5 Reasons to Make Fitness a Priority

Hard truth coming at you… For many people, fitness is not a priority in life. It is the knee jerk response to something- a New Years Resolution, a doctor’s visit, an embarrassing incident. Perhaps work is throwing together a team for an upcoming 5k or kickball tournament. Something happens and suddenly we’re interested in a short term fitness goal- perhaps it’s to lose a certain amount of weight, or a dated finish. Often times, whether or not that goal is achieved, the fitness lifestyle doesn’t last very long, because fitness itself was never the priority. The end goal was the priority.

For the longest time, although I liked to go to the gym or run around my neighborhood, fitness was a chore. It was a check off my list, if I finished it. Finding fitness was a challenge that happened after my classes were done, or after work, or after homework. I never put a fitness approach on the front burner; if it happened, good, and if not, oh well.

Why You Should Make Fitness a Priority

1. Use it or lose it. For me, this is extremely accurate, but it is truly the case for everyone
2. Your children are watching. No one wants to hate their body, but they definitely don’t want their child to hate their own body. Making fitness a priority in your own life will show your children, at all ages, that fitness is a regular part of life. They will grow up viewing fitness as a normal part of life, because they love their body, instead of treating physical activity as a punishment for disliking their body.
3. Fitness is self care. Everyone deals with stress differently, but daily life struggles put ware and tear on the body. Maintaining a fit and active lifestyle physically relieves tension from the body, as well as releases endorphins to improve your mood.
4. Improves confidence. There’s nothing better than the feeling that you can accomplish anything. Although the early stages of a fitness routine are tough, ultimately there’s nothing better than that badass “I did that” feeling at the end of a workout. That confidence carries over into daily life.
5. Increases a sense of community. The other people in the gym want the same thing as you. Find a buddy and work together, hold each other accountable, and push each other towards your goals. Seeing the same people encourages you to keep coming back, but also you become invested in others. It’s a mutually beneficial growth.

Most importantly- the biggest results come from consistency, during the maintenance stage of any fitness plan. Without making fitness a priority it is impossible to fall into the maintenance stage, which limits the results and the enjoyment of the process.

Fitness isn’t supposed to be a punishment for disliking your body, it’s a reward for taking care of your body, and your mind. Making fitness a priority is essential for a happy, healthy lifestyle. So let me know below what you are doing to make fitness a priority in your life.