I started my second week of couch potato to 5K and I still hate it. In fact, I was in a bad mood all night last night just knowing that I was going to get to get up this morning and do it. (Note that I said "get to get up and do it" instead of "have to." I"m working hard at changing my mindset. It ain't working.) I was even grumpier this morning. And I thought more than once about just saying screw it.
But I didn't.
I got out there and I panted and cussed through my one minute intervals and all the while I kept thinking, if I quit, I'm a fraud. Every day I get up and I get on the computer and tell people that all their hard work and suffering is going to be so worth it. That they have to look at the big picture and remember why they're doing this.
Then I thought and asked myself, "Why are you doing this?"
Because I hope to be around twenty years from now. Because I hope to be healthier this time next year. Because I hope to be stronger tomorrow than I am today. Because I hope to reach that point when I reap the rewards and the biggest reward will be the pride I have in myself. Because I hope if I can do this one more thing for myself, I will be able to do other harder and more rewarding things.
Hope is important. But Hope is not enough.
It reminds me of when I was quitting drinking,
To all of my amigas and amigos out there that are just starting out, remember that you are getting stronger with every day and every minute. It will get easier. It will be worth it. Don't quit dreaming of the rewards, it is a gift that keeps on giving. You will carry the knowledge of your accomplishment forever. And you will be proud. Forever.
If you can do this, you can do anything.
And you can do this.
It is so hard in the beginning, but well worth it to stick it out! The sense of accomplishment is huge. And after a while, is starts getting easier. And one day, you will suddenly find yourself *wanting* to go for a run. I know...I know...it's hard to imagine. But much like this whole being sober business, what begins so hard becomes what you love.
ReplyDeletePromise?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, I'll carry it with me tomorrow morning.
Dear Kary May,
ReplyDeleteI sure wish I could get myself off of couch and just walk!
I am so stuck in doing nothing all day!
Habits are so hard to change!
I am so glad you are sticking to it!
xo
Wendy
Don't give me too much credit yet, it's only been a week. I love to walk and am usually pretty good about that, as long as I don't try to make it into exercise. I haven't worked in a couple of years and I can see my lifestyle is becoming more and more couch potatoish, I don't want to run a marathon, I just want to maintain what I have with some minor improvement. At my age, I was just relieved my uterus didn't fall out and I didn't wet my pants the first time I broke into something of a jog
DeleteI do yoga!
DeleteI love it!
I'm like Anne, I do hot, hard, easy, anything I can.
xo
Wendy
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ReplyDeleteOops! FirstMateMary was my blog about living on a sailboat, don't know how it popped back up.
DeleteIf you hate it, find something else. If I have learned anything it is that honouring your body is important. I no longer do things because someone thinks I should.
ReplyDeleteI do yoga daily. Hard flow, soft yin, whatever. I am perfectly fit and expect to be around a lot. And my knees will be too.
Running isn't for everyone. Recognizing we have chosen the wrong thing is allowed too.
Otherwise, I hope things get better!
I ran today and at the end of it felt so good, I'm almost looking forward to next time. I think all of life is about facing walls and climbing them or knocking them down, once you get past one, there's another one.
DeleteI would agree with you Kary May. I do yoga too, and zumba. I love them both. Running was a slower process, but I do love it now. Strength training I haven't found a like for. ..but I make myself do small amounts if it lol. It feels good to be physically active in general once you get into shape.
DeleteHave you got a really good soundtrack? I can only run to trance tunes! It reminds me of my misspent youth ;-) Big hugs to you KM xxx
ReplyDeleteI finally figured out how to upload a playlist to my phone, it only took me 1 week and a gallon of ice cream. lol
ReplyDeleteHubby and I joined the gym last week because we need to lose some weight. Good luck with your weight loss!
ReplyDeleteI did that program. It was so not me. :) I did manage to run though for a least twenty minutes. I like alking. I guess I learned that I stick only to what I like.
ReplyDelete