| A woman that recently
emailed me inquiring about a fitness routine inspired this column.
Like a lot of people, she’s finding it difficult to get into a
routine, and even more so to continue enjoying it after the initial
excitement wears off. I too, can relate to that feeling. Over
time, however, I have learned that if you do something long enough
it will become a habit. And once it’s a habit, I no longer need
to dedicate much time to motivating myself to do it. Now, the
amount of time will very from person to person, and maybe even
activity to activity, but eventually if you stick with something
long enough, it will develop into a habit, or at the least a routine.
There are a lot of instances I can point to in my life for examples.
Take for instance martial arts. I have always been interested
in martial arts for as long as I can remember. However, as an
adult, often times more pressing matters arise that need my attention
at the same time class is starting. While I may miss a class here
and there, I attend regularly for the most part because it has
become ingrained in me.
There are other habits I began in the last couple years that
I started as an adult rather than an adolescent—like meditating.
In the beginning I tried to meditate every day, and it wasn’t
always easy to force myself to do it but now it is a regular part
of my life. The point I’m trying to make is that anything can
become a habit if you dedicate enough time to it. That may mean
forcing yourself to do the activity at first, but if it’s good
for you, then it’s worth it.
Sometimes a person has to look really deep to find a good enough
reason to continue doing something that they dislike. With fitness,
you can look at it as an investment in your future. If you have
children, you can equate it to partaking in exercise for their
benefit, so that you have the strength and stamina to keep up
with them. Or maybe you can find the motivation in spending time
with them. Exercise can be a great way to spend quality time with
loved ones. It need not be limited to going to a gym, but rather
anything healthy in nature. Try jogging together, surfing, or
playing racquetball. There are tons of activities for the whole
family as well—a family hike, volleyball game, kayaking, and whatever
else you can dream up!
Sometimes you may need to dig deep, but the bottom line is if
you can’t come up with a reason to stay in shape for yourself,
try doing it for the ones that love you. You will probably surprise
yourself and learn to like feeling fit and healthy. It actually
makes you feel better about yourself! Maybe it won’t be the exercise
or sport itself, but the time that you spend with the ones you
love that makes it palatable for you.
©Melissa Allen is a certified personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness
consultant, as well as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal
fitness training and kickboxing instruction. She is a self-syndicated
columnist and a member of the San Diego Press Club and the National
Society of Newspaper Columnists. She welcomes input from her readers,
so please contact her with any questions or comments that you
may have by calling (619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com,
or visit her website at www.optimumcondition.com.
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