How to Get Off The Couch and Back on the Treadmill
January 19, 2010 by Cathy Meyer
Filed under cathymeyer, Evolution, Fitness, Health, Towards magnificence
Submitted by: Cathy
My life over the last few months has been about work…making Divorced Women Online the best I knew it could be. Then there is the elderly parent and the teenage son. They don’t take a lot of time but they do deplete emotional energy which leaves less motivation to get up and get busy with a regular exercise routine.
I’ve also had some health issues that caused fatigue and pain. Instead of working through the pain I’ve chosen to allow the pain to take control. Not my normal nature but hey, life throws us curve balls at times and we deal as best we can.
I noticed over the weekend that I’m doing some emotional eating. A twinge of anxiety found me standing in front of an open refrigerator. A hint if the doldrums and the pantry door flew open. I was filling all the empty places with food…food that was quick and easy. Food that leaves it mark on my hips, thighs and waistline and psyche.
I should seriously consider buying sweatpants that read “Oreos” across the seat. Either that or get up and get moving which I think is the better option.
The problem for those of us who are hoping to get back into a fitness routine after a fitness break is going from contemplation to action. I’m in a contemplating frame of mind and I’m finding my greatest hurdle to be getting up and getting going.
I want to go back to this time last year. I weighed 20 pounds less and put taking care of myself physically and emotionally on the top of my list of things to do. Today my fitness life is defined by inertia. If you are feeling that same inertia below are a few tips to help you get up and get moving.
How to go from inactive to active:
Contemplation: All good things start with a thought. If you are like me they way back is to first contemplate but not for too long. And no negative contemplation. The only way to get up off the couch and get going is to talk yourself into a regular exercise routine, not talk yourself out of one.
Preparation: Being prepared, for me at least means deciding on what activity I will enjoy and will fit into my schedule. I know from experience that working out in the evenings better suits me and my lifestyle. So, it will be power walks around the neighborhood and 30 minutes on the treadmill. I also know that if I don’t do it nightly it won’t become a regular part of my routine.
The key is to not push yourself into doing something your aren’t going to enjoy. Find that perfect activity that is going to give you the benefits you are looking for and keep you motivated to make it a regular routine.
Take Action: This is the hard part…get up and get going! No moving back into the contemplate stage. The time for thinking about it is past. The reality is, it should only take a few months at most to get back to a good level of fitness. Think of it this way, time is going to pass whether you get active or not. How you feel in a few short months depends on how active you become today.
Slow and steady wins the race, so if you’re coming back to exercise after a break, don’t push yourself to get right back up to your old fitness level too soon. Little and often is a good way to start; getting out for moderate exercise twenty minutes every day is better than mammoth sessions with many days in between, and daily exercise can help with the psychological aspects of forming a good workout habit. If you’ve been putting off starting, there’s no time like the present! The sooner you get moving, the easier it will be.
- Have you been on a fitness break?
- What were the circumstances that lead to your break?
- What is your action plan?
This is SUCH a helpful reminder. It’s so easy to allow all the other priorities to take precedence over self-care. Job, kids, aging parents, friends, volunteering, spouse, partner, ex-spouse, ex-partner… The list goes on.
We remember to walk our dogs each day, don’t we? Yet we allow ourselves to let go of the discipline that keeps us healthy and energized. I think women are far more likely to do this than men (just one of the ways we self-sabotage), and we need to just say NO! And take contemplation to action, as you say.
So thank you for this. (I’m going to take my 20-minute walk, despite my trying day, my weary spirit, and darkness falling. It’s important!)
It’s so hard! Like you, juggling what will pay the bills, teenagers, just trying to get through the day half the time… it seems like exercise is the thing that goes by the wayside.
I like your list. Yes, slow and steady. And we really do feel so much better when we’re up and about, even a little bit. Sometimes doing it isn’t as hard as thinking about doing it.
I tell myself that I only have to walk 10 minutes and that usually turns into a longer walk. It gets me out the door. Also, now, I have a dog depending on me for her exercise and that is very helpful!