Exercise! Love it or hate it, let's motivate each other to just DO IT!

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Old 02-09-2008, 12:34 AM   #1  
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Default Need to Stop Stalling

Procrastination/laziness/indecisiveness has been killing my exercise routine. I do get some workouts done at home (Taebo, Biggest Loser, etc), but I have been absolutely horrible in getting to the gym.

Ok, here is my stupid dilemma. Not sure if anyone can really help or give advise, but I have just been terrible at getting things together. I am currently a grad student so I actually have full free access to my university's gym, but I can never seem to get myself to go. I am on campus working/going to class from about 10-7 most days. I keep telling myself, I'll go to the gym at the end of the day, but when that time hits I am so ready to go home, I never end up going to the gym. Ideally, I would love to be able to go in the morning, but I could not deal with using the school showers as my main shower/place to get ready every morning. And the school/gym is about 25 mins away from me and opens at 7:30, so driving to the gym and then driving back to my apartment to shower and then driving back to school to get there before 10, is pretty impractical.

There is a Y about 2 blocks from my apartment, and would be so convenient. It opens early, so I would have plenty of time to go in the morning and since its so close by I think it would be easier to motivate myself to go workout when I am bored, or just hanging around the apartment. The obvious con is that it cost money, which as a student, is not something I have a ton of right now.

So for the past few months I have been having the debate with myself whether or not to sign up for the Y. I keep weighing why pay the $40 a month, when I could workout for free, vs. the fact that I am not and don't know if I ever will make use of the free gym, so if I have to pay $$ to get myself to workout, I might as well.

I know this is pretty much a decision I have to make myself, but if anybody has any advise or ways they motivate themselves, I'd greatly appreciate it.
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Old 02-09-2008, 09:17 AM   #2  
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Well, I'll give ya my suggestions!

First one --- since you DO cardio at home, you could go to the gym just for weights/toning...w/o working up too much of a sweat, so you could still go to class afterwards..

Second-- as a student, your Y shouldnt' be charging you $40. Ask them if there is a student rate, and also if you can just pay by the month. I know our Y here works deals like that, so you wouldnt' be out a bunch of "up front" money if it proves to be too much..

You can do it! You are sooo close to goal! The main thing is you're trying something, and you have the motivation and desire! Good luck!
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Old 02-09-2008, 10:42 AM   #3  
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I had exactly the same dilemma last year. Free, new, gorgeous campus gym that I was disinclined to use (I'm faculty and didn't want to exercise with students) and which I never, ever went to, and the Y, which I have to pay for. After deliberating for months, I was forced to face the fact that I had not and would not start going to the campus gym and that if I wanted to start exercising and lose weight, I had to join the Y. So I joined the Y and I love it. I think you will too.
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Old 02-09-2008, 12:10 PM   #4  
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This is funny because I'm in the same position. I'm an unmotivatedd college student and me post yesterday was pretty much about the same thing. Yesterday evening I logged off the schools computer and walked 3 miles home. My boyfriend and I usually drive in so he took the car and now I'm kicking myself for not thinking of this sooner. I had been at a plateau for awhile and this morning I was proud of myself and thinking thin thoughts and I lost a little weight! Chances are that you dont live super close to your university (as you indicated) but see if you can park half an mile- a mile away and give yourself time to walk there. It forces you to do it because you HAVE to get there, you never cover the same ground like you would in a loop and you will probably notice things about the localk environment you never have before. I walk on a busy raod and although there are no sidewalks and I have to cross some streets, there is still room for me. The biggest benefit is that it will make you feel really really good. But start slow! baby steps! Plus walking outside is more distracting thn numbers on a treadmill so it seams to pass quicker. Good luck!
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Old 02-09-2008, 12:12 PM   #5  
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Sorry for the poor grammar in my post. I guess I should have reread it before I submitted it!
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Old 02-09-2008, 12:13 PM   #6  
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Thanks for the suggestions. I am leaning towards signing up for the Y. I do cardio at home, but I really wanted to incorporate more cardio into my rountine, treadmill, ellipiticals, etc, so I wouldn't want to go to the gym just to lift. They do have a slightly discounted student rate (I think its like $33/month), but the problem is you have to be a full time student and show proof of taking 12 credits a semester. And while I am full time as far as my university is considered, I'm a grad student and only taking 9 credits, so I don't think I'd qualify.
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Old 02-09-2008, 12:24 PM   #7  
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I was in the same situation as you, we have a campus gym, it just isn't all that great..I ended up joining the Y, I get up at 5:30 everyday so I can work out, shower and get coffee before class at 9, and it works great for me. You might be able to get your university to write a letter stating that you are a full time student there, that is what I did- I only have 8 credits this term, but as a nursing student I am full time- it really makes no sense, but it worked for me!
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Old 02-09-2008, 02:18 PM   #8  
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I agree. I wouldn't give up on the student rate that easy. Also, if you're on your own financially, you can most likely qualify for a reduced rate through a financial scholarship at the Y. It can't hurt to apply, at any rate, and they will help you any way they can to make it affordable.
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Old 02-09-2008, 04:13 PM   #9  
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one, possibly less appealing suggestion albeit cheaper, would be to only do your wt. trg. at school(as suggested earlier) and on those days just plan on wearing your hair up (or in a scarf or in a hat....) bring baby wipes (get them at the dollar store) and wash your pits and face before you head to classes.
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Old 02-09-2008, 09:27 PM   #10  
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Good news. I finally sucked it up and signed up for the Y. I brought registration stuff with me from the school saying I was a full timer, so for now they are letting me have the student rate. Its not the greatest gym in the world, but it has enough stuff and is real close, so hopefully this will be the thing I need to get my workouts in consistently.
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Old 02-09-2008, 10:31 PM   #11  
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Razz, try to set a goal of going x times every week for a month. Once you hit the one month mark, keep counting, and you won't want to miss going because then you'll have to start from scratch to reach your record!

