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How important is fitness to you?
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I consider it very important part of my life. I am a SAHM to two young kids and we start everyday going to the YMCA. I feel it is the best way to start my day. I don't find that my fitness really gets in the way of my social life or my family life. I have always been known to get workouts in first thing in the morning, that way my day is not interrupted. If we have something early that morning, sometimes I will get up at 4:30 to get my workout done. I have always given myself two rest days a week, so when I know I have outings I try to plan my rest days around those outings. I am not a big drinker and my husband and I rarely stay out late, but if we do I am okay with taking the day off. I have been committed to my workouts for years, my husband gets it and respects it just like I respect his hunting and fishing time. I know when my kids get older I will become busier with their activities, but for me there is always the morning time! It also helps that I have a "home gym" in my basement with several cardio machines and a weight set.0
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Time and resources in life are finite and temporal. So we put our efforts into the most important things in our life, or we should. So just realize you give up something to get somethings else.2
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Anyone who literally says to me, "Choose between me and X!" has really already made a choice, and I'm not into ultimatums, so my answer to that would be to wave goodbye.
HOWEVER, there is a difference between, "It's fitness or me!" and, "I really can't handle you spending six hours a day at the gym." It may sound like the same thing to you, but coming at it from the other side, it's no fun to be in a relationship where you are treated as an obstacle to the other person's goals, and I won't do it. Why should I give you any space in my life when I'm constantly getting the message that being with me is hampering you? No thanks. I'm a person, not a bad habit.
Health and strength are very important to me right now, but they'll pretty much never trump the people I love. I'm adaptable, and it's not reasonable to expect other people to adapt to me if I don't reciprocate.3 -
DresdenSinn wrote: »I wouldn't say it consumes me but it's close. I have no other obligations to occupy my time, I'm not married and have no children. If it wasn't for fitness and nutrition I'd probably be in prison or worse off...dead!
I say the same thing about video games and my job.
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It's my lifestyle, I've been working out since age 13 and I'm 43 now. It has 0% effect on my relationship. I workout before work, eat healthy, and do outdoorsy stuff with my wife who also eats healthy (probably healthier than I do in fact).1
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The further you get into your journey, undoubtedly you invest more time, money, effort...
I found this particularly true when I first got into the groove of taking fitness seriously, once you get your training, diet and sleep in check. You see your goals can become reality.
It's kind of addictive motoring towards your dream physique and naturally something that takes so much commitment, can also leave you guilty of sacrificing relationships, I know I did, I'd turn down dates or meetings with friends to go and throw some weights around. This was mainly due to knowing that with friends or girls I often went way off track with my diet. Or wouldn't train due to hangovers...
My question is how highly do you prioritise fitness/gym I'm your life?
When you really think about it, is it something you genuinely love and would put before relationships if it came to the point you had to choose?
As I get older it's becoming more and more of a passion for me. As I see more and more friends and family suffer from obesity related illnesses, I realize that this is my fate if i don't change and improving my fitness is becoming more and more of a necessity to me.3 -
It's why I do my workouts first thing in the morning. Frees up the rest of my day and affords me no excuses not to get it done.
I've never been a super social person so I can't say my fitness goals has ever interfered with my social life. Since I workout early in the morning my kids have never really suffered for it either other than maybe getting breakfast a little bit later than when they first wake up. I try to stay as active as possible throughout the day so taking them to the zoo, for walks around the neighborhood (when it's not too hot), for bike rides, or to the pool to swim happens regularly around here.
I did join a running group at my local YMCA - now that is fun. We only run 1x a week, Saturday mornings, but perhaps a quest for fitness can improve ones social life
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I walked up some stairs today.... no sorry that was a lie, that was yesterday.1
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I'm a little older than most who have posted on this thread so here's my take -- I started using MFP to lose weight. I knew that a lot of my medical issues and aches and pain could be solved by eating better. I needed a tool to easily keep track of what I was eating. My goals, thought process: feel better by eating correctly; specifically lower blood sugars and inflammation; leading to more energy and ease of movement; which would fuel desire to be more active. Bottom line - I don't enjoy exercise if I approach it as a chore or a checkbox. I enjoy exercise when it is more of a natural expression of my energy and self-satisfaction.2
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Right now "fitness" is my principle hobby.
I'm retired and have been spending all of my time recently tricking out my in home gym and devoting my time to working out (day and night) using all of the equipment that I have on hand.0 -
Here is my order of prioritization and the amount of time I spend on each:
1. School (September to April) or work (May to August): 10 hours a day (usually a few hours of class +5-7 hours of homework).
2. Fitness: 1 hour of walking to+from train station and school/work, and half hour of a 4k run in the evening. OR 1 hour run on weekends.
3. Relaxing (watching TV, social media, iPad, computer etc): 3 hours a day.
4. Friends: Whenever someone texts me I answer back. Hangout maybe like 5 hours a month.
So yeah, fitness is up there right after my academics.
