Better Late Than Never
It's said that good intentions pave the road to hell. Well, I always intend to exercise each day but it doesn't happen nearly often enough. So for me, good intentions pave the road to poor health? Yesterday was Monday and Monday is, as everyone knows, the only day to start an exercise program or a diet or any other new habit and I was going to get out and exercise. To make it more likely to actually happen, I got dressed in my workout clothes first thing in the morning. My thinking was that if I was feeling less than motivated I would already be ready to exercise and have no excuse for skipping.
I pulled on those workout pants at 0700 and I didn't actually work out until almost 1700. The ten hours in between were spent finding all sorts of other things to do besides exercise. It's so easy to get distracted by other things like planning dinners, running some quick errands, or talking on the phone. There are two benefits to hanging around in your fitness wear and postponing a much-needed run. First, I was super comfortable thanks to my favorite joggers that I wear way more often to be comfortable than to exercise. Second, I got to see the sunset as I slowly struggled and ran 2.5 miles. The beautiful sky was a much-needed distraction from the fact that running doesn't come easily to me.
Like I said earlier, Monday is the day to recommit to healthy habits. Wednesday is the day to give them up entirely because they're too hard. What are your best tips for staying motivated to work out all week long and not just on Monday and Tuesday?
It isn't for everyone but I had a friend that I started going to the gym with and that has worked for me now for 3 years. I love going to the classes and being with a nice group of women and being pushed without any judgement. I love lifting weights during body pump and doing step and spin and the variety really helps me, as well as the social time of being with my friend. Since March I have been doing more bike rides and walks with the kids and some classes on zoom. I've come to realize that it is as much for my mental health as physical. It helps relieve my stress and makes me feel like I am in control of something. But it either has to be a class for me (structed and at a certain time) or something I just really love to do, like bike riding.
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