The Holy Grail and a 'Hot Chick'
'If everyone had a 'hot chick at the gym', the world would be a healthier place.' ~ Stacee Harris
The first time I went to graduate school, I thought I might find the Holy Grail. I was determined to figure out why some people (most specifically women) exercised and why others did not. I left school without finishing my degree and my thesis, but twenty years in and around the field of exercise and human psychology have taught me one thing - Everyone's Holy Grail looks different. Sadly, there isn't a magic pill, cream, or device that makes us workout regularly. Some people love it, others hate it, and still others simply weather the storm.
I know for a fact that I'm a 'storm weatherer'. I hate to work out, but I've done it consistently, with the exception of a few minor hiccups, for nearly all of my adult life. I'm not ashamed to admit it - I'm extrinsically motivated. Left to my own devices, I suck. I know this for a fact because my 'minor hiccups' have always coincided with an apparent lack of external motivation. If I only look within, I'm not going. Or if I go, it'll be kicking and screaming and then only for the absolute minimum amount of time I can rationalize. When I look without, it's a completely different story.
I can't say I've always been motivated by the same thing. It might have been meeting a workout partner I didn't want to let down, getting my ego stroked teaching Spin classes, or allowing myself to eat a little extra. At times, it's been what I've seen in the mirror looking back at me. This could be fat deposits in the wrong place or muscle in the right place. I've found both to be equally motivating over the years.
Currently, I have the best of all possible extrinsic motivations. I have a 'hot chick at the gym'. I go in the hopes of maybe seeing her and then weather the storm of a workout while I'm there. If I see her, it makes the workout a few shades above tolerable. If I don't see her, I put my head down and pray the storm passes quickly. Either way, I'm getting to the gym with extreme regularity and getting fitter, which is in and of itself ever so slightly motivating.
I had a scare recently, though. My 'hot chick' disappeared for better than a week and I feared the worst. What if she never came back? What if I never saw her again? Let me tell you, my gym doesn't have many pretty girls. Finding the one I have took years. As the clouds rolled in and the storm got stormier, I wondered if I'd have to change gyms. Even worse, I contemplated the idea intrinsic motivation and realized there was no way I was ever going to be able to well up enough to maintain my current fitness level.
Then just when I thought all was lost, there she was. Thank you, Jesus. Crisis averted. Sure, it's probably a sign that I should work on some intrinsic motivation. After all, 'hot chicks' aren't easy to find and can disappear at any time. Today, though, I found myself smiling to myself about my good fortune. God bless, I love a pretty girl. And she did look pretty today.
I hope everyone out there (especially my mother) doesn't think I spend my workout thinking all kinds of torrid, inappropriate sexual thoughts about her because I most certainly do not. For me, it's about being in the presence of beauty. Period. Given that I can't imagine talking to her without stumbling all over myself, how can I possibly imagine doing all kinds of funky sexual things with her? Easy math.
Needless to say, I'm enjoying the gym more. I'm also enjoying my new found fitness. I've long said that consistency is the key to getting fit and staying fit. The key to consistency? You gotta find your personal motivational Holy Grail. For me, it happens to be a 'hot chick'. I encourage everyone to try it. Find your motivation waning? Find a 'hot chick at the gym'. Get motivated, get fit. It's Health and Fitness 101, kids. And it makes weathering the workout storm a hell of a lot easier.
The first time I went to graduate school, I thought I might find the Holy Grail. I was determined to figure out why some people (most specifically women) exercised and why others did not. I left school without finishing my degree and my thesis, but twenty years in and around the field of exercise and human psychology have taught me one thing - Everyone's Holy Grail looks different. Sadly, there isn't a magic pill, cream, or device that makes us workout regularly. Some people love it, others hate it, and still others simply weather the storm.
I know for a fact that I'm a 'storm weatherer'. I hate to work out, but I've done it consistently, with the exception of a few minor hiccups, for nearly all of my adult life. I'm not ashamed to admit it - I'm extrinsically motivated. Left to my own devices, I suck. I know this for a fact because my 'minor hiccups' have always coincided with an apparent lack of external motivation. If I only look within, I'm not going. Or if I go, it'll be kicking and screaming and then only for the absolute minimum amount of time I can rationalize. When I look without, it's a completely different story.
I can't say I've always been motivated by the same thing. It might have been meeting a workout partner I didn't want to let down, getting my ego stroked teaching Spin classes, or allowing myself to eat a little extra. At times, it's been what I've seen in the mirror looking back at me. This could be fat deposits in the wrong place or muscle in the right place. I've found both to be equally motivating over the years.
Currently, I have the best of all possible extrinsic motivations. I have a 'hot chick at the gym'. I go in the hopes of maybe seeing her and then weather the storm of a workout while I'm there. If I see her, it makes the workout a few shades above tolerable. If I don't see her, I put my head down and pray the storm passes quickly. Either way, I'm getting to the gym with extreme regularity and getting fitter, which is in and of itself ever so slightly motivating.
I had a scare recently, though. My 'hot chick' disappeared for better than a week and I feared the worst. What if she never came back? What if I never saw her again? Let me tell you, my gym doesn't have many pretty girls. Finding the one I have took years. As the clouds rolled in and the storm got stormier, I wondered if I'd have to change gyms. Even worse, I contemplated the idea intrinsic motivation and realized there was no way I was ever going to be able to well up enough to maintain my current fitness level.
Then just when I thought all was lost, there she was. Thank you, Jesus. Crisis averted. Sure, it's probably a sign that I should work on some intrinsic motivation. After all, 'hot chicks' aren't easy to find and can disappear at any time. Today, though, I found myself smiling to myself about my good fortune. God bless, I love a pretty girl. And she did look pretty today.
I hope everyone out there (especially my mother) doesn't think I spend my workout thinking all kinds of torrid, inappropriate sexual thoughts about her because I most certainly do not. For me, it's about being in the presence of beauty. Period. Given that I can't imagine talking to her without stumbling all over myself, how can I possibly imagine doing all kinds of funky sexual things with her? Easy math.
Needless to say, I'm enjoying the gym more. I'm also enjoying my new found fitness. I've long said that consistency is the key to getting fit and staying fit. The key to consistency? You gotta find your personal motivational Holy Grail. For me, it happens to be a 'hot chick'. I encourage everyone to try it. Find your motivation waning? Find a 'hot chick at the gym'. Get motivated, get fit. It's Health and Fitness 101, kids. And it makes weathering the workout storm a hell of a lot easier.
Comments
Post a Comment