How many times have you heard someone say:
“I ate like crap this weekend, so I need to work it off.”
“I have to go burn off those calories.”
“I missed yesterday, so I need to do extra today.”
Somewhere along the way, exercise became punishment for what we ate, what we weigh or what we didn’t do yesterday.
That’s not what fitness is supposed to be.
You don’t work out because you had pizza last night.
You work out because you want to be stronger.
Because you want your heart to work better.
Because you want to have more energy.
Because you want to keep up with your kids or grandkids.
Because we just spent the last couple of weeks talking about what movement can do for your brain.
Because you want to be able to DO things as you get older.
And sometimes, simply because moving makes you feel better.
That doesn’t mean you’re going to love every workout. I certainly don’t.
Some days you’ll be tired. Some days you’ll have to make yourself do it. Some days 20 minutes is what you have, so 20 minutes is what you do.
But there’s a big difference between discipline and punishment.
Discipline is doing something because you know it benefits you.
Punishment is doing something because you think you need to make up for something else.
Missed a workout yesterday?
Just train today.
Ate too much over the weekend?
Get back to your normal routine.
Had dessert?
You don’t owe the treadmill anything.
Fitness should add to your life, not be the price you pay for enjoying it.
