on reading
while I work out. On mornings I am going to lift weights I read a fitness magazine
to inspire me to have a great workout. Reading fitness magazines is essential for
consistency in exercise and diet. “As we think, so shall we become” -- Buddha. On
days when I just do 45 minutes or an hour of cardio, I read books that I would not
normally have time to read once my day begins. The stepper is awesome for toning
your thighs and gluts (bottom) as well as for your cardio. So the hour I spend at 6
a.m. is dedicated to improving both physically and mentally.

For my weightlifting I do my favorite workout from New Zealand called “Body
Pump,” which sells a home video and equipment. Body Pump is great for both men
and women and all you need is a step and a barbell. It incorporates medium weights
with high reps at a low cardio pace so you burn fat and develop muscle in one
workout… and it is fun. I first took a Body Pump class eight years ago in the
Outback, Australia, and have never been able to go back to traditional weightlifting
since. Please note, I do not have any incentives to promote these products. This is
my personal workout choice that may possibly assist you in achieving a seamless
fitness schedule also.

Please remember, diet represents 85% of your results, so remember to choose what
you eat wisely. Get plenty of sleep so your body can repair and you will have
enough energy to continue to work out consistently. Remember as 1+1=2, exercise
+ reduced calories = weight loss. It is that simple. So first get a vision that will
inspire you to want to work out before you ever set foot in the gym, keep that vision
in front of you every day, and let your enthusiasm drive you.
Of course, consult a doctor before you begin any workout program.