How I Convince Myself to Workout + a 10K Playlist

Running 51

Yesterday was just one of those days that I didn’t feel like doing anything. As I sat in the usual bumper-to-bumper traffic for almost an hour on my way home from work, I told myself I was going to change out of my work clothes as soon as I got home and plop down on the couch to watch television for a few hours. I even contemplated ordering pizza for dinner and letting the rest of the fresh produce in my fridge go bad.

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But then I walked in the front door to Coco’s small cries of joy and overzealous butt wagging and my mood started to change. Does your dog do that? They’re so happy to see you that their whole butt wags, not just their tail? That always brings a smile to my face.

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The thing is, I find myself getting caught in the mental trap of skipping my workout almost every single week. Most days I am just so overwhelmed with work and other things that all I want to do is say screw it and just lay down to watch mindless reality TV.

It was much easier to snap myself out of it when I went to classes at the gym since I felt like I had an “appointment” to be at and I knew I could feed off the energy from others around me. But now that I work out at home, the only person I have to rely on is myself. When that lazy feeling starts raring it’s little ugly head at me, I try to give myself an internal pep talk so that I can get moving:

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1. You never regret working out. I honestly cannot remember one single day of my life where I was drenched in sweat after exercising and thought to myself, “I shouldn’t have done that”. I might think that laying on the couch will make me feel better in that moment but the truth is, that is the only thing I will end up regretting.

2. Showing up is half the battle. I’ve formed a habit of coming home and immediately changing into my workout clothes so that I am instantly in the state of mind to break a sweat. Even if my energy is zapped and my mood sucks, I still tell myself just to try and do my best. I may not set any personal records or burn a crazy amount of calories that day but as long as I am active in some form, then I feel like I accomplished something.

3. Do it while you can. The sad reality is that there are millions of people out there who would love to be able to go for a run or ride a bike and they can’t. Whether it is a disability they were born with or an unfortunate accident that came later in life, their physical mobility is restricted and it keeps them from doing what they love. When I think of how lucky I am to still have legs that can carry me for miles or arms strong enough to my push my body off the ground, it inspires me to get moving.

4. You’ll sleep better. Sure, I might feel too tired to go for a run but once I get some good music playing and breathe in the fresh air, it all seems to work out okay. By the time I finish things off with a nice stretch, a shower and a good dinner, I’m toast. My bed has never looked better and I often fall asleep seamlessly.

5. It makes it okay to indulge…occasionally. I really wanted to type that exercise makes it okay for me to eat whatever the heck I want but then I would be lying to you. I personally believe that diet is a huge factor when it comes to getting and staying in shape and that you can’t have one without the other. That said, once you’ve adjusted to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there is always room for dessert…and nachos, your favorite beer, and macaroni & cheese. Whatever it might be, you earned it. In moderation, of course.

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P.S. That’s my favorite beer.

I’m sure I could think of more reasons if I tried but those are the most common motivators that come to mind. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the moment and feel depressed or lazy over something stupid so it’s important for me to have a few reminders to lift me back up.

Training for the 10k is also helping me stay motivated and while I still don’t consider myself a runner, I definitely feel myself improving over time. I’m the type of person who needs music to run so I put together a playlist to last me almost an hour, although I’m hoping the race won’t take me that long.

10k Playlist

  1. Doo Wop (That Thing) by Lauren Hill
  2. My Body by Young the Giant <inspired by Amy’s running tunes
  3. Paper Wings by Rise Against
  4. All Over You by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals <again, inspired by Amy
  5. Supersoaker by Kings of Leon
  6. Attack by 30 Seconds to Mars
  7. Part of Me by Katy Perry
  8. Singing In My Sleep by Semisonic
  9. Superman’s Dead by Our Lady Peace
  10. Wake Me Up by Avicii
  11. Roar by Katy Perry
  12. Closer to The Edge by 30 Seconds to Mars
  13. Clarity (feat. Foxes) by Zedd <inspired by Sara’s 7 mile playlist
  14. Give It All by Rise Against

I’ll be enjoying that playlist on my 6 mile run Saturday morning before watching the Texas A&M vs. Alabama game. If you watch college football then you’ve probably heard about it; it’s going to be huge! {ahhh…nervous excitement}

Have a great weekend y’all!

 

How do you convince yourself to workout when you don’t feel like it?

What songs are you loving lately?

by Sarah on September 12, 2013  //  Running
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