I realized when I got back from my 3.7 mile hike last Sunday that I felt better than I ever have except a really good Yoga class for an exercise 'high'. And even though I added on a half mile and a quick stop at a convenience store for a candy bar ice cream, my time was still 1 hour 20 minutes. I felt powerful, strong, and capable.
And when I feel that way, I should watch out because the pit is about to open up.
In this case, it was my momentum. Monday when I got home, I messed around, sat down a lot, puttered about and finally MADE myself go to the gym for my 30 minute walk/run thing. It has been cold and rainy here in Atlanta -- totally unlike May should be -- and I just wanted potato soup and bread.
Tuesday AM came, the alarm went off, I rolled over. I did manage to fit in a workout before my Tuesday PM market on S Atlanta Rd but it was nip and tuck the whole way and I really didn't enjoy it.
Didn't work out at all on Wednesday and barely hit a snake at my other chores.
Thursday AM came and went and no workout so I blasted out of my real job, to the gym for a 75% workout, to the showers, to the East Atlanta Village market and then crashing at home.
Friday came -- it was misting rain but the grass needed to be cut, the recycles needed to be taken, can you hear the excuses??? and yes, no workout.
Today, Saturday was a cold, wet yucky day with a crappy Marietta market, shopping for the wedding reception tomorrow at church and yes, no workout.
No long hike tomorrow due to the reception.
Momentum is lost.
And having drug myself around in the rain, whined for a while to poor Don, and grouched a little to Cole, I realized that I use the adrenaline for an emotional crutch. A little down, get really busy, get something done, anything done, and the mood lifts, the spirits rise. On the flip side, when I use food and my food drug of choice is carbs, my spirits lower, I feel more sleepy, more down, more in the pit.
The question is -- how do you sustain a workout program like this -- a 10 year plan -- and not lose the momentum?
And into these meanderings lands an email from one of my favorite authors -- Pam Young of Sidetracked Home Executives. The email is about getting out of debt but it certainly applies to me and my lack of focus on exercise.
"As you may or may not know, I was 58 years old when I faced my debt. You have some great fun ahead of you, if you will choose to look at getting out of debt as a "fun" project. I said in the first book I ever wrote "You can only eat an elephant one bite at a time." You didn't get into this mess overnight and you are not going to get out of it overnight. If you look at the whole picture that's when you get overwhelmed and freeze up, put yourself down, get depressed etc. Also, when you look at the whole elephant it looks impossible! So, the trick is to take your knowledge of the debt (which is so necessary but hard to face) and "enjoy" the journey out of debt. It's baby step joys! It's walking out of Safeway with cash you would have spent by not being aware of your little inner child who wants what she wants and wants it now! It's getting a sense of being proud that you put $10 or $15 or $25 into a savings account for the month, because you are establishing the habit. It's your behavior that got you in debt and it will be your behavior that gets you out. Work one day at a time with the changes you want to make."
It is being proud when you roll over on Tuesday morning but still fly by the gym Tuesday afternoon and do 75% of the workout.
And to that endeavor, I plan on doing a 'small' training hike tomorrow. I will do 2 miles and plaster a gold star for that one. Baby steps, baby steps.
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