How do you stay motivated to work out and stay in shape? I get this question a lot.

Motivation: the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.

So what’s your motivation? Have you really thought about that? What is your reason acting or behaving the way you do towards your own health and fitness?

Man, I went straight to the hard stuff but that’s because I truly want to help you refocus, find and keep your motivation once and for all!

Shallow Motivation

I know the intended meaning for the scriptures I am about to share, but don’t stop reading. Today I want to use them as a demonstration for your health and fitness journey.

“A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” -Matthew‬ ‭13:3-9‬ ‭

Think about the seed as “Your Motivation.”

The first part of this parable talks about a bird that swoops in and steals the seed. Life has a way of getting us all off track, the first step to success is identifying what steals your motivation?

You have to be honest with yourself on this. Just like the spiritual application of this verse, how you receive the truth is up to you and the level of growth or understanding you are prepared for.

The second kind of motivation is like the shallow soil. this motivation comes quick, and leaves the same way. Now that we are finishing February I can guarantee that most of those New Year’s resolutions have come gone and are waiting for the new year to return.

Or maybe, someone made you feel overweight or undesired and you just want to be attractive to them again or prove them wrong?

All of these will motivate you for a moment but eventually, something will come along and you’ll wonder why your motivation is gone…again!

When your reason is shallow, your motivation will be too.

It’s true. Just like a new Christian, if the only reason you got saved was out of guilt or wanting to get someone off your back, then when hard times come or that temptation is back, you’ll fall right back into what God saved you from…trust me, I know this from experience. I’m not judging or acting all holly, I’m just sharing some truths so we can see this for what it is.

What are your thorns?

Do you hate the way you look? Do you think you’ll finally love yourself and gain true confidence when you achieve that certain goal?

The third type of motivation is like the thorns. Thorns are the lies we tell ourselves. The old habits. They may motivate you for a while but amongst our negative self talk or the pressure of others, they will eventually choke out all of your motivation, killing your confidence and joy along with it.

By now, you get where I’m going with this right? How can we create the fourth type of motivation? The motivation that is like the fertile soil?

If our body is Gods temple, then it’s important to become fertile ground both spiritually and physically as well.

As a Christian and a Fitness Professional, I have experienced many of these steps…sometimes more than once. So, fight the temptation to feel guilt. This is about growing, not condemning.

When I first started working out, I did it more for vanity reasons. I was physically very small as a child and I didn’t feel very attractive. That insecurity followed me as I grew, so naturally, as I started to get attention, I craved it…just being real!

I was young when I had my first daughter and I didn’t recognize my body anymore. I wanted to be sexy again! I was a single mother and I wasn’t about to let myself go. I’m talking plainly but can you relate?

As I got older, married and had more kids, my motivation started to change. I had a lot more to live for now. Although I still wanted to catch the eye of my husband, I wanted to live longer too.

I wanted to be around for my kids and grandkids so it went from working out and eating anything I wanted, to working out and learning more about how to fuel my body properly as well.

I feel like I was torn between the two for a while…like the thorns choking out the seed, my habits and old mindset tried to choke out the knowledge I had gained. That made applying it even harder than I thought it would be.

My point is, if we are going to allow the truth to set us free, then we have to be real with ourselves.

Are we caught up in the world’s definition of beauty?

Are we comparing and condemning ourselves because we don’t look like the Instagram influencer who is perfectly edited and thin?

Or do we compare our body with the new trend of big lips, fake everything and curves in all the right places?

Listen daughter of God…YOU WERE MADE FOR MORE!

If you decide to lose weight, examine your motives and ask for Gods help.

If you go for weight loss without changing the soil of your mind and the habits you have created, your new routine will eventually wither away.

You get one body that was beautifully designed by God. Take care of it so you can do what he created you to do. Don’t do it to try and measure up to the worlds ever changing and broken standards. Do it because you are one of a kind! A daughter of the one true King. A vessel he wants to use and you are determined to do your part.

I pray this has inspired you to dig deeper and ask the hard questions so you can achieve that true change.

My heart is to share some of my own health and fitness tips, workouts and motivation. Would you be interested in that?

Comment below and let me know. What do you need to see more of? Is there a specific area you need to focus on?

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Here’s to trying a new chapter friend!

With Love & His Spark,

Lisa