For the first time in my life I have been motivated to exercise because my body is feeling OLD!

I take great care of my insides through outstanding nutrition but I am finally admitting- I have greatly ignored my physical health. I have had many flings with exercise since my cancer diagnosis, but have always had a reason (excuse) to stop. This year I am determined and COMMITTED to developing life-long fitness habits. EXCUSES are not welcome!

A Fitness Mirage

One of my problems is that- in my mind I still look like I did when I was 22. Then I look in the mirror and…well, it doesn’t lie.

My exercise history isn’t awful, but it lacks consistency. I worked out in college because I was bored- and to meet guys at the campus gym. Ha! I actually put on make-up to work out. After graduating I was into long-distance running, but after training for two half-marathons, I have lost my enthusiasm, not to mention long runs are time consuming!

I have had every excuse not to exercise since my cancer diagnosis in 2008. At that time my husband and I were in the process of completing the popular infomercial workout program, P-90X. We had completed Day 45 of the 90 days fitness challenge the day before I went in for my biopsy surgery. Then life changed drastically and exercise got lost in the cancer wilderness.

Now I am a wife, mother to a 2-year-old, make all meals from whole-foods, have a full-time teaching job, and write Green Drink Diaries. I also play in a community orchestra and am in a couples’ “small group” with my church once a week. Can I really add more to my plate? YES- but I also have to make sacrifices somewhere to find time to exercise.

My Exercise Commitments for 2012:

1. I will workout 6 days a week in the months of January and February. On average, a habit takes 4 weeks to break- but I don’t trust my laziness. I will give myself 8 weeks. I will rest on Sundays.

2. I will focus on physical exertion and positive fitness habits, NOT on weight loss, how much time I work out, or how I look.

3. Sacrifices: I MUST be home by 5:00 to start dinner. I am taking two months off from orchestra to focus on my fitness goals. My daughter must be in bed by 8:30pm so I can get started by 8:45. I will keep Green Drink Diaries’ to one focused post per week.

4. My fitness routine will consist of short interval training with my husband and Holy Yoga, a form of Christ-based Yoga (will definitely post on this later!)

5. I will post my progress publicly on a Green Drink Diaries’ monthly “Commitments Roll-Call!” post! 

Find Your Exercise Style!

One thing I have learned about myself is that I enjoy working out at home. It works for me. I work outside of the home all day and can’t fathom putting my daughter in daycare again to go workout at a crowded gym. So working out at home it is.

You need to figure out what will work for you. Will you stay motivated if you work out at home?

Do you enjoy “getting out” and being in a large fitness crowd?

Do other buff people motivate you?

Does a fitness class such as Zumba, BodyPump, or Spin sound fun and appealing to you? Will you get bored easily from any of those? Many gyms have trials before you commit so you could give them a try or check out their websites.

Over the next few days, spend a few minutes alone with this blog post and let this all sink in. What would you want to commit to if you had the time? What sacrifices could you make? What is the ideal vision for your bodily fitness if you could attain it?

Write your commitments down and let them simmer. then, when you’re ready, make them public in the Comments section of this post!!

Other suggestions to motivate you:

Find a fitness partner.

Buy new workout gear.

Donate the clothes that you are hiding behind and save up for some new clothes in a smaller size!

Make a sticker incentive chart to keep where you can see it.

Keep an exercise journal.

Reward yourself with an end-of-the week reward.

Exercise could be as simple as walking for 30 minutes with your favorite music or playing a dance game on a Wii or X-Box Kinect.

Other Physical Commitments that are not Fitness Related:

See a chiropractor regularly.

Find a good naturopathic doctor to see for preventative care.

Clear out and organize space in your home.

Try Natural Eye Reversal Therapies. This is another Commitment for me this year! I will certainly blog about my progress!

Working to stop negative physical habits such as biting nails, cuticles, SMOKING, etc.

Join us tomorrow to make our Nutritional Commitments!

The post Green Drink Commitments 2012- Get Physical! appeared first on Anti-Cancer Mom.