When, if ever, I am going to NOT feel guilty about taking a day off from exercise?
I know. I need to let my body rest. And I know. I should probably do some strength training, and go easy on the cardiovascular.
But I can’t get over the guilt.
Most days, I really crave the exercise. I feel like it completes my day. But every once in awhile, I just want to relax. I don’t want to scarf down my dinner, rush to put on my exercise clothes and race out the door. I want to get home, eat a slow(er) dinner, maybe sit on the couch, play Rock Band, play with Data, actually talk to my husband…
I don’t want to feel guilty for meeting a friend for dinner instead of going home to exercise. I don’t want to feel guilty when we have to run errands on a weeknight, and it’s too late to exercise when we finally get home. I don’t want to stress out about when we are going to get exercise in when we have house guests.
I just want to accept that I did or did not exercise the day before… and get on with my day. And not dwell on it.
With time. Let’s hope, with time.
(Part of me kind of feels like I should apologize for blogging about the same themes… for such an extended period of time in a row. But, I’m not going to, because it makes me feel better to get it out there. I’ll just say – I hope I’m not boring you too much).
You know what’s weird? After I finally decided that it was OK not to go to the gym all the time, and that I’d go if I had time and not beat myself up about it if I didn’t–that’s when I wound up going more. I think because before if I missed one day I felt like I’d already failed. Now I don’t, and that keeps me motivated.
Give yourself about 6 more months and you’ll have to convince yourself to exercise again. 😉 Ha ha ha. Just kidding!
It is very hard to incorporate a new routine like regular exercise into your established life. Some things are going to have to give, and other things you’ll just have to be creative about. Or, like me and E. and me and my friend A., you just incorporate people you care about into your exercise routine!
Jess – Maybe I should just let it all go! Then I would feel more proud of myself when I did exercise, rather than hating myself when I don’t.
diane – You’re completely right. I am having trouble making this fit into my routine. I got so used to coming home and doing nothing… now I hate having my nights all tied up. But at least I get to exercise with Steven!
god, i need your motivation. i am SO BAD about exercising every day. i’m like “but i exercised yesterday! i need to let my muscles rest! perhaps i should go straight home and eat 16 slices of pizza. yes, that would be MUCH better for me.”
Don’t apologize! You can blog about whatever you need to. 🙂 And I hear you on the guilt. I get that way too.
I am the same way with the guilt. Even if one of my kids is sick and that is the reason, I still feel like it isn’t enough of an excuse. Almost like I feel like I need a doctors note to make me feel ok about missing it. And even then I’m sure I’d feel guilty and like I “should” have done it.
As my upcoming exercise plan has some downtime built in, it’s not in the first month. Most of that is to keep me in the habit of working out. The downtime is just adding some time for my body to adjust properly without overworking it and pounding it to a point of exhaustion.
i feel like you just wrote the thoughts in my own head! i am the SAME way. i crave exercise (cardio) too and i push my body so hard. i am currently trying to heal a injured knee, and i STILL feel the guilt about not exercising. what is the matter with me?!?
Alice – Ha ha! There must be some sort of balance between what you feel and what I feel 😉
sizzle – Thanks 😀
tori – You’d still feel guilty with the note. I bet you’d even feel guilty if YOU were the sick one!
martymankins – I know that they say it is important to out the downtime in, but I am always so tempted to exercise on those days as well! 😉 I hope you do better than I am!
marissa – You are an overachiever? Maybe? Can we say that about ourselves as as excuse? 😉