I have fallen off the wagon. I haven’t run in several days, and the interval
between my runs has grown lately. I know that exercise gives me energy and
confidence while speeding up my metabolism, so why have I let myself get so far
off track? I confess to having been lazy, distracted and unmotivated. Today,
that ends.
Below are a few of the things I’m doing to stay motivated and get back in the
habit. I hope they help other people stay motivated as well.
1) I’m making a conscious decision each morning to work out, no matter what
else arises. It will be part of my schedule – no ifs, ands or buts. If I have
to run over my lunch break, I’ll do it. If I have to skip the occasional social
engagement, I’ll do it. I am committed.
2) I’m going to keep my running gear near my bedroom door, so I have to look
at it every time I enter or leave. It will serve as both a reminder and a shame
factor – if I don’t work out, my running shoes will stare me down and shame me
into using them.
3) I’m constantly telling myself that I love to exercise, and there’s no
better feeling than the exhaustion of a great run. I used to hate exercise
during my early college days, but I convinced myself through repetition that
running is a part of who I am, and now I feel as if I absolutely MUST do it to
feel fulfilled. I just need to be reminded of that from time to time.
4) I’m going to keep my new running buddy* accountable for her runs. Knowing
that someone else is watching your progress keeps you on the straight and
narrow, while knowing that you need to push someone else forward helps you push
yourself. Having a good support system is important in many areas of life, and
exercise is no exception.
*You may have noticed Rachel Wells writing for Illinois Times the past
couple of weeks – she just started at IT and she is my new running buddy.
You’ll probably see her blog posts here at some point as well.
Now it’s your turn – what do you do to keep motivated? Have you been
slouching lately? I want to hear your story. Leave a comment below or email me
at pyeagle@illinoistimes.
 Have a great week, and keep on keepin’ on!
This article appears in Jul 1-7, 2010.
