Motivating myself during my least favorite time of the year

When the temperature descends below 40, Motivation leaves Laurenville for its Summer Home.  Check out the following highly-scientific chart:

Infographic exaggerated to prove Lauren's point.

Let me summarize: It's hard to find Motivation during my least favorite time of the year.  Have you noticed my blog-writing absence?  Well, my relationship with working out is like my relationship with writing.  I love it and feel passionate about it.  I know its benefits to my well-being.  But sometimes I get writer's-block.  And sometimes I get exercise-block.  

Let's face it.  Sometimes I just get MOTIVATION-block.

Can I get an "Amen?!"

Speaking of "Amen," let's have a conversation about spirituality as related to exercise and motivation...  I think the Church needs to educate its people of the power of exercise: the mental, emotional, and yes, SPIRITUAL power of exercise.  Sometimes I get the vibe that many ultra-Conservative religious people look at meditation and fitness as DISTRACTIONS from a connection with the Creator instead of the innate aide that it is.  

Need healing?-- Pray more!  

Need a clearer mind?-- Pray more!  

Not praying more?-- Feel ashamed, you heathen!  

Think working out will help?-- Pfft!  You need to pray those demons outta ya, Sinner!  

(Sorry, that went from Ultra-Conservative to Westboro-Baptist way too quickly.)  

Now, I believe in the power of prayer.  I long for a prayerful connection with God and when I don't feel that, I find another block-- PRAYER-block.  But isn't this in our nature?  We're not perfect, and we have all sorts of interesting chemicals and processes going on in our bodies stimulated by an extremely distracting environment and genetic makeup.  Healthy living helps clear all that up so we can connect to our Creator more easily!  God is the Creator of science.

I remember reading a Christian book once about a woman who described a debilitating "fogginess" that had come over her mind (I won't name this book because it did have some good points.)  She was depressed; she couldn't connect in relationships with God or her family or friends; she couldn't focus on her work or what she usually loved to do.  

I bet you a princess's dowry that she experienced this MENTAL FOG during winter.  

And while it is a beautiful (well terrifying to me, really) thought that she could simply yell out that she denounced the fog in the name of Jesus (I'm not making this up), I highly doubt that God worked like this.

In fact, I believe that God works in a way that is much more empowering.  He rewards us when we take care of ourselves and these rewards include: 

• better mood :)
• better health :)
• more energy :)
• higher self confidence :)
• more motivation :)
• LESS FOG :)

And what do we do to unlock these rewards and this closer relationship with God?  We stop sneaking.  And we put on our sneakers.  

Okay, so it's not all about exercise, but a large part of it is, because exercise is much more than just exercise.  It heals the brain, too!  And behaviorally, it is the beginning of a new lifestyle.

And this realization, my friends, is how I found Motivation during my least favorite time of the year.

I see this journey to fitness much more than getting a six pack, or being able to keep up with my ultra-fit boyfriend.  I need to see fitness as a opening door to health and well-being in MANY different areas of my life.  And when I don't feel like doing much, I have to just do something.  I owe it to myself; I owe it to my body; I owe it to my family and friends; and I owe it to God.  But it's not about motivating myself through guilt when I mess up (shame is not healthy), it's about motivating myself through the freedom I'm experiencing when I go through with it.  And as a victim of IBS (embarrassing, yes, but I know there's a lot of us out there-- this is another blog topic, I'm sure), this physical FREEDOM is definitely appreciated.

I read a book recently called Exercise For Mood and Anxiety, and it wasn't religious at all, but I found myself fed spiritually nonetheless.  It was a great reminder that exercise is much more than exercise, and that Motivation is difficult for EVERYONE to muster up from time to time.  The book reminded me that exercise provides a natural rise in the "happy" chemicals in our brain, and gives us that feeling of "reward" that we so deserve.  In my opinion, this is God rewarding us for taking care of the body that he gave us!  We have instincts that go back to early humans-- we need to run, lift things, sweat, and even dance!  

