Support Systems

One of the easiest ways to stay motivated on your journey toward increased health and fitness is to maintain a strong support system.  Having someone to hold you accountable can do wonders for achieving your goals.  I have personally found this be true over the past several months in particular.  When I got it into my head that I wanted to run a half-marathon (and actually run the entire thing, no walking), I knew I was in for a challenge.  I immediately started a blog and shared my goal with lots of friends and family.  I knew that if other people were expecting me to accomplish my goal and were checking in and cheering me on along the way, my chances of success would be tremendously greater.  I ended up getting additional support through a trainer at a small gym, and she also helped me plan my long run progression so I'd work my way up to 13.1 miles safely.

It's up to you to decide just how much support you need, but I say the more the better!  Via Erin Whitehead, Health and Fitness Writer for SparkPeople, here are some tips for staying motivated:

• Give yourself a pep talk
• Find some virtual buddies
• Surround yourself with success
• Pat yourself on the back
• Challenge yourself
• Commit to weekly check-ins
• Get involved
• Use your pet as a workout partner (probably doesn't work well if your pet is a fish or an iguana)
• Call on your co-workers
• Journal
• Pay yourself
• Reward yourself for meeting weekly goals

Some of these tips are kind of vague by the heading alone, so visit the full article at http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/motivation_articles.asp?id=1645 for more details.  My favorite tip is to find virtual buddies!  That's kind of what we're trying to do for you all with the National Service Week Challenge and the resources available on this blog, the accompanying Facebook page, and the Section 67 website.  Just that most of us are IRL (in real life) buddies, too!  If you need a stronger support system to help you reach your health and fitness goals, let your brothers help you!  Start posting your own accomplishments, goals, questions, and challenges on the Facebook page.  Or start a blog of your own, and make sure to let us know so we can follow it!  Start taking the steps you need to start a healthier life today and hopefully for the rest of your life.

Yours in LFS and Health,
Jessica Szweda
Section 67 Communication Chair