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Working Out For My Future Self

runner585When I was in Atlantic City a few weeks ago for Sweat AC, it seemed that Jillian Michaels and Shaun T were both in cahoots. And not just in the “torture workout participants” sense. But their messages about fitness were both exactly what I needed to hear at this point in my life — and very appropriate for Fit Bottomed at Any Age Week.

In a media roundtable with Jillian, she talked candidly about wanting to be a fit mom. She remembered her mom being fit, and she relayed that at almost 40, she’s one of the “older moms” at her kids’ school. She said she didn’t want to feel like an old mom, or have her kids think she couldn’t keep up. She wanted to be able to throw her kids in the ocean, and generally keep up with them in future years. Jillian openly admits that she doesn’t like to run and she doesn’t like to work out, but she does it because she likes what it does for her and how it makes her feel. I think many of us can relate.

When Shaun T pulled the group in for a big fitness bear hug after his Insanity session, he said something that really hit home. He said that when you look in the mirror in the future, you’re not going to look like you do now. But if you stay fit, you just might feel the way you do now. And he’s exactly right. My main inspiration for working out (besides fear of my Tough Mudder) has been that I want to be able to keep up with my kids. I want to be able to be as active at 40 and 50 as I am now. I don’t want age to get in my way. I don’t want to get weaker with age; I want to get stronger, or at least go down fighting. There’s no doubt that our bodies change as we age. We start having aches and pains show up that weren’t there the day before. But the best way to fight it is to keep moving.

When I was doing all my Tough Mudder training, I was doing it for my future game-day self. I hope that each workout I did will make the actual event day a little easier and a little less painful. And now, I’m just considering that the accumulation of all of my workouts will help my future self. The me who wants to go on hikes with my high-school-aged kids, the me who wants to go to Washington, D.C.,  in another 20 years and walk 6 miles again without complaints. After all, Jenn and I have already discussed future sites like Fit Bottomed Elderly, and we’ve gotta keep moving if we want to put that plan into action …

Do you consider your future self for motivation? If not, you should try it! —Erin 

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