Motivate yourself, work on your mindset and move your body. This is the message we hear constantly and for good reason. Health is priceless particularly as we move into midlife and beyond. In our youth, time seems to go nice and slow. However somewhere between 30 and 40 time seems to speed up and appears to fly by. When we reach 40 we may find ourselves questioning many aspects of our life. Have we achieved what we want to achieve? Are we leaving behind some form of legacy? Is our life a full and happy one? This is also the time when we start to lose friends and family to illnesses and disease. This makes us question or own mortality and health.
Our bodies go through changes in midlife. Menopause may be causing a redistribution of weight. Hormonal fluctuations cause mood swings, skin loses laxity, and gravity begins to take its toll. We lose muscle mass and bone density and exercise becomes more of a necessity than an option.
It is a true saying that exercise is not about finding the time but creating the time. By making healthy life choices and changing our lifestyle then we have a better chance of living longer and with a better quality of life. Having the flexibility, energy and stamina to enjoy grandchildren, to travel, have adventures, are all great motivators to get moving. Finding the motivation to incorporate regular exercise into your life brings so many benefits. Once you see the results your desire to exercise will soar.
Motivation and Mindset
The tips within this Blog will hopefully get you off the sofa and motivate you to move your body every day in some way. There are so many reasons why you may be avoiding exercise, some of which are:
- body image issues in public
- lacking energy
- no motivation
- dislike of any form of exercise
Only you know your personal reluctance or avoidance to exercise. The above are what I hear regularly from my clients and these challenges are easy to overcome, once you know how.
The first place to kick start motivation will always be within your mindset. When your mindset is focused in the right direction, then following a regular exercise regime become easier to maintain. One of the keys is to find the type of exercise that you enjoy and mix it up to prevent boredom.
Here are some questions that you can use to nudge you towards making exercise part of your life and to motivate you more:
- What benefits do you think you will get from exercising regularly?
- How do you think your body will improve?
- How will you feel?
- What is stopping you?
- What needs to happen for you to incorporate exercise into your life?
- What small change could you make every day towards exercising more?
Motivate yourself with Visualization
Visualisation is a great way for you to start making powerful positive changes in your life. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Allow yourself to relax and quieten your busy mind. Visualise yourself 10 years from now having made healthy lifestyle changes. Exercising regularly, taking care of your overall wellness goals. Feeling fit, flexible, energetic, healthy and well. Spend some time tuning into how that feels for you. This is a very real possibility that you have the power to create within your life. Make this visualization as real as possible in your mind. What are you wearing? what is happening?
Now do the opposite, and visualize yourself 10 years from now NOT having made any healthy lifestyle changes. How does that feel for you? Maybe you have gained more weight, have no energy, feel stiff and lethargic. This is also a very real possibility. Ultimately you have a personal choice. Which will you choose?
The following is a great place to start:
Walking
Takthirty-minuteminute walk every day is a great way to start the day and improve your mood. It is also good for heart health, bones, lowers body fat, and reduces the risk of diabetes type 2, and osteoporosis.
If your goal is to lose weight and become fitter then you are also creating a calorie deficit by burning more calories. Weight loss is all about input versus out output. It makes sense that if you are burning off more than you are consuming, then you are likely to lose weight. Walking of course is much easier if you have a dog!
Swimming
Another great exercise option is swimming and is good for all ages. This mode of exercise is also very helpful if you have knee or joint problems as it is nonweight bearing. Your body is supported in the water and the fact that water is very dense you have to work a little harder. Swimming is also great for increasing lung capacity. If you feel self-conscious in a swimsuit then find out when the pool is quiet and go then.
Strength Training
Strength training in the 40s and beyond is a great way to keep osteoporosis at bay and to burn fat. Don’t avoid lifting weights because you fear you will develop massive muscles. You are more likely to firm and tone. Exercise with weights at home, but it may be useful for you to book a few sessions with a personal trainer to make sure you are using proper form to prevent any injuries. There are also excellent exercise DVDs and Apps that you can use to motivate yourself more. Remember that your metabolism continues to be raised for around 72 hours after exercise which is also another bonus.
Fitness Trackers to Motivate
There are so many fitness trackers out there, and this blog has not been written to anyone any one in particular. Research which ones appeal to you. They are a great way to motivate you and keep track on how many steps you are taking, calories you are burning, and sleeping. This is also part of keeping you motivated. Checkout out the NHS Fitness Studio which is a great free online resource.
Before commencing any exercise programme make sure you check in with your GP to ensure there are no reasons why you should not be exercising.
Have a wonderful day! Please feel free to browse the other Blogs on the site and to download the free gifts.
