Gym day 1, the day after: T-I-R-E-D

I am so proud of myself for pushing me to go to the gym yesterday. I would normally find an excuse for everything, the smallest of the details would be enough for me to say ‘today I’ll skip’ and don’t feel bad about it. Things like, I have a cold, it’s raining, I have to do the grocery, my bike is broken, it’s late, or simply ‘today I don’t feel like’.

I used to go to the gym only when there were the perfect ‘conditions’: not too late, directly after work, feeling fairly good, and when it is not raining (please note: I live in Amsterdam. I only move around by bike and YES, it rains A LOT, and it is not very comfortable to cycle around the city for 30 minutes when it is raining and you already have a cold).

Moving on.

Yesterday, sooo many details would prevent me from going: my bike was actually broken for a flat tire, I finished a bit later at work and I had to walk almost 30 min to find a bike repair shop to pump up the wheel, I had no grocery at home and I had a bad sore throat. I’d normally never workout in these conditions.

But. Last week I promised myself that this week would be the beginning of something new. I made a promise to myself: to stop making up excuses.

This is what is pushing me back every single time: I make up excuses with myself so that I think it is acceptable to skip the workout, or that yes, I had a stressful day and I deserve that jar of Ben&Jerry’s ice cream.

“Enough excuses”, I said yesterday. I went to the gym, after walking a lot to find a bike repair shop, after cycling 30 min to get to the gym, and completely skipping grocery hoping that I still had something decent in the fridge. I did’t workout at the same pace that I was used to (I may be overweight but damn if I am still damn strong with high resistance), but it’s not the point. The point is that I did not make up an excuse, this time.

Yesterday’s workout? Here we go!

12 minutes treadmill, 5.5 speed, 4.0 slope; 10 min rowing machine; two circuit of three abs exercises each (including plank, yay!); 20 min elliptical machine, and abundant stretching after everything. I took me about 1h30 min, after which I felt completely powerless and exhausted.

The final touch: my bike didn’t just have a flat tire, it was actually broken, so I had to walk back home for another good 25 min instead of cycling. Meh.

Today I’d ideally rest, BUT I have plans for tomorrow after work so I’ll anticipate the workout to today. Brace yourselves… leg day is coming!

I’m not sure if I’ll go to the gym because not having a bike anymore is tremendously extending the time it takes to do everything, but just in case, I have prepared a free bodyweight workout to do at home, after which I’ll go for a small run in a park nearby.

And you guys? Did you do any little step towards your better health yesterday? Let me know in the comments!