Motivation, when you least expect it.

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Aesop101
Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have to confess I've been hit and miss for quite sometime now. I was unemployed for 3 years until a couple of years ago and then I finally found a job in my field and in an industry I familiar with. During that time I was on every day, worked out as much as 3 hours a day and studied for the CPA exam. I was HIGHLY MOTIVATED.

Since starting my job I haven't been as good on the diet trail. Though I have done an extremely good job at work. I get off work and go home tired and say a short nap and I'm off to the gym. Well that wasn't happening.

Then Saturday my attitude changed. Over the winter, a harsh one, several trees either fell completely or lost many large limbs. So Saturday I grab the chainsaw and go at it. In about two minutes my arms felt like rubber. In my youth I could lift a transmission out of a car by myself and here I am with rubber arms after just a little work. Now the wood is heavy from rain but it's not large chunks. I continue to cut the wood and stack it. Then the chain comes off the saw. I say I will take a break and then restart the task. Well once I sit it's over. I fall asleep sitting up.

That made me think. Wow I am in terrible shape here and do I ever need to hit the gym. So Sunday as tired as I was hit the gym. Do a little work on the treadmill and then a couple of machines. Not much but I sure feel it. I take Monday off and go back Tuesday. Same thing but again on Wednesday I am feeling it. I crash and take about a 4 hour nap. Which is why I'm on late.

Starting Monday I have logged my meals every day. Plan on hitting the gym tomorrow with the same routine until I'm satisfied I can safely increase my levels of exercise.

What I expected when I started sawing was to just clean up the yard but now I expect a little more.

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  • gentlebreeze2
    gentlebreeze2 Posts: 450 Member
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    I totally understand what you're saying. When I lost the bulk of my weight it was common for me to burn between 800- 1,000 calories a day exercising. Then my health took a dive. I keep trying but I've never been able to get back to that huge burn. While I do some biking most days, I stopped recording it because it didn't seem like much to me. The last 6 months has been about finding a balance between activity and medicine. Now that spring is here I'm going to try to up my activity carefully. My biggest frustration is not being able to do all I had before. But I try to look at each day as a new beginning.

    Good luck with your renewed attitude! Remember there are 3 parts to health... food, exercise and the one most of us fall short on... sleep. Obviously you needed that rest if you slept for 4 hours on your nap.

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