Maybe you need a new reason?

If you're like me the reason you exercise is to lose weight....everything I do seems to be to lose weight! When I was a kid my Mother taught us to end our nightly prayer with "God Bless Mommy and Daddy, Nan and Jim, Grandma and June".  When I was at the age to go to bed and say prayers on my own my prayer was "God Bless Mommy and Daddy, Nan and Jim, Grandma and June, and please help me to lose weight". I kid you not.  

Very soon in my young life I became obsessed with losing weight and what happens when we become obsessed with anything?  Well, in my experience, obsessions are really time consuming and leave little room for anything else.  I missed out on so much because I was so insecure about my looks that I wanted to be thin before joining in...what a waste of youth!  Does this sound familiar?  If it doesn't sound familiar, it may seem dumb and ridiculous but it was my reality.  Loosing weight was the driving force in my life and became my "reason".    

What I want to focus this week is the "reason".  Really, and truly, the ONLY reason I used to work-out or join a gym was to lose weight!  I never, ever, thought about taking a walk to enjoy nature or clear my head, ride my bike for fun, or go swimming to cool off on a hot summer day.  And until recently, very recently....maybe a few months ago, I still used my walks to help me lose weight.  Sure, I felt good afterward, but that was not the REASON I walked out the door.  I laced up my shoes, walked out my door to lose weight, period.

But recently I've noticed I have some new "reasons" to walk...

• I walk to clear my head of busyness or negativity and relax into my good thoughts.  
• I walk to get away from my desk work and miraculously come back with solutions.
• I walk to move my body and give my back some much needed love.
• I walk to spend time with my husband (and dog Super James, of course!).
• I walk to daydream. 
• I walk to plan our next vacation. 
• I walk to help me lose weight...still a great reason, just not my only reason anymore!
• I walk to think about what to write in my blog this week....and this is what came to me this morning!  

Why do I have a new reason(s)?  My reasons have changed because I've changed.  

I no longer want just to lose weight. I want to live a happy and peaceful existence, period.  \

Oh look, another great reason to walk....:)

So, if you're like me,
maybe you need to use a new reason to go for that walk, bike ride or swim!!

Just go do it everyday...

 and the weight will take care of itself ...