Why I’m Going to Work Out Like Its My Job

Fitness is not my job.

I’m not a model. I don’t get paid to post gym selfies or get sponsored by Nike, LuLuLemon or runDisney. I don’t make money off my blog. Working out is something I fit into my life, somewhere between motherhood, homeschooling, writing, and running my household.

So is it really a wonder that I’m not meeting my fitness goals?

I’ve been struggling for years to make working out and wellness a priority in my life, and I’m beginning to think that the core of the problem is that I consider it a dispensable part of day. And it shouldn’t be.

Being healthy shouldn’t be a negotiable part of my life. Sure, if I miss a workout or gain a few pounds, I’m not going to lose my job. But in the long term, I could lose so much more.

Maybe it sounds dramatic to think like that. But my family’s health history reads like the who’s who of illness: diabetes, depression & anxiety, food intolerances, multiple sclerosis. It was all sort of easy to ignore in my twenties–life was fast-paced and I still fit into the clothes I wore in college. Then sometime after my 30th birthday, my metabolism changed. Those huge Italian meals I ate a couple times a week started catching up with me. I got tired. I have all the resources to be healthy right in front of me. Clearly, my issue is mental.

And so starting today, I’m going to work out like its my job. Maybe I won’t be getting paid in money or sponsorships (although that would be  nice, right?), but that doesn’t mean I won’t get compensated. I’ll get paid in more energy, in a smaller pant size, in a happier disposition and less anxiety. I’ll get paid in more happy, functional years with my family.

And that will make me far more rich than any paycheck could.

Does working out fall to the bottom of your list? What keeps you from working out and achieving the healthy lifestyle you want?