Law Students

Mid-Year Resolutions

By Anonymous

I went back to the gym this morning. I packed my bag at midnight last night and put it by the back door. I woke up at 6:50 and spent ten minutes locked in a vigorous, internal debate over whether or not I should stay in bed. The bed almost won, but I knew I'd be disappointed in myself if I gave up this quickly. Besides, once I'm awake I can't go back to sleep so I might as well use the time productively.

And I'm so glad I did. The gym at work was nearly empty and I watched the sun rise over the city as I walked on the treadmill and did my weights. I read Real Simple magazine and now have strong zen-like urges to reorganize my pantry. Getting ready in the locker room was no trouble and because everything was packed and I wasn't digging through my closet or tripping over a Landon, I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. When you add in the fact I didn't need to close up the house or feed the dogs or get my stuff together, working out only needs to take away about 20 minutes of my sleep.

I'm really going to try to stick with this on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. We go on walks with the dogs and run around at the park on weekends, so I get sufficient exercise on those days. Part of the problem with being a serious athlete at one point in my life is I feel like my work-outs have to be long and tough and serious and if I am only going to walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes why bother? This is exactly the wrong attitude, but it's a stubborn one. I'm trying to set up a schedule that is realistic and sustainable. It doesn't involve a Monday when I know I won't feel like going and which sets up the possibility of convincing myself that if I've skipped one work out, why not miss the whole week?! (That always makes so much sense before 7 a.m.) And now that Landon sleeps in until 8 a.m. every day (isn't that amazing? It started at the last daylight savings time change and hasn't stopped), I don't see much of him in the mornings anyway.

I'm not doing much yet- 20 minute "cross-country" course on the treadmill with a steep incline and weights. But I was sore after Saturday and I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow and it feels good.

I didn't make New Year's Resolutions this year because I knew I wouldn't keep them, but I've made a few now and I hope to make them last:

1. Work out twice a week
2. Buy more fresh fruits and vegetables and eat them
3. Make more simple, healthy meals (i.e. not casseroles, though they're so easy and I love them)
4. Limit diet cokes to one a day
5. Go to bed before 11:30 if I'm working and before 11 if I'm not

I've thought a lot about these and have already implemented most of them. They're good for me and while I probably shouldn't need additional motivation to keep them, I have to admit that thinking about writing this blog post was part of the reason I got out of bed this morning. Virtual accountability, that's what you all are.

Full post as published by Lag Liv on May 12, 2009 (boomark / email).