Motivation Monday: Over the Hill Slumps

Let's face it. Working out is not always as fun + glamorous as they make it seem in movies or on TV. Everyone seems excited, motivated, and energized... ALL the time. Seriously, no one wakes up everyday eager to throw those skin tight clothes on and sweat it out for 30 minutes to an hour, unless you are on Prozac (no judgement if you are).

Realistically, there are days that you draaaag to get out of bed and put clothes. Then you drag through your workout. And even after you begin working out you are still dragging to push out reps or to run another mile. For most of us, we usually begin to feel better once the blood starts flowing and we are actively doing something. But every once in a while, even when we are done working out, we drag ourselves back home and wonder, "Did I even get a real workout?"

The answer is yes, and this week's motivational image will show you why....

In this picture, you see one hill after another. A very daunting and intimidating task. The only road block is... your mind. Your goal is obviously to get to the top of the hill, so how do you get up there? One hill at a time. I know you knew I was going to say that. Here's an example.

Just last week my husband Lee, who is training for the Houston marathon shared his emotions and experience on a particularly challenging long run last Saturday of 17 miles. When I picked him, as usual I asked him how his run had gone. He informed me that from the moment he woke up, not a single part of him wanted to go running. When he started, every single mile hurt. He never found his sync or a good rhythm/pace. His mechanics were off (breathing, posture, focus, etc). He knew he did not perform his best and he trudged through all seventeen miles.

Despite how he was feeling, he focused on the BIG PICTURE. He knew the workout would benefit him down the road. He continued to trudge mile by mile, step by step. He did not stop until he had completed his goal. Although he felt like crap pretty much the entire time and did not feel confident, that run helped him so that he could do 20 miles this past weekend (which went very well, once I found him and picked him up in the middle of Nowhere, TX).

The point is, that even when you have a "bad workout day," you just have to do it. Although you may think it was the worse workout and that you burned - 0 calories, it may be the perfect challenge your body needed to conduct the next workout.

Just like with life, not everyday you are at the gym is a land of shiny dumbbells and glistening water fountains; there will be days that just feel 'blah' from start to finish. The important thing is that you finish. Get to the top of your slump hills, and know that the next day will be better! CHIN UP(s)... Get it?? Haha!!

Until Next Time....

~ Q. Olivia