The Daily Peeve / Rant

[sweetana3]

There is a huge number of great exercise videos on Youtube for free. Ranging from cardio of all kinds, to meditation, stretching, etc. I even looked up Hip Hop Step to see what types of moves might be in a class. Classes for any age or fitness level.

All you need is a way of getting video from youtube and maybe some cheap dumbbells. Pick the instructor that you connect with and go to it. Save that 50 mile round trip.

[SiouzQ.]

I'm embarrassed to add that I bought an exercise bike during the first year of the pandemic; I swore I wasn't going to be one of those people that let it sit and get dusty from lack of use. I am that person, sadly...a lot of it is getting my mental gumption up to start doing it again. I find that if I make a point of going to the gym for the express purpose of working out, I actually end up at the gym doing just that. When the equipment is at home however, I seem to always find something else that needs doing instead.

A lot of it is a mental thing, I'm afraid...I let my fatigue and lack of motivation get to me.

[Tradd]

Oh that’s too bad. I would have thought you’d like not having to drive all that way.

[catherine]

SiouzQ, I also have a terrible time with motivation. I have joined gyms often enough to have formed a resolve never to join another one. I sign up and then I don't go. So, I'm the opposite end of your experience with the treadmill clothing rack.

The only thing that has helped me are some specific habit-forming behaviors.

I exercise in the morning, but when I started with my regimen, I limited myself to one minute of exercise. That's it. (My exercise of choice is planks, push-ups with some yoga thrown in). I stopped myself at one minute. The next day I told myself that if I even do 1% more, that's great! Those daily 1% incremental improvements add up. Everyday I would just pledge to do 1% more or better, but that was it

Those mental tricks helped me form the habit of exercising. It has been the most successful approach I've ever had. At 70, I can now do 5 minute plank workouts and I can do more push-ups than I could do when I was 14 years old in gym class. I do the same with cardio, although I find that harder to do in this small house. I'm very bad at doing a cardio routine in the winter. In the summer, I can schedule time at 3pm to go out and walk. I have tried YouTube, Pelaton, and other videos and they don't work for me. Too many steps. I have to find one or two, make a decision, follow through with the routine even if I don't like it. I'm just not motivated by them.

I acknowledge how frustrating it is to see the days go by without feeling you've pushed yourself physically. I hope you find something that works for you until you can get to the gym!

[Tradd]

There is a huge number of great exercise videos on Youtube for free. Ranging from cardio of all kinds, to meditation, stretching, etc. I even looked up Hip Hop Step to see what types of moves might be in a class. Classes for any age or fitness level.

All you need is a way of getting video from youtube and maybe some cheap dumbbells. Pick the instructor that you connect with and go to it. Save that 50 mile round trip.

I actually do some chair cardio along with Caroline Jordan videos. You work up quite a sweat and can modify as needed. They are easy on my knees, which is ideal.

[SiouzQ.]

I was scheduling my gym trips on the days I went into Santa Fe to run errands, so it wasn't an "extra" trip. I think I am suffering from the winter doldrums, along with all the stressful stuff going on in my life. I swear, it hits me so bad in the mid-afternoon and I just want to curl up and never get out of bed. But right now it's both of us in bed as he is recuperating from the accident. The other factor is I am not working very much outside the home right now, as it is the slow season in our little tourist town. I'm only scheduled for two days a week, and the other days I either run the errands or I work in my studio. This week I am just so unmotivated to be creative because of all the other stuff going on. Talking to lawyers, filing a claim for the totaled car, etc, etc. It's all very unsettling, to say the least. I am trying to take care of myself and get enough rest and not beat myself up too much this upset in my schedule. This too shall pass (I know it in my head, but it's just so frickin' tiring).

[frugal-one]

I actually do some chair cardio along with Caroline Jordan videos. You work up quite a sweat and can modify as needed. They are easy on my knees, which is ideal.

Thanks for posting this. I will give her a try tomorrow! Hopefully, this will motivate me!

[Tradd]

Thanks for posting this. I will give her a try tomorrow! Hopefully, this will motivate me!

Hope you like her! She developed the chair cardio when she had an ankle injury some years back.

[Tybee]

I should try this too. Ugh. But thank you, will try.

[SiouzQ.]

Meth Head Matchsticks: Don't hire a meth head to chop kindling for you. I'm having a devil of a time getting a good fire with nice coals going. She forgot to leave some decent mid-sized pieces left...

Meth Head MatchSticks.jpg