Monday, August 15, 2011

Motivation: It Can Come From Unexpected Places

It is important to surround yourself with like-minded people, to have a support system in place to pick you up and cheer you on and keep you committed to your journey. Sometimes it is difficult to find people who share your passion for fitness or who can relate to your journey within your circle of friends, family or acquaintances. With the explosion of the internet and social media including message boards, Twitter and Facebook groups, it has become easier to surround yourself with people who share your interests and goals. Along my journey I have been fortunate to surround myself with many people online who shared and supported my goals and interests. It wasn’t until recently that I had the pleasure to meet someone in real life (IRL) who shared my zeal for fitness.

Randy and Kima Spaulding are committed to helping people get fit. Randy holds a bootcamp class weekly in the mornings at “The Hill” where he puts the participants through a vigorous workout. Kima hosts a fitness class at her church once a week. Both do this in their free time as a way to give back and help others reach their full potential physically, but what inspired me the most was Randy’s story and what he uses for motivation.

Randy had competed for several years in many bodybuilding competitions. But a few years back he was sidelined by an injury. While Randy continued to “eat big” he wasn’t “lifting big” any longer. Over a period of time, he had put on a lot of weight. One day he decided he had had enough and was determined to get back in shape. He went out for a run, which was really more of a walk, and was only able to make it to a tree not very far away. It was at that tree that he made a commitment to his health and fitness. He pulled off a piece of bark and pledged to come back to that tree three times a week. The walks turned into runs and before long Randy had achieved his goal. That tree continues to motivate him. He still visits the tree and is astonished by the bare spot left behind from the missing bark – a reminder to him of where he has been and how far he has come.

Here was a man who “knew” how to get and stay in shape yet found himself struggling with his weight. Why do I emphasize this? It happens to the best of us. So many times we never get started because the task seems daunting, or we don’t know how or where to start. It isn’t about what you know or don’t know, it is about doing and finding your motivation to persevere and reach your goals. By finding his motivation, Randy was able to take his health back into his own hands. Reaching that tree has improved his quality of life and life with his children. He can now run with their 5 year old while he rides his bike; he can show their daughter how to stretch. All these things he wouldn't be able to do if it hadn't been for that goal setting and internal motivation he derived from the tree, which at one time seemed so far away.

How do you stay motivated? What’s your inspiration to get and stay fit? What tips and tricks have you found useful to keep you going?

To learn more about Randy and Kima Spaulding visit them at: Fitness by Spaulding, Facebook and YouTube.

3 comments:

  1. I find motivation everywhere.... and temptation everywhere!
    When I've found myself straying I re-read my diet book, or a fitness mag or try to find a TV show that's motivating. I also see motivation in my daughter so that she can grow up watching me lead by example and not being a yo-yo dieter. Not to mention the plethora of blogs I follow and websites. It's all around us!

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  2. fabulous post! Exercise motivates me to eat right :)

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  3. Very inspiring! My motivation comes from wanting to maintain my health. I've been on the other side of good health and I don't want to go back. I seem to have all kinds of motivation for exercising (I like how I feel afterwards!) but for some reason the motivation for eating right escapes me at times. I recently rejoined WW (I'm a lifetime member) and I'm finding lots of motivation there to keep my eating on track. I only have a couple pounds to lose but I am planning to use the motivation to help me maintain my weight - no more yoyoing with 8-10 lb like I've been doing for the last number of years. So far, so good...

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