And now that I'm getting back to fitness, I'm going to DANCE.  In between squats, curls, and lunges tonight, I watched some women's fitness motivation videos on youtube (these girls are strong, hot, and intelligent-- and it's inspiring and not intimidating because I am in control of my inner attitude!) and I danced to the music and just jumped around to get my heart rate up.  My workouts will get more intense as I get back into it, but I have promised myself to be fun with it at all times.  I've promised myself to watch videos of different workouts to change it up instead of having an excuse to be bored.  I've promised myself to look in the mirror and love myself no matter what, but especially when I see a beautiful energy and happiness in my eyes.

And that's what this is about.  Loving myself.  Motivating myself.  Freeing myself.

Join me.  

I promise I'll write more this time. ;)

And this is Lauren right now despite it STILL being winter:

This is not my actual face.
That would be really creepy.

Starting off on the right foot... or the left.

Alas, I have finally ventured to post for the first time on this blog.  This post has been a work in progress for months now, as it has taken me a while to get over being overwhelmed by an abundance of my own ideas!

But I am embarrassed.

Not only have I not been working out and eating right as I was so inspired to continue, but I have not even been taking care of myself emotionally as I should be either.  That's why my title indicates that I may be starting off on the left foot, if you'll bear with me.

But that's what this blog is about, folks.  It's a journey to being truly well in all the different facets, and being truthful about my struggle to do so. 

--WHY ARE THERE SO MANY FACETS?!--

Let me disclaim boldly and loudly: I am far from perfect!!!  In fact, I probably need these blog more than you do.  It is my genuine hope that you will learn with me through these blog posts.  It is my hope that as I learn through my own writing, I will also tap into something of an intimate cyber accountability club.  It is my hope that you will relate to me in times of woes and mistakes and join me in times of victories and perseverance.

I think the first thing I must do is confess.

So, what are the main risks to completing my journey to wellness in these facets?  Well, let me tell you!-- It is easy for me to create a long list of these dreadful temptations, because it is certainly true that we ourselves are our own worst critics.

1)  I do not get enough sleep.
2)  I give myself too many responsibilities.
3)  I do not plan out my meals.
4)  I go to fast food restaurants in between jobs.
5)  I work too much.
6)  I say "yes" too much.
7)  I worry too much.
8)  I feel guilt too strongly.
9)  I do not work out regularly anymore.
10)  I do not write out my feelings anymore.
11)  I do not pray as often as I should.
12)  I do not clean my room.
13)  I am not organized in many different areas of my life.
14)  I do not carry out big, exciting ideas I have.
15)  I have too much stuff.

The list could seriously go ON and ON.  I am hoping that you can identify with at least ONE of my present risk factors, and I also hope that you continue to visit my blog to see how I turn these risk factors into history.

How can these become history?  Well, they probably won't.  That's just a part of being an imperfect human I guess.  However, I am vowing to find a way to make my life a lot easier, and to protect myself in the process.  I know it will be an overall experience including my emotional, social, spiritual, physical, cognitive, and interpersonal facets.  I will do so by paying better attention to my ever-communicating body.

The human body is a strange, peculiar, and awe-inspiring creation.  There is so much to know about it, but what I have found to be true is that when you take care of it, it takes care of you-- and your many facets.  While there is much to still be discovered and researched regarding the human body (I just saw on msn.com this morning that they just discovered a new ligament in the knee), there is a lot that can be said about the signals that our body gives us directly.  Is your stomach hurting?  That is your body telling you to change some sort of behavior pattern, whether it be worrying less, getting more sleep, eating differently, or working out to become more "regular."

What sorts of lessons has my body taught me through these communications?

1)  Work out more.  When you run, lift weights, and do crunches, you feel more awake, have less headaches, and are less likely to experience IBS symptoms.  You also are less irritable, stressed, sad, apathetic, and can think more clearly.
2)  Drink more water.  Feeling dizzy and tired and experiencing a headache?  Try drinking the basics-- water.  In fact, stop drinking anything but water and a few other healthy beverage options because you are most likely dehydrated!
3)  Stretch!  I am too often a tensed-up, stiff-necked, poor-postured woman!  Increasing my flexibility and loosening up my muscles and joints goes a long way.  It not only helps with soreness and better fitness habits, it also helps me feel better throughout the day-- physically and emotionally!  I feel so much better about myself when I'm standing up straight, feeling limber, and looking life straight in the eye.

Now, these are only the beginning. There are so many other things I could say! 

But they will have to wait for another blog post... ;)