For the last, way too many weeks, I have vowed to start working out regularly again...but for the last few weeks I have made excuse after excuse. I have had a hard time finding the motivation and time to get started. WHY!? Summer is coming, swim lesson season for Henry...which means mama gets in the pool too. Working out makes my monthly mood swings WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY more tolerable. I sleep better. I feel happier. So why can't I make 20-40 minutes out of my day for me. Because ultimately it will impact my family in only positive ways.
I HAVE gone on some good walks. I did do the 30 Day Shred video yesterday and I am soooo feeling it today. So I am vowing to do it again today, and tomorrow...and even when I travel to my parents this next week I will bring it and be consistent.
But then I have the 2-3 months in the past where I do so great with working out and I see no results...maybe it would have been a fourth month. I don't know. It is just so frustrating. So I now think I need to focus more on working out for my moods and attitudes and less on my pant size. That and the fact that I need to make a few more sacrifices with my diet...less sugar, less carbs, smaller portions...eating breakfast...etc. I am just not a dieter.
So this afternoon Henry is napping and Charley is having a blast at his friends house. I have worked on packing for our trip to my parents. Cleaned up a bit...and now sit here knowing that I should spend the 20-40 minutes working out. My wise friend Kim wrote me an email telling me to enjoy the time this afternoon and ended the email with this line: "Enjoy that hour or so of freedom! That is...freedom with a dash of, "What can I get done?" and a side of, "I should really take advantage of this time!", washed down with, "I really just want to relax, but will regret it later."
So what is a girl to do?
Do you have a mantra that you say to yourself to get your butt in gear? Do you have a trick to fitting it into your day? Do you wave some sort of carrot or reward for yourself?
Can you help me get me started?
Posts
14 comments:
I do build in some rewards, but they're mostly centered around wine and sushi. I tell myself that I want to be a good example for my kids. I don't want them to grow up thinking that exercise is weird and a chore (like I did), so I'm going to try to set a good example that exercise is just part of our normal routine. It's so hard some days though, isn't it???
Hi Sarah- so I lost all my baby weight, but then I stopped really exercising so today I'm going to get my good 15 min workout in with Leslie Sansone walking video as soon as I get off the computer. So I say, write it on your list for the day to check it off. Plan a reward for getting it done- not food!
Wow it is like you have been watching me for the last 3 months!!!! I COMPLETELY UTTERLY and unfortunately understand what you are going through. Ugh. It is the worst.
Hopefully your readers have some ideas I can glean from!!
Wow it is like you have been watching me for the last 3 months!!!! I COMPLETELY UTTERLY and unfortunately understand what you are going through. Ugh. It is the worst.
Hopefully your readers have some ideas I can glean from!!
I'm a total sucker for a chart w/stars on the fridge or a website that tracks my burned calories. I also make my hubby get on my case and help me carve out time. My mantra, "I am a runner!" :)
Kim K.
Whenever you're having one of those moments, you should call me. I can motivate you :)
i just went for a jog with eli. a 10 hour day. up at 5 am. worked 10 hours. home and quick job before he goes to bed. i will crash soon. bring the shred video this weekend. i'll do it with you. i don't know what will work for you. every time you MAKE an excuse in your head-WRITE IT DOWN and post it on your blog. maybe that will stop you from making excuses as everyone will read your "poor" excuses. hee hee. or else SCHEDULE it in your day. ask ed to help you schedule it. like a job....RR
I was hoping for a magic answer in the comments!
Ok, here's my ultimate tip. This has worked to get me in the pool for the last 5 years. It gets me up in the morning, and it pushes me into the pool on Sunday afternoons: write it down and set goals.
Once you can see yourself getting stronger and faster and better, you do not want to go backwards. This means you need an exercise routine that allows for some kind of charting (more than checking the box for the day). Count calories, count miles, find speeds, find averages, aim to do better next time, see yourself progress over weeks then months then years. Weigh yourself. Take before and after photos. Count reps, log weights.
And to make it stick, create competition. Find someone else who will log their workouts against yours.
That's been my ticket. I've logged every yard I've swam since 2006. Knowing my benchmarks and _seeing_ improvement over time gets me out there. That's the most motivating thing for me. If I just did laps with no counting or no speed checks or no distance checks, I'd quickly lose motivation.
So I say: find a workout that allows you to see improvement and then chart that improvement. You'll never want to miss another day :)
Good luck!
Wearing tight jeans motivates me. Something about having to tuck my stomach in every time I bend over curbs my cravings. That being said, I spend the majority of my time in elastic. I'd join a gym with you if it were possible! ;)
I meet a friend at the gym and we work out together on set nights during the week. Its our time out together to talk too.
BTW, my sister lives in Seattle right now. Such a great city! Hope you guys have a great time. Pikes place is great then you can stop and get coffee at the 1st Starbucks, its right there too. And, there is this awesome cheese shop on that street too where they make handmade cheese!!
I actually have a post sitting in draft form right now on this very topic! I jumped back on the health and fitness wagon at the beginning of March, knowing that bathingsuit and wedding season were coming up quickly. My #1 recommendation is to involve your children in whatever type of physical activity you do. I do not workout before my kids get up in the morning and I do not workout after they go to bed at night - I workout when they are awake and able to be active with me. I want my kids to grow-up knowing that exercise and being healthy is important and something that is worth doing. I do some sort of fitness video (often The Shred) several mornings a week in the playroom with the kids - they are more than welcome to jump around with me, or they can play quietly close by.
We also have a really great double stroller, so when Cooper is in school, the girls and I go for a walk on the local trail. Me heaving 85+ pounds of kids and stroller isn't always pretty, but it works!
I just read an article yesterday about how many people give up their exercise programs after just a couple months because they don't see immediate results. While it is hard to keep going when you don't see big drops in pounds or dress sizes, it is easy to keep going when you keep in mind that every minute you put into working out adds plenty of benefits that you can't see - lower blood pressure, more endurance, and years to your lifespan.
Don't let yourself fall into the "I-Don't-Have-Time" Trap - you (and your kids) deserve better!
We must all be on the same page. I am having the same issue. Need to work out, don't make the time. I'm glad you posted about it so I can reap the comment benefits!
I'm not going to lie, I have a hard time motivating myself. Usually it's some event, deadline or major event that forces me to get in gear.
Yes, I suck.
Post a Comment