My Fitness Resolution: Work Out Because You Can!
There is a lot of talk about working out to fit into your “skinny jeans” or “catch someone’s eye” this time of the year, as articles and news stories on fitness resolutions saturate the media. I want to give you another, more important reason to fit in your fitness this year: because you CAN!
Every day soldiers come home permanently injured from war. Just head out your door and you are bound to see someone in a wheelchair, sight impaired or otherwise challenged. I try to be thankful daily that I can walk, talk and yes, work out each day.
This has become even more important to me recently. The emergency C section surgery during the birth of my first baby in November left me with an infected incision, and a still lingering numb foot from the epidural. I think of the days when I took working out for granted, and now I wish I could do 15 jumping jacks or run a mile. I have undergone daily tests, exams and painful shock therapy to name just a few and no one can tell me when the feeling will come back to my leg.
This is nothing compared to the physical and mental anguish and challenges that injured soldiers, athletes, accident victims and otherwise impaired people go through. If I am to get my feeling back through physical therapy I resolve to never take working out for granted, never ditch a run because of rain, never complain about teaching a cardio-sculpt class when I would rather be at a movie…
I challenge you to think that way as we enter the new decade as well. I read a great quote in a recent Prevention Magazine article by Michael Segell. It said “take care of yourself, because life is a gift that can be rescinded at any time… to live irresponsibly is to dishonor that gift.”
So instead of eating poorly, complaining about the gym or skipping that workout video because you are “tired,” instead live responsibly, honor your gift of health, work out because you can, and for those who wish they could!
Fitness, Fit it in.
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More from: NikkiFitness
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer
NikkiFitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her Military Fitness Center archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com.
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“So instead of eating poorly, complaining about the gym or skipping that workout video because you are “tired,” instead live responsibly, honor your gift of health, work out because you can, and for those who wish they could!”
I love it! Great post :)
This was the motivation/reminder that I needed. Today I vow to get back on my ‘routine’ and start throwing in some new stuff to challenge myself. Thanks for the wonderful post!
Thanks for your comments! Good work on getting to your workouts!
Absolutely!
I feel this is also where discipline comes into play. In the early days of getting into working out, discipline — i.e., shutting out the brain chatter and just ‘doing’ what you know you need to do — is required. No way around it.
But do that enough, and working out becomes a habit. Then, even when it rains, or you feel tired, or you don’t feel like it, your body simply does it because that’s now how it’s programmed. This is literally what has happened with me.
Now, when I work out, it IS because I can. i.e,. doesn’t matter if it’s raining or I’m tired. As long as I’m physically able, I’m there. That’s my measure: are you physically able? Then ok — you’re going.
And you’re right — I give thanks for even having that ability!
Great post, Nikki.