Do you know how many minutes of running or how many squats you have to perform to burn off the calories of those Lindt truffles you ate?
Who cares?
I see the posts all over social media, especially over the holiday period warning you off certain foods, to eat this not that. On one side of a photo is a food you enjoy and right next to it is how many burpees you’d have to suffer through to work it off. No, just no. It’s all so negative. With Easter coming up I’m not looking forward to the posts on how many calories are in which egg, workouts intended to burn off the chocolate and hashtags like #eastereggcaloriesdontcount or #burnitoff.
I’ve been there myself, considering if the chocolate I would really enjoy was really worth the amount of cardio I ‘needed’ to do after. Now, if I hear those thoughts (which do still appear sometimes) I give myself a good talking to. You do not have to punish yourself for eating something tasty. You do not have to earn your food!
Moving your body should not be done as a punishment after over indulging, or done to earn the food before enjoying it.
I have a question for you.
Are you motivated to exercise by fear or by love?
If you exercise because you fear getting fat, or fear the food you ate then you most likely won’t commit for long. It’s like thinking of exercise as a form of necessary evil, something you have to do in order to eat and see your body change. It can’t become part of your lifestyle because who wants to punish themselves 3-6 times a week forever?
Exercising from a place of love is key. It’s a small shift in your mindset and will really help you stay committed in the long run. Choosing to go for a run because you want to relieve stress, weight training to reach a goal and feel strong, HIIT training because you get a thrill from it.
I use the gym because I want to, because I truly enjoy it! I love training, I use it to clear my mind and feel strong. It’s led me to a career I honestly love and given me the chance to help others learn to love fitness too.
So please have an egg-cellent Easter!
Enjoy a chocolate egg without feeling terri-fried.
Enjoy a chocolate bunny without hopping off to the gym!
If you eat a little too much, think of it as added fuel to the tank. Make the next workout a powerful one, not a punishing one!
