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D'oh! Minor Glitch in my Motivation Plans

IamMCM
IamMCM Posts: 122
in Motivation and Support
After being sedentary due to a crazy work schedule for two years, I now have a stable job and am back on track. My main excuse for not exercising before was, "I'm too busy, I'll do it later," which morphed into, "Oh no, I ran out of time. I'll do it tomorrow...really, I will."

Now my new insurance covers part of my health club membership. The club has lunch time classes; I work from home, and sometimes have meetings or other things that run into lunch time, but I still have no excuse. The club also has a pool, and I love water jogging, so on those busy days I can simply hit the pool in the evening.

Or at least that was the plan....

Today was one of those days, and as I headed into the pool to do my laps, I noticed a sign: "Pool will be closed on Friday to assess interior repairs that will be done later this year." Yep, at some point soon it's going to be shut down for a while.

I know that's no excuse, and I have time to come up with a contingency, but I'm not a treadmill or elliptical kind of gal, so I'm not sure what else I can do in the late evening. I love the water because it combines both cardio and resistance and it's kind to my 50 year old body.

I do have a good selection of exercise DVDs, so Plan B might be to do one of those on days when I can't get to an afternoon class. Hopefully the pool won't be closed for too long, and in the meantime I need to remind myself that health is my number one motivator and that it's up to me to find ways to get my body moving.

Replies

  • Dansk_USA
    Dansk_USA Posts: 32 Member
    I hope you find something to keep you going. I know it's not easy when the plans change, but doing something, even taking a nice walk, is better than doing nothing while the pool is being maintained. I'm glad you found the perfect fit for your workout, and keep up the good work!
  • IamMCM
    IamMCM Posts: 122
    Thanks for the encouragement! I know I have plenty of options if I open my mind. For example, I'd like to do C25K, but it's too bloody hot here in FL to start for a while. If the pool closes soon, that might be motivation to get on the treadmills. I know it's not the same as outside running, but it's still a way to build some stamina.
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 845 Member
    Depending on what your goals are, take a look into Stronglifts 5x5
  • alfiedn
    alfiedn Posts: 425 Member
    I know this is going to sound silly, but maybe you need to really schedule those classes if possible. Block them out as appointments so you don't schedule other meetings during them. I don't know if that's a possibility with your job, but if it is, I would make sure you make time for yourself.
  • dedflwrs
    dedflwrs Posts: 251 Member
    That's a bummer but there are things that you can do even from home and that require no equipment. I had a few sessions with a trainer back in February and everything we did was stuff I could do anywhere I go, using just my own body weight. And yes, motivation is the hardest thing. I can find a million excuses (let me know if you need one of mine) so the trick is to "just do it" which I know it's easy to say but not so much to apply.

    One thing you could do is buy a pair of jeans or another item of clothing you would like to fit into and use it as inspiration. Every time you feel an excuse coming on then look at them, try them on and see where you are and where you could be.

    Good luck :)
  • IamMCM
    IamMCM Posts: 122
    That's a great idea on the "inspiration pants,"and I'm actually using it already with pants and a swimsuit. I've got the classes blocked out, but it has to be as "tentative" because my schedule is fluid. I teach college classes online and am also involved with other projects that call for meetings which sometimes come up on short notice. Overall, though, I should be able to make it to the classes two to three days a week.

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