How to Conquer When It’s Hard: The Power of Purpose in Exercise
During my third pregnancy, I hated exercising. Yes, an exercise psychologist just wrote that! I had to dig deep and tap into a power I didn’t know I had. I have good news, it’s in you too…
Normally, when I’m not pregnant that is, exercising is something that I truly enjoy. Admittedly, I do have days when I’m tired or overwhelmed by the responsibilities of life. On those days, I have to drag myself out the door to get started. But once I do, I’m glad that I chose to exercise despite other demands.
Much to my dismay, during my third pregnancy, any trace of enjoyment during exercise was gone. I wanted to quit exercising for the remainder of my pregnancy. In order to fight my lack of motivation, I read everything I could about the benefits of exercise for pregnant women: the decreased risk of gestational diabetes, improved energy levels, reduced back aches, reduced swelling, less fat gain and decreased risk for long-term obesity, quicker post-labor recovery, the list goes on.
Not one of these benefits was enough to motivate me to put myself through any more discomfort than I was already feeling. The effort of exercise was not worth the benefits to me.
That is, until I read about the benefits of maternal exercise for my unborn baby. To date, the known benefits include: healthier body composition at birth, better growth and development patterns in utero, better resilience when faced with the stresses of late pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and higher intelligence tests at one and five years of age.
As a new mom, with permanent life changes on the horizon, I did a lot of reflecting on my values and how I planned to parent. One of my top values is my family. Like most parents, it’s deeply important to me to do what is best for the health and well-being of my children. That’s when it hit me— it was time to see if my values were just something that sounded good on paper or if I would actually live in line with those values.
I could physically feel my body grown as I reflected on a clear choice that I had to make: would I stop exercising for the sake of my own comfort or continue exercising for the benefit of my unborn child?
It wasn’t pretty, but one day at a time, one foot in front of the other- I continued to run (or chug a log) and lift weights.
From what source was this newfound energy?
Reflecting and thoughtfully naming our life values gives us a strong sense of purpose that guides how we spend our time and energy. Exercise can be fun and enjoyable, it can also be hard. It takes time, sacrifice, and at times it is uncomfortable. If we lack a strong sense of what really matters to us most, we cannot hold our ground when we are challenged by life’s inevitable storms. But when we have purpose in our actions, it grows our energy to persist through those storms.
Typically, exercise is a behavior that is thought to only benefit the exerciser. On the contrary, the effects of exercise also extend to people whom the exerciser serves in their daily lives. Specifically, people who exercise have more strength, energy, and improved physical functioning that they bring to their social and work related roles (e.g. mother, father, teacher, nurse, etc.). Exercise also decreases depression, stress, anxiety, and improves mood. Anyone whom the exerciser interacts with will likely benefit from these effects!
We grow a deeper sense of purpose in exercise by shifting our attention away from our own needs and desires to serving and meeting the needs of others. Thus, deeply held values fuel the energy on which purpose is built.
There is Power in Purpose!
Reflecting on the following questions will likely provoke in you a renewed sense of purpose in exercise: What are your values? If health is one of your most important values and you are physically inactive, is this behavior inconsistent with your values? What are your deeply held values and how does exercise help you achieve them?
<– Click to vicariously experience a very uncomfortable pregnant woman drawing on the power of purpose.
Thanks for reading! 🙂
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References:
Anshel, M. H. (2008). The Disconnected Values Model: Intervention Strategies for Exercise Behavior Change. Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology, 2, 357-380.
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