March 12, 2012

it's ok.

Really I'm not sure why I have it in my head that I need to workout 6-7 days a week.  Obviously that will keep me healthy, but 4-5 days a week won't kill me right?

Lately I've been suffering from a little bit of burnout.  I have no desire to run on the treadmill.  More mornings than not I really just want to skip the gym.  And not necessarily because I don't want to workout, it is because I really want to either hang out with my family, or heck, be showered and dressed for the day before 2:00pm.  I want to be able to take Ryann somewhere without rushing us out the door by 8am so I can get my workout in before I throw her in the car with a snack and dash to the next activity.  I want to make my family a nice sit down breakfast on the weekend, the kind with pancakes and eggs and sausage.  One that takes more than two minutes to prepare.

So I'm trying to remind myself it's ok.  It's ok to miss more than one workout a week.  It's ok to do a short workout video instead of logging an hour at the gym.  It's ok to do something other than run at the gym.

I'm going to try and make it a point to only workout five days a week.  Usually it has been six, and I'll take Thursdays off when Ryann goes to MDO, just so I can maximize my cleaning/working/blogging time, but that means every morning that I get up with Ryann we are going to the gym, or I'm leaving her with her daddy so I can go run.  Not that the latter is a terrible thing, but every morning I'm leaving her with someone so I can workout, I'm never just hanging out with her or my family.  And really it would be so nice to get up and be showered and dress before Ryann is up once or twice a week.  I just feel so much more ready to take on the day.

I think part of the reason I feel so compelled to workout everyday (besides the fact that I feel like I need the calorie burn) is the fact that we're paying for the gym membership.  The gym I chose isn't cheap, so I feel like I really REALLY need to get my money's worth, you know?  So tell me gym membership holders, how many times a week do you hit the gym?

 

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12 comments:

Jennifer said...

I struggle with the same thing. I feel like if I don't workout this overwhelming sense of guilt. I used to go to the y 5 or 6 times a week. Right now I'm struggling to get there 2 or 3 times, but I'm running a lot on my off days.

Stacey said...

I suggest you look more into something high impact you can do in 1/2 the time with the same or better results. Try some interval training for 20+ minutes; 30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds jog. You will burn more calories by tricking your heart and keeping it from going into a resting state. Just a suggestion for a quick workout that won't keep you at the gym for hours. Since you've been running on the treadmill for a while now it's not something new to your body anymore.
Good luck!

Jessie said...

I have a lot of fun in aerobics classes, like kick boxing, zumba, etc. Even Pilates is a great workout to suplement your running. If your gym offers those, you should try to add one a couple times a week. I'm not a runner, so I don't know if that even interests you, but it's the only type of work out that has worked for me. I take Sundays off anyways, but if I take a day off during the week, it really throws me off. But no...I think getting 4-5 days a week is just fine! Think about it...you're 4-5 days better than the person not going at all!
On another note...I tried to link up the past 2 weeks and it hasn't worked. I just submitted my link again...I hope it works!

Mandy@ a sorta fairytale said...

Girl just be so proud of yourself for all of the hard work you have already put in!! You've accomplished so much and you look fabulous! :-)

JessF said...

We're taking a break from the big gym. My hubby committed to watching the kids 4 days M-F so I can go to our local rec center and use their equipment. A membership there is only $30 a YEAR!
I miss the convienence of being able to go whenever I want (esp in the morning to get it over with) and also the equipment is not the greatest but it's something and warmer weather is coming so we can get outside.

Stephanie Doyle said...

Be easy on yourself. 6-7 days a week is hard and your body needs a break. Have you tried Crossfit? You can get in and out in 30-45 minutes and have a high intensity work out? Just a thought, I loved how much time I saved.

Meredith said...

I feel ya girl. Sometimes I feel like if I'm not doing Insanity, I'm not working out. And so when my knee was hurt and all I could do was walk for 30 mins to an hour, I felt like I was failing. I have to keep reminding myself that moving my body AT ALL is better than nothing.

Kelly said...

When I got my stress fracture, I switched from a regular gym membership to the YMCA because it has a pool and I needed to be able to workout without having impact on my leg. I have been swimming every morning since I joined the Y but I go before C wakes up. That way I can get my workout in and still be home before he needs me. Is that an option? I;m not sure how early R wakes up but I know if I don't go early I won't get it done!!

Genevieve said...

I definitely understand this, and I think it is a hard balance to find. For me, leaving to go to classes is easy , but going to just workout on my own is so challenging.

I know you have mentioned that you do classes sometimes, so maybe you already do that, but I know having a time I know I need to be there, and I a time I know I am done makes a huge difference. Maybe mixing it up more would help? Also exercising outside of the gym is totally fine! I understand the feeling about wanting to make the most of your membership but having a balance is okay I think, and sometimes working at home just works better some days.

I also feel you on the getting ready part. I forgo showering until we are back and after lunch when he is napping. So I too get ready around 2pm. :)

Dawn said...

I try to hit the gym 5 times a more a week because at 56.00 a month i'm also paying for child care. The only problem with that is EVERYTIME I workout for more than a month one or both of my kids get sick, and the child care place is the only reason it's possible for me to work out (my husband is a full time student.. only one more semester). Do you use a day care? if you do... how do you keep from Ryann getting sick. it's driving me nuts. I've been on Jamie Eason's live fit 12 week program (weeks one and two) for the last 6 weeks. not making much progress. :(

Amy Nielson said...

holy crap, give yourself two days off woman! your body needs time off to recover & rebuild & more importantly, you do NOT want to burn out. you're supposed to work out at a life-long sustainable pace. you have the rest of your life to work out & you don't want to be a yo-yo worker-outer! so pace yourself :)

not sure if any of that made sense.

Amy said...

I think if you are thinking "I only want to go 5 days a week" then you SHOULD! You have done so great and there is no doubt you are a dedicated lady, so I think there is no harm in it. I agree with Amy up there that it is good to give your body rest and recover days. You don't want to injure yourself and not be able to do anything at all, plus if it's feeling like a CHORE, then it's losing it's purpose.

You're a rockstar and I think you need to do what makes you happy!

PS-Totally jealous of that jumpy house, my hubby would never go for it because it might kill his precious grass....wanh wanh wanh.