As you may know from my
last post, my goal while on vacation was to workout every day. Mission Accomplished.
Sunday: Run 45 minutes
Monday: Run 45 minutes and Ride 60 minutes
Tuesday: Playground boot camp with Pam and kids
Wednesday: Body is saying, "What the what?" I go for a power walk
Thursday: Kayak 90 minutes (Oh, how I loved!), Ride 2 hrs, Jump in the lake (see above)
Friday: Run 60 minutes
It was a fantastic week on all fronts, but to see my exercise log look like this? Wow, it's been awhile.
To be clear, I don't need to work out eight times a week. That was indulgent, as vacations are likely to be. Still, as typical, when vacations end, I'm left thinking: How do I transfer just a sliver of this "good life" into real life?
I've spent the weekend considering this so I can employ the mindset I had last week to help get me moving more. If you're also in need of moving more, perhaps my vacation analyzing will help you, too.
First, I have to figure out what worked.
1) Childcare: Since we were staying with our friends and my husband was around, there was always an adult around to watch the wee ones.
2) Workout Partners: With the exception of my power walk, I had company on all my workouts. Since I'm just now starting to run more, having Pam with me made all the difference. Her presence allowed me to forget how lousy it feels to start over. My dear husband guided me on the two rides. I can't remember the last time we rode together... two years ago? That definitely counts as quality marriage time for us.
3) Few Priorities: Spending a week at a lake house absolves most of a mom's day-to-day priorities. My to-do list consisted of feeding and clothing the kids (and because they spent their days in the sand box and lake, this wasn't particularly challenging). Plus, I wasn't at home, where I am tempted to "get things done," which often act as distractions (procrastination?) for exercise.
4) A Goal: When I set out on our vacation I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to workout every day. I said it out loud and I shared it with the people around me. Not only did the goal set me on the right path, but by sharing it with others, they enabled me to getter done, too.
Next up, I have to figure out what would transfer to real life.
1) My reality is that my husband works (long days) and Workout Partner Pam is now a five-hour drive away. Neither one are available to watch the kids during the day. Not having childcare, however, does not exempt mom from her workouts. I know this. It's a matter of reminding myself of my alternatives: early morning workouts before my husband leaves for work; creative workouts with the kids around; the gym's childcare; a babysitter on weekends for workout dates. It's not as easy as walking out the front door whenever the mood strikes, but I still have options.
2) These days I don't get to workout with others often. I can sit around and boo hoo about this or reach out to my friends and neighbors when I feel the need for company. That's a ridiculously easy solution.
3) Squeezing in a workout among the many other things on my to-do list is always a challenge. But, that's what this blog is all about. Even though I didn't have as many distractions last week, getting in regular workouts reminded me how much I enjoy them. I'm going to consider that when something "comes up" to keep me from my workout. It is so easy to let exercise slip on the priority list and I'm not going to let it happen. The difference between how I feel when I want to workout but don't, and how I feel when I
do workout (whether I feel like it or not) is a happier, more confident, competent feeling me.
4) Probably the most important component of my vacation week that I can transfer to real life is the fact that I had a
plan. Yes, a plan. I knew what kind of workouts I was going to do for the whole week. Honestly, I think that's half the battle. A plan takes out the guess work, the pondering, the wiggle room. Putting it down on paper makes it all the more concrete. From now on my workout will go on my to-do list, not just hang around the ether of my subconscious.
After each successful workout week will I go jump in the lake? Perhaps not, but I will definitely find a way to celebrate all of my small victories.
As you may know from my last post, my goal while on vacation was to workout every day. Mission Accomplished.
Sunday: Run 45 minutes
Monday: Run 45 minutes and Ride 60 minutes
Tuesday: Playground boot camp with Pam and kids
Wednesday: Body is saying, "What the what?" I go for a power walk
Thursday: Kayak 90 minutes (Oh, how I loved!), Ride 2 hrs, Jump in the lake (see above)
Friday: Run 60 minutes
It was a fantastic week on all fronts, but to see my exercise log look like this? Wow, it's been awhile.
To be clear, I don't need to work out eight times a week. That was indulgent, as vacations are likely to be. Still, as typical, when vacations end, I'm left thinking: How do I transfer just a sliver of this "good life" into real life?
I've spent the weekend considering this so I can employ the mindset I had last week to help get me moving more. If you're also in need of moving more, perhaps my vacation analyzing will help you, too.
First, I have to figure out what worked.
1) Childcare: Since we were staying with our friends and my husband was around, there was always an adult around to watch the wee ones.
2) Workout Partners: With the exception of my power walk, I had company on all my workouts. Since I'm just now starting to run more, having Pam with me made all the difference. Her presence allowed me to forget how lousy it feels to start over. My dear husband guided me on the two rides. I can't remember the last time we rode together... two years ago? That definitely counts as quality marriage time for us.
3) Few Priorities: Spending a week at a lake house absolves most of a mom's day-to-day priorities. My to-do list consisted of feeding and clothing the kids (and because they spent their days in the sand box and lake, this wasn't particularly challenging). Plus, I wasn't at home, where I am tempted to "get things done," which often act as distractions (procrastination?) for exercise.
4) A Goal: When I set out on our vacation I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to workout every day. I said it out loud and I shared it with the people around me. Not only did the goal set me on the right path, but by sharing it with others, they enabled me to getter done, too.
Next up, I have to figure out what would transfer to real life.
1) My reality is that my husband works (long days) and Workout Partner Pam is now a five-hour drive away. Neither one are available to watch the kids during the day. Not having childcare, however, does not exempt mom from her workouts. I know this. It's a matter of reminding myself of my alternatives: early morning workouts before my husband leaves for work; creative workouts with the kids around; the gym's childcare; a babysitter on weekends for workout dates. It's not as easy as walking out the front door whenever the mood strikes, but I still have options.
2) These days I don't get to workout with others often. I can sit around and boo hoo about this or reach out to my friends and neighbors when I feel the need for company. That's a ridiculously easy solution.
3) Squeezing in a workout among the many other things on my to-do list is always a challenge. But, that's what this blog is all about. Even though I didn't have as many distractions last week, getting in regular workouts reminded me how much I enjoy them. I'm going to consider that when something "comes up" to keep me from my workout. It is so easy to let exercise slip on the priority list and I'm not going to let it happen. The difference between how I feel when I want to workout but don't, and how I feel when I do workout (whether I feel like it or not) is a happier, more confident, competent feeling me.
4) Probably the most important component of my vacation week that I can transfer to real life is the fact that I had a plan. Yes, a plan. I knew what kind of workouts I was going to do for the whole week. Honestly, I think that's half the battle. A plan takes out the guess work, the pondering, the wiggle room. Putting it down on paper makes it all the more concrete. From now on my workout will go on my to-do list, not just hang around the ether of my subconscious.
After each successful workout week will I go jump in the lake? Perhaps not, but I will definitely find a way to celebrate all of my small victories.