Just Do It

on April 16, 2011
in All Posts

You know when you get all dressed up for your workout, and then you somehow get distracted?  And your motivation starts to tank?  And you just think, “Hmm, maybe I will skip my workout and just lay in the grass bed instead.”

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That totally happened to me this afternoon!  I worked until 2:15 and then planned to go straight to the pool to swim laps.  But the Husband called with a secretarying crisis at the clinic, so I threw a hoodie over my swimsuit and rushed over.  By the time the fire was put out, it was nearing 3:45, and my motivation was seriously waning.

 

I spent about five minutes staring out the window, contemplating blowing off my workout completely.  But I did the old “You never regret a workout once it’s done; you might regret skipping it” pep talk and hauled my booty to the pool before I could talk myself back out of it.

 

I also bribed myself with a shorter workout. 🙂 That trick ALWAYS works if you’re pressed for time and aren’t really feeling it to begin with!  If you originally planned to do 40 lengths, do 30.  If you planned to run a 5 miler, do a 3 miler.  Score.

 

I ended up doing 32 lengths, which is about 750 meters – just what I’ll be swimming in the June triathlon!  And you know what? I didn’t regret the workout at all. 🙂 Of course!

 

Lunch was consumed at FABO.  I bought one of their refrigerated meals and heated it up in their microwave.

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It was yummy.  Kind of nice that it was soy-sauce free as the veggie flavors really stood out.

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Came home and ate a piece of bread with almond butter as my pre-swim snack:

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I ended up going back for seconds:

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And then, after my swim and a walk with the Husband and Nicole, I made a yummy mixed berry and banana smoothie.

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SO glad it’s spring and I can regularly enjoy smoothies again without being chilled to the bone!

 

Our plans for tonight include hanging with friends and relaxing.  Poor Husband worked all week AND all day today!  I think a movie night is in order.

{ 47 comments }

 

  • Melanie @ Trial By Trail April 16, 2011, 6:20 pm

    Nice job motivating yourself to go for a swim! I really need to give myself that “you never regret a workout” pep talk right about now! Thanks for the reminder Caitlin!

  • Victoria (District Chocoholic) April 16, 2011, 6:31 pm

    Swimming workouts are THE BEST. And I really can’t think of a time that I had a swimsuit on and didn’t manage the workout. It’s how I get to the pool for 6 am openings – just put it on right upon waking up.

  • Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope April 16, 2011, 6:33 pm

    Congrats on sticking with the workout! It makes you feel so much more accomplished when you get past all those negative thoughts and THEN have an awesome workout… good for you! 🙂

  • Abby April 16, 2011, 6:36 pm

    I always use that saying for motivation too! That smoothie looks yummy! 🙂

  • Lucy @ The Sweet Touch April 16, 2011, 6:36 pm

    Way to go Caitlin! Glad to hear you went for it:) Hope you have a fun, relaxing night, I’m attempting a polenta crust veggie pizza for our Saturday night fun (I know, we are wild right?!)!

    • Caitlin April 16, 2011, 6:40 pm

      That sounds yummy!!!!

  • Priyanka April 16, 2011, 6:40 pm

    That trick always works. Yay for smoothies, they are the perfect accompaniment on a warm springy afternoon.

  • Cait @ Beyond Bananas April 16, 2011, 6:43 pm

    I think I feel even better after a work out that I have to pep talk myself into completing! And it always gets my energy back up! If I just decided to hang out and be lazy..I would be drained in no time!

  • Chad April 16, 2011, 6:51 pm

    It’s hard to stick through the workout on days like that – excellent job. Did you make the jar of what appears to be jam? I’m hungry now.

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin April 16, 2011, 6:59 pm

    Bribing myself with a shorter workout always does the trick! Once I realize that there’s nothing stopping me from ending my workout after 15, or even 5 minutes, it’s much easier to talk myself into going!

  • Jen April 16, 2011, 7:00 pm

    You are on the AOL homepage today!!! Congrats 🙂

  • Ashley @ Feeding Ashley April 16, 2011, 7:24 pm

    Bribing myself doesn’t work for some reason.Congrats on an awesome swim. The soup looks great!

  • Kara April 16, 2011, 7:26 pm

    I have such a hard time with afternoon workouts! I normally just skip it and try again the next day 🙂

  • Baking 'n' Books April 16, 2011, 7:29 pm

    I love coming here for the positivity. I need someone like you in my life. Too much negative energy around me.

    Your as bright as the sun and flowers in your pictures Caitlin!

    Yes – a movie! I seen The Fighter last night – so good! But I don’t know what mood your in – typically I’m just a comedy, cheesy gal 😉 I was watching “Baby Mama” with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler all afternoon :)…don’t think your hubby would like that one though!

  • Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) April 16, 2011, 7:32 pm

    Oh, that soup looks good! Good for you swimming. I totally agree, you never regret the workout. Enjoy your man tonight. We are watching Weird Science with our boys. I love family movie nights.

  • Brittany P.S. April 16, 2011, 7:40 pm

    Oh I feel ya. Even born and bred competitors feel that motivation drain! I’m a cross-country runner training for Western Canadian’s. I know I’ve got to get out there, but when it’s hailing and raining like it was today, I need to throw myself out the door. Today I shortened it and called in training and a shower in one. Can’t say no to that kind of efficiency :)… also, love the blog tons, long time reader! Bet I’m one of your only Yukoners!

    • Caitlin April 17, 2011, 9:34 am

      I had to look up Yukoners. 🙂 Thank you for reading!

      • Brittany P.S. April 17, 2011, 3:54 pm

        The Yukon is an AWESOME place for runners and lovers of fresh air! Definitely add it to you bucket list of places to visit ;). Stoked you looked it up! end shameless birthplace promotion.

