What's your reason?

We all workout for different purposes.  This has been on my mind a lot lately, to the point of overflowing onto the blog here...

There are many phases of fitness and I think we all go through most of them.

Sometimes it's just NO.

Sometimes it's like I should but I just don't wanna.

Sometimes it's like ICE CREAM.

Sometimes it's like I'm a badass and no one could stop me.

Sometimes it's like my booty looks damn fine in these jeans and I'd hate to screw it up.

Some phases last a day, others months or years.  But we've all been there.

I still find myself thinking more about working out when my pants are getting tight.  And then I clean up my eating and then I get my workout on and then I feel better about myself.

But I'm missing the point.  

Working out should have very little to do with looks.  It should have everything to do with quality of life.

For me, it's taken a few years but I learned that the only way to increase my mobility and be able to do all the "normal" things I've always taken for granted is to do moderate workouts on a regular basis.

For others it could be staving off things like diabetes, back injury, heart disease or a multitude of other illnesses that are, quite frankly, attracted to laziness.

There was a long while where I did cool things like cross fit and running races and I felt like a bad ass.  I mean, I WAS.  But I was also in SO MUCH PAIN.  My ego felt great and my rear looked good, but I was tearing my body apart piece by piece.

I'm slowly learning that the recipe for me is higher intensity, low impact workouts on a regular basis.  Usually 6-7 times a week.  It means long walks, constant stretching and a whole lot of talking myself into it.  If I don't do these things, I end up in bed within a week unable to move like a "normal" thirty something.

Everyone's recipe is different.

The most affirming thing I've heard yet from a doctor was that they were going to have a really hard time diagnosing my issues because I've now done such a good job of mitigating the impacts on my daily life.  And he was so happy about that.  And I nearly burst into tears.

So now I'm taking this seriously. I DID THIS.  And everyone else can too.

Fitness is overall health and well being, they are undeniably connected to every facet of our life.  In my mind, most importantly to our self confidence.

It is a priceless thing to know that we CAN chase a toddler, run with sweet puppy dog faces and enjoy the outdoors because we trust our bodies to do what we ask of them.  Because they've been trained, by us, to perform well.

There is no need to be the very fastest, the super strongest or the leanest meanest...but there is every reason to live life to the fullest extent possible, grasping every moment with both hands.