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If I had to choose between fitness and a relationship, I'd choose the gym in a heartbeat. Frankly, I have a much better well being (personally) if I take care of myself in this way.0
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As a long term single guy, the gym is pretty much all I do.1
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I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life. I would NEVER stay in on weekends just to work out or to stay within my calorie range. However , this could be because my boyfriend is extremely supportive. He is not as keen on fitness as I am , but he does watch what he eats and even go on walks with me everyday. I just do my workout routine in the morning before work and then after work while he is at work. I think the key is time management and balance. But life is too short to not enjoy going out and having fun with people you love 1
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If your relationship is at a point where someone says "it's me or the gym", one or both of you have major priorities problems.2
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healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
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Faith, family, fitness in that order. Luckily enough, my faith and family fall neatly into my fitness routine, plans and goals so they all come together in a nice little package. Yes... fitness is an absolute priority in my life. It's non-negotiable.1
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CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?0 -
Family first, absolutely.
I have definitely let my fitness goals take a backseat for extended periods of my life when I felt like various obligations (including getting ahead financially) needed my focus. I got lectured during one such doughy phase by a man who told me that I have a choice, and that I am choosing to be out of shape. Just that week I had driven past his house and saw that his lawn was a foot high. Obligations weren't his thing apparently. Fast forward 15 years and he is not doing well financially (never put the time and effort into his career) and divorced.
Health is number one, even above family/obligations, but not fitness.0 -
Part of the kiwi lifestyle - time outdoors with mates mountain biking, trail running and just having a blast in nature.0
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healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
Some of us didn't socialize before the gym. It's just provided something for me to do, and has taken away from nothing, other than my excessive time spent playing video games.2 -
healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
I'll take "Strawmen" for two hundred Alex!
I work to build strength because it makes the rest of my life easier. I "miss out" on feeling like crap most of the time for an investment of a whole four hours a week of weight room time.
No one else is going to make my health a priority, and if me doing so is "rejecting to socialize" that's just too damned bad.1 -
healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
I asked a guy out on a date once but he declined because he didn't want to let down his gym buddy. He totally would have gotten laid too. Oh-well, he didn't even have a car so I don't think I missed out on anything.1 -
MonkeyMel21 wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
I asked a guy out on a date once but he declined because he didn't want to let down his gym buddy. He totally would have gotten laid too. Oh-well, he didn't even have a car so I don't think I missed out on anything.
This sounded like me, until you got to the no car part. Though admittedly, it would have been less of a conversation, and more me just staring at you awkwardly for a couple of seconds before turning more red than Che Guevara, and then moving rapidly in the other direction.1 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »MonkeyMel21 wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
I asked a guy out on a date once but he declined because he didn't want to let down his gym buddy. He totally would have gotten laid too. Oh-well, he didn't even have a car so I don't think I missed out on anything.
This sounded like me, until you got to the no car part. Though admittedly, it would have been less of a conversation, and more me just staring at you awkwardly for a couple of seconds before turning more red than Che Guevara, and then moving rapidly in the other direction.
Well, we had been emailing (now that I think about it, he might not have even had a cell phone......) and I asked him out over the phone. I was trying to give him directions to the restaurant, but then he said he didn't have a car and that he was going to the gym. I saw him a year later at a bar and made out with him and then left him sitting there unable to get up, lol. I felt a bit vindicated.1 -
MonkeyMel21 wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
I asked a guy out on a date once but he declined because he didn't want to let down his gym buddy. He totally would have gotten laid too. Oh-well, he didn't even have a car so I don't think I missed out on anything.
Seriously? Thats just annoying haha , I dont think you missed out on anything either !1 -
It's important enough for me to schedule most things around it. If there's something I have to do during my gym time, then I find another time to get my workout in whether I have to get up earlier or work out much later (I do have a BIOFORCE and suspension trainer in my garage).
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I'm going through a divorce now (should be done by Oct/Nov 2016) ...... I was told (one of the reasons) for the divorce was because I got too overweight for her standards.
I JUST (last week) started my Road to Recovery - the right woman will understand my passion.1 -
Packerjohn wrote: »darrensurrey wrote: »Do you mean looking fit or being fit?
Usually go pretty much and in hand for most people.
Meaning, maybe, reality, probably not. Go to any tennis or squash club, for instance. Loads of very fit people sporting beer guts.0 -
MonkeyMel21 wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »CipherZero wrote: »healthy491 wrote: »I dont get the point of striving to have a nice physique and then not enjoying it by going out and just participating in life.
The nice physique is a side-effect of getting to a healthier weight and overall health, not the major driver - at least in my case.
So how is rejecting to socialize and going to the gym exactly healthy?
I asked a guy out on a date once but he declined because he didn't want to let down his gym buddy. He totally would have gotten laid too. Oh-well, he didn't even have a car so I don't think I missed out on anything.
Y'know, I think women are behaving poorly when they skip out of a pre-existing commitment to a female friend, in order to go out with a guy. I'd feel likewise about a guy who'll blow off a commitment to a friend (gym or whatever) in order to go out with a woman.
YMMV . . . clearly.
But this isn't a gym vs. relationships with people question; it's a "being an unreliable jerk instead of an actual friend" question.4
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