I have a confession to make. There’s a part of me that is a wannabe exercise fanatic.
Don’t laugh, it’s true!
I earnestly have a little part of me that wishes I could be one of those people who has that driving urge to exercise every day. You know the type I’m talking about. That guy (or gal) who is lean and defined; their body is a trophy of determination and will power. The one who arrives at the gym early and stays for hours, pushing on even though sweat is pouring down their face. The one that stares endlessly at themselves in the mirror and hogs the machines, gloating about how much they can lift… Yeah, okay, maybe not that person. But you get my point.
I know what you’re silently asking me – if I feel this way, then why haven’t I done it?
The truth is, I just don’t know. I have attempted in the past – several times actually – to get myself on a schedule and keep to it. Then an unexpected trip to see my family will come up, or I have to put in extra hours at work, or I’ll get a monster headache (I am an unfortunate victim of frequent mild to migraine size headaches). Yes, yes, I know – these are all excuses. And you’re right.
I mean I have equipment at home. I know the benefits of exercising – being the wife of a nurse how could I not? And I even have the little “wannabe the next Richard Simmons” voice in my head practically forcing me into guilt trips every time I take the elevator at work instead of the stairs. So to ask the obvious, if it’s all right there in front of me, am I just lazy?
No. I think the answer lies in more that I am slightly rebellious. Not in the “I’m going to start a revolution” way, or even in the “let’s break the law” kind of way. But I tend to like to come to conclusions and decisions on my own. The more someone tells me I should do something, before I’ve reached the same verdict, the less likely I am to do it. I will even go as far as admitting that rationally and logically said concept it absolutely the correct thing to do, and still I will push against it. The word ‘stubborn’ comes to mind.
But even the stubborn ones like myself, see the light eventually. Well most of us anyways. So I’ve finally decided that the time for me to make this change is tomorrow. I’ve even enlisted the help of my supportive husband who has vowed to not give in when I beg him with my sleepy-eyed, sad face to let me stay in bed.
This time, I am determined to make it stick! So determined in fact, that I’m going to ask all of you to throw encouragement and support my way. I’ll gladly accept and reply to emails, Facebook comments, and tweets too!
So beginning tomorrow morning, the alarm will ring at 5:45 a.m. and I will sluggishly roll out of bed, get dressed and get exercising. I’ll probably be swearing at myself for choosing such an ungodly hour to torture myself during the entire session, but I’ll be online afterwards to let you know if I survived day one!