*FITNESS SHOULD BE FUN!!*

Someone mentioned in conversation the other day that they "hated" working out.  I thought; really?  You HATE moving?  You HATE being active?  You HATE making yourself better?  You HATE feeling good about yourself?  I don't know about you but the way I feel while I am kicking my own butt and after a great workout is amazeballs!  THEN it hit me...those words used to come out of my mouth until I changed my tune, my routine, my attitude, and my lifestyle.  I figured out the secret sauce when it comes to fitness.  FUN.

Living a healthy lifestyle shouldn't be a daunting task.  It should be fun.  Does that sound crazy and unrealistic?  Well, it shouldn't.  Working out shouldn't be viewed as a crappy and annoying chore.  It should be viewed and approached as a fun experience because you are getting to know your body (and yourself) on a more personal level and are making an effort to improve yourself!  You may even meet some great people along the way!

Are you motivated?  If you dread the workout you are about to do maybe your fitness regime needs fine tuned and redefined!

Although diet, nutrition, hydration, and a workout plan are extremely crucial and I talk about all of those all of the time too, the most important ingredient to fitness is FUN.  Transform your fitness into a lifestyle that is invigorating and fun.  After all, your most effective fitness occurs when you are having fun.  You should be doing activities that you enjoy which will then lead you to doing more of it!  See how that works?  Magic.  Add some variety, spice it up!  Keep things fresh!

I actually struggled with this for a long time and learned this aspect of it all the hard way after developing an unhealthy relationship with exercise.  I was not having fun at all with it.  I dreaded my workout every single day.  Yep, it's true.  I would turn into a miserable "you know what" just thinking about it.  Afterwards though, I was a brand new person because I was FINISHED!!  Once I started thinking about my workout that still needed completely, whew...watch out!  It shouldn't be like that.  It shouldn't be a dreadful or even scary activity because it is NECESSARY and BENEFICIAL on so many levels!  I was very unhappy and quite honestly, I was unhealthy.  I didn't know jack about my body, how to treat it, and what I should be feeding it.  I thought I did.

Things have drastically changed these past few years for me because I got to know my body.  I figured out what are considered fun workouts for me and what would keep me coming back for more.  For example, I am not the most flexible person in the world, and I don't really do anything "slow,"  so yoga = not very fun for me and that's OK!  Beneficial?  Sure.  Not fun for me though.  However, I will do it occasionally because of the fact that I am not flexible and want to improve upon that.  I now have a wide variety of workouts that I do throughout the week (thanks, Beachbody) and if I want to switch it up one day, well guess what, I will!  One of the great things about fitness is that it is a flexible and accommodating aspect of our life!  There are many different options for all different fitness levels, personalities, and schedules.  Get outside, stay inside...either way, there are options!

Incorporating fitness into your life in some way shape or form should also be mandatory.  Make it mandatory for not only you, but your loved ones.  It doesn't mean you have to run 5 miles, or swim 50 laps.  You could simply walk 1 mile, ride a bike, go on a hike, take the stairs instead of the elevator...really...anything!  Chances are, you want to be around for as long as you can and be the best version of yourself that you can be for those in your life.  Now, of course, there are some things out of our control when it comes to our health, but this, the physical activities that you partake in, can be controlled.  You control you.

Now that I am older, have a different schedule, and honestly a different outlook on life, I realize that staying healthy and taking care of myself is absolutely essential.  Exercising isn't necessarily something that I NEED to do, it is something that I GET to do.  There are people in this world that are unable to do what I and others are able to do to stay healthy.  I can control me and only me and only hope to influence those around me.  I want to have as much control as I can over how long I am on this Earth!  We need to appreciate what we have control of and what we have and not take that for granted.

Bottom line... make it fun.  Keep it interesting and do things that will keep you coming back for more.  When you add variety it will also work several different parts of your body and give you a more efficient and effective workout plan and routine.  

We have 1 body, so treat it well and be kind to it!