7 Reasons to Work Out (That Have Nothing to do with Your Swimsuit)

It is almost that time of year again…my hands down absolutely favorite time of year–SUMMER!!  I have always loved summer the best (although, Fall, you are pretty awesome, too).  There are so many things to love, like fresh fruits and vegetables (BERRIES!!!), ice cream, really long days (yes, I love when it’s light out before 6 a.m.), no school, my birthday, bare feet, the pool, the beach.  You name it as it pertains to summer, I am all in!

Now, this time of year, there is one thing that I really hate.  Something that comes up a lot in my industry of health and fitness.  And that is the dreaded swimsuit shame.  Everyone telling you to try this or that workout or diet to get ready for swimsuit season.  As if you there was one and only one reason to work out and that was to look a certain way.  As if you can’t possibly be seen at the pool if you’re not a certain size.  As if, the best way to motivate someone is by making her feel like she is inadequate.  (Remember mini habits?  Building good habits is ENTIRELY more successful by using minuscule amounts of will power rather than ever-changing motivations.  So, not only is this motivation method just not nice, it doesn’t even work long term.)

Now, I would be lying if I said I did not care how I looked in my swimsuit.  (It is okay to care.  It is not okay to obsess and become self-absorbed.)  I do choose to live a lifestyle that lends itself well to being lean, and I do want that perk.  But that’s where it ends.  It is a perk.  It is not the chief end of health and fitness.  It does not get me out of bed to do a workout while the rest of my family sleeps.

I truly believe that health starts on the inside.  Take care of the inside, and the outside will take care of itself in time.

Side note: because somebody’s gotta be thinking “Didn’t you just say to build a workout habit with will power? So why are you giving us motivations?”  Because motivations do still exist.  And yes, sometimes they feel stronger than other times.  If you’re building a workout habit, yes, absolutely build it with teeny tiny bits of will power.  However, there are still underlying reasons why you chose to build a mini habit regarding fitness in the first place.  Think of these more as your “why” rather than your “motivation.”

I consistently workout five to six days each week.  It is a habit that I’ve had for 20+ years, so it’s just normal to do at this point.  Here are my seven reasons WHY I consistently choose to make workouts a priority.

1.  Workouts give me energy.

The number one reason I work out is so that I have more energy for the rest of my life!  It is completely counter intuitive that expending energy would give us more energy, but it really does work.  I want to be my best at all that I do.  Workouts help me do that.

Ditch this: “This workout is going to wear me out!”

Think this: “It’s going to be a busy day!  I’ll need all the energy I can get!”

2.  Workouts give me strength for real life scenarios.

Need to carry both kids at the same time?  I can do that.  Help my husband move a piece of furniture around the house?  I can do that, too.  Lift my heavy carryon up over my head and into the compartment on the plane?  Done!  Sprint through the airport with newborn baby in stroller to make connecting flight? (Yes, I have done this.  Probably set my PR in the 800 in Charlotte, NC one time.)  Visit someone who’s office is on the sixth floor and take the stairs without huffing and puffing.  Yep.  I can also do that.  I don’t ever want to have to miss out on something because I didn’t have the physical fitness to complete a task.  Maybe you’ve got an injury or a health condition that’s outside of your control.  I’m not saying you should feel shame for this.  I’m just saying that a consistent workout routine gives me the energy to do physical tasks that come up in my normal life, and I enjoy being able to do them.

Ditch this: “I’m a girl.  I can’t get strong.”

Think this: “Being strong helps me throughout my day-to-day life!”

3.  Workouts give me energy for my kids.

Not just physical energy.  Mental energy, too.  I don’t want to be the mom who sits on her phone on the park bench when her kids are playing because she doesn’t have the physical energy to be playing with them.  And I also don’t want to be the mom who doesn’t have the mental energy for creating fun games and projects and play scenarios.  Sometimes I am that mom, and then I remember I have to go to bed on time.  But, when I am sleeping and eating well, my workouts give me the physical and mental energy boost to be all in with my kids, and I really want that.

