Jillian Michaels

There's something about The Biggest Loser that makes me want to run on the treadmill. When I was doing treadmill workouts, I would put that show on and it would make me incredibly inspired. To think that those obese people are running and working out for five hours each day to make themselves healthy and happy and I'm sitting at a desk all day, maybe getting in a 30 minute run, is kind of depressing.

I'm constantly looking for inspiration. I think I have plenty of extrinsic motivation, but I struggle with the instrinsic, which is the most important.

Jillian Michaels can be very motivational. I just read this article from Fitness Magazine and Jillian has a really great quote after being asked what's the best way to motivate yourself:

"Ask, What do I want? For a twentysomething, it might be to wear a bikini. For a 70-year-old, it might be to live to 100. Next, form an emotional connection to your goal. Then when you choose between a bagel and egg whites for breakfast, you make the choice with your goal in mind. That's what I do. I'm extra­ordinarily mindful about making decisions."

I think this is good instrinsic motivation. I want to look good in a bikini and I know that eating unhealthy things will not help me with that goal. I know that sitting on the coach instead of going trail running will not help me with that goal.

I wrote another post on Jillian back in January. I just re-read my answers to the questions she asked. I think it would be beneficial to go back to those answers every week.

Another show I'm totally into is Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. It's on Monday nights right after I get home from work, which is slightly inconvenient because it's too late to workout. It's the same basic idea as The Big Loser as far as helping obese people understand nutrition and the importance of exercise except the host, Chris Powell, concentrates on one person for an entire year.

So, my devoted followers, tell me what motivates you, both extrinsically and intrisically.