The answer to this question is several fold for me, but it comes in the form of one collective answer: my family.
Typically, families are those who we are closest too, so it makes sense that they can inspire us to live healthy lives and strive to be fit if they themselves are doing it. I am no different. Starting with my parents, my brothers, and my husband, it has certainly been my family who has kept me on the bandwagon of health and fitness. Lets start at the beginning–my parents.
Mom and Dad Inspire Me to Be Healthy and Fit
Although, they might be surprised, my mom and dad were probably the biggest reasons I had any interest in health and fitness. Starting with Mom–as a young child, I remember my mom exercising in the house and taking walks and swimming in our little 4 foot pool on a regular basis. Outdoor exercises in warm weather, indoor exercise during cold weather. One of my funniest memories of childhood exercise was when my mom was on the floor doing leg exercise, and I thought I’d do some of my own squats. So I squatted down next to her face and passed gas. In my childhood sense of scatalogical humor, I thought it was hilarious, but she was not quite so charmed. Funny, I still think it was pretty funny.
Mom was also into natural health. She loved experimenting with aromatherapy (still does) and finding natural remedies for health and vitality. My mom knew all about herbs and home remedies when I was growing up, and even back then I remember thinking it was pretty cool. To this day, I use her wisdom for some of my own ailments, and when one of my dogs gets sick, I call her.
Dad didn’t have a lot of time after work, but when he did, I remember he used to like to play with us in the way of sporting activities. I remember going on bike rides with him, swimming with him (he loved to play rock the boat and “make waves” with us in the pool), family kickball and basketball. When any of us were in sports, if Dad’s job would allow him, he was always at our games. In later years, Dad took up weight lifting, and I will never forget him telling me, “the fountain of youth is in exercise.” The thing my Dad taught me the most, though, was that exercise is supposed to be fun. In any exercise that we did, it was never “exercise” but rather “play.” Dad would holler and laugh and tease through the whole thing. He still makes jokes about how he never competed in the Olympics because he didn’t want the other Olympians to feel bad.
My Brothers Inspire Me To be Healthy and Fit
My oldest brother was always an active person growing up, though his activities were more work-oriented than exercise. While he competed in track in junior high, his most consistent activity revolved around farming. I think as early as 12 or 13, my brother would be out before dawn to take care of the pigs, and then he’d ride his bike the five miles to Grandma’s house to take care of the morning chores with the cows. I remember talking with my brother not that long ago, and he told me he always wanted to be a bicyclist. That is not surprising as he spent a lot of time on the bike as a younger person. Randy still enjoys hobbies that keeps him outside and that provide him that “au natural” exercise, like gardening (photo to the left is of Randy and his son Dylan).
My brother Noah has been an avid weight lifter since he was seventeen. As a scrawny 130 pound teenager, Noah decided he’d had enough of that, and started lifting weights. He has always been a muscular guy, involved in fitness in a big way, though more recently, he has decided to enter a physique show, and has really leaned down and gotten really “cut.” This has been extremely inspirational to me, as the two of us have always struggled with a healthy layer of fat covering our muscles. When he showed me his most recent pictures, I thought, if he can do that, then so can I.
My Husband Inspires Me to Be Healthy and Fit
If you have followed my blog for a while, then you know that my husband is the person training and motivating me to complete my first marathon. Brad has run six marathons in his life, and has been an avid runner since he was a teenager. The thing with Brad is that for those things that he does that are healthy, he is EXTREMELY consistent with them. He does not quit his healthful activities for nothing. This is good for me in that I can be a very erratic and wishy washy person when it comes to creating healthy habits.
Having him as a husband has been awesome, in that I have seen what it looks like to be consistent, and the fact that he only has to maintain his health and fitness, and he doesn’t have to continually strive for it like I do (I have to continually strive for it because I go slack for periods at a time, and then I have to gain it all back) is inspiring in itself. I WILL get to that point. I promise!
What About You?
Who in your life has been an inspiration to you to get on the health and fitness bandwagon? Has it been people who you see live their lives healthy and fit day in and day out like my husband does, or has it been someone you’ve watched make great strides? So what’s your story?
