I Work Out
Posted By Kristabella on January 31, 2012
Hey, so it is the beginning of a new year and that means that everyone and their mother vows to work out more and spend more time at the gym and lose some damn weight already.
I am no different. And really, it is about time. I couldn’t even start back working out in the gym come the first of the year. It took me until the 24th of this month to actually step foot in there. But, since then, I have been 5 times. (I couldn’t go tonight since I had a late dentist appointment.) (That’s what the kids these days are calling it.) (I wish.)
See, working out has never been fun. I’ve never really enjoyed it. It’s always been a chore for me, never a habit. Yes, I am aware of the benefits. Yes, I feel amazing after I work out. But that is not enough to MAKE me go to the gym. I need more. I need extra motivation.
This year I’m taking part in the Biggest Blogging Loser again that Jennie is doing. That is giving me a bit extra motivation, since there is money and prizes involved. But that alone isn’t going to get me to the gym because shit, I pay for the gym every month and that isn’t even motivation to go. Plus, while I have quite a bit to lose, I’m also 34 damn years old and my metabolism ain’t what it used to be. Weight comes off slowly for me.
I needed some other sort of reward system.
Regan and I are both trying to lose weight and we banter about it daily on gchat and text messages and chastise each other when we eat entire pizzas in one sitting. Recently, she was telling me about this Fitbit thing she got. It’s like a pedometer on crack. It sounded interesting, but eh. Who really cares how many steps you take in a day? It gets old quick, AM I RITE?
Wrong.
She loves it. In addition to steps, it does stairs, which is helpful since I take a lot of stairs in a day. And it also helps track calories burned and your sleep habits. A few minutes on the website and I was sold! I wanted one!
So I decided to turn that into my reward. And instead of rewarding myself for just losing pounds, this reward is based on me actually going to the gym and working out.
My goal is to go to the gym 20 days between January 24 and February 29. That takes into the fact that we have the Super Bowl this weekend and that I’ll be in Arizona on vacation from the 15th-19th.
Apparently this is what I needed. I am going to get this damn Fitbit! I’m going to make the gym my bitch!
Also helpful is that I signed up to run an 8k at the end of March.
Let’s do this!
About the author
Great goals! I like that you’ve based it on how many times you make it to the gym rather than weight or inches or whatever.
Also, you should check out GymPact: http://www.gym-pact.com/
Here’s a pretty good post that explains how it works: http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/2012/01/i-heart-gympact.html
Erin´s last blog post ..Strength Training Monday
Ooh, are you doing the shamrock shuffle? I should sign up! Unless, of course, this turns out to be like the beer festival, already sold out by the time I get my act together.
*That’s* what I need! A decent reward! My problem is that all my rewards tend to be counterproductive. I mean, really rewarding weight loss with a nice dinner out is kind of stupid. Or getting something nice for one of my hobbies; which all seem to involve sitting on my ass. Still no good.
And good for you for making it about getting to the gym instead of pounds lost, because that really is the important thing. You go get that Fitbit thingy!
Jessica´s last blog post ..I’m Coming Out!
Okay. Had a look at the “Fitbit thingy”. That is so cool!! Maybe I’ll reward myself with one of those instead of a giant bag of Cheetos…
Jessica´s last blog post ..I’m Coming Out!
I have faith in you, K! You can do eet!
I haven’t been in the gym in a while either, and the sickness that took me down the last couple weekends has kept me from celebrating the mild Atlanta winter weather by taking long walks on the weekend. But I really am going to get back to it — this weekend is focusing on moving the bf’s stuff, so plenty of stairs to take, but I’ll get back to it next weekend.
And the bf, his son and me are doing a 5K “Color Run” in Piedmont Park at the end of March. I can’t wait!
(damn you, i have lmfao in my head now…)
i’m the same way – i love HAVING worked out, but knowing that is not enough to motivate me to DO it most of the time. i love your calendar/countdown. and i’m purposely avoiding the fitbit website for now because i am pretty sure i’ll decide i need one.
Alice´s last blog post ..cooking with Pinterest (again!)
You can come to the gym and do Zumba with me the Saturday you are here if you want. 🙂
I have a Fitbit (the older, non-stair-counting one, anyway), and I LOVE IT!! You can track your eating habits, too, and it comes with an iPhone app. And you can link up with your friends in the community, if you want to, so there’s extra motivation there. Seriously, what’s not to love?
(In fact, I may or may not have written a Style Lush post about how my husband bought me mine back in the day…only with my full approval/request, of course.)
And at one point, mine stopped working for some reason, and they even ended up just replacing it for me, no hassle. LOVE.
Tara´s last blog post ..Shredded
I have a Fitbit that I LOVE. It’s the only fitness accessory I have ever purchased that I used for more than a week, I kid you not. I bought mine and started using it on September 5, and the only day I didn’t wear it was on my wedding day (though I seriously tried to find a place in my dress to hide it). I love that thing. I use it to push me to take extra steps every day, to try and beat my total steps for the week, or for the hour, or whatever. I have no friends with a fitbit, so I don’t have anyone to motivate me to do better, or to compare stats with, so please get one 🙂
Also, I’ve lost 55 pounds since your post last year. YOU started this for me 🙂
Yes, I need you to get a Fitbit so we can be buddies and try to out walk each other!
regan´s last blog post ..losing
This is awesome and like I said on Twitter I will definitely be your cheerleader when you think you want to give up.
I have heard about the fit bit as of late-all good things! They sound really cool. It is the weirdest thing but the more I force myself to workout the weirder I feel when I don’t. Funny how that works.
sensibly sassy´s last blog post ..Sassy Sidenote: Let’s Say It Together: AWwwwww
I am really in awe of your goal, because I really loathe the gym. So the fact that you’re going consistently is huge to me.
An 8K??? That sounds like fun. I wish I could come run it with you.
Jen on the Edge´s last blog post ..The Reluctant Cook: Two foods, two ways
Ok, now I have read your initial workout post. ( I commented when you reached 20) I have made a Pinterest board called “My Carrot on a Stick” and will get myself something from it as I hit my mini goals!
Karynjewels´s last blog post ..Pinterest Drama Tied Up With Semi-Neat Bow!