Fitness isn’t just about getting motivated, but also staying that way.
Isn’t it easy to split the world into two types of people — Those Who Work Out, and Those Who Don’t? And for those on the more sedentary side of the divide, the mountain between the two seems treacherous and insurmountable.
Although perhaps not ideal, this lifestyle is easy, it’s comfortable, it’s familiar… Clinton Gahwiler, sports psychologist at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA), says: “People battle to change to an active lifestyle — even if they understand the necessity for the sake of their health — because they’re reluctant to break out of their comfort zone.”
Routine is very comforting, and if that routine involves collapsing on the couch rather than going for a brisk walk after work, that’s hard to break out of. But according to sports physician Jason Suter, “You don’t have to commit to becoming a fitness fanatic to drastically reduce your risk of disease.
The greatest measurable increase in health occurs not when you increase the distance you’re able to run from 5km to 10km, but in that moment you go from sedentary to doing just a small amount of exercise.” The hardest part is getting started, but there’s a simple way to look at how: “Do you have to think about brushing your teeth in the morning?” asks Neil Tuck, performance consultant and clinical psychologist. “Keeping up your fitness levels — self-maintenance, if you will — is simply something you have to do. Don’t use `feeling like it’ as a criterion — just put it on your `must-do list’, and commit.
” It might sound like a self-bullying tactic, but once you’ve made fitness part of your routine — your new `comfort zone’, if you will — you’ll never look back. We’ve mined the wisdom from some fabulous women who are doing it,loving it, and keeping it up.
Here are their secrets to staying motivated:
Karen Turnbull, stay-at-home mom of two and exercise-lover:
I joined a healthy weight programme. The discipline of exercising regularly with a group and being accountable to others got me into a great routine. It also made sense — I was given a programme, as opposed to shuffling around the gym by myself, wondering what to do next. Another great tip — put your gym clothes on first thing in the morning. If you’re dressed for gym, you’ll go.
Kassy Thorne, Shape staffer and editor of the Shape Work Out guides:
Serious illness at age 27 taught me a valuable lesson — to listen to my body’s warning signs. Now, if I haven’t exercised in three days, I feel uncomfortable in my skin, so I really don’t have a choice but to slip on my running shoes and hit the road! I’m acutely aware of the mind/body connection, and find that when exercising, I systematically thrash out whatever is bothering me and find sensible solutions to problems — work or personal. To bust boredom, I vary the intensity of my treadmill workouts by mixing up sprints with different incline levels, and for fun, I sample classes at the gym. Yoga keeps me grounded, centred and connected to my body, so I try to do at least three classes per week. And then there’s my new favourite, surfing — it’s tough, challenging, and I’m yet to catch a wave…
Sue Sherlock, personal trainer and Pilates instructor:
Exercise in the morning, even if only for 10 minutes, will motivate you to carry the feeling of wellbeing into your day — you’ll be energised and inspired to look after yourself because your head will be in the right place. This small attitude change will snowball into a new, healthy approach to your lifestyle before you know it!
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