Why I Exercise (And Why It Has Nothing To Do With Looking Good

A couple weeks ago, Alwyn Cosgrove made a post on Facebook that stuck with me.

For those that don't know, Alwyn battled cancer twice.

One thing he talked about was how his background in exercise helped him through treatment and recovery. Not because exercise cured anything — but because he had built capacity.

Physically. Mentally. Emotionally.

That got me thinking.

Why do I exercise?

And why do I keep coming back to it after all these years?

I've been training clients for over 20 years and one thing I've noticed is there are usually two groups of people.

The first group uses exercise as a means to an end.

Lose 20 pounds for vacation.

Fit into old clothes.

Get ready for a wedding.

Look better for summer.

Nothing wrong with those goals.

But once the event passes… so does the exercise.

Then there’s the second group.

The people that train because they want to live better.

Move better.

Feel better.

Have energy.

Stay independent.

Be around longer.

Those are the people that stick with it.

That’s the group I’ve always wanted to be part of.

Because my “why” has never really been aesthetics.

My family has been surrounded by disease.

My uncle passed away from brain cancer before I was born.

My grandfather on my mom’s side passed away from bone cancer when I was young.

My grandfather on my dad’s side passed away from Alzheimer’s.

My dad passed away from Alzheimer's.

My aunt passed away from cancer and obesity played a large role in her health struggles.

In fact, when I opened Bisbee’s Fitness Experience years ago, I opened it in her honour.

Those experiences shaped me.

They taught me something early:

We don’t control everything.

You can do everything “right” and life can still throw things at you.

But I do believe we can improve our odds.

I believe exercise gives us a better shot at living well.

Not necessarily longer.

But better.

Stronger.

More capable.

More resilient.

That’s why I try to get clients to figure out their “why.”

Because eventually motivation disappears.

There will be weeks where results slow down.

There will be times you don’t feel like exercising.

Life gets busy.

Kids get sick.

Work gets stressful.

Suddenly fitness drops down the priority list.

And if your only goal was six-pack abs or losing 20 pounds…

it becomes really easy to quit.

That’s why my philosophy has changed over the years.

Exercise shouldn’t feel like something you do temporarily.

It should fit into your life.

There are seasons where you'll train harder.

There are seasons where you'll maintain.

There are weeks where your workouts are shorter.

There are weeks where you miss sessions.

That’s normal.

That’s life.

I have four kids.

I manage chaos every day.

I don’t spend hours in the gym.

I can’t.

Some weeks I get two sessions.

Sometimes three.

And honestly?

I’m in the best shape of my life.

Not because I train more.

Because I’ve learned consistency beats intensity.

Exercise isn’t punishment.

It’s not something I suffer through so I can earn food.

It’s something that helps me show up better.

For my family.

For my work.

For myself.

So if you’re reading this and you’re struggling to stay consistent, stop asking:

“What’s my goal weight?”

Start asking:

“What’s my why?”

And when you answer, ask why and then ask why again.

Because when your reason is strong enough…

you’ll keep coming back.