Stop being a little bitch

[BillyCarpenter]

Over the past 9-12 months, I stopped exercising and eating healthy. And I put on about 20lbs. I made every excuse in the world for not working out and exercising. I told myself that I work hard at the office and deserved some time off. I told myself that I was getting older and didn't need to push myself as hard. I started to notice that this mentality was carrying over to other areas of my life. I felt like I was giving about 40% of what I'm capable of.

About a month ago I started running and working out again with my next door neighbor. He's 23 years younger than me. We usually run 2-miles each morning. Sometimes its in the evening. He always finishes ahead of me. This pisses me off to no end. So, I started going to the gym at 5 a.m. every morning and lifting weights like my life depended on it. It's hard. At first I felt like I had been run over by a Mac truck. I've never liked lifting weights. I don't think anyone does. But I do it. Working out lasts about an hour and there's pain and suffering. But I look at it like this: There's 24-hours in a day. If I suffer for 1-hour, that means there's 23-hours that I won't suffer.

I made a bet with my neighbor that in 3-months that we'd run a 5k and the loser buys a meal at anyplace of the winner's choosing. I already have the restaurant picked out and the meal. I never miss a day of running. I usually incline the treadmill to 5 and run for an hour. When I get comfortable with that, I speed it up until I get comfortable with that. Over the past month I've lost 11lbs. I plan to drop another 15. I'm on a very strict diet. Low carb and hi protein. I shut it down at 6 p.m. No snacks.

I was being a little bitch. Don't be a little bitch.

[copier tech]

Over the past 9-12 months, I stopped exercising and eating healthy. And I put on about 20lbs. I made every excuse in the world for not working out and exercising. I told myself that I work hard at the office and deserved some time off. I told myself that I was getting older and didn't need to push myself as hard. I started to notice that this mentality was carrying over to other areas of my life. I felt like I was giving about 40% of what I'm capable of.

About a month ago I started running and working out again with my next door neighbor. He's 23 years younger than me. We usually run 2-miles each morning. Sometimes its in the evening. He always finishes ahead of me. This pisses me off to no end. So, I started going to the gym at 5 a.m. every morning and lifting weights like my life depended on it. It's hard. At first I felt like I had been run over by a Mac truck. I've never liked lifting weights. I don't think anyone does. But I do it. Working out lasts about an hour and there's pain and suffering. But I look at it like this: There's 24-hours in a day. If I suffer for 1-hour, that means there's 23-hours that I won't suffer.

I made a bet with my neighbor that in 3-months that we'd run a 5k and the loser buys a meal at anyplace of the winner's choosing. I already have the restaurant picked out and the meal. I never miss a day of running. I usually incline the treadmill to 5 and run for an hour. When I get comfortable with that, I speed it up until I get comfortable with that. Over the past month I've lost 11lbs. I plan to drop another 15. I'm on a very strict diet. Low carb and hi protein. I shut it down at 6 p.m. No snacks.

I was being a little bitch. Don't be a little bitch.

I admire your dedication. The only exercise I get it when the lift (elevator) is out of order!

[BillyCarpenter]

I admire your dedication. The only exercise I get it when the lift (elevator) is out of order!

The hardest part for me is always making the commitment. Once I get out there, I'm glad that I did. I've found that running and exercise isn't so much physical but mental. I have to override my brain every morning when it tells me that it doesn't want to run. Like right now, for instance. But I'm heading out the door to run as we speak.

[blackcat4866]

Congratulations! You've done the hardest part! You've come to the correct conclusion: that you don't have to like it, but you do have to do it. And the more you do, the more you realize that discomfort will not kill you. As you get more fit, you'll push the limits more, and feel good doing it.

I read somewhere that if you can work out every day for 30 days, you'll have the habit, and you won't have to come up with justifications ... you just do what needs doing.

I personally, work out in the early morning before the cognizant part of my brain starts working. It's one of the few benefits of having a brain that powers up slowly in the morning. If I think about it too much, I can think of reasons not to, so I don't think.

This same process applies well to physical tasks. Just concentrate on this moment, and don't worry about what will happen later. If you're already thinking about failing, you've already failed. =^..^=

[BillyCarpenter]

Congratulations! You've done the hardest part! You've come to the correct conclusion: that you don't have to like it, but you do have to do it. And the more you do, the more you realize that discomfort will not kill you. As you get more fit, you'll push the limits more, and feel good doing it.

I read somewhere that if you can work out every day for 30 days, you'll have the habit, and you won't have to come up with justifications ... you just do what needs doing.

I personally, work out in the early morning before the cognizant part of my brain starts working. It's one of the few benefits of having a brain that powers up slowly in the morning. If I think about it too much, I can think of reasons not to, so I don't think.

This same process applies well to physical tasks. Just concentrate on this moment, and don't worry about what will happen later. If you're already thