Surprising Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated to Exercise

At the Meeting

At the September 24 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Barb and Karen were the best losers in a No-Gain week, and Barb was the best loser for the month of August. Shirley won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing. This month’s challenges: 1) Measure food portions, and 2) Keep a food journal.

The TOPS area fall rally will be in Ogallala on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Diann will prepare a salad for the rally, and Barb is fixing a basket for the Chinese raffle.

Program: No Excuses
 

Find yourself giving up too soon on your exercise program?

Cheryl presented some TOPS Tips on Staying on the Road to Fitness and Health.

Here are a couple of surprising reasons you may give up exercising too soon:

1. It's too easy to talk yourself out of it. Solution: Get a fitness buddy and use each other for support and motivation. Exercise together or place a friendly wager. For example, whoever logs more steps on a pedometer for the week wins ______.
2. I'm exercising, but I'm not losing any weight. Solution: Stop exercising to lose weight. If you focus on how you feel instead of what the scale reads, you're more likely to stay active. Plus, if you're exercising and replacing fat with muscle, it might not be reflected on the scale right away.
3. I don't enjoy it. Solution: It's fine if you're not a gym person. There is some form of physical activity for everyone. You just have to find what works best for you.
4. I get bored. Solution: Try something new, like a class or an active video game. Make it a goal to try something new each month, even if you feel clumsy at first. At least you tried it and may even have some fun in the process.

Think about how you feel after exercising. Empowered? Energized? Stronger? Remember that feeling. More often than not, you will feel better after exercising than before you started. You will probably never say, "Boy, I wish I hadn't exercised today!"

from TOPS Tips: TOPS Club, Inc. 2011

Come Join Us!

Donna will give the program on October 1 and Lorna on the 8th.  TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.