[clevergirl]

I go to the gym in the morning, after I drop my child off for school and before I have to be at my job. I'm lucky in that my work is such that I don't necessarily have to look nice (I'm a parole officer) so I rarely worry about my hair and makeup.

Now that my SO is in law school, I have also taken to going to the gym again during lunch.

It used to be very easy for me to blow off the gym to join a girlfriend for lunch. Or to run errands. Or go home and pick up the house.

Now, I get kinda pissy when someone infringes on my "Me" time. Not at them, but at myself for having this internal battle of what to do. Be a good friend and maintain my friendships or put in time at the gym? Join my mom for coffee in the morning or go to the gym? Eat lunch at school with my daughter or go to the gym?

I realize it's a battle of competing priorities. Both things are important to me. and I feel selfish when I chose me.

Anyone else do this?

[Blueberries]

I am definitely protective of my gym time, but not to the point where I am excluding or neglecting other important parts of my life. *For me,* two times a day at the gym is not sustainable over the long-term and would be cause for concern that I was bordering on obsessive. I go 2-3 times per week, and I make sure I get those in, but I don't get selfish about it beyond getting those couple of trips.

i thought it was "me" time, not "me unless somebody else wants to do something different" time?


when i have access to the gym, i definitely go daily - i get the twitches if i miss a day. i'll go even if i'm not scheduled for weights - i'll just hang around on the cardio equipment (nice little half-hour walk, kinda thing) or go for a swim or a soak in the hot tub or whatever. it acts like a placemarker for my schedule.

[clevergirl]

Since my SO has been in school, I have totally become a slave to my habits and routines. I feel almost like a kid who throws a fit if my routine is upset.

Today, I texted my friend back (who had invited me to lunch) and told her that i absolutely had to get in some gym time and could we do a 30 minute lunch (so I could do 20 on the elliptical) and she happily agreed. She's a good and supportive friend.

I guess my commitment is stronger at the beginning of the week and I want to protect it. By friday, I'm usually ready for a break.

[Munchy]

I think you can decide on a daily basis what feels important to you. You always go once a day, so maybe the second time you can go if you have free time. If a friend calls and invites you out, you have the option to go meet up or go to the gym. Neither should make you feel guilty! Maybe make sure that you have one or two days a week with friends/family. That way you won't feel like you're neglecting anyone, even yourself.

[Unicorn67]

I wish I had been selfish with my "me" time over the years. For years and years I did everything for everyone else and didn't take care of myself... now my kids are mostly grown I've decided it's time for me and I don't mind saying no to other people at all!!

[Daki]

I'm incredibly selfish with my gym time and my healthy eating.

I will bail on other things to go to the gym. I will try to sway the restaurant decision to a place I know has healthy alternatives. If I can't sway the group away from a particular two restaurants, I won't go. One has my favorite sandwich in the world that I don't have the willpower to resist. The other one doesn't have anything on the menu I will eat.. between being no dairy, no grains, and that I don't like foods mixed together (I'm a 3 year old when it comes to different foods touching).. I won't go to the Mexican place. If you guys wanna go, more power to yah. I choose to stay home and not ruin my progress.

I only make healthy dinners anymore and I've always had the attitude that my boyfriend just has to deal with it since I'm the one cooking. Thankfully he's been nothing but supportive and tells me frequently "You're doing great, babe! You do what you gotta do, don't worry about me."