This Reasons I Workout That Have Nothing To Do With Weight Loss post is sponsored by . As always, all thought and opinions stated here are my own.
Since losing weight, my workouts have changed a lot! A few years ago working out was only about the number of calories I burned and my pant size. Although those goals helped me lose 80 pounds, it's not why I exercise now. In fact, my reasons for working out today have nothing to do with weight loss.
As most of you know, fitness is a huge part of my life. Not only am I spin instructor, but I also swim, power walk, do HIIT weight training regularly and take Pilates classes occasionally. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have been able to maintain my 80 pound weight loss for 7+ years if I didn't work out. It's given me so much more than a slim and chiseled body.
That said, one of the most frequently asked questions I get from readers and clients is how to find motivation to workout. I'm not trying to lose weight so people are curious what keeps me waking up early everyday to get my sweat on.
Every time someone asks me this question I think to myself, "why wouldn't you want to work everyday?" Because if I had the time and my body would let me, I would work out as much as I could every single day. So, I started thinking about this and here's the reasons I workout that have nothing to do with weight loss.
I remember it's a privilege that I CAN workout.
For years I was so sick and no one could tell me what was wrong with me. Injury after injury prevented me from working for nearly 2 years. Those were the longest and most frustrating 2 years of my life. After going gluten free, that changed. My symptoms cleared up and I stopped having injuries.
Additionally, I suffered with chronic AVN pain for 18 years. I always had to make adjustments to workout around my bad leg and there were days the pain was so bad. I can't even describe it. After having my hip replacement, I realized how lucky I am that I can move pain free.
Now whenever I hear that voice inside me saying it doesn't want to workout, I remind myself how fortunate I am that I am physically well enough to enjoy fitness the way I want to.
It makes me feel confident and good.
Because of fitness, my personality is very different. Years ago, I was shy and conservative. Socializing and talking to strangers gave me extreme anxiety. As an adolescent I was overweight and embarrassed by my body. While I loved to run and was on the track team, I was always the one who came last. In gym class, I was picked last for team games. That amounted to low self esteem, lack of confidence and poor body image and followed me into adulthood.
Fast forward to today and I'm working out in ways I never would have imagined. I'm that spin instructor screaming at her classes to push harder. I'm that woman in the weight room that everyone watches and asks for advice.
To socialize.
If my best friend were writing this she would tell you before my weight loss, it was like pulling teeth to get me to do anything. Going to a new restaurant, meeting new people or experiencing different things caused me extreme anxiety.
Fitness has made me more social. After seeing the same faces at the gym and in my class, it's only natural you begin to form a bond. Those casual relationships helped me find the doctor who performed my hip replacement, supported me when I was injured and taught me how to swim.
Those friendships now are a social outlet for me. Something you don't get much of working from home. Surrounding yourself with people with similar goals, makes it more likely for you to stick with yours.
To take care of my heart.
One of the main reasons I workout is for my health. After seeing my Mom have 6 emergency bypasses in the middle of my own health crisis, and everyone in my family being affected in some way by heart disease, it's been a big motivation for me to get up and workout every day.
I'm taking my heart health to the next level by . As I mentioned last month, I'm monitoring my blood pressure daily as it is one of the many symptoms of heart disease.
With Omron's blood pressure monitor, the , I'm able to take my blood pressure anytime I want. It's light, convenient and easy to use which is perfect because I can travel with it or take it to my boyfriend's house when I need to.
I take my blood pressure every morning before I get out of bed, and I'm able to track my blood pressure history with the Omron Connect App. That way if I need to share it with my doctor I can. So far, my blood pressure has been normal for me which is in a lower range. There were a few days that were higher but that's because I drank coffee right before I took my blood pressure. Fail! Normally, my blood pressure is low but there was a time when that wasn't the case. I'll talk more about that next month's post!
As I described above, my outlook on fitness has evolved, and I'm glad it has. Obsessing over a few pounds up or down on the scale or a pant size is not how I want to live. Right now I'm living my happiest life and taking care of my heart the best I can. At the end of the day, those things matter more than the size of your skinny jeans.
Related: 5 Ways To Be Heart Smart
You are so right! what a gift to move our bodies and to be with friends. That's a great focus! Need to check out Omron too!
Thank you friend! It's a privilege to be active and I hope to never forget that. xox