Motivation - mind over body?

[AndrewJen]

What motivates and inspires you, on a personal level, to exercise and improve your well-being? I understand well-being is reason enough so that's ok too.

Initially before I dived into improving my health, the reasons why I wanted to lose weight were because of social pressure; what people said healthy was, to look better and attract girls, to be less burdened by the weight, etc.

What really motivated me, though, wasn't all the above necessarily but that I felt my health condition didn't match who I was on the inside, I started looking in the mirror and seeing how I looked and how I felt were misaligned and decided to bring balance to my life.

What about you?

[shinyjourney]

For me, this is exactly like you and i actually just posted a thread about it. You can see it, it's called : "how i found out how to stay motivated to follow my diet".

For me, it's a daily goal to feel great in my body and energized in resume.

Virginie

[Lifeisamazing]

Improving my physique is a great motivator as well as the belief that if I'm healthy throughout my life, I can still lift weights at the age of 80+. Also having a great body and health can give me authority as a personal trainer, so that motivates as well. I have to mention that seeing my body in the mirror fills my heart with joy. I actually love the pain I get from lifting weights. The pain I get when push and pull the weights and the pain I have in my chest and back today from yesterday's workout.

[cdavis]

Originally Posted by AndrewJen

What motivates and inspires you, on a personal level, to exercise and improve your well-being? I understand well-being is reason enough so that's ok too.

Initially before I dived into improving my health, the reasons why I wanted to lose weight were because of social pressure; what people said healthy was, to look better and attract girls, to be less burdened by the weight, etc.

What really motivated me, though, wasn't all the above necessarily but that I felt my health condition didn't match who I was on the inside, I started looking in the mirror and seeing how I looked and how I felt were misaligned and decided to bring balance to my life.

What about you?

If I'm going to be honest, I work out to look good. That sounds shallow, I know, but if working out had zero effect on my appearance, I probably wouldn't do it. The good thing about that is that the stuff that makes you look good from working out also usually makes you healthier.

[Supertramp]

Jack Lallane motivates me to workout and eat healthy. At 96, he says, "I can't Die. That would spoil my image!!!". Other motivations - I want to look good, I want to feel good and I want to feel Strong.

[ginkgo]

When I was 10 I was reading a lot of books on science and started reading psychology, health and self improvement. Then at 12 I was learning yoga and martial arts and those things are all about personal development.