I don’t often feel like going for my morning run. I’ll totter around the house, check emails, wipe food off my baby’s face, ponder a change of socks. The appeal of exercise, for me, is little to nil until I am actually out there, doing it. For inspiration to get myself motivated, I pass along this handful of things that really help me:
1) Pictures on the fridge of very fit women. I like the images from Shape magazine, because regular fashion models rarely have the muscle and tone that I love so much.
2) Mentally envisioning the pain of labour. I’m not sure why this helps me but whenever I think of how much I went through before delivering my baby, I think I can do anything. And that makes me want to sprint around my city multiple times.
3) Eating a healthy breakfast. I’m way more predisposed to exercise if I have organic granola and yogurt than bacon and eggs.
4) Some blood-pumping music on my iPod. I never used to run with music in my ears and it’s brought a whole new level to my running. On my iPod right now are Gwen Stefani and the Black Eyed Peas, and I admit, a wee bit of Alice Cooper, inspired from my rocker days in the late 1980’s. I have no idea but the rather hideous track “Poison” makes me want to run for dear life.
5) When all else fails, I run backwards in front of the mirror. Though it inspires me to get my butt in gear, immediately, this method is not for the faint of heart.
What inspires you to get out there and exercise?
Author by Kristin Darguzas
