What is your WHY?

I recently attended a fitness convention in Toronto where the entire theme of the event was « WHY? ». Why take care our your body through exercise and good food choices?

It dawned on me that it had been quite some time since I had given it some thought. Why do I do yoga on Mondays? Why do I lift weights and why do I do HIIT workouts? Why do I jog and go mountain biking on weekends? Why do I eat so many vegetables? Why do I avoid sugar?

What is MY WHY?

The reasons are many and varied. It’s funny because some people in my circle tell me : « Well, it’s your job to work out and eat well! » Uhh, I don’t think so! I have an office job and, like many of you, I have a family and I have children who are getting ready to go back to school! Free time is precious and is small supply! Contrary to what one may think, I’m not fond of sweating, of being short-winded and of feeling muscle pain the day after a new workout.

I do however like that feeling of well-being that follows, how strong it makes me feel, the energy it supplies. I feel good about myself. I feel good in my body and in my mind. I also want to teach my daughters by example so they can develop a taste for healthy eating and understand that exercise must be an integral part of their day. I also believe that by teaching by example and by posting what I do on social media, I can inspire people to care for their body so that it can in turn provide a better quality of life for them. When I receive words of thanks from people who have taken charge through my DVD’s and my books or when I read testimonials from those who started working out with a personal trainer at Nautilus Plus and they share their success stories with us, it’s heartwarming and it inspires me.

What is YOUR WHY?

It’s back to school time…why not learn what lights the fire within YOU. Whether it’s making sure you’re on the right track or to rediscover your enthusiasm or your passion, define your WHY. Put pencil to paper or create a new note on your mobile and write down ALL the reasons why you lace up those running shoes. The reasons why you make those wise food choices and why you make sure to get a proper night’s sleep. Keep that list close at hand and make sure you update it regularly. Remember, what lights the fire within you TODAY may not be what motivated you at the start.

The WHY evolves with time

In my years at Nautilus Plus, having been involved in thousands of physical transformations, I have noticed that the WHY evloves. As a matter of fact, the great majority of those who start the process do it for weight loss reasons (they want to see that number go down on the scale) and improve their physical form. However, once they have shed the pounds, the WHY changes.

As they progress, the more the reasons for taking charge multiply. These people discover that,  far beyond the weight loss, other benefits await : new found energy, better sleep quality, joint pain that decreases and even disappears, daily activities become easier and less exhausting, they develop a taste and even look forward to activities like jogging, yoga, Zumba, group exercise clssses, etc.

Take a few minutes and try this introspective exercise and discover how it can motivate you to take better care of yourself!

So, have you found your WHY?

What is your WHY? is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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