[mommiesruletheworld]

I got pretty sick a few weeks ago and just fell off the wagon of exercising regularly and eating healthy, and I'm always justifying why I don't need to exercise whenever I've made time to do it. I'm also feeling pretty down in the dumps about life in general right now too.

What do you do when you feel like this to turn it back around and get back on the wagon???

[Mel]

Buy a new workout top and go DO IT. Exercise will increase your endorphins and serontonin levels. You WILL feel better emotionally when you exercise regularly.

When I was in college and procrastinating about writing a paper, I'd go buy a new pen. I'm ancient enough that papers were written with PENS and not a computer! Kind of silly, but it worked. I've really never fallen off the exercise wagon, but I look forward to a new workout, a new pair of running shoes, new music...anything that isn't the same old, same old.

And come here and post about about it!

Mel

[mommiesruletheworld]

Hey that's a really good idea. Thank you for sharing that!

[luckymommy]

I get my workout clothes out the night before and put them on in the morning. If I don't, I might be inclined to put on street clothes and then skip the workout. This way, I'm already dressed, so I might as well do it, right? Also, sometimes I get a new song on my iPod and I pretend I'm at a club or a party dancing to it (since my hubby hates dancing, so I might as well pretend). Sometimes, getting a nice pedicure will make me feel better or making plans with a friend to do a strenuous walk will make me more likely to show up. You're obviously doing amazing, so just keep it up! Think how far you've come!!! I've lost weight before only to regain it. I had about 8 months of chronic daily migraines and couldn't even think about working out. I now know that as cliche as it might sound, working out really is a priveldge that many people wish they could indulge in. Yeah, it can be a drag to us, to get our butts into the gym, but once we're done, we feel pretty darn great that we got that accomplished.

Take care! You can do this!

[Lydia227]

I've found myself in a rut feeling the way you describe several times in the past two years. The first thing I do is try to evaluate what might really be happening to me. Sometimes my lack of enthusiasm was because I as simply working too hard. I also have found that doing the same routine more than a few weeks can also lead me to burn out. I'm not a big fan of repetition.

My interest in heading into the gym can also falter when "life" gets in the way. My goal this year was to strike a balance between spending time with my 4 year old on the days that he was not in preschool. That meant that there were two days of the week that I was not going in. Then there were appointments to keep on the days that he was in school so my gym days were cut there when necessary. Add in the once a month classroom volunteering, PTO stuff, and the lunch group I belong to and things got a little hairy for me this year. I struggled to get in two or three days some weeks. ~sigh~ Without the reinforcement of those endorphins pushing me in for my next workout it became easier to resist heading in on the days I had available.

So, when this happened I kept in mind how wonderful I felt during my cardio sessions and how relaxed and just slap stupid happy I felt two hours later. I'm not willing to give those up for anything. That's when I know I have to head back in and plow through until I'm feeling great again.

The other thing I do when I feel a rut coming on is research new exercises/approaches/techniques online and in the library. I may take a month and research functional fitness or maybe challenge myself with all bodyweight exercises, currently I'm thinking something like yoga might be a nice addition as well. One of my favorite things is to watch CrossFit videos for ideas and inspiration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pqBNPNcR9c

You may also want to invest a little money and hire a personal trainer. Just having another person to bounce things off of who is there in the trenches with you is helpful too. Just ask JG.

If all else fails then I get out the photo album from five years ago. Have my little moment and then promise myself to go back in the next day. I really think the key for me though is consistency in going into the gym and depositing those positive moments and experiencing in my memory as they occur so that I can draw upon them when I'm feeling the way you describe.

Bottom line is we all feel this way from time to time It does not need to result in a permanent break in all the good habits you are establishing. Sometimes a break really is necessary. It is a time for evaluation and repair. In the New Rules for Women the authors also point this out and plan a week of rest just for this reason.

Good luck and happy researching.

[bukirouge]

I solve any long lasting depression or feelings of restlessness (with no inclination to do anything physical about it) by getting my haircut and my eyebrows waxed, its a physical change that jolts me into a new frame of mind and I look different everytime I see myself in the mirror so (as silly as it sounds) its easier for me to envision a different me personality wise (maybe happier and less likely to snap at my boyfriend) and weight wise. Though maybe that's awful advice because the last time the stylist I went too took twice as much hair off as I asked and I have short shorn hair that I kind of hate, or at least I miss my long hair A LOT! Though everyone says its a much better look for me...so maybe its a wash.

[mommiesruletheworld]

Thank you for all of your ideas and help! I've been getting outside to do yard work this morning and yesterday, and that seemed to help too.