  • Molly @ RDexposed April 16, 2011, 7:49 pm

    Um, the snow cancelled my work out. Enjoy your smoothie!

  • Carol April 16, 2011, 8:00 pm

    I sleep in my work out clothes:) That way I am ready for action first thing in the AM. I actually started doing this during the winter months because I would be way too cold to change first thing in the AM.

    So glad you were able to get your swim in! Enjoy your evening!

  • Morgan April 16, 2011, 8:07 pm

    I do the same pep talk when I’m feeling void of motivation!

    I try to imagine the way I feel once I complete a work out and usually that re-sparks my enthusiasm.

  • Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) April 16, 2011, 8:16 pm

    warm weather and drinking ice coffee and smoothies and not freezing my butt off..yes, I am all about it!

    enjoy your movie night or whatever you end up doing to chill and relax!

  • Joyce @ Flowing to Fifty April 16, 2011, 8:35 pm

    And that is what separates the women from the girls! Well done with the workout. Your soup looks delish and so does the smoothie.

  • Katie @ Nourishing Flourishing April 16, 2011, 8:43 pm

    Movie night is totally in order over here too 😉 I am about ready for a smoothie now, too, after seeing yours…! Drool.

  • Rachel @ The Perseverance Diaries April 16, 2011, 9:11 pm

    It’s good you went and did it! I always fight with myself to work out but once I break a sweat I can’t imagine that I’d have even wanted to skip in the first place.

    I’m having a movie night as well, Knocked Up. Always hilarious, even after the 7th time seeing it 🙂

    • Caitlin April 17, 2011, 9:34 am

      I love that movie – so funny!

  • Holly @ The Runny Egg April 16, 2011, 9:22 pm

    My sister and I just wasted 2 hours of our life watching Dear John. You can probably skip that one 🙂

  • Jennifer Vergin April 16, 2011, 11:37 pm

    Nice job! One you have it on, it’s like you HAVE to go. Nothing feels worse than changing out of your gear after you skipped a workout!

  • Khushboo April 16, 2011, 11:55 pm

    I was meant to run before breakfast but am putting it off till before lunch. If motivation is still waning, I am going to have to re-read this post. Good on you for getting yourself in the pool!

  • Mary @ Bites and Bliss April 17, 2011, 12:20 am

    The workouts I dread the most always end up being the ones I enjoy the most. Glad you were able to get yourself in the gym!!

  • Lili April 17, 2011, 2:05 am

    Good job on hitting the pool after all! I know how you felt..last summer on my lunch breaks, I was leaving the office for outdoor hike, run or walks. One day I was in my work out clothes out of the door and my husband called me asking to drive home to get him some documents he needed.. Man I was upset!!! But it was really important so I couldnt say no!

    Btw- tonight I made a new recipe and funny I thought you’d prolly like it 😉 It’s a black bean and zucchini pancake. I will see if i find the recipe online ~ It was yummy!

  • Jamie@everydaydolce April 17, 2011, 3:30 am

    You guys definitely deserve a movie night! And good for you for getting in a solid workout on a stressful day! 🙂

  • Stacey @ Being Stacey April 17, 2011, 6:31 am

    I’ve been enjoying recently too. So pleased the weather is warming up.

  • Stacey @ Being Stacey April 17, 2011, 6:32 am

    Meant to say enjoying smoothies!

  • Katherine: Unemployed April 17, 2011, 6:34 am

    I’m not the only one who heats things in plastic containers!!!! YAY (sorry; I’m always self-conscious about this– is that weird?)

    • Caitlin April 17, 2011, 9:35 am

      Hahah I feel bad about it too but whatever.

  • Jamie AKA "Sometimes Healthy Girl" April 17, 2011, 7:14 am

    I had one of those days today…took me FOREVER to get out the door 🙂 But definitely felt much better when I finally ran!

  • Christine @ Burning It Off April 17, 2011, 7:36 am

    Good strategies. When I don’t feel like going to the gym I always tell myself I can have an “easy” workout… then once I get there, I usually go all out anyway. And I always feel the best after doing a workout that I didn’t want to do.

  • Shannon April 17, 2011, 8:40 am

    Hi Caitlin.

    I like these ideas about motivation to work out. I wonder if you have any words of wisdom about motivating one’s self to “start over” when one has fallen off the fitness/healthy eating wagon. (And by “one” I mean me!) 😉

    I am reeeeeally struggling right now, for a variety of reasons, and I can’t seem to get back on track. In the past year I lost about 15 extra lbs. (leftover baby weight!), and I’ve been a regular exerciser for many years. But the past several months have been EXTREMELY stressful, and unfortunately I’ve coped with the stress by emotional (over)eating and responded to it by skipping far too many runs and strength workouts. Now, I’m 7 lbs. heavier, a whole lot less toned, life is still stressful, but I feel even worse because now I also feel gross and flabby and discouraged. Any tips for working through the initial yuckiness until I can make progress on my weight and fitness and start to feel better??? I can’t be the only person who struggles with this!

  • Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out April 17, 2011, 8:42 am

    I do the same thing! I tell myself “Just run for 10 minutes and then we’ll strength train.” But once I get in it, I usually always run 30 minutes.

    I’m super excited for your triathlon!

  • Amber K April 17, 2011, 11:25 am

    I’ve tried to bribe myself with a shorter workout but then that usually leads to the thought of “well then is it really worth it to jump in the car and drive all the way to the gym for just a short time.” The answer? YES, get up, go. Right now…lol

    I have actually found that I’m better if I just don’t think about. I’ll start to think, “but I don’t want to” as I’m putting on my shoes and grabbing my bag. “Hey, didn’t you hear me? I’m not feeling it!” as I continue to grab my water bottle and head down the stairs. My body ignores my brain a lot 🙂

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