Every now and then, everyone needs a pep talk. More often than not, you need to provide your own pep talk to yourself. I don’t know about you, but getting myself to eat right and work out is a daily (sometimes hourly) struggle. There are days (like yesterday) when all I want to do is curl up on the couch and sleep. That’s when my inner dialogue begins:
“I really don’t want to work out.”
“But if you do, you’ll feel so much better!”
“I had such a long day at work. I’m so tired! And this couch feels so good…”
“You promised yourself (and Carolyn) you were going to Zumba today.”
“She’ll understand. I bet she’s tired too.”
“You won’t lose any weight or get any good, heart healthy exercise by laying on the couch.”
“I could clean the house. That would be exercise.”
“You and I both know you’ll SAY you’re going to clean and then you’ll get sidetracked reading blogs, watching YouTube videos, or sleeping and you won’t do it. Quit making excuses.”
“But it’s so far away!”
“Are you kidding me? It’s five minutes. Plus, remember what Carolyn said…you’ve never regretted doing a workout. You have, however, regretted NOT getting up off your butt.”
“OK, OK, you win.”
There are a million reasons I tell myself as to why I can’t, don’t want to, or shouldn’t work out, but really there is no good reason. I mean, heck, if you can’t do anything else, just go for a walk! It doesn’t have to be a super speedy walk. Even just getting out and enjoying the sunshine is good enough. Chances are, when you get dressed and get out there, you’ll go longer, harder, faster than you planned.
The other day I absolutely did not want to exercise at all. I’m talking I was laying in bed trying to take a nap because I had gotten very little sleep the night before and had worked a full day that day. Then Carolyn asked me if I’d walk “with” her (in spirit because we live two hours apart), so grudgingly I agreed. Know what happened? I ended up run/walking for 45 minutes. I did the Couch to 5k program’s Week 1 Day 1 one and a half times! That’s typically what happens to me.
So, when you find yourself not wanting to workout, remind yourself how great you will look and feel after! And then GET MOVING.
But have your best friend’s number on speed dial. Just in case.
