FITNESS AUTHOR
Sarah Leahy, CPT
THE WHY OF YOUR WORKOUTS n What drives you to complete your 60 minutes of activity every day?
W
hen many of us start on those first shaky steps into the world of fitness, we typically have purely aesthetic goals in mind. We want to lose weight, have firmer bodies and look better in a bathing suit. So much of fitness marketing is geared toward fat loss and how to look your best that we often forget there is so much more to fitness. Finding your “why” for working out is the key to approaching your workouts and nutrition goals in a healthy, sustainable way. Shifting your mindset from working out for the sake of looking good to working out for the sake of feeling good will change your life.
Is strength your “why?”
Strength training is an important part of any fitness plan, whether it’s bodyweight training, general strength training or powerlifting. When we train for strength, we’re celebrating what our body is capable of and building upon it, and
JULY 2021
our body composition naturally changes as a result. Stronger bodies are more resilient both inside and outside of the gym and improve our quality of life. Your stamina increases for leisure activities like hiking, biking and kayaking. Day-to-day tasks like unloading groceries and doing yard work become so much easier to manage. A stronger you is a more durable you.
Is confidence your “why?” Let’s face it — there is almost no feeling in the world like hitting a PR on a lift or increasing reps or weights on something that used to be a struggle. The feeling of elation when you’ve achieved something amazing in the gym just can’t be beat. You worked hard, you improved because of it and you feel accomplished and confident. The best part? That confidence carries over into your everyday life. You realize what you are capable of if you stay consistent and work hard, and that translates to your life outside of the gym.
64
Your body composition will shift with any good fitness and nutrition program, and that confidence that builds when your hard work pays off will have you feeling strong and confident outside of the gym.
Is health your “why?”
Keeping your body active and moving is important at every age and every health level. If you have an injury, arthritis or impingement, avoiding workouts will increase your pain levels and stiffness and lead to more problems later in life. Physical health directly impacts mental health and our ability to live our lives. A focused fitness plan will improve mobility, reduce pain and allow you to
