Way to go! How do you motivate others?

Some  people in my life assume it is easy for me to exercise and maintain my goal weight.  No, I work hard to be an “average athlete” and to just be able to finish some events.  Our company recently had sign up sessions for a Spring Into Motion program that is supposed to help motivate people  to become more active.  I was bombarded with questions like “Why are you doing this?”  “I wish I could look like you.”  Well, guess what I’ve gained 12 lbs over the last year and I haven't had a PR in longer than I care to admit.  I could always use motivation and everyone can improve no matter what their fitness level is.  Also try hanging out with a bunch of triathletes and runners, I am at the bottom of the fitness level there J.  It’s all relative right. 

Some of my favorite questions and comments I’ve been subject to and what I wish I could say back:

“Why do you want to torture yourself with all that running?”    Guess what some of us enjoy running!

“I could never do a marathon.  It would take me a month to finish that.”  How do you know if you’ve never tried.  I use to think the same thing until I got off my butt and did it.

“I could never be vegetarian I would pass out from not getting enough protein especially when I workout.”  Well, let’s see lentils, garbanzo beans, nuts, soy beans all have enough protein to make sure you meet your daily requirements.  I did  Ironman training on my vegetarian diet with no negative consequences.

“I lift weights, I do 12 oz curls.”  And you are bragging about it?

“You people are crazy!”  If that’s what you want to call it, then sure I’m crazy!

“All that exercise can’t be good for your body.”  Ok I decided to delete my response to this one I don’t even want to think thoughts that mean….

“I never have time to exercise.”  I don’t either but I make time and I schedule it, make it a priority!

“Why are you vegetarian?”  Why not?  I don’t go around asking people why they are meat eaters and they would probably take offense to it if I did. 

“You always have the back seats of your car down, is that where you hide your cases of power bars?”  Yes, because I live solely on PowerBars and water.  Really!

“Exercise is done against one’s wishes and maintained only because the alternative is worse”  George Sheehan

So even though part of this post may seem to have some negative connotations, the point I wish I could make to some is that we could all use support, motivation, and understanding.  Don’t assume that something is easy for anyone.  I love to exercise it makes me feel good but I wish I was better and I will never stop trying to improve.  I struggle daily with food choices just like everyone else and guess what sometimes you will see me with a slice of pizza in my hand or a bowl of icecream!  My favorite feeling is when I’m in a race and we all yell out words of support as we pass each other, “keep it up, good job!”  The best is when the leader of the pack actually has the breath and time to say it back or when I started walking in the middle of a really steep race and a girl that came up behind me didn’t give up until she convinced me to keep running even if it meant I was just shuffling.  So get out there and motivate each other!  I love my sports and hope I can share that enthusiasm with the next person I run into.  I’m sure those of you out there that exercise even more than me have some outrageous stories.  What are some of your favorite questions?  What are some of your favorite ways to motivate others?