Tuesday, November 16, 2010

How To Make A Plan And Stick With It!

Photo courtesy of D. Sharon Pruitt
Eliminate the Obstacles
It has been a week since I decided to embark on the only crazy fitness plan I could commit to, which is dragging my disoriented, sleepy body out of bed while it is still dark out to run before I go to work. I have always liked exercise (which I know isn't for everyone) and working out to be physically fit as opposed to dieting (which I hate). I believe regular exercise,  healthy eating and drinking in moderation is the best thing for me. Anything that you make too difficult, such as a ridiculously hard fitness regimen or a deprivation diet, will be too hard to stick to and only set you up for failure. My only major problem with all this has been finding time to exercise. So as I wrote about last week, I decided enough is enough - I am not going to let my job, my kids, or husband interfere with my workouts anymore. While none of it is intentional, sometimes coordinating with the aforementioned parties just makes getting out for a run difficult! The best plan for me was to get up before everyone else, and get it out of the way before someone needs me for something. So far so good.

Boost in Self-Esteem
In the last 7 days I have run 5 days, and done 1 interval training on my treadmill. I feel fantastic. I can already see a difference in my body. My legs are stronger and more defined, and my core is tightening up. I am totally in a great mood at the start of my day because by the time I get to work I have already accomplished something major (including sitting in traffic, but that's a whole other story). I have a steady stream of energy until the afternoon, but that is a work in progress. I've had a hard time sleeping on the nights before I get up to run before work because I think deep down I am worried my alarm won't wake me. I think that over time, I will get more comfortable and maybe will become so exhausted that I will pass out when I hit the pillow the way I used to.

Crying Babies Won't Stand in My Way
So far I have only had one minor snafu. This morning my 2 year-old woke up at 4 a.m. for some reason and was crying. I let it go for a while and was hoping he would stop, but he didn't. I tried to take him to bed with me, and although he stopped crying he didn't want to sleep. I turned on the TV so I could get a little half-hearted sleep but before I knew it my alarm was going off at 5:30 a.m. I had to change and meet my running buddy. My little Pork Chop (a.k.a. Buddha) cried when I tried to leave him in the bed with my hubby who was getting pretty irritated at this point. I could have turned and walked out but I felt bad for him. So I grabbed a jacket, a hat, and a blanket and plopped him in the jogging stroller and away we went. I wasn't going to look for any excuse to get out of running - I was looking for ways to make sure I went.

My parting words this evening - you can make it happen if really want to. For months I kept telling myself that there was just no good time to exercise. But I just needed to make  a good time. Choose an attainable goal - even if its just to get moving for 30 minutes a day to start off with. Make it one of your priorities like brushing your teeth. You'll be glad you did!

2 comments:

  1. Love your blog! Your parting words are golden. Just make it happen. I got fed up making excuses...Nike had it right all along : JUST DO IT! I made lifestyle adjustments to fit fitness in, and the world didnt crumble, we all adapted. Anyone can do it :-)

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  2. Good for you! I am following you back from Hop Along Friday. You are right on. You must make it part of your daily routine!!

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