A dear friend of AML, Gina, aka Spark Mama, asked me to write about what I do to keep going when I don’t really feel like working out. Well, as it turns out, Saturday was that day. Don’t get me wrong, I love working out, and I know that once I get it over with, I feel a thousand times better: getting my sweat on really improves my mood. It’s why I choose to start my day with exercise. But sometimes working out six days a week takes it’s toll both physically and emotionally. I didn’t wanna do it.
I hemmed and hawed about it awhile, knowing it was butt and thigh day, and also knowing that my shoulders were achy from the previous day’s kettlebell upper body workout, so holding 25 lb weights on my shoulders while squatting certainly wasn’t going to help that. I considered skipping my workout altogether. I went through my day in my head, knowing that I should just do it. I’d feel better physically if I moved, and I’d definitely be more chipper at work. Still, my heart wasn’t in it. Finally I decided what to do: compromise!
I’m a big proponent of just doing stuff anyway and just getting it over and done with, but on this day that just wasn’t going to work. I decided that instead of doing Fitness Blender’s At Home Butt & Thigh Workout, which is a pretty intense 25 minutes, that I would do two, shorter, much less intense workout videos, one that was a low impact abs, butt and thigh workout plus a relaxing yoga stretch workout for a total of 30 minutes. So I wound up working out longer, while burning fewer calories, but I was much more relaxed and at peace afterwards than I would have been without working out. Plus I didn’t over stress my shoulders, which probably would have happened if I hadn’t taken it easy.
Because I took it easy for a few days (and by easy, I mean not skipping workouts but doing less intense workouts) I really owned my Tuesday morning kettlebell workout!
What do YOU do when you don’t feel like working out? Let me know in the comments!
A Measured Life 
WOW! So honored! This is a VERY helpful blog! Just do SOMETHING, even if it’s lower impact! Dog walking is MOVING your body so YAY! Look at those guns on you Andrea, AMAZEING! You have motivated me to do SOMETHING today! I think I will ride my bike! Thank you! HUGS and MUAH!
-SM
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Absolutely! There’s nothing wrong with compromising a bit when you just don’t wanna do it. As long as you keep moving you’re golden. 😀
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When you go after it- you REALY go after it. A 162 heart rate while building strength, WOW! Nice work on that one.
I agree with taking it easy sometimes (but staying moving), and hitting it hard later. Our bodies might just be telling us that energy delivery is just not going to happen, but it will be going full strength tomorrow.
My off days, I find house chores like yard work (yesterday), cleaning (today), and stair climbing laundry (today).
Cheers, Konrad
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That was max so it was a spike here and there, you can see my average was much lower. But when running I sustain in the low 160s and sometimes have to slow down when it creeps into the high 160s because I feel sick. 😛 Yesterday I was out of town so I didn’t do kettlebells but I got over 17,000 steps so I think I’m good. 🙂
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