What's Your Why??

Whether you're just embarking on this fitness journey or you're a veteran of the fitness scene, there is one question you absolutely must ask yourself: WHY?? Why are you looking to get fit?


-Is it internal motivation or external?
-Are you solely looking to get fit or is weight loss a goal as well?
-If weight loss is an objective, then what makes you think you need to lose weight?
Doctor, friends, spouse, self? Do the skinny minnies plastered all over the
magazines have anything to do with that desire, by chance?
-What's your ideal weight and what made you choose that number?
-Are you more interested in looking better, feeling better, or both? If you had
to choose between the two, which would it be? Be honest with yourself!!

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I know, I know, enough with the 20 questions! The point of that mini-interrogation was to get you to really delve deeply into yourself and identify what it is that's fueling your desire. Get a load of this: Despite the message that society shoves down your throat, not all of us need to lose weight!! Some of us...gasp...are actually meant to be larger than a size 2!!!!! And being so doesn't mean that we're couch surfing and noshing on onion rings all day! Alert the press!! Many of us have unrealistic ideas of what constitutes a healthy weight and body shape. I mean, think about it: Variety is the spice of life. There are so many different skin colors, races, ethnicities, personalities, heights, etc., so why doesn't it make sense that there would be a multitude of body shapes as well?? That being said, I have a challenge for you: Consider your answers to the questions above for wanting to get fit and/or lose weight. Got 'em? Okay, now cross off all those that are in any way related to your appearance. Now look at what's left. Anything?

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Hey, don't get me wrong. I'm all about battling complacency and striving to be your best self. I'm a "Type A" to the max and am always pushing for more, never wanting to settle. I firmly believe in setting goals, especially fitness goals, and evolving and growing and improving. BUT just because it's a fitness goal doesn't mean it has to be a weight loss goal!!! Might I suggest some "replacement" goals? How about aiming to climb two flights of stairs without getting winded? How about working towards increasing your energy? Perhaps running a race? Bumping up those dumbbell weights from fives to tens? Just plain FEELING BETTER. The takeaway lesson: We can only improve on the bodies we have ~ we can't change them into someone else's body. You may not need a body makeover ~ you may just need a mental makeover.

Source: Uploaded by user via Whitney on Pinterest

Source: i.imgur.com via Whitney on Pinterest