Find the Joy in Fitness

Spark Joy in Fitness.

Today we live in a data driven world. We track everything from our food intake to how many steps we take daily to how many miles we swam, rode or ran on our watches then download all the data to analyze our personal improvement. Is this you? If so, you are probably nodding your head, “ Yup, that is me, “ but we know that quantitative data is only one method to assess fitness. In all honesty, how much time do you spend reflecting on how you felt about your workouts? Quantity does not equal quality. As Marie Kondo would ask, “Did your workout spark joy?” According to Kondo’s KonMari method if something does not spark joy, it should be discarded. No, this doesn’t mean you get to sit in front of the TV and eat cake all day, but one can use Kondo’s concept in their fitness journey. Are you tied to a number in the scale, race time or training schedule? How do you feel if you do not get to a goal weight, get a PR or miss a workout? Perhaps, it’s time to get rid of the scale, sports watches or training plans from time to time and ask ourselves are we having fun? Did we find joy in participating in an event or just starting the workout even if it did not go as planned. By now, you are probably chuckling at this, but it is important to ask yourself from time to time, “How did I feel about my workout or race outcome rather than what my sports watch said?” Adding joy to a fitness goal can increase your self- confidence, self- efficacy and self-growth. Embracing these measures may be the very ones needed to keep you engaged in an activity until the quantitative measures meet your newly found enthusiasm. Try to find joy in the journey.

Comments

Just the Facts…Only the facts.

General Health Facts. According the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, about one out of three U.S. adults or 31.3% has high blood pressure. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, Diabetes affects 25.8 million people of all ages 8.3 percent of the U.S. population. A 2011 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the following: · The average male consumes 175 calories a day from drinks containing added sugar (like soda). · The average female consumes 94 calories from these drinks · About half of the population drinks a sugar-sweetened beverage on any given day. More than 45 million Americans now belong to a health club, up from 23 million in 1993. We spend some $19 billion a year on gym memberships. Of course, some people join and never go. Still, as ...

Grit- Road to Chicago Olympic Triathlon

Definition Grit in psychology is a positive, non-cognitive trait based on an individual's passion for a particular long-term goal or end state, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective. This perseverance of effort promotes the overcoming of obstacles or challenges that lie within a gritty individual's path to accomplishment, and serves as a driving force in achievement realization. Commonly associated concepts within the field of psychology include "perseverance", "hardiness", "resilience", "ambition", "need for achievement" and "conscientiousness". This is who I am. Stacy the Grit. Yes, I could spend a lot of time talking to you about my finish time and what I could improve upon yadda yadda yadda but anyone who reads my blog knows that I rarely focus on the outcome. I focus on the process. I focus on how did I arrive at a specific point and time. I focus on the jour...

Goals: A healthy lifestyle has no finish line

As a coach, I get many questions on exercise, weight loss, running, etc. All are great questions. However, I find myself asking clients the same question. What is your goal? General health and performance goals share many commonalities. To meet healthy lifestyle or performance goals, both require the following: · Defined goal · Nutrition balancing · Exercise · Consistency However, there are some key differences between general health goals and performance/sport specific goals. · Goals- Is your goal to “get healthy” What does that mean? Does it mean lose a few pounds or run a marathon? Be specific. How do you plan to measure your success? This is important. Why? Some people say they want to “get healthy” without defining what that means for them. Define what healthy means for you. Write it down. If ...

The Journey

Search This Blog