As the weather warms up and the days last longer, I have felt the call to get back to more consistent exercise and healthier eating. For me, this also means diving a little deeper into some of my favourite podcasts, blogs, and social media accounts for inspiration + motivation.

One of my favourite health + wellness podcasts is from Balance 365 – Balance 365 Life Radio. This podcast was first introduced to me by a friend last summer and I have learned SO much from it. Last week, while out for a walk + pod (a walk while listening to a podcast), Jen from Balance 365 started talking about how we need to know who we want to be. We need to take on the habits of the person we want to become.

Ana from @bluebirdkisses on Instagram is another huge source of health + fitness inspiration for me and she talks about something similar. We need to choose the habits of the person we want to become.

I’ve been giving this some thought and journalling about it over the last week and feel like I have hit on a really big reason WHY exercise + nutrition are so important to me.

I started to think about my values and the kind of person I want to be. I realized the kind of person I want to be is athletic. I want to be strong (physically + mentally). I want to be muscular and fit and health. Upon deeper reflection, I started to think about how I feel when I do things that align with this person. I feel proud, strong, excited, and my true self when I do something athletic – whether it’s lifting weights, going for a long walk, doing a HIIT workout, or even playing a sport/game.

I realized most of the women I admire are strong, fit, and athletic. I don’t admire them because of their thinness but because of their strength, their commitment, and their athleticism. Whether they are runners, lifters, figure skaters, or professional athletes, I feel a sense of deep admiration and wanting to be like that.

Several summers ago, my son participated in a hockey camp at a sports training facility for athletes. I vividly remember feeling so inspired inside that building, watching all these athletes train for their sport. It made me want to do it too. They had a purpose and a reason to train. They were committed, working hard, and building strength. I was so inspired by their athleticism.

I realized I admire the training process behind the development of athletes. I’m always interested in the behind the scenes of athletic performances. Whether it’s my favourite baseball players, figure skaters, or long-distance runners, I wonder what do their workouts look like? What is their training program? More than that, I deeply admire and respect their commitment, their dedication, and their work ethic.

Training for a sport (or other similar goal) gives a purpose to the workout. You’re building a stronger body and mind so you can perform better.

That’s when I realized… I want to train my body and my mind, so I can perform better at LIFE!

By training (staying consistent with exercise, nourishing my body with balanced nutrition, ensuring proper sleep, and developing healthy habits), I gift myself better outcomes in life. I don’t want to be the kind of person who lays around feeling unmotivated, unenergetic, heavy, drained, and uncomfortable. I don’t like the tightness of my clothes or having difficulty getting up and down off the floor.

I want my long-term outcomes to be strength, flexibility, energy, endurance, and mental clarity. I want to develop habits and skills that will serve me as I age, rather than stop me from living. I want to at least feel like an athlete.

I feel so motivated by this personal value that I have just recently discovered. Athleticism, strength, and training is admirable and inspirational in others, so it’s time for me to develop the habits and skills that will allow me to see those things in myself.

Now I want to know…

What do YOU value?

What kind of person do YOU want to be?

What skills + habits will YOU need to get you there?

Let’s cheer each other on!