goals

What motivates you?

What is it that motivates you to move? The answer to that question is important to answer if you want to keep moving and stick to any New Year’s Resolutions you may have set to improve your health and wellness. What motivates you? Keep reading to find out.

What Motivates You

Research claims that health and weight loss are two motivators that encourages us to get started with a workout routine, but our health and weight are not strong enough motivators to keep us committed. That means many of our good intentions in January start to slack off mid month. One fitness App that tracks workouts indicates that most people have given up on their fitness resolutions by Jan 17^th. That date has come and gone.

That’s why it is important to understand what your real, intrinsic (personal) motivator to move is…especially if you are someone who doesn’t LOVE moving. If you need to force yourself to move, knowing what motivates you is vital to helping you stay devoted to a fitness routine.

Allow for Change

What motivates us can change over time. Maybe it’s your desire to play with your kids or grandkids. Maybe you’ve always wanted to run a 5K or build up […]

What motivates you?Maggie Downie2020-01-20T17:42:54-05:00

Exercise is Fun

If your writs don’t hurt you may take for granted how much they are supporting you on an exercise like sidebends.

Somehow in the United States we’ve grown up believing that exercise needs to be hard and painful or there is no purpose. We drill ourselves into more reps and faster sets forgoing any sense of quality of movement. We all know the motto: No Pain, No Gain. And we wonder why children in the states search for doctor’s notes to escape gym class. What sane person seeks out pain? Yet so many of us do when it comes to our fitness routine (myself included sometimes). Very few people proclaim, “Exercise is fun!”

It’s sad because most children naturally enjoy playful movement. They run around, flop on the couch, jump on the bed, squirm, and play tag at the bus stop. They wiggle and roll, until we make all movement formulaic and stick them in desks for prolonged periods of time.

Whether you love moving or drone at the idea of it, take a moment to answer the following questions:

When was the last time your exercise routine was playful and fun?

Do you show […]

Exercise is FunMaggie Downie2018-06-18T17:33:52-04:00

What is your purpose?

My purpose Venn diagram

There is a concept in Japanese culture that research suggests may contribute to happiness and longevity. They call it ikigai. We don’t have an exact translation in English, but in a nutshell it’s basically your life’s purpose. As westerners we’d generally think of your life’s purpose as something big and lofty. Ikigai is more about your daily purpose. What is your purpose? What you do with each day? How you live each day well? Why do you get up in the morning?

It can be a lofty goal or it can be small. It can be your work, watching your grandkids, dancing with friends, gardening, walking, playing golf, or doing the crossword. Once you know your ikigai you have to live it. Knowing your purpose isn’t enough. You must take action to bring your purpose to life.

I found a couple resources for how to determine your ikigai. One suggested making something like a triple Venn diagram using three circles instead of two. Each circle represents one of the following: what you value, what you enjoy, what you are good at. What overlaps is your ikigai.

When I made mine […]

What is your purpose?Maggie Downie2018-02-14T16:16:09-05:00

Need Motivation? Add A Plus One to Your Workout

The PE team often tries new classes together. This was when we tried ballroom dancing. No matter what we try, it’s always fun being together.

We have a guest blogger for this post: Travis White enjoys showing LearnFit.org visitors how to cook restaurant-quality meals at home.

Everything’s better with friends, and this includes your workout. While it may seem silly to ask a friend to join you, it is actually a wonderful way to stay motivated to keep up the same routine. A recent study showed that those who work out with a friend are more likely to stick with their routine instead of giving up. Here are some ways to include friends to mix up your workout routine and stick out your fitness goals.

Challenge yourself by working out with a friend who is a gym pro

Do you have a friend or colleague who is a fitness fanatic? They are the runner who can go for miles without breaking a sweat, or who knows which machines at the gym will get your body summer-ready. Call on your friend to kick your workout up a notch with some hints and company. […]

Need Motivation? Add A Plus One to Your WorkoutMaggie Downie2018-02-14T16:20:36-05:00

Vision Board Party

My vision board…front and back.

Stephanie Tishler of Tishler Coaching Services hosted a Vision Board Party. Full disclosure: Steph has been a client and friend for years, which is the reason I went. I’m not anti-vision board per se, but it’s not something I would normally seek out on my own.

I didn’t know if I was going to know anyone else at the event (turns out I did), but I was a little concerned about creating a vision board with a group of people I didn’t know that well. It seems sort of personal. I had nothing to worry about. The entire night was great—better than I expected. In fact, I’m writing this post because I think it’s a great way for a group of friends, co-workers, or interesting strangers to spend a few hours together.

The Set Up:

We basically got together, mingled a bit over snacks and drinks and then went to a long table where Steph had everything we needed. She provided note cards for us to jot down our visions. What goals did we want to reach for? What […]

Vision Board PartyMaggie Downie2018-02-14T16:46:59-05:00