I feel so guilty. I usually get up in the morning because I KNOW I wont do any exercise in the afternoon. For the past month though, sleeping has been waaaay more tempting. In addition, I haven't lost any weight.
I have the same problem. It's just gotten so hot here, that it makes it tough to find a good time to get out. Early, early in the morning, and I just can't drag myself out of bed. Plus on work days, I have to get up so early already. Then at night, well, I can't go then because I have to get to bed to get up so early, and by the time it's cool enough, it's too late. My treadmill is broken. Excuses, excuses. I know I could still do other indoor exercises, but I'm not.
I feel heavy, I feel depressed and I'm not losing anything either. Exercise has become sort of a drug for me, and if I let it go over a week, I start to feel blue. I'm heading out tonight. At least I have my one group that meets weekly.
It is very frustrating. Motivation comes from within. Sometimes you just have to do it. But then you can't.... ugh! What to do?
I have a suggestion for you, Mammacita. Since mornings work better for you, get your exercise clothes ready the night before. Lay them out. Sleep in them if you must. Then in the morning, it's a matter of rolling out of bed, getting dressed or putting on your shoes, and just go. Maybe go to bed a little bit earlier if you can.
Sometimes I get in to my work out clothes first thing in the morning, or right when I get home from work. If I intend to work out later, and I'm ready to work out later, then I'm more likely to work out later. Then when the motivation hits me or if I have a free minute, I can throw on my shoes and just jump on the treadmill and do what I can. Or I can plan that time to get outside to run, and I've saved myself some time (and excuses) because I'm m already ready. I haven't done this lately, so maybe that's step one for me.
Even if you don't end up doing it, if you keep planning to, and intending to, at some point you're going to get in to it again. I just don't understand how exercise can make me feel so good, and has really improved the shape of my body and just have so many benefits, and yet it's the first thing I let go of when time becomes a factor.
I feel the same way. I have my up days (I am on my way to goal and I am so proud of how far I have come!) and down days (my thighs look the same. This is exhausting and the results are so slow and subtle is it even worth it? no one else I know in real life tries this hard, is one day of slacking off gonna kill me?) On my down days, I complain and I feel miserable while I work out because right after, I always think "I'm glad I did it." I just remind myself that when I work to maintain my weight, I'll have up and down days too but thats OK to have those feelings as long as I am still actively making an effort no matter how I feel -WHAT I do affects my body- instead of thinking "I don't want to do this because I lost motivation" I think "Man it blows to do this lacking motivation" because not doing it is out of the question.
Mamasita, are you sure afternoons won't work? I ask because I am an avid morning exercise (and a morning person in general). However, this summer my schedule has changed, and it has become difficult to work out most mornings. So, I decided to try going in the afternoon, and you know what? It has worked out great. The advantages are that I normally experience a lull in energy in the afternoon, but working out seems to combat that. I seem to actually have more strength and can push myself harder in the afternoons than in the early mornings. Also, it curbs my afternoon appetite, and I don't snack at all in the afternoon like I would be prone to do if I were just at home. (In fact, yesterday, I skipped lunch!).
I've realized that sometimes what I've always done may not always work and I'll need to adjust. You might find this true for you as well.
@lin - Yes, that might work, I have done it that way in the past. I suppose its more preferance and lack of motivation in the afternoon then not fitting in my schedule. After work, I like to spend time with the fam and time cooking dinner and not have to worry about getting a workout in and showering.....because then no dinner will be made and I might end up making bad food choices.
Ugh, I hear you. I just got back into exercising after a 2 1/2 month hiatus. It was really difficult the first couple of days but it has gotten easier. I am still not up to the level I was before. And, although I haven't gained but a couple of pounds back, not exercising makes my few pounds look like alot more.
Good luck getting your motivation back, once you start it will get easier!
Seriously. I've been the same weight for about 10 months. I need someone (ME) to kick my butt in the mornings and get me out of bed.
It's time to get going. I love the gym for weights, but it's not feasible in my life right now, so I'm resorting to home videos and I already bought four Jillian Michaels DVDs that are just staring at me. I haven't even put one in the DVD player yet.
I have to do morning work-outs too. BUT - I also have to walk the dogs (a little exercise for me, but I don't really count that as a "work-out") - AND shower AND have breakfast AND get ready for work... I get up at 5:30am. UGH... YAWWWWNNNNN.....because if I wait til evening, I'm just too pooped to pop out a work out! (but I still try to get in an evening doggie walk, because they need their exercise, too!)
I also sometimes wear my work-out clothes (yoga shorts/pants & jog bra type of tank-top) to bed, it's just EASIER to get going. So I hop outta bed, put on my shoes, grab the doggies and off I go! One-two miles each morning, depending on whether or not I got up late ( ) or if it's raining or whatever. Then home to shower, have breakfast, and hit the weights - I usually do 20 minutes of heavy lifting ;10-15 if I don't have much time, making sure I hit the major muscle groups... leg lifts, squats, arm curls, lat pull downs, push ups & tri-cep kick-backs. If I have some extra time, I'll add some lunges & crunches.
Then there are those mornings when I just. Can't. Get. Outta. Bed. and I just Don't. Do. ANYTHING (except quick around the block with doggies for potty purposes!) Ugh. (nobody's perfect! )
Last edited by Beach Patrol; 06-06-2012 at 12:08 PM.
I hear ya',h mammasita. I am fortunate in that I work from home during the summer, so I can pretty much make my own schedule (of course, I have to consider what my husband--retired--wants to do, too, which limits me somewhat). If I had to go into work as I do during the spring and fall, I doubt very seriously I would have the energy to work out after work.
When I was not a gym member, I just did bodyweight exercises at home and tried to multitask by vigorously cleaning my house; I logged both in my calorie counting "exercise" app. We do what we can do. Also, weight loss mainly depends on how we eat. I figure that if there comes a day when I cannot work out like I currently am, I'll have to lower my calories by 200-300.
I feel your guilt, girl. I haven't worked out since last Sunday, but before that I went on a two-week break. A couple weeks before that I went on a month break. Sounds like sleeping in workout clothes might be a great option for you; similarly, when I know I'm not going to want to workout at work like I should I put all my clothes, towel and toiletries in my gym back and leave it by my front door. That way all I have to do is go home, exchange my work bag for my workout bag and head out the door again. Clearly I haven't been doing that lately...
Mammasita, this happens to me all the time. But I PROMISE you that once you just get your butt to the gym and have one crazy awesome workout, that's all you need to get back on track. I get terrified, like "what if I never work out again??!?" But then I just GO and realize I still got it! Even if it's been like 2 weeks.
Yeah, I forced myself out of bed this morning only to step on the scale and see a 2lb gain from yesterday (TOM JUST started yesterday afternoon). Shocking to me because I NEVER have a weight change like that when I start. Needless to say, I wanted to jump back in bed and say screw the workout, but I pushed on.
Now, I just need to make myself stick with it tomorrow morning. I think once I get past 3-4 days.....it won't be so hard.
What about lunch break? I hear you, my "windows" are "before work" and "right after work." I've been consistent and good about it, but it's so hard to fit it in some days - and I don't have a family to feed!
I haven't worked out in about a month
(but I still try to get in an evening doggie walk, because they need their exercise, too!)
) or if it's raining or whatever. Then home to shower, have breakfast, and hit the weights - I usually do 20 minutes of heavy lifting ;10-15 if I don't have much time, making sure I hit the major muscle groups... leg lifts, squats, arm curls, lat pull downs, push ups & tri-cep kick-backs. If I have some extra time, I'll add some lunges & crunches.
)