Ditch this: “My kids wear me out!”

Think this: “I ‘put my oxygen mask on first’ so I can be all that I want to be for my kids.”

4.  I like pooping.

Maybe I should have made this #2 on the list (heh).  But really, I could totally have moved this up higher on my list, because it is so important to me!  I struggled for so many years with a sluggish digestive tract (a symptom of hypothyroidism that I didn’t know about not to mention really clear signs of my gluten and dairy sensitivities).  While my digestion is a bazillion times better than it used to be, I can still struggle from time to time, and workouts are crucial to getting things going!  I feel so much better when my digestion is on track that sometimes all I need to get out the door for a workout is the promise of a good poop.  (And now you know more about me than I ever thought I’d tell anyone.)

Ditch this: “Workouts are just about looking good.”

Think this: “I work out because it helps my body function to its highest capacity.”

5.  Workouts help me feel like I’ve accomplished something–even when nothing else pans out the rest of the day.

Days with kids can be really unpredictable.  Days with a grown up job can be really unpredictable.  Really, days of real life can be really unpredictable–even for those of us who think we can just schedule everything perfectly and then life will follow our schedule.  😉  One of the reasons I rarely miss a workout is that I often work out first thing in the morning.  I know lots of people hate this, but I love knowing that you will hardly ever be interrupted if all the people who interrupt you are still asleep!  Honestly, the mornings are so quiet and peaceful that, even if I would rather stay in bed 9 out of 10 times (or even get up and just drink coffee!), the feeling of accomplishment that I KNOW I will feel an hour later is just worth more to me than an extra little bit of sleep.  And, no, I do not always do morning workouts.  Sometimes I have to fit them in later, and I still love that feeling of accomplishment.  I do just like the particular morning-workout-accomplishment-feeling.

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”  –Mark Twain  Sometimes sprints on the track at 6 a.m. feel like eating a frog.

Ditch this: “I’m always behind on everything. I never do anything for myself anymore.”

Think this: “I got a workout in today even when everything was crazy!”

6.  Workouts improve my mood.

I am just a happier person when I am consistently working out.  (Note: I am not a happier person if I am overtraining.  I need to rest, actively and passively as well!)  There are certainly times when my mood is, um, not great, and then I’m headed into a workout and leave with a much different attitude.  I like that.  Endorphins are a thing.  They are your mood boosting endorphins, and they increase with exercise.  Sometimes, the promise of a better mood is enough to get me to go do a workout.

Ditch this: “This [person/situation/environment] makes me so unhappy.”

Think this: “I choose to have a positive attitude despite difficult circumstances.”

7.  Workouts help me make healthier choices naturally throughout the day.

I find this true for any workout but especially true for morning workouts.  A good workout might cause me to choose nutrient dense foods that will help me recover from the workout (like eggs and avocados for breakfast instead of a scone!).  I won’t be trying to choose something “healthy.”  It just happens naturally.  I might decline dessert at lunch if I’m doing an afternoon workout so that it doesn’t upset my stomach.  I may choose to go to sleep earlier so that I have more energy for a workout I’ve planned for the morning, or I might choose some essential oils or supplements that aid in recovery.  I will almost always drink more water, not just during a workout but afterwards.  These will be healthy choices that required zero will power or extra motivation.  They are “bonus reps” that I just felt like doing.  I like this way of living.

Ditch this: “I’ll never be fit.”

Think this: “I made a healthy choice today.  That’s a step in the right direction that will lead to more steps in the right direction.”

You may be wondering if I am ever motivated to work out because of an upcoming vacation or pool time with the fam?  The answer is, honestly, no.  In fact, when I start thinking that way, I find myself, oddly enough, self-sabotaging my own efforts.  It’s weird.  It’s just not really a healthy mindset for me and gets me too focused on myself.  Instead, I choose fitness because of the seven reasons listed here.  They’ve kept me going for 20+ years so far and hopefully 50+ more to come!

I’d love to hear from you!  What is the “why” behind working out for you?  Comment or send me an email!