#HealthyMe: Why motivation meltdown has me setting a new goal
Julie Bitely
| 3 min read
On paper, I’m a health nut.
I belong to a local Grand Rapids running club. I’ve run a marathon and many Riverbank Run 25Ks. I’ve gutted out a.m. boot camp classes and Pure Barre sessions. I don’t drink pop (often) and I tend to gravitate toward healthier foods, even cooking many meals at home.
My biggest struggle with health is being consistent. I trained all winter – yes, this winter, of the bitingly cold and snowy Polar Vortex – to get ready for my sixth Riverbank Run in May. I scored my second best time ever and was pumped to keep going.
Until I wasn’t.
Job stuff, family life and a general lack of motivation stopped me in my tracks. For me, if I’m not all in, it’s way too easy to simply opt out. I tend to let bad habits take over by giving myself start dates, telling myself I’ll do everything right on a Monday, the beginning of a new month, or any other arbitrarily selected point. (This never works, in case you were wondering.)
My new goal is to start approaching health and wellness as part of what I do. Every day. I need to make healthy eating and exercise habits I won’t blow off. I’d rather celebrate consistently taking a walk after dinner than the alternative of skipping workouts entirely because I don’t have a full hour to devote to something more intense.
My motivation to find health where and when I can is my beautiful, healthy, sixteen-month-old daughter. She is a sponge, learning new words and concepts with each wobbly little step. My husband and I have a responsibility to show her the way. I want her to grow up surrounded by fresh foods, lots of active family outings, and parents who can keep up with her and be around for her future children.
In my twenties, health to me was very much about looking good. At this point in my life, I really want to be healthy for health’s sake, not because of a number on the scale or a tag on a pair of pants. Being new to BCBSM, I know that #HealthyMe is really going to help keep me accountable.
So, help a new girl out – tell me how you’ve been staying motivated to keep health front and center in your life and if you’ve ever needed to adjust your goals to stay on track. Read more thoughts on motivation here and here.
Photo credit: Lukasz Z
This blog post is part of #HealthyMe, a personalized web experience based on your health and wellness goals. To sign up today, visit https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/healthyme
