Exercise motivation (or lack thereof)
I need to exercise more. Ugh.
Studies have show that for weight maintenance (especially for a significant amount previously lost) a person should do about 60-90 minutes of DAILY exercise.
I really hate exercising.
Actually, that's not entirely true. I don't mind exercising after I get myself going, it's just starting that's the hard part. I can be really really good at talking myself out of it. It's also about forming a habit or routine for doing it regularly.
Right now I bike to and from BART every day, that's 20 minutes. I'm thinking of using my lunch breaks to walk around our block a couple of times at a good pace (no stop lights or streets to cross, just solid walking). That would add about another 20 minutes. Jonathan also wants to get into a habit of exercising more (even though his job has him working a lot, another 30 minutes would probably help him) so a plan we have is for him to meet me downstairs right as I get home from work so we can get in a 10-20 minute walk before I even sit down and demotivate myself. Of course, because of his class schedule, we could only do that on Mondays and Fridays. However, now that we're getting close to the rainy season, I can't depend on doing that every day. Going to work soaked to the bone isn't my idea of a great way to start the day.
Another option is that on Monday nights in Oakland there's a swing dance class. It would be about an hour or more of dancing. Jonathan already knows some steps and while I can't dance to save my life, I think learning would be fun and a class setting would be great. I wouldn't be able to bike to BART that day but I would be getting in 60 minutes of exercising.
Other options include: actually USING my membership to the Y (which is only a block away) and waking up early to do it, but I hate waking up early. I could do it right when I get home from work - just run upstairs and change my clothes and go, but there's the danger that I'd just sit down and won't get up. I know a lot of people run, but because of my leg that doesn't really help. I'd love to find a tai chi studio that I could connect with much like I did with the one back in Minneapolis (oh god do I miss that studio). I've looked into Yoga but the only class that I could take would be on Saturday mornings (which might not be a bad idea). I wish I didn't get home so late. Most classes in my area start at 6 but I don't get home until 7. Sad Panda.
What I'm really trying to do is erase the idea that exercising is for WEIGHT LOSS. I want to focus my mind to view this as a HEALTHY LIVING ACTIVITY. If weight loss happens, faboo, but I should really be thinking of how exercise will improve my heart, my mind, my emotions, my longevity, and that it will help me maintain a healthy body.
So really it looks like my options are to drag my ass out of bed earlier and make it work for me, but if I resent doing that, the less likely I am to do it on a regular basis.
Do you guys have any suggestions? Once again, I'm really trying to focus my mind on the health benefits of exercise, not just the weight loss option.
Studies have show that for weight maintenance (especially for a significant amount previously lost) a person should do about 60-90 minutes of DAILY exercise.
I really hate exercising.
Actually, that's not entirely true. I don't mind exercising after I get myself going, it's just starting that's the hard part. I can be really really good at talking myself out of it. It's also about forming a habit or routine for doing it regularly.
Right now I bike to and from BART every day, that's 20 minutes. I'm thinking of using my lunch breaks to walk around our block a couple of times at a good pace (no stop lights or streets to cross, just solid walking). That would add about another 20 minutes. Jonathan also wants to get into a habit of exercising more (even though his job has him working a lot, another 30 minutes would probably help him) so a plan we have is for him to meet me downstairs right as I get home from work so we can get in a 10-20 minute walk before I even sit down and demotivate myself. Of course, because of his class schedule, we could only do that on Mondays and Fridays. However, now that we're getting close to the rainy season, I can't depend on doing that every day. Going to work soaked to the bone isn't my idea of a great way to start the day.
Another option is that on Monday nights in Oakland there's a swing dance class. It would be about an hour or more of dancing. Jonathan already knows some steps and while I can't dance to save my life, I think learning would be fun and a class setting would be great. I wouldn't be able to bike to BART that day but I would be getting in 60 minutes of exercising.
Other options include: actually USING my membership to the Y (which is only a block away) and waking up early to do it, but I hate waking up early. I could do it right when I get home from work - just run upstairs and change my clothes and go, but there's the danger that I'd just sit down and won't get up. I know a lot of people run, but because of my leg that doesn't really help. I'd love to find a tai chi studio that I could connect with much like I did with the one back in Minneapolis (oh god do I miss that studio). I've looked into Yoga but the only class that I could take would be on Saturday mornings (which might not be a bad idea). I wish I didn't get home so late. Most classes in my area start at 6 but I don't get home until 7. Sad Panda.
What I'm really trying to do is erase the idea that exercising is for WEIGHT LOSS. I want to focus my mind to view this as a HEALTHY LIVING ACTIVITY. If weight loss happens, faboo, but I should really be thinking of how exercise will improve my heart, my mind, my emotions, my longevity, and that it will help me maintain a healthy body.
So really it looks like my options are to drag my ass out of bed earlier and make it work for me, but if I resent doing that, the less likely I am to do it on a regular basis.
Do you guys have any suggestions? Once again, I'm really trying to focus my mind on the health benefits of exercise, not just the weight loss option.