What’s Your Bootcamp Motivation?

Guest Post by Get Fit NH Bootcamp Member Helen Dutton

This morning at boot camp, someone joked with me, “Why are you in this class, anyway?” Good question (on some days, more than others as I struggle through an exercise) and it’s caused me to look again at my fitness goals.

Ask anyone why they are exercising or watching what they eat and chances are the answer is “I want to lose weight” or perhaps “I want to get in shape.” Those are great goals, but what is the reason for wanting to lose weight or to get in shape? Without a reason, we lack the incentive to reach the goal.

Think about it this way: if you decided to take a trip and randomly chose a location, with no reason for randomly choosing a location, how motivated would you be to start driving? For example, the city name that just popped into my head is “Tulsa.” I don’t know anyone there and I don’t know of any historical landmarks or cultural significance. Before you send this off to your cousin in Tulsa who will be outraged, let me say that I’m not saying those things don’t exist, just that I don’t know of any. How motivated am I to pack up, put my New Hampshire life on hold, and drive to Tulsa? Don’t count on seeing my bumper leave our state. If my reason for visiting Tulsa is adventure or to discover new places, this trip would be fun – and it would be fulfilling my underlying goal of adventure or discovery.

So back to why am I, and you, at boot camp? Complete these sentences to find your deep-down reason:

I am at boot camp (or taking Metabolism Makeover) so that…(fill in the blank – answer A);

—And I want (A) so that … (fill in the blank – answer B);

——And I want (B) so that … (fill in the blank – answer C);

———And I want (C) so that … (fill in the blank – answer D).

It might look something like this:

I am at boot camp so that I lose weight;

—And I want to lose weight so that my clothes fit better;

——And I want my clothes to fit better so that I don’t have to worry about what to wear every day;

———And I don’t want to worry about what to wear every day so that my days start out easily;

————And I want my days to start out easily so that I have plenty of mental energy for the day.

So for me, my reason for doing squats, lunges, crossover push-ups (seriously, Dean?) is all about having more energy. Now THAT is motivating to me and keeps me going.

Try this exercise out – you won’t be sore and you will be motivated at a whole new level.

Helen Dutton, A Vision of Your Own LLC, has been coaching business owners since 2000 to achieve business and personal excellence with ease. By clarifying goals and intelligent focus, her clients discover  more accomplishment and higher satisfaction in their thriving, energetic business ventures. In her spare time, she discovers more energy at boot camp.