100 things, 36/100, exercise, pain, and the brain

[labelleizzy]

It turns out to be a fairly big deal with my mental health & my thinking capacity if I go 5 hours without eating. Oy.

I also did get to the gym to do a little weightlifting (but it's been a month since I did that) so kept it brief and focused on the muscles supporting my surgery knee ( or both my knees, really)... good to get back to it. Knee has been twinging pretty good the last week or so.

I have checked in at the gym at least once a week since October 1, but that's not even enough to maintain the fitness improvement I developed while the physical therapy was underway. if it weren't for the Monday night dance class, I'd be losing ground even quicker...

need to go twice a week at least to gain fitness.

any suggestions wrt incentives?

Posted via LiveJournal app for Android.

Comments

[angelkatharine.livejournal.com]

I am weirdly better at going to the gym every day than I am at going 2-3 times a week. I think it is easier to form a habit that way. I also find that first thing in the morning is easier to regularly accomplish than evening, even if I have to wake up earlier in order to have time, and that I should have a set schedule (for example: alarm goes off at 8, roll out of bed, put on gym clothes, eat breakfast, be at gym by 9:30).

The other thing that can really help me is a regular, scheduled exercise buddy (someone who is expecting me to be at the gym/to go on a walk at a certain time and who will notice and comment if I don't show up).

YMMV

[rebellibrarian.livejournal.com]

I agree with angelkatharine, a buddy system is good motivation.

This is part of making it time you *want* to give. Meeting a friend makes it special. For me, I also found that going to the gym for a great class and joining the gym closer to work so I could go burn off the day right away (and have a great reason to leave on time) worked really well too.

I look forward to being able to join the gym again.

[tatjna.livejournal.com]

I do best when going out of habit - I go Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and Sat if I'm not shearing. I find that if I skip one, I find it much easier to skip another, so maintaining the habit motivates me.

But then, I have OCD. ;-)

Also, I go at lunch time. I suck at getting up early for it, and after work I never feel like it, but at lunch time what else would I be doing? Hanging out in a park, or eating at my desk? So it's the perfect time - I'm awake and at a loose end but not yet tired, and the reward for after is my tasty lunch.

Also, sometimes engaging a trainer is good because it makes you try to live up to someone else's expectations - for me, I can rationalise to myself but not to someone else.

[kimberkit.livejournal.com]

Scaffold your incentives first. Lay out your gym clothes and put a little tiny piece of candy next to them to feel rewarded for starting to prepare. High five the person greeting you at the gym. Then go exercise and have a quick chair massage scheduled for right afterwards :)

[tara-bella.livejournal.com]

I agree that it's easier to go every day rather than just a few. Until it becomes an ingrained habit, go as soon after breakfast as possible, any day that you can. After a few weeks, you should find that you start to look forward to it. Try to make it fun. A friend or class is great, but good music will also work. Good luck!

[tara-bella.livejournal.com]

And as for incentives, if being healthier, looking better, and feeling good isn't enough incentive, nothing else will be. It is intrinsically rewarding, if you let it be.

[kittiliscious.livejournal.com]

I agree with what others have said: Go on a set schedule, and first thing in the morning is easiest to ensure other activities don't get in the way.