Post-Workout bliss

I didn't want to work out today. I was feeling lazy and sluggish. I had overdone it on Monday and Tuesday and really noticed that on yesterday's run. I was coming up with a ton of other excuses, too. I finally stopped procrastinating and just did the workout. Part way through, I thought, "I'll stop at 20 minutes." Then, "I'll stop at 30." Eventually, it got to be the end of the workout and I had gone for 53 minutes.

Like every other time that I've debated not working out, and delayed it while I was procrastinating, I feel great now that I'm done. My muscles are a bit sore, but in that amazing, "I kicked some real butt" way. It's amazing to me how I still haven't figured out how much better I'll feel once I've accomplished the day's workout goal.

I know I've talked about inertia before, but it bears repeating because it's a really powerful force. You can make your fitness journey public, like I did. The fear of public failure motivates me to move when I'm not feeling it. You can also get a workout partner. You may debate with yourself about working out, but if you have an appointment, an obligation, to meet someone else, you're less likely to flake out on the activity. Look on facebook, meetup, RoadRunners, or on Google to find local groups. There are tons of running and walking groups out there. You can also join a charity training program like T2. If you don't find a group, start one. Hang a sign at the local coffee shop or any other bulletin board.

Motivation

This is true for everyone and every activity. Don't let that first hurdle stop you from starting though. Just remember that great feeling you get once you've reached that day's goals. And how good it feels to overcome your desire to stay on the couch.

Inertia

An object at rest will stay at rest unless an outside force acts upon it. That's Newton's first law of motion, and one of the biggest stumbling blocks to fitness. Even people who are physically active on a regular basis need a kick in the butt to get started. It's hard to remember that once the activity is done, you'll feel amazing. Emotionally, you'll feel good for the accomplishment of the activity and for overcoming your desire to stay at rest. There is also the release of endorphins, which chemically improve your mood.

The key is to finding your kick in the butt. You have to figure out what motivates you. I'm competitive and like numbers. I set goals that are measurable and try to hit and/or surpass them. I also watch the numbers to make sure that I'm constantly improving them. If you're competitive, find someone or something to try to beat. If you like food, think of the calories you burn working out and all the food you can eat without gaining weight. Maybe it's a combination of all of those. Maybe you like prizes and rewards. If so, set a difficult, but reasonable goal and determine what your prize will be if you reach it.

Do you have any other ideas for a kick in the butt?

Day 86--Inertia

"An object that is not in motion will remain at rest until some force causes it to move."

I need someone or something to be that force. I'm tentatively scheduled to do a 5K on May 22nd & June 26th, but that's a bit far off for me to worry about. I need some direct challenge that's earlier.

I've looked back at the beginning of my blog to see if my original goals could be updated and restated. I didn't really have any specific goals in December, except a perfect body. That's impossible, but my body looks a ton better than it did in December.

I stole the idea of running a 5K every month from Meghan's blog and I'm really glad that I did. I think I'm going to steal an idea from another online friend. He's set a goal to run 1000 miles over the next two years. I will have to modify it, though. I think I'll try to run 50 miles in between my scheduled runs. That works out to a little less than a mile a day. I'll see if I can find a widget for my blog to show my progress.

I will be setting some cycling goals next month. May 3rd is the first day that I'll be biking to work. It's about 15 miles a day, so my goal will probably be about 300 miles per month and 1,500 miles for the full summer.