This blog is a self-motivating one – the goal is to get myself pumped up to get back in the gym, and start running again, through blogging about it. Lets hope it works:)
It is tough getting your ass to the gym sometimes and the more you put it off, the harder it gets. I’m not sure how it happens but it slowly gets easier not to go and the excuses you come up with seem to get better. However it does not take away the nagging feeling you have inside that you are letting yourself down.
This is my battle and one I struggle with a lot. For me it is a timing issue more than anything (here come my excuses). I find it hard to fit in exercise around full time work, kids and studying. Whatever way I look at it, I feel like I’m letting one side down if I do the other. I feel bad for the kids if I go to the gym after work, I feel guilty for not studying if I’m out and about and I feel bad for my husband having to do more to make it possible for me to go exercise.
These guilt trips allow me to excuse myself not going to the gym and the time pressures make it easier for me to blame my busy lifestyle for not making time for myself.
I try to advise other people on ways to fit exercise into their life but seem to find it had to follow my own advice…
I haven’t been to the gym for over 2 weeks. I’ve had a few walks during that time so I’ve not shut down completely but there has not been any cardio going on for a while. I am planning to go this evening. I have it all worked out – my husband is picking boys up from school and doing dinner and I am going to head to the gym after work and get the endorphins pumping. I need to take this step to get back in the game.
I know once I am in there I will be inspired again. Watching other people with a mission to keep fit, be healthy and stay in shape, motivates me to try harder and commit more time to myself.
Exercising is an integral part of keeping well and, for me, it is very important part on my path to wellness . I take vitamins and supplements daily as part of my routine and I must now learn to prescribe myself a walk, a gym session or a run to keep my head healthy and happy too.
So the plan for me is to set some goals as this is the best way for me to achieve motivation to exercise. My first goal is to start going to the gym regularly again…at least 3 times a week. I find it very hard going after work, as I’m tired and want to get home and see the kids, husband and chill out. So I am going to start getting up earlier, drop one of my boys at school earlier, and go the gym before work.
I use a system I’ve developed to help me achieve my personal targets – it’s called GOSS. It’s a way to set goals, and hopefully keep to them, by looking at obstacles, solutions and making a statement of a specific goal (SMART Goal)
GOAL 1
- GOAL- Gym 3 times a week
- OBSTACLE- Going to the gym after work as I’m tired
- SOLUTION- Go to gym before work and weekends
- STATEMENT- I am going to go to the gym at least 3 times a week, before work and at weekends, and exercise for at least 30 minutes per session for the next 3 months.
GOAL 2
- GOAL- Run City to Surf in 90mins
- OBSTACLE- Ran it in 1hr 37 mins last year and have not been running much this year
- SOLUTION- Start training 3 times a week and get back on treadmill and elliptical
- STATEMENT- I am going to run city to surf in under 90 minutes this year by training hard and tracking each km I run to a certain time to beat my time from last year.
These are my two main goals that I’ll focus on for the next few months and I will also do up an exercise plan to help keep me on track and accountable. I will be taking one week at a time to get back into a routine and, once I start feeling those good endorphins in my body and the natural high from exercise comes back, there should be no stopping me.