When ‘Working Out’ Becomes Work

I wish that getting and staying fit was as simple as a walk in the park or as inspirational as frolicking through a field of wildflowers.

The truth is, shouldn’t it be?

I return to this topic time and again because months, even years go by, when I’m really feeling great about excercise.

Then, out of the blue (*poof*) the love is gone.

Usually when this happens to me I write it off as a phase and believe this too shall pass. Sometimes it does, but sometimes I struggle. I try to remind myself that patience is a virtue — especially when it comes to activity. And just because I wake up one morning and don’t feel like hiking through the forest doesn’t mean I’ve ‘lost it’, nor does it mean I can’t take a nice walk through the park. (Are you paying attention, Cindy?!)

Recently, I was reading about a motivational theory called the self-determination theory (STD). It’s an interesting concept and grandfather to the idea of intrinsic exercise. As a theory it concerns itself with our natural or intrinsic tendencies to behave in effective and healthy ways — behaviors that intrinsically support our desires.

I’ll admit that sometimes I feel resentful about having very limited time for exercise. But, the truth is, I’ve made choices in my professional and personal life that leave me less and less opportunity for activity. So it’s time to re-evaluate.

Our reasons to exercise can be many. But isn’t the most important endeavor our search for joy and well-being? When I strive for nothing more than the high I get from healthy living, I feel fulfilled and content.

I know we have a wise and experienced bunch of readers out there – why not share how you’ve learned to re-group and revitalize healthy living behaviors in your lives?

For me, the resolution may be simple. Be patient, re-evaluate and keep on plugging.