Motivational Monday- What motivates you to workout?

One of the most common questions that people ask me is: What motivates you to exercise?
 Look, I am not going to lie to you. My reason is simple - I  don't want to be fat. I've always been a chubby kid. By the time I was 12, I weighed 165lbs, yeah, imagine 5'2, 165lbs, and not enough sports bras to support me. That year I started playing sports, lost a few pounds, started beating people up for making fun of me, and yada, yada, here I am at the wonderful age of thirty writing this amazing blog for all you wonderful people. I'm far from a hard body, but just thinking about when I was 12 gets my ass moving everyday for at least an hour.

 I asked some of my clients and group exercise participants what motivates them to workout, and here they are:
Family - To be around and see their kids grow up, or make a family member proud of them.
Workout Buddy - This is really helpful if you have no desire to workout, but you get that IM from your workout buddy pushing you to workout together
Before/After picture - taking a picture before weight loss, and after
Participating in your first race - Whether it's running, walking, doing obstacle courses in the mud ( lots of fun, by the way)
Group Exercise Classes - There are so many different classes available, like Zumba if you love to dance, Spinning if you enjoy cycling, and even swimming classes ( great exercise!)
Fitting into new/old clothes - This is one of my  favorites. Some people hang on to older clothes that they once could fit into, and set a goal to get into those clothes again, others after achieving their own personal fitness goal, treat themselves to new ones!
Success Stories - Seeing others that are like them, and knowing it is possible.
Stress Reliever - bad work day, kids driving you crazy. Exercise tends to release endorphins, so afterwards you feel great.
People noticing - This is a great one to. Random people that haven't seen you in awhile noticing how fantastic you look. It just makes you want to keep going!

There are so many different ways to motivate yourself, these are just a few that were mentioned to me. I know we all have our struggle days, and just don't feel like it, but Woody Allen said it best- 80% of success is showing up. So find a reason that motivates you, and get your ass moving. Whether it's for 10, 20, 30, or more minutes. Just move!