I make it a habit to get to the gym. I usually go three days a week for two hours each. I love my work out. I'm not the same without it. (Since I don't have a car this week and I'm going out of town next week, I'm seriously missing my gym.) But some classes (like spinning), no matter how many times I go, I still dread it. I still have to talk myself into it. I feel so great afterward, yet it is hard to get myself there.
So I prepare a mental place to go every time I work out. It's my own personal retreat, and I look forward to being there. My exercise is the time when I can go there and nobody can bother me. For me, it's my writing. I go to a scene in my book, something I've just written or something that's coming up, and I explore it. I watch it over and over again. It distracts me and makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. And it holds my attention.What about you? Where do you go (mentally) when you work out? (And remember, those of you who like grunting and focusing on the seconds ticking by while you enjoy the burning in your muscles, I'm not talking to you.)
9 comments:
I think about writing while I'm at spin. At combat, I have to concentrate so hard at not falling over or punching myself in the face (again), I can't think about anything else...
I used to feel really guilty about all the things I should be doing while I worked out. Now, I just try to get my tunes on, and enjoy every minute that I don't have to be doing anything for anyone else. running is my stress reliever/make-meg-a-nice-person-again-er. I haven't ran or worked out in a week and a half and I can FEEL the toll it's taking on my sanity. Last night, i got dressed and ready to go, and of course, the storm rolled in 5 minutes before we were supposed to meet on the square to run. Sad. So yeah, I guess I don't distract myself from the exercise...but my exercise is my distraction from everything else for sure. The rain has been good, but I think it's finally hitting me today. I need to see the sun soon!
LOL Kate! Thats how I am in kickboxing. I'm busy trying to remember what move comes next! fun stuff!
With ya there, Meg. I'm just going to grin and bear it for two weeks until I get to work out agian.
I pretend my workouts are just preparation for a zombie invasion. I'm sure that my survival rate increases with every box jump I do.
I've never been to the gym in my life haha!! Working on a building site I don't have to. I'm one of those lucky people that can eat anything I want and it makes no difference, I just stay the same size. I think it might be a stress thing LOL
I have to have great, pump you up music with a STRONG beat. I just focus on the rhythm, lean into it like a dance (which for whatever reason always manages to be fun and keep my energy level up no matter how pained my muscles might be feeling--dance is just great that way!). That is my distraction.
I understand the resistence to going, starting it, then feeling great afterwards. Why do we resist that feeling? I also daydream to my heart's content while working out - books, people, romance, trips, mountaintops, lunch.
I don't like the super-push workouts, but I love a good powerwalk. If I have my iPod it is sort a dance through the workout, but if I have a writing thing to work through, I leave the iPod at home and that active body/relaxed brain is the perfect way to work out the kinks.
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