Simple revelations

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withchaco
withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
in Motivation and Support
I do one 65-minute cardio session on the elliptical every day. The hardest part for me is around 10-20 minutes in... The temptation to just hop off the machine and rest is so strong. When I get past that part, it gets easier instead of harder, even though I'm physically more tired.

Why is this?

Well, I finally figured it out. Since I'm aiming for 65 minutes, around 10 minutes I have this thought in mind: "55 more minutes to go." 55 is such a big number; it makes the exercise seem harder in my mind. But when I only have 20 something minutes left, that doesn't seem so hard... so I keep going.

So today, when I was 10 minutes in, I told myself to focus on NOW. Are you physically unable to keep going RIGHT NOW? Are you falling off the machine? Are your legs giving out at this moment? If the answer is no, I keep moving my legs. And the answer is always no. That way, I don't have to think about how much longer I have to do it. I just think about the simple fact that yes, I can do it now. I'm going to exercise with this mindset from now on, every time I do my workout.

This is all very simple, but it's made such a big difference to me. Anyone else have similar stories to share? Any simple revelations that made a significant difference for you?

Replies

  • MOMSHOME
    MOMSHOME Posts: 72
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    Great idea, thanks for that advise. I am doing to 30 day shred, i'm at level 2 and some of the workout wears out my legs and I do not think I can go on any longer. Iwill try to remember that instead of thinking out 20 seconds left, just think about NOW. Thanks for the advise.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
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    65 minutes on the elliptical ?? WOW .. you are my hero ! Way to go !! ANd yes, great advice about thinking in the NOW - that is what I TRY to focus on when I"m on the devil elliptical. LOL
  • lindak71
    lindak71 Posts: 92 Member
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    I usually break my workout into fractions! So, if I'm doing 45 minutes on the arc trainer, every 5 minutes is a ninth, every 15 is a third... I break my mileage down when I'm running on the treadmill, and when I'm doing intervals and I'm running at a very uncomfortable speed, I even have to break down each minute! So, if you do 65 minutes and you break that up for every 5 minutes you have 13 parts... That number seems more manageable than the 55 you are mentally stuck at., but, hey, that's just my opinion!
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I usually break my workout into fractions! So, if I'm doing 45 minutes on the arc trainer, every 5 minutes is a ninth, every 15 is a third... I break my mileage down when I'm running on the treadmill, and when I'm doing intervals and I'm running at a very uncomfortable speed, I even have to break down each minute! So, if you do 65 minutes and you break that up for every 5 minutes you have 13 parts... That number seems more manageable than the 55 you are mentally stuck at., but, hey, that's just my opinion!
    That's what I had been doing, but it wasn't working for me!
  • jwerman
    jwerman Posts: 176
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    Thanks for sharing, that's a great idea! Just recently got a treadmill...so I have a feeling I will be trying this soon.

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