Or maybe that just works for me because I'm super competitive...
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Old 02-11-2008, 08:51 AM   #12  
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Razz,

I know how tough it can be working as a grad student. Sometimes, it feels as if your mind is so fried after reading paper after paper, you just want to melt into a puddle and lay flat in bed! I know I would! My boss, the professor, left for sabbatical, and gifted me with all of his administrative tasks as well as the standard research project. Don't you love when bosses do that?

Here at Penn State, we aren't so lucky to have a free really-nice gym, but we have one that costs only about 50 bucks a semester, which is almost free. The problem is, that it is generally flooded with people in the time after work in which I would come in. So instead, I choose to come in nice and early in the morning - 7AM to be exact, where generally there are older people. It's good that you found a Y nearby though. In my case, I do have to grin and bear it -- and shower on campus, in a place where there are no shower stalls - just open stalls. I live too far away to actually even think about going home and showering. I guess in some ways, I'm the odd one here - I don't particularly mind walking in with a towel, and showering, and then coming back to change. I've found that really, despite my bulk -- no one seems to care, and I don't tend to really care, or look at them.

Of course, I'm the sweatiest girl there... struggling not to rain all over the place when I'm exercising. I don't think baby wipes would be an option for me to last the day. :<

One thing to tell you to motivate you -- exercising has helped me get work done more efficiently. In the morning, after I've come off of a workout - I am ready to run around and get things done - I used to be sluggish even after a cup of coffee. With some of the machines, you can even put papers on (I know some people here might not like the idea) and read you research papers while working out.

You're gonna do great! Keep your chin up, and go out there!

-R
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Old 02-11-2008, 10:51 PM   #13  
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Rach, nothing against reading papers here: I say anything that gets you to move a bit more is good! I'm actually typing this on the treadmill going 3.5 MPH. It's not really giving me a workout, but I figure it's better than sitting at my desk for 30 minutes!
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Old 02-12-2008, 07:36 AM   #14  
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Scene,

Wow! Type and talk at the same time! Talented! Does your gym have a laptop support on the machines?

*laughs* I wish I could type and walk at the same time. Alas, I'm clumsy enough if I tried to do anything besides concentrate on walking/jogging on the treadmill, I'd trip and fall all over myself - with pieces of laptop and papers following.

Keep chugging away! (and 3.5 isn't bad... my normal fast walk is 4.0 -- I'm a turtle at the gym compared to the rabbits going 7-8mph!)

-R
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Old 02-12-2008, 01:57 PM   #15  
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No laptop support - just a bar that my laptop can balance a bit precariously on I'm being careful though, so hopefully it will be okay. And this is actually at the hotel where I'm staying for business - I'd be way too embarrassed to bring my laptop down to the gym where other people could see me
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