MIDWEEK MOTIVATION - make BIG goals

Hello runner friends! 

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series 

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog. Now let's get started by talking about how setting BIG goals with a defined and lofty purpose can help you get motivated and help you stay motivated! 

So after many months of avoiding group runs and races because of the COVID-19 stay at home order, it was wonderful to join my running friends for a Memorial Day event Monday. And after talking to many of them, I realized they fell into two categories. Those that had goals and had kept them despite the obstacles and those that had goals and had fallen off the fitness wagon because of the obstacles. The difference between the two that I noticed? The purpose behind reaching their goals and the size of their goals. So I decided to ask three of my friends (the three who showed up at the race dramatically changed since the last time I had seen them) what had motivated them to stay on track. And here's what they had to say in their own words.... 

Sean Wilson Before

Sean Wilson After

I began my journey in late December 2019 with my change of priority and lifestyle. The first thing that had to change was really my mind. Once I made a decision to own my health there was no looking back from there. The benefits and gain outweighed anything that I could think of losing with respect to food selection. As a Pastor I always made time to help others, change my plans to accommodate and put my wellness/self-care at times on the back burner. Although it may have seemed as though it was God’s will for me, I soon realized it wasn’t. I became a vegetarian in January 2020 and focused on my diet for two weeks. I dropped 10 pounds within two weeks with that alone. I then began exercising and doing low impact cardiovascular work on the treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike for two months before running on any pavement. I was 338 lbs and I didn’t want to risk injury or create any initial setbacks. I would do 20 minutes on each machine and progress over time to 90 minutes total (30 min per). I again saw the weight fall off and my blood sugar and blood pressure drop. The doctors were prescribing me multiple medications for diabetes and high blood pressure of which I have no need for now. It took me about three weeks to see the results of my blood health without the aid of pharmaceuticals. My change has not only been a motivating factor for me, but for my family. The dynamics have changed in my household, as they have seen my persistence in dealing with something that has had a perceived stronghold over me. As a family we are more active, eat better and enjoy one another on a different level. The benefit of inspiring my family far outweighs cravings and temptations of any kind. Am I perfect? No. I do not beat myself up about it either. What do I do to keep moving forward? I remain consistent and keep my goals in mind. It’s not all about the weight lost but the life I gained. I realized that life itself is a journey with ups and downs, storms and sunshine and good and bad days. My hope is of course in the Lord Jesus and knowing that I have the power to do anything I put my mind to. I will win my personal fight for my liberty of life with respect to my health because I have been built for it. Whatever gets in your way, knock it down and keep moving. This has been a season where I have realized that all I ever needed I already had, I neglected to use it; I’m a better steward of my empowerment. One last thing, a great motivator for me is not the scale it is the inches lost. When you see a nice pair of pants or a shirt, get them in a smaller size and challenge yourself to fit them. Or find that pair of clothes in your closet you use to wear and us it as motivation. Your progress is in the loss of inches not the weight alone. Stay encouraged.

Jay Tiegs Before and After

What has motivated me to make changes... After a divorce, a stressful duty assignment, and with military retirement looming I was looking to change my mindset. I believe I was clinically depressed and just struggled to make it through the day. I had been given medication and it made me feel worse and knew there had to be a better way to fight though this rather than going the easy way out. The one thing I learned about depression medication is that it keeps you from going off the deep end, but it also keeps you from finding true happiness. It traps you in a certain range on the scale of happiness. A friend challenged me to a 75 Hard which is an exercise in mental fortitude and discipline. 5 daily tasks, done with consistency. If you have a bad day and miss one task you start over. The 5 tasks: -Take a daily progress photo -Drink 1 gallon of water -Choose a diet, not cheat meals or alcohol -Read 10 pages of a personal development book -x2 workouts of your choosing. One workout must be outdoors despite the weather conditions. The physical change is noticeable in my photos but that is just the by product of the changes in my mental health. I have more clarity on what is important. I've cut out the non essential things and I've learned to say NO more often. I am ruthlessly committed to being a better version of myself so I can be a better father and show people that you can live a better life. I was already doing this challenge when COVID slowed the world and this exercise has grounded me during this chaotic time. We now have a group of about 30 people doing it. Also, I had been struggling with running injuries and by starting to do yoga regularly I was able to increase my distance significantly. I ran over 300 miles in February due to yoga. 

Rose Chapman Before and After

I have worked in the fitness industry for almost 10 years, and I know that health and fitness come in many shapes and sizes. When I decided earlier this year to work on my health, it was from a desire for a complete mindset shift, rather than a goal of weight loss. Last year I decided to tackle my mental health and quit drinking alcohol. This has been the single-most impactful change of my life, and I urge everyone to try spending some time alcohol free, even if you aren't a problematic drinker. After quitting alcohol and getting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick bite, I gained a considerable amount of weight. I got into bad habits of emotional eating, using food to soothe myself. Teaching my group fitness classes was difficult, and I had no energy to do workouts for myself. I had achy joints, hip and low back pain, digestion issues, and wasn't sleeping well. I decided enough was enough and went to my doctor, who put me on a low-calorie diet and had me track all my food. Around that same time, I got my Personal Trainer certification, and took myself on as my first client. I programmed workouts for myself, cut out fast food, caffeine and soda, and have since gone almost completely plant based. Inspired by my friend Jay, I started a program (75 Hard) in which you complete tasks that build grit and mental toughness. One of these tasks is two 45-minute workouts per day, which I thought was crazy! This task has actually led me to a better understanding of my body, and knowing when to back off and when to go hard. Most days, one of my workouts is a walk with my husband. The other workout ranges from HIIT to yoga to resistance training to CrossFit WODs, whatever my body and mind can handle that day. During the pandemic, I've been unemployed and had all the time in the world to work on myself, so I took advantage. The challenge will be continuing to put my health and wellness first, as I transition back into working. To me, the most important thing for someone wanting to make big changes is getting your head in the game. You get one life. Decide how you want to live it, and make sure every thought and action is getting you closer to that ideal.

So as you can see, each one of these athletes had a firmness of purpose and a steadfast resolution for achieving their BIG goals! And sometimes having a BIG goal is what can inspire you to stay motivated each and every day. It's like looking ahead to the finish line of a marathon. You know you have to complete each mile to get to 26.2 so you chip away at it... one by one... step by step... obstacle after obstacle... anxious and determined to receive the reward for all your hard work. And guess what? If you're shooting for something BIG, you're less likely to drop out midway. 

So make your goals BIG! Find a purpose that is worthy of your time and effort and go for it! And remember, you're worth it! 

And on a final note, remember this... it's never too late to set a BIG goal. It doesn't matter how old you are, how out of shape you may be, or how many times you may have set a goal in the past and failed. Today is a new day and a new beginning! Use your obstacles as fuel for the fire and your failures as stepping stones. Refuse to look back as you set your sights on the finish line, determined to do whatever it takes this time to achieve the victory. I am personally cheering you on!!😊

Happy Running!!!

Philippians 3:13-14

Third Day - Victory




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