I think Isaac Newton had me in mind when he came up with his first law of motion... specifically, this part: "objects at rest tend to stay at rest." I have been trying numerous times to get up and go to the gym for a morning workout to avoid having to go after work. It's also on the list to try this at least three times. Here's how this worked out:
Attempt One: Overslept, didn't want to go.
Attempt Two: Woke up on time, didn't want to go.
Attempt Three: Woke up on time, didn't want to go.
Attempt Four: Overslept, didn't want to go.
Attempt Five: Woke up on time, didn't want to go.
Attempt Six: Woke up on time, didn't want to scrape the snow off my car, didn't want to go.
Inevitably, I would feel guilty about all this and my complete lack of will power. Every time I tried this, my gym bag, complete with clothes and beauty supplies, would be packed the night before and ready to go. All I really had to do was get up, brush my teeth, put in my contacts, and go.
Having had enough of letting myself down, my seventh attempt came today. I got up at 5am and was at the gym by 5:45. Go me!
While I was stumbling around getting ready this morning, I came to the following conclusion about waking up and going to the gym. It's not the waking up early that's the problem. Within five minutes of standing and moving around, I'm coherent enough to be called "awake." This is going to sound kind of funny, but I think what keeps me in bed is sheer comfort, and the knowledge that when I get up and out from under my blanket, I will be freezing cold. Even if I throw on my robe, I'll be cold. I don't know why, but it seems whenever I get up early (...like, early early), I always get the shivers. I hate it - it's annoying and uncomfortable. I didn't warm up this morning until I started running at the gym. Incidentally, I have been cold ever since I finished my workout.
The gym itself wasn't crowded... but everyone was on a treadmill. I was lucky to get one. By the end of it, I was having a serious image complex. Apparently only serious gym-rats go in the morning... I think I was the only delegate there from the nation of Flab.
In other news, Isaac Newton also said in his first law of motion that "an in motion will stay in motion [...] unless acted upon by an external force." I think my dear Miss Pugsly has amended this law:
According to this video, Miss Pugsly will stay in motion even if the external force of nearly a foot of snow acts upon her.
Till next time, stay caffeinated. I sure will!
My advice? Don't beat yourself up about it! I wanted for YEARS to be "one of those people" who gets up early to work out. I just don't have it in me. I work out at night, and I KNOW you're not "supposed" to work out before bed, but ya know what? I figure, at least I'm working out at all!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thoughts, Katie! I used to work out later at night when I was in college and the fitness center was a quick walk away. I loved it, too! My current gym is about 15 minutes away by car. It's hard enough for me to go walk the dog in the evening, let alone, pack up and go back out to the gym.
ReplyDeleteI actually, in retrospect, have had a pretty good day, even with getting up at the crack of dawn. I think if I can just get myself in the flow of it, morning workouts wouldn't be so disagreeable...