When can I stop?
That's the question I want to ask.
When can I stop working out? At what age is it ok to not workout all the time? I really want to know.
When I was a teenager I thought I would work out till I was 30 then just coast in middle-agedness (is that a word?). When I told my husband this in my early thirties, he just laughed at me like I was crazy. He was right. And so are all my friends at the gym. When I asked them this today, they reminded me that as I get older my metabolism will slow down and I'll have to work out more, eat better, and I will also feel worse (sore muscles, aches, pains, and all).
They are right (although I don't claim the sore body part), but they are right, our bodies are built to typically change with age and that means if we are trying to maintain something we will have to work harder at it as we age.
This news stinks!
I don't like it.
I want to stop... yea, right! On the one hand I would love to stop. Meaning, more time to do other things. But on the realistic hand I know that if I stop... I will gain weight and keep gaining weight, just like I did after high school. I was 120 in school. I peaked the scale at 150 my freshman year of college (hey, I thought it was only supposed to be the 'freshman 15' ???!!!), which then caught my attention and I brought it down, and up, and down (notice the yo-yo pattern beginning here), till I got married at 128. Then I was basically 130,135,140,145,150,155 over the next several years. See what happens. When I don't work out consistently and regularily I gain a pound at a time till about every 12-18 months I've gained 5 pounds. I can't keep going at this pace the rest of my life, so I've GOT to workout. But I seriously want to know when do I EVER get to stop? Because, deep down, I really wouldn't mind stopping. If for nothing else, just to get that time back to do other things.
Maybe this isn't the kind of post fitness fanatics want to read. You probably just want gung-ho, super-motivational stuff to keep YOU going. Problem is... right now I'm having a hard time just keeping ME going.
Maybe I just need something new. (No Jen, I don't want to press 'play'. But who knows, maybe I should. I guess it would be something NEW. Honestly though , its just hard for me to get motivated to do different at-home routines than the ones I already know from my collection).
I'm loving riding my bike, but I know its not enough of a workout to do much for me. At least not in comparison to running or classes or weights. So even though it may be fun, its actually too easy to count as exercise for me in my book. Maybe I want new classes at the gym, maybe I should try some, or use my free pass at my husband's gym and do classes there. I don't know, I just need something, because I'm just not 'feeling the love' for my workouts lately, if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong, I love my teachers, and my gym friends. Its just me. On the inside, some switch has gotten turned and I'm having a real hard time getting it switched back. Then I think of people I know who never work out and look perfectly fine and I get mad (and ok, a little jealous) that they don't have to spend time working out, yet they look great and are in good health. Wrong, probably. But I'm being honest here. Or maybe I'm just whining, I don't know. But since I'm probably not really accomplishing anything with this post I'm going to end it. Comment for me if you have any ideas on how to change this mindset I'm in right now or any other helpful ideas for anything! thanks :)
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I hear ya girl. I get there myself sometimes. 12+years of working out, the first year to get to my goal weight, and every year after to keep the weight off. Sometimes we just get tired and need a break, or need a new goal.
ReplyDeleteSet a goal! Maybe a race, or since you like bike riding, maybe a bike race! That could be fun. Or even a triathalon. Find something new that excites you, and you'll get your groove back. You're just in a temporary rut. You'll come out of it. :)
Rene, I hate to always agree with you, but you just described exactly how I feel. First of all...instead of invigorating me...lately exercise has just been DRAINING me. On top of that, like you said, the TIME it takes is just ridiculous. I'm giving an hour to two hours of my day almost EVERY day to this. It is really THAT important? Sure it IS important...but when put side by side against spending time with my kids, or with my husband, or with God?????? Ugh...I wish there was a way I could just do 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day and call it good. But I know that more than likely if I did that, I would gain weight because I'm gaining right now and that's with working out for an hour+.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure KC has the right answer up there in her comment...but I definitely feel like you do right now. This is a CHORE. And its completely depressing that we 1) never get to stop and 2) are only going to have to work HARDER for the same results as we age.
UGH!!!
I haven't quite figured it out yet...but I just don't think this is how it should be. I think that 30 minutes a day should be COMPLETELY adequate. That seems much more practical and proportional (in importance in my life) than the time I'm giving it currently.
And on days when I don't workout, I go to bed at night feeling like I got so much accomplished and like I did a good job of wife and mom.
Anyway, I'm just rambling and I'm sure not helping you any...but you said you weren't sure if we would want to read this kind of stuff...but I think we all appreciate your honesty and seeing that we ALL struggle sometimes. I certainly don't say QUIT but I do think it's okay to put on the brakes sometimes.
Love you friend!
And what do you mean "No Jen that doesn't mean I want to push "play"????????
You turd. :o)