(PCM) What does it take to stay motivated and committed to a fitness regimen? More than just a simple desire to lose a few pounds by summer or get rid of pesky love handles.
People who have been working out for years – professionals and your everyday runners – all have something in common. A recent study by researcher Diane Klein, Ph.D. sheds some light on what it takes to keep people on track and committed. Long-term exercisers (who had been working out for an average of 13 years) were asked to rank what motivated them to keep up with their regimes. As it turns out, it’s nothing to do with losing a few pounds or getting rid of some pesky trouble area.
Here’s how the study participants ranked their motivators:
Fitness
Feelings of well-being
Pep and energy
Enjoyment of the exercise
Sleeping better
Feeling alert
Being relaxed
Weight management
Appearance
Weight management and appearance were ranked as least important, while fitness and feelings of well being were ranked at the top! In other words: don’t make fitness about short-term appearance-based goals. It’s perfectly okay to want to lose weight and look good in a bikini, too, but if you want to stay in it for the long haul, at some point you should look beyond that. Be aware of how exercise makes you feel, how much progress you’ve made.
If you can’t imagine ever working out for the joy of it, it’s time to find a new workout routine. Exercise should be enjoyable, otherwise you’ll never stick to it! Hate the treadmill? Try hiking. Can’t stand lifting weights in the gym? Take a body pump class. Try different classes, like spin, pilates, yoga, Zumba, or even cross fit. Don’t stop until you find something you enjoy!
Photo Credit: Yahoo!/Christopher Futcher