Ummm…. I’ll go first. That would be you my friend. I had been walking regularly up until a few months age and for some unknown reason I stopped. I had no reason really, just laziness and it wasn’t doing any good at all my attitude was slipping my weight was stable but I was starting the see the signs of a bit of an increase. I thought; “That has to change”. Then I kept reading about your marathon training and thought… Shish… if she can do that, surely I can get my butt out there and walk a few miles. I started and have been back at it ever since… Yeah!!! Thank you for that.
I did not know that! If I can do anything to inspire someone to exercise, that would make me so happy, and it appears I have helped you–so wow! You just made my day!! And you go, because while I may have inspired you momentarily, it is YOU who has to have the motivation ultimately to get your butt up and go. And obviously you are doing that! Awesome!!
Nice post Bethany. Nice to see all the inspiring people in your life. My greatest inspiration to do exercise is my daughter. She is crazy about being healthy. She can even say no to the tastiest sweet dish, which I find it very hard.
Oh, if only I could say no to the tastiest sweet dish!–I too find it hard to resist! It’s neat that your daughter is your greatest inspiration. You two must be close.
RE: Brother pic… wow! You’re lucky to have so many fitness inspirations in your life. I’m by no means a fitness fanatic, but I think I do a pretty bang-up job of trying to get regular exercise and to eat healthy foods. I’m stumped for pin-pointing a main inspiration. I think my attitudes resulted as a reaction to growing up in a household where Veg-all was the only veggie mom ever cooked and steak and potatoes were served almost every night. But it’s a long story…
My parents definitely inspired me to be interested in sport – we played tennis as a family from a young age. I was in the netball team in both junior & secondary school too. Plus my other rode a bike when I was small, which also generated a love of cycling which I pursued until I was no longer able to.
Beyond that I think my own interest in natural health paths have come from myself and my peers. It’s important to just do what we can , as often as we can & not get too down on ourselves if we slip from out goals.
Hmm, I haven’t thought about this before, but I guess it’d be my dad and wife. My dad started Tae Kwon Do in his mid-40s when doctors told him his knees would never hold up. He remained with it for 20+ years, earned his blackbelt, became an instructor, and helped me reach blackbelt! He’s now 68 and still works out 3-4 times a week and can do 50+ push ups.. I’m pretty sure he could still beat me up!
My wife is my other inspiration – we love to walk, run, bike, hike, ski, etc together… also, I want to be around a long time with her so I try to stay healthy
Jeri, A.K. and Dan, thanks all for stopping by! Dan–I never knew you were a black belt!! You need to write about that on this blog–that is too cool!
Jeri–that sounds like an interesting story–Veg-all? I don’t know what it is, but doesn’t sound interesting.
A.K.–love that you played tennis with your family. I can just see you out there now…:-)
That is an interesting question to which I have only one answer – YOU. There is no one else close to me or even in my life to inspire me in this way. I keep saying I am going to exercise on a regular basis, but it has not happened. I think it has to be something I make room for like goals. You started that whole goal thing too!
Big sigh…
I really think it’s awesome you let us all take a peek into your personal life! Like your really really personal life.
It’s just so cool for me seeing my blogging buddies have real families and all. Bridges the gap between computer screens.
I am glad you have so much positivity to inspire you. As always, excellent post!
I thought I went into the personal life more than this?! Maybe I need to do even more?
Your family sound like great role models.
My family haven’t been so great in this area- although my Mum did cook us very healthy meals when I was a kid.
One of the best role models I’ve come across is my former yoga teacher. She’s about my age and is very tiny and petite with the most beautiful soft, Spanish accent. She practices yoga everyday and eats according to the yogic tradition- mainly vegetarian and using Ayurveda. She’s such a lovely person and very gentle and caring towards her body. That will always be the way forward to me. Pushing myself through gruelling workouts just doesn’t help me at all! I love dance- moving to music can be so freeing.
Mary of A Merry Life (http://amerrylife.com/) also inspires me as she continues on her weight loss quest and ticks off the physical activities she wanted to try when she completes them. She doesn’t let being overweight hold her back. I love that.
You are an inspiration too Bethany and a great model for me xxx
Oh trust me Rachel, I am experiencing the importance of treating my body gentle and with care. While I’m treating it with care, I’m thinking at this moment that the marathon training is not so gentle–it is a rude awakening to my body! I am trying to decide if I should continue this training after I complete the marathon or not. We will see. In the meantime, so glad you find me to be an inspiration! You are definitely the same for me!!!