Body and health: Working Out When Things Aren't Working Out

srijeda, 29. siječnja 2020.

Working Out When Things Aren't Working Out

Healthy 2020 Visions: Working Out When Things Aren't Working Out

You know how they say never to get groceries on an empty stomach? When you're hungry, you listen to your stomach and buy too much food. Asking yourself "Should I exercise right now?" with a half-asleep brain at 6 am is kind of the same thing—you listen to the parts of your brain and body that are too tired or too cold to get out from under the covers. In that moment, failure is not just an option, it feels like the only option. Why run in freezing temperatures when I can sleep for 30 more minutes instead? That's me—every morning.

You see, I've never been much of a planner, which can make forming new habits somewhat complicated. And with a long commute that sees me out the door by 8 and not home until 7, my free time is precious. It's tough to squeeze in anything extra, especially if I know it may cause some discomfort.

How, then, do I overcome these mental and physical barriers and stay on track? Sometimes, all it takes is to think about things in a different light and put my go-with-the-flow tendencies to good use. When it's time to run in the cold, I throw on one of the many ugly sweaters my mother-in-law has gifted me over the years. Suddenly, I'm exercising, I've cleared out space in my overstuffed dresser, and I don't have to lie about wearing that maroon turtleneck.

If I'm not going to be a planner, then I might as well get really good at improvising. Whether that means running to the grocery store (but not on an empty stomach!) instead of driving, chopping my own firewood, or always taking the stairs, there are plenty of ways to reframe the way I think about exercise, and goals in general.

Here are some ways I'll be removing failure as an option in 2020:

	•	Make it fun. I love working on and around our new house, and I can work up a sweat in the process. I'm going to find more ways to work out without even realizing I've done so until I feel sore in strange places the next day.
	•	Know that I have time, even if it never feels that way. Even if I missed the morning window, I can find another 30 minutes.
	•	Make exercise the journey, not the destination. By finding creative ways to combine things I'd like to do with things I have to do, I'll have no choice but to do it all.