Anyone feel guilty?

vmlabute
vmlabute Posts: 311 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Although I'm living a healthy lifestyle and making sure I'm in the gym at least 4x/week, I can't help but have the guilty feeling when I miss gym time due to working 2 jobs. Like last night and tonight, I feel as though I'm setting myself back by not committing myself to exercising like I said I would.

Anyone have similar feelings?

Replies

  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 785 Member
    I feel sad as well when I miss my speed walk at lunch or my strength training after work. But i make time for it when I can
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    I don’t feel guilty when I miss a workout, but I do feel pretty antsy and usually try and squeeze something else active in, even a quick walk. If you find you are regularly missing the goals you set for yourself, I would suggest reevaluating your goals. It’s good to push yourself, but if your goal are too tough you might get discouraged (and feel guilty!), which can lead to giving up entirely. It’s better to go to the gym twice a week instead of zero times - why not try that as a goal for a while and see how you do? Or say that if you can’t make it to the gym, you will spend 15/20 minutes at home walking or doing a fitness video or energetically cleaning the kitchen? Good luck, and you can do this - just don’t give up!
  • vmlabute
    vmlabute Posts: 311 Member
    Thank you everyone. I'm trying to keep my foods in check and telling myself it's ok :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    No guilt here.
    I appreciate that I am doing a lot more than I used to do. I could do more and it is great when I do.
    I have not set up strict rules on how much exercise I will do.

    Maybe your fitness goal of going to the gym so often is not realistic with your 2 job lifestyle. Maybe you need to scale back your goal or shift to non-gym ways to be more fit.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    If your goal is weight management, it's more important what you are doing in the kitchen than what you do at the gym.

    Exercise is great for your health, but rest is also equally important, perhaps review your exercise goals and make sure they work around your normal routine. There are many other ways of getting more activity into your day besides intentional exercise outside of work.
  • vmlabute
    vmlabute Posts: 311 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    No guilt here.
    I appreciate that I am doing a lot more than I used to do. I could do more and it is great when I do.
    I have not set up strict rules on how much exercise I will do.

    Maybe your fitness goal of going to the gym so often is not realistic with your 2 job lifestyle. Maybe you need to scale back your goal or shift to non-gym ways to be more fit.

    My biggest thing is that I have high expectations for myself due to the fact that I was working 2 jobs as a single mom, and going to the gym 6 days/week. Now that I have a blended family with another child added, I don't have the time or the energy to be going to the gym that much or I'm too exhausted.

    Thank you for your insight. I'll look into something the kids and I can do at home (like Yoga) so I can be present for them and spend more time at home
  • Jenniferakajacel311
    Jenniferakajacel311 Posts: 160 Member
    I do understand that feeling, vmlabute. Now that I've made activity and exercise a priority in my life when I'm not able to make it to my Taekwondo classes or to the gym, or heck even when I'm under the weather and can't physically exercise, it affects my mood. I say that's a good healthy sign that our brains know we're missing something good for us. Forgive yourself, be easier on yourself, make goals that are reasonable, and never give up!
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
    Not really.. other things in my life are more important than going to the gym. I'm happy if I go 3 days a week, but don't feel guilty if something else comes up and I can't make it on a day I planned to go. The gym will always be there, you can go tomorrow.
  • slossia
    slossia Posts: 138 Member
    Back in the 70’s nobody was going to the gym and everyone was slim. Now everyone is running, lifting, and aerobics! Spinning class. And obsessed with exercise. And overweight. Why? I’m guessing that all that exercise is making people think that they can eat more.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    slossia wrote: »
    Back in the 70’s nobody was going to the gym and everyone was slim. Now everyone is running, lifting, and aerobics! Spinning class. And obsessed with exercise. And overweight. Why? I’m guessing that all that exercise is making people think that they can eat more.

    In the 70s VLCDs were pretty popular so doesn't necessarily mean they were healthy!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    One of the useful things about MFP is that, if you use it as designed, your calorie target has your goal (lose, maintain, or gain) built into it before exercise. (That's why you log exercise and eat at least some of them back).

    Exercise is helpful for health and fitness, but there's no reason to feel guilty, especially since you're fitting it in when you can. There will be times in life when you can exercise more, and times when other pressures may mean you do less, but attaining and maintaining a healthy weight is the single biggest contribution you can make to good health **, followed closely by sensible nutrition.

    Your idea about home exercise sounds great, and it helps some to realize that 10 minutes of activity squeezed in 3 times through the day is nearly as beneficial as 30 solid minutes all at once.

    Best wishes!

    ** Unless you're a smoker or substance abuser, which you gave no hint of being
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    slossia wrote: »
    Back in the 70’s nobody was going to the gym and everyone was slim. Now everyone is running, lifting, and aerobics! Spinning class. And obsessed with exercise. And overweight. Why? I’m guessing that all that exercise is making people think that they can eat more.

    Exercising is healthy, its good for the mind and body and people that are on MFP trying to no longer be over weight.

    And if you are following MFP's method to lose weight, when you exercise you do get to eat more. So there's that.

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    No guilt here. I aim for 5 days a week and 99% of the time I just get on with it, if I couldn't, I wouldn't sweat it because its an ingrained habit now to do it.
  • LifeWithPie
    LifeWithPie Posts: 552 Member
    I haven't been to the gym since last July. Couldn't care less. Hate it there. I know a lot of people really love the gym, I just never got into it.

    I have a physically active job and I do a lot of outdoor activities in the warm weather (hiking, kayaking, etc) so I'm active enough. And if I'm feeling motivated I have a pretty nice spin bike here at the house.

    It's just not a priority for me to fit gym time into my life.
  • julmaxeating
    julmaxeating Posts: 6 Member
    I love exercising and do it 5-6 times a week. I schedule everything else around my gym classes. i get very upset when I must change my schedule and not go to the gym. And some times guilty too because I then end up eating too much....
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
    If I miss a workout I just compensate with a little more taking the stairs, walking the bus route if time allows, extra chores. Or fit in a 15 to 20 minute YouTube video and call it good enough. No guilt.

    I used to be obsessive about exercise to the point of it crowding out the important things. Just not worth what I could have lost.

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