And the interviewer becomes the interviewee

A fellow Women's Health writer, Dimity McDowell, was working on a motivational fitness story and asked me if I had any sayings or quotes I used during my workouts to keep myself pumped up. I sure did - and it was apparently good enough to make it into the magazine. Wee! Take a look below and see what said, along with some other brilliant and crafty women (I personally love Sarah's, Cristina's, Marit's and Amanda's). How abut you? What do you say/sing/shout to yoursef to keep your body - and mind - energized?
x,
Leslie

"I never regret it when I do it, but I always regret it when I don't." -- Devin McDonald Vinson, 37, Portland, OR

"Don't judge it, just do it." -- Kathleen Johnston, 48, Nashville, TN

"Kill…Kill…Kill. The. Hill." (You say the words to match your feet hitting the ground, and it creates a rhythm for you to fall into. A little violent, but hey, it works.)
-- Rita Buscher, 21, Boston, MA

"KMF: Keep Moving Forward"
-- Laura Staub, 34, San Francisco, CA

"This run (or hill or these bicep curls) is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!"
-- Sarah McDougal, 31, Denver, CO (to the tune of "Hollaback Girl," by Gwen Stefani)

"If you don't focus on your ass, no one else will."
-- Cristina Goyanes, 27, Women's Health associate editor, New York City

"A strong outside strengthens the inside."
-- Selene Yeager, 38, Emmaus, PA

"Push the stress out!" -- Samantha Denny, 37, Jackson Hole, WY

"What's for dinner: something warm and cheesy?"
-- Sue Piccone, 38, Salt Lake City, UT

"Beat, beat, beat, beat, fast little feet feet."
-- Marit Fischer, 36, Salt Lake City, UT

"Grab it! It's yours!" -
- Nona Jordon, 37, Rome, Italy

"This is not the hardest thing I've ever done."
-- Amanda Ryan, 32, Portland, OR

"Thin, strong, lean, long…thin, strong, lean, long…"
-- Kristen Lowery, 35, Colorado Springs, CO (used in yoga class)

"Can I get some fries with that shake-shake booty? If looks could kill you would be an Uzi."
-- Leslie Goldman, 31, Chicago, IL (lyrics from "Shoop," by Salt-N-Pepa, which she sings to herself)

"I am strong beyond belief. I am powerful beyond measure."
-- Abby Ruby, 28, Boston, MA

Comments

Im more of a visualizer.

but hath been known to chant lyrics to various and sundry SNOOP D-Oh-Double-Gizzle lyrics in my head to get me through a tough set.

inexplicably Gin & Juice is quite the motivator.

I love the list above---thanks for sharing!

M.

(especially amandas. I may need to borrow that.)

I like those sayings! Some of them are pretty funny. I tell myself that it'll be so satisfying to be all nicely toned if I run into my ex. And I like to imagine myself taking the physical test for the RCMP and being strong enough to be able to complete it within the time limit!

Great list!

My personal mantra is "This is easier than giving birth."

Love these, Leslie, especially Amanda's.

Last year, when I was writing Shape's Weight-Loss Diary column, I needed a lot of motivation when I thought I couldn't keep going. A couple that worked for me were telling myself "just five more," whether it was reps, minutes, pounds or steps. When my trainer wanted me to run faster, she'd say, "Just thirty seconds or just sixty seconds." When she put it that way, I knew I could do it. Apparently, the thought of effort is a big deal for me ;-).

Every once in a while, when I was faltering on a weight set, she'd also say, "Come on, sexy bitch," which just really made me laugh. Hey, whatever works, right?

I read that article and somehow never realized it was you!

I like to lie to myself. When I start getting tired I tell myself I'll quit after the next hill, turn, set, whatever. Then I don't. Repeat process until actually finished.

Um, apparently we share an affinity for 90's girl-rap. As I was biking to work this morning, at a particularly nasty climb, I started the chant... "Ah, push it, push it good. Aaaahhh, push it...p-push it real good!"

I love these! (alyssa, you crack me up!)

This is how I know I need to get a life. In my most recent race, I chanted the words of one of the Wiggles songs the entire freaking way. I couldn't get it out of my head. It was "romp-omp-a-chomp" for 13.1 miles.

Everyone else was rockin' to Kanye and I was singing the wiggles. Pathetic, yet effective! :)

It's cool to see what others say to themselves while working out. I don't say much to myself while working out I envision more. I typically picture Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider kicking ass and that vision gets me pumped up to up my workout intensity.

I love that first quote "I never regret it when I do it, but I always regret it when I don't." -- Devin McDonald Vinson
Such a good thing to remember on those days when I'm not all that excited about going to the gym.

I also love Amanda's "Push it, push it real good" chant!