This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Do You Know Why You Workout?

We go into the gym to train and burn some calories, we come in to get better, but, and here is the real question, what is your measure of better?

Do you know why you workout?

We go into the gym to train and burn some calories, we come in to get better, but, and here is the real question, what is your measure of better? Over the past couple of months I have spoken with a number of members in our gym who are reaching new milestones, and a few who have hit a brick wall. When I stopped to ask what makes the biggest difference between those who are successful and those who are WILDLY successful is that those who reach their goals faster have a strong why.

There is no perfect reason to train and get your body better except your reason. Your why. Here is the most powerful way we have found to dig deep and find your why.

Find out what's happening in Concordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 5 Why Test

Often a new member will tell me that they want to lose some fat, and I will ask why. A common answer is to feel better, or to fit into clothes that don’t fit – most of us would be happy with an answer like this, but there's a lot going on underneath that answer, so we ask why again. Now things are getting a little bit harder, and a bit more personal, maybe our member says that they don't feel like they are attractive in their clothes.

Find out what's happening in Concordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The key is to dig so deep with your why that you uncover your deeper emotional truth. Lets continue with our fictitious previous example and ask why again.

Why #3 – I want to be fit and healthy so that I can keep up with my kids.

Why #4 – Because my mom could never keep up with me and my siblings and I saw how that tore her up inside

Why #5 – Because being a good Mom will make me a happier person.

So when I hear her say that she wants to lose some fat what this member is really telling me is that she wants to be the best mom she can be so that she can be happy. Which is a more powerful motivator, "to lose some fat" or, "to be the best mom in the world?" It’s a no brainer!

Digging deep into your why, your individual why will drive you to much higher levels of fitness and health than just going to the gym because it’s ‘good for you.’

Kian Ameli is the owner of Momentum Fitness in Concord.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?