Finding Motivation

I have found myself getting back into the old "habit" of working out on a regular basis again. And as before, I still find myself struggling to find motivation to stick with the habit. I have blogged in the past about my awkwardness at working out, the slow trudge of heaving my larger body down a sidewalk or on a treadmill, and the feeling of not feeling so great when I am done working out.

People claim to feel an increase of energy when they work out, feeling elated, and just in general...feeling good. For me, when I am done exercising all I want to do is nap, and the last thing I feel is elated. Relieved is more like it. My energy levels have not significantly improved, that is also because I tend to burn the candle at both ends.

So the question is: How do you find motivation when the traditional pathways do not work? I don't feel motivated to exercise because it makes me feel good. I don't feel motivated to workout, because working out and weight loss is always an uphill struggle. I don't feel motivated to flaunt my weight loss, because the weight is slow to come off and always eager to come back. I don't feel motivated to cut portions or diet, because I am always dieting, watching what I eat, and trying to moderate proportions.

So what is a person to do?

Lately, I have been gaining motivation from the blinking lights on my FitBit, anticipating the flashing, vibrating celebration when I meet my goal of 15,000 steps for the day. The attempt to gain the top of the friend list for the number of steps for the week has also been motivating.

I have also found motivation through committing to a couple of races (Lakewood Ambulance Chase and Kent White Hot 5K) which are coming up in April and early May. While I cannot commit to longer distances this year because of my course work, it is a motivating not to want to be the last person to cross the finish line...again.

For me, the motivation has always been the strongest when finding support from friends. I think we get so wrapped up in our own struggles, that we forget how much an encouraging word or pat on the back means to someone. Look at this way, when you go to a marathon and you see the struggle, pain, and despair on a runner who is struggling to put one foot in front of the other, nothing changes that look of despair faster into a beaming smile then the words of encouragement shouted (or sometimes held up through signs) by spectators. I know for me, that it has always been the encouragement, the kind words from others, that have kept me going when I have wanted to throw in the towel.

Perhaps my motivation shouldn't be the need to seek out encouragement from friends, but rather the motivation that is found from encouraging my own friends who struggle through their own health journeys. I believe motivation can be found through finding ways to bring us all together to race (and celebrate). For example, my first 5K of the season (White Hot 5K) will feature several friends on different parts of their journeys. One will most likely finish in the top of our age group, and another like me, struggles to find the motivation to stay fit. Either way, it is the smiles of those friends and the look of pride on their face when they cross the finish line that gets me to the starting line in the first place.

What is your motivation?