Staying Disciplined in Your Fitness Routine
Discipline = Freedom
The alarm went off at 5:10am the other day and if you’re up that early in September, it’s dark! I slowly get up, get dressed and as it’s Tuesday I get ready for my cardio day. Today is going to be a 4-mile run. I do a little stretching, put on a podcast, and head out the door with my phone flashlight on. It’s dark, humid and I’m tired and it’s so easy to go back to bed or simply walk and take it easy, yet I start my watch and begin the now 34-minute journey so I can finish and start my day. My weekly routine is 3 days of weights and 3 days of cardio, I have been doing this for more than 30 years. As September is fitness month at 50Cups I thought I’d write a little about fitness and what it means to me.
My motto in life is discipline = freedom. Freedom in this case is to be able to make any choice you want without worrying about your physical condition. If I want to take a trip that requires biking, hiking, walking, or running I can do it. If I want to do something active with my kids, I can do it. If I want to walk 18 holes and carry my bag, or help move furniture, or do difficult household tasks, I can do it. In essence, albeit I’m much slower than I used to be, I can still do most things if I want to. A long time ago, I decided that I wanted and needed to exercise in the early hours due to family and work considerations. I also knew that once the day started and life got in the way, I would not be able to maintain my daily fitness routine. In addition, I made it a personal priority and it became a non-negotiable for me. I therefore credit where I am today to the discipline I maintained through the years.
Discipline and freedom work hand in hand. I know if I want to quit or roll over and go back to sleep, I will potentially lose my freedom to do what I want. When I enjoy my freedom or do something new, I am grateful for the discipline that kept me in line. For most of us discipline is not hard to do; It simply requires a commitment of time for your fitness activities. Once you’ve committed and it becomes a routine discipline will then take form in other parts of your life where you will eat better, drink more tea 😊, and work more efficiently.
To sum up, use this month to reset your fitness. If you’re just starting out, carve out the same 30 minutes at the same time for 3-5 days and do your thing. If you’ve been doing it for a while and are getting less disciplined, recommit and try different exercises preferably with a group or in a fitness center. Feeding off others gives you energy and recommits you. For me when I’m alone, it’s much harder to get motivated. In the end, remember the freedom you can achieve if you commit to fitness and stay disciplined!