The secret it out; we’re getting older. It literally happens every day. While there are some downsides to this, there are so many upsides. There’s this beautiful thing we experience if we learn from the past and stop pretending to be someone we aren’t. It’s called maturity. 

Maturing is really good and really hard. We begin making healthier decisions and saying “no” to nonessentials. We begin to discover a beautiful reality; we are becoming new creations. But NEW can be disorienting. 

I’m not currently training for a marathon or a powerlifting competition. The role of fitness has changed drastically for me. Growing up as an athlete fitness mattered to me. It was my ticket to achieve, win, gain status and shape (too much of my) identity. Today fitness matters to me not for the sake of fitness, but for sake of effectiveness. Our aims create our habits and our habits create our results. 

These realities are shaping my fitness (and life) aims right now… 

Health is the goal, not beach muscles. I used to work out for others, now I work out for myself. It relieves stress and makes me  less distracted on myself. The energy I feel from fitness propels me into growth and more opportunities to invest in others.   

Fun keeps me coming back. I’ve played lunch hour basketball with the same guys for eight years. I love it. It’s a great escape from work. I plan and execute all morning to get a lot done before basketball. Only trips and emergencies get in the way of it. I’ve realized I’m far more likely to exercise if I’m having fun. I also jumped back into mountain biking because it’s a such a fun adrenaline rush for me!   

Scheduling makes the magic happen. It’s not going to happen unless I put it on the calendar. Scheduling it into my week make my mind recognize it as a priority and view it as a crucial part of my week.  

Preparation is crucial. If my gym bag isn’t in the car in the morning I won’t make it to the gym. I also stretch more than I used to, because it’s easier to pull a hamstring.   

Steadiness creates results. Fitness is an investment, and every investment is based on delayed gratification. I’m not likely to run seven miles or lift for two hours like I used to. I’m just looking for small incremental gains and continue making progress. 

Reps matter more than weight. I used to do fewer reps with more weight, now I do more reps with less weight. Multiple sets multiple times a week is what I’m looking for. Sometimes I get insecure for a moment when I look around in the gym. Then I remind myself I’m running my race, not theirs.   

I see how fitness connects to everything else. We are whole beings. When we see gains in one area it propels gains in another area. When we’re feeling healthy we’re creating more beautiful things and our relationships are growing as well. 

How do your fitness (or life) aims need to change?

Which one of these realities is affecting your physical health?