Dear Angela,
From yesterday’s comments: “Are you wanting to do this? I mean, are you wanting to do the working out eating right sticking to it and being in the groove sort of thing? Please tell me you aren't. Please tell me you are just DOING IT even though it is kind of not on your top ten list of favorite things to be doing right now. Because I CAN'T GET BACK INTO IT TO SAVE MY LIFE. And it is scaring me. A whole lot. And so if you are just doing it and not waiting to want to, maybe I can do that too. Argh. This has been the pits.”
No, I am not wanting to do this. As I walk to my car in the 90 degree heat, the thought of the gym does not thrill. I don’t do a happy dance when I pull half a chicken breast and sliced tomato out of my lunch box for a morning sack. I’ll even fess to a tinge of guilty relief when my sick husband asked me to skip spin class last night to get him some kim chi ji gae from the Korean restaurant (hot as hades soup which is the cure for the common cold).
I don’t want to buy a new wardrobe either. I have almost no long pants that fit. If it weren’t for these cheap capris I found at W-M (and bought 6 pair), I’d be working from home in a bath robe. I am worried. I have gained 20 pounds in the past 18 months and can’t seem to lose. I have an appointment with my doctor next week to discuss. I’m considering asking for a prescription for an appetite suppressant (which I seriously doubt she’ll give me) because I don’t want to be hungry all the time, but I can’t keep gaining weight either. I got up and walked this morning so I could get in an hour of exercise today. I am beginning to get freaky about missing a workout. I feel like this is harder than it should be, but I don’t know why.
Motivation is overrated. Are you motivated to brush your teeth? Wash your face? Probably not – it’s just something you do to take care of yourself. Healthy food & exercise is the same thing, just on a bigger scale. Unfortunately, I sometimes skip that evening face washing and teeth brushing on the weekend too.
I wish I had some profound insight – I don’t, other than my spiel above about motivation.
Some random observations: Just do it is actually pretty profound. Don’t open the dialogue with yourself when you don’t feel like it. Hang up the phone. Make it non negotiable (unless your husband is sick! ha). It’s hard to hit the vending machine when you have no money in your wallet. Real food looks better when you are truly physically hungry. Walking IS exercise, even if you are listening to the birdies and enjoying the view.
I’ll hang in there if you will.
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3 comments:
...and you are awesome...thank you! I am so with you on the pants predicament right now. And I swear to God I almost stopped at Walgreens to buy Alli this morning or Dexatrim or a bazillion other things (I might even consider a scalpel at this point). But I didn't. I think your point about the dialogue hits the nail on the head for me. Absolutely.
Well said!
Please don't buy into that OTC drug thing!! My husband came close to causing severe liver damage with that junk.
It does help to create a situation where exercise isn't an option. For instance, dummy me adopted an Australian Shepard 5 months ago. He requires LOTS of walking & exercise & our yard isn't fenced. I sometimes walk the neighborhood in tears wondering why I took on this dog. Five months later, I'm down 30 pounds from my fast paced 40 minute walk in the am & 1 hour at night! And making better food choices is much easier when the scale is responding! I struggled with those 30lbs for 10 years--
Keep at it guys! Don't wait for motivation to come looking for you!! The weight sure doesn't come off by being discouraged!
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