My "not-a-vision" Board

Because I have historically laughed at people who use vision boards (I'm a terrible person, I know).  But...  it was suggested by my psychologist that I give it a try because there is basically no other motivation intrinsic or extrinsic that makes me want to exercise.

And when you look at it from a behaviorist standpoint - which I am wont to do, because I am after all, a behaviorist - it makes sense.  I have had 6 years of shaping because of those damn pills.  Six years where nothing I did made a difference, so what was supposed to be intrinsically motivation (I work out, I lose weight) suddenly wasn't.  And there wasn't an extrinsic motivator strong enough to get me to work out consistently.

But, I think I have finally found an extrinsic motivator strong enough to convince me to work out until the intrinsic motivation kicks in.

Can you figure out what the motivator is?

It dawned on me when I graduated in May, that in a year (plus a little bit) I will be an employed individual, hopefully as a teacher and living somewhere with a relatively low cost of living where I won't be totally struggling to make ends meet.  And even if I am, so what?  I have been a horse rider nearly all of my life, only stopping during college because of study requirements and lack of money to spend on lessons.  I tried to keep it up, but never did.  And, I am my heaviest now after 4 years of no riding.  Coincidence?  I'll let you decide.

I love off-the-track-Thoroughbreds and would love nothing more than to be able to buy one once I start working.  They are my absolute favorite to work with and I do dressage and jumping.  But I can't do any of that unless I'm in shape (yes, my riding muscles are gone and there's only one way to get those back, but I'm talking about the rest of me).  So, I figured that if I start working out and getting in shape now, in one year I will be where I want to be.  And, coincidentally, in one year I will be an employed adult capable of purchasing a horse.  Funny how things like that work out...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My workouts for the last week:

6/20: 50 mins step class, 50 mins zumba class, 50 mins cycle class
6/22: 30 mins elliptical at home (I couldn't make it to the early classes and I didn't want to work out at night)
6/23: 50 mins body conditioning (Ow!), 30 mins blitz cycle
6/25: 50 mins step, 50 mins zumba, 50 mins cycle

And I'm planning on a long day at the gym tomorrow both before and after working in the clinic at school!