At a recent exercise class, a new member walked in at least half way into the start of class. No biggie, I was few minutes late myself. But when I noticed that she was exercising without any shoes on, I thought well now that’s motivation!
The instructor stopped class and ran out to her car thinking she had an extra pair in her trunk, as they happen to wear the same size, but realized they were no longer there. When asked where he shoes were, the member responded ‘I just couldn’t find them.’
Exercise and dieting go hand and hand, most trainers and fitness consultants would agree, when it comes to weight loss. But it is that third element that makes all the difference.
Like drinking coffee without cream and sugar, trying to lose weight without that key ingredient, motivation, it just does not mix well.
No matter what the goal, success is hard to achieve without that motivation. Some may give up their lunch hour to walk four miles every day. Others may give up something they love like eating dessert or drinking alcohol.
Some figure if they exercise everyday they will lose weight, but that is not always the case. Most individuals, once they reach that magical age of 45, need to push themselves even harder or add on even more exercise to their regular routine.
Instead of running four miles, run twice that day and try for six miles. One dad I know spent his free time running his kids around to activities. But he found his motivation when he jumped on that treadmill 11 p.m. at night to still squeeze in that run while others would probably be watching the news or hitting the hay.
Back to that woman at my class, as we were doing our squats, she looked at me with an expression of pain. The class was challenging. I looked at her and told her I admire her motivation. This mother was late to class, missing almost half of it, but still showed up without shoes on her feet.
Toward the end of class, two other women came in to the building, not to exercise, but to set up for a funeral repass for a friend who just died. As they were arranging the tables and lining up the trays filled with delicious pastries as the sweet aroma of coffee filled the room, we were toning with our weights, doing sit ups on the mat and stretches at the end.
I was grateful and appreciative for that moment that I was able to be part of a group of women sharing in an exercise class bonded by the same goal of taking care of our most precious gift from God.
We have one body and must be disciplined to take care of it no matter what it takes. Wearing athletic shoes does help of course, but if ‘by any means necessary’ is your motto, and that works for you, by all means, that is the way to go to lead you to a path toward better health and fitness.