I excel at finding excuses. Excuses not to run, to do my core work, to stretch, to eat the right food versus the wrong. I can talk myself out of the most beneficial actions with great ease. Because of this, I've had go to battle with my "inner excuser" and figure out how to get out of my own way.
My best tactic? Figure out what excuse I'll try to use and creating a solution before I even get there. Here's how I make it work.
Doing my hip work:
I have weak hips, and it has been affecting my running. I've known that I need to do exercises for them for months. I finally took my thera-band out of the drawer and tied it to my bedpost. Every time I walk in to my room, I see it lying on the floor, so I'm reminded that I need to do some work. I can spend 5 minutes then doing hip & glute adductions, and bam, I've done more hip work than I've done in the last three months. If I put the bands away, my room will look nicer, but you know what - I won't get the work done. I've decided that I'd rather have a little bit messier room and strong hips. Even better, since I'm now thinking about doing core work, I'll throw in some bicycle crunches for the abs.
Eating well:
I don't know about you, but when I get hungry, I tear in to the salty, processed foods with wild abandon because they are ready to go. I don't have to spend any time prepping them. I've been working on having crunchy vegetables chopped up and ready to go in little bags instead, or bowls of beans and rice that I can add CafeYumm sauce to. (I'm totally addicted to this sauce. I put it on everything!!) For just a few extra minutes of work, I can eliminate one of my biggest excuses for not eating well.
Getting a run in:
You know the days. When you have to get up before it is light to run because one of the kids is sick or there's a huge day at the office ahead. On those days I know it will be a struggle, I will go to bed in my running clothes. I'm already halfway there then, and it is much harder to cook up excuses when you are already dressed.
What ways do you get out of your own way? Any tricks you use to make sure you do those things you need to?
I am totally lame on a few things:
ReplyDelete1 - weight training, esp core and hip work
2 - eating well consistently. I go a week or so rocking it then eat a bag of chocolate covered pretzels or salt and vinegar Lays or whatever and screw it all up.
My new thing to help me with that is to do similar to what you did, put the theraband in a place I practically have to trip over to ignore. Then spend at least some time doing core work. Food, is just surround myself with good stuff, and bring snacks with me on the run, healthy ones that will keep me distracted away from the bad stuff...
If I have someone else that is counting on me it's hard not to get it done. It's easy if it's only me to let it slide. Sounds like some good ideas you have though.
ReplyDeleteI leave the foam roller out on our living room floor. Same thing - it's much easier to do it (and get on the floor and stretch) if it's lying out there. Just roll it under the couch if someone's coming over!
ReplyDeleteI leave semi-used running clothes on the floor rather than put them in my laundry basket or elsewhere. Sports bra should be re-worn rather than go in the wash after just one use! (at least in my current habit...)
I'm still trying to work on the veggies/fruits - if it doesn't get on the grocery list then it's forgotten. I want to get more veggies & fruits on the "always" part of the grocery list...