Top 5 Tips to Make Exercise a Priority

Exercise has been a priority for me since beginning middle school and feeling self-conscious about how I looked.  I was an overweight child and had an abrupt awakening to that fact when I began middle school and had a “real” PE class.  Over the years my goals and motivations have changed.  Through my teenage years, I exercised just to stay slim and feel like I fit in with everyone else.  Through college and pharmacy school, exercise became my tool to help relieve stress, keep my mind focused and have the energy to power through the hardest 7 years of my life.  
Now my priority for exercise has evolved because of my strong desire to feel as good as possible and prevent as much disease as possible by protecting my heart and body.  Each day I’m motivated to exercise because it’s a mini therapy session for me, it helps me relax, helps me focus and keeps my energy high.  

And now on to the tips that I use each day to keep me motivated to make exercise one of my top priorities each day. 

1.  Do what you LOVE.  Find exercise that you ENJOY and LOVE.  Exercise should make you feel accomplished, not defeated.  Find something that makes you feel GOOD, not disappointed in yourself because you didn’t do as well as the person in the video or beside you in the gym.  This may require trying multiple types of workouts.  But trust me, it’s worth it.  When you find your soul mate workout, you’ll feel so good!

2.  This tip for motivation is one of the most important to me as a pharmacist.  PREVENTING disease is a top priority for me and motivated me each day to exercise.  Remember that exercise keeps your heart healthy, keeps our brains healthy, keeps our joints and bones strong, keeps our muscles strong, helps blood flow, helps with blood pressure, helps with blood sugar…and the list goes on and on.  

3.  Think about how good you feel when you’re finished.  Exercise literally releases endorphins and makes us FEEL amazing.

4.  Exercise helps to keep our hormones in check – either by decreasing or increasing to have a positive impact.  Dopamine and serotonin are affected by exercise.  Keeping the stress hormone cortisol as low as possible is especially motivating to me!

And my last tip to stay motivated to exercise is a fun one! 

5.  REWARDS!  Make an exercise schedule for the week or even better, for the month.  And for each week you complete, reward yourself with a non-food related treat.  For example, a new book, new workout gear (cute clothes make workouts more fun!), manicure, massage or spa day.