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Finding Your Flow

By Diane Rochon

Now that the ‘clean slate’ of 2007 has been around for a while, how are your exercise resolutions holding up? Have you put your words into action?

Motivation is truly inspiration and it can be a very powerful force in your life. However, like any relationship worth having & keeping it requires that you want it and work at it.

How do you reinforce motivation? Well, no surprise here, be really clear why you want to exercise. If you are clear on the reasons then it is easy to set & stay on a path to attain your goal (like deciding why you really want to be with someone will help you weather relationship difficulties).

Define your resolution well—make it specific and objective (i.e. I will go to the gym 2 x per week to work on different cardio equipment and cross country ski 1 time per week in the fresh air).

Don’t like the gym? Okay fair enough. What is important to know here, is that if you don’t enjoy an activity please don’t force yourself to do it “just because everyone says it would be good for me.”

Studies have proven that if you don’t enjoy your activity you just won’t stick to it— just imagine trying to have a relationship with someone you don’t like at all! The moral— whichever physical activity it is you enjoy (walking, skiing, swimming, lifting weights, etc) do that to get into the groove of doing something consistently, then build on it. What keeps the fire burning?

The intrinsic approach. Oh sure, the “lose 10 lbs goal” is a nice starting point but somewhere along the line you really need to dig deep to exercise for your own sake. This takes some introspection, but when your ready for it, it really is the most powerful inspiration to get you out the door day after day. For instance, exercising regularly makes you feel confident to face all challenges and this may be a significant intrinsic reward for your efforts.

Remember, the most successful people—the ones who always look motivated— in any venture are the ones that know what they really want deep down & can say they “just love” what they are doing! As a personal trainer my clients often ask how I get motivated after a long hard day to fit in a workout.

To be truthful, sometimes I can’t. On particularly stressful days I have been known to give in to the tiredness. I go home eat well, drink (water!) and hit my bed early to rejuvenate through sleep. I leave that day behind and the next morning rev up for a new one. However on days where I am more whiny than down for the count, I go in search of the “post workout glow” in my memory. With that feeling in my mind I go to the 10 minute rule...I am only doing this for 10 mins.

If at the end of 10 mins I still want to pack it in I do...if not I keep going. And you know what? Nine out of tens times I keep going and live the glow for real.

Tips to Keep the Flow:

About the Author:

Diana Rochon, BPE, CSCS, NCCP, IDEA Elite PFT is the Director of Dynamic Core Fitness in Whistler, BC, Canada. To learn more check out www.dynamiccorefitness.ca