Mental Block

I need help!! For some RIDICULOUS reason, I feel like I'm wasting my gym membership if I exercise at home, and therefore, on days when I don't make it to the gym, I do NOTHING.

Here's the deal:
Many days I don't get to the gym. I know there are issues with that to begin with ("Just GO!!"), but if I don't go to the gym, I KNOW I should at least do something at home - a workout tape, some crunches, a few walks up and down the strairs - SOMETHING! But do I? No.

I think, "Why am I paying for a gym membership if I can exercise at home?"
Crazy, right??

So, here's what I would like answered... Can anyone identify with my mental block? AND, does anyone have any tips for climbing over that block?

Here's one idea I just came up with:
Maybe if I PLAN on doing something at home each day anyway - then when I go to the gym, it will be like a power boost to my workout. And I won't feel like I'm trying to duplicate my gym workouts at home. Also, if I don't make it to the gym, at least I will have done something! (A set of sit-ups isn't much, but it's more than nothing, right?)

Any other ideas? tips? suggestions? ...commiserations?

Fri. Jun 24, 1:17pm

all in the mind.....

You are definately right about one thing, doing something is better than doing nothing. I do not have a gym membership. (I have four kids ha, ha.) so, well, anyway, like this morning, I didn't feel like working out at all. I just stood in the mirror and talked myself right into it though, and, I'm very glad I did. I felt much better being able to report a workout on my log today and I feel like I did something really great for my body. Alot of the time it is in the mind. You can make yourself feel better or worse. I am trying to choose to be good to myself and make wise choices that I can be proud of.

Friday, June 24, 2005, 1:31 PM

Totally agree

I totally understand the original poster! I do the same thing! I feel like my house has an extra 10% weight of gravity or something so sit ups just don't seem appealing.

Here's what I think my mental block is:
When I plan on going to the gym and fail, I completely "give up" on the whole day. I think, "I'll try again tomorrow" instead of doing something at home.

Second mental block:
Since I planned on having a great workout at the gym and instead I stayed home, I feel like doing 20 sit ups is a joke compared to the workout I should have done. Which makes me once again say, "I'll try again tomorrow."

I'm sure everyone has mental blocks for not working out at home. Here's one way I overcame a mental block:
I have set weekly goals in addition to my overall goals. One of those goals is to do 75 sit ups in the morning (on an exercise ball) and 45 pushups at some point throughout the day. So even if I didn't make it to the gym, I still accomplish some goal and that makes me feel a little better about myself and forces me to do workouts at home!

Friday, June 24, 2005, 1:42 PM

I understand

I came up with a system for myself to get my but to the gym. I have a calander and I put stickers on the days that I go to the gym. I know it is kinda cheesey but I can glance up at it and know if I went monday or tuesday, and when I need to go next, and come sunday if I have not gone I go, no matter what. I shoot for going three times a week, and if I get to the gym twice in a week I am okay. I am not hard on myself, because if I truly dont feel like working out I dont, then when I do feel like working out I enjoy it much more.
It takes practice, I have been using this system for three years and it is what works for me, I hope this has helped
jennifer

Friday, June 24, 2005, 2:31 PM

I like the sticker idea

It works for kids, why not adults? I think I would feel good sitting here at my desk looking at my calendar with a sticker for each day that I worked out! You could even do 2 different stickers, one for a workout and one for a good eating day?? And, even go one more step, also works for kids. Once you get through a week with x number of stickers, you get a treat. Not a cookie or something detrimental to the purpose but how about buying yourself flowers, a piece of clothing (I love new workout clothes so that might work for me).

Does it sound too cheesy? I don't think so, people who I work with would see my stickers and say "what are those for?" Then I'd get to brag (or not) and tell them they represent workouts?? I don't know, I might try it.
Barb

Friday, June 24, 2005, 4:01 PM

take control over your mental block

1. Learn to LOVE the gym - a certain class? the Air conditioner? a certain friendly face?

2. How DAMN GOOD do you feel when you have finished a workout, and made it to the gym? Do it - get there because you KNOW how you're going to feel!

Saturday, June 25, 2005, 7:41 AM

try changing into your gym clothes as a motivator

The gym works well for me, because once I'm there, I might as well exercise -- I'm not going to turn around and go home! So the main initial effort is just getting changed and going.

But another thing you can do -- if you're just going to stay at home -- is to change into your gym clothes. It works for me. I don't like to walk around in my gym clothes, so if I'm dressed for it, I'll go ahead and work out.

Another thing -- there are a lot of exercises -- push ups, lunges, dips -- you can work in throughout the day without changing. These things only take 10 minutes or less, so you can do them throughout the day, and by the end get a lot done.

Monday, June 27, 2005, 1:30 PM

I'd say recognize this for what it is - an excuse. It's nothing more, and reminding yourself of that whenever you try to use it might get you moving at home.

Another thing to try is to make a rule like "If I don't go to the gym I have to do 3 sets of push ups and 3 sets of abs" or whatever. Make it reasonable - this isn't a punishment - but make it something active. Rules often help me get past the excuses. There's no more agonizing "oh, I didn't make it to the gym...should I work out at home? no, yes, no..." It's just the rule, and it can't be broken. I didn't get to the gym, so I have to do this other thing.

Don't know if this would help you, but you could also think of it as if you don't work out at home on days when you don't make it to they gym, you are actually wasting your gym membership even more by losing whatever strength/endurance you gained the last time you went to the gym.

Monday, June 27, 2005, 1:41 PM

just drop to the floor of your bedroom, office, living room and start doing crunches, pushups, yoga. Just move. Put a reminder on the wall reminding you to do it. All you need is a little suggesttion/motivation.

Sunday, December 17, 2006, 10:41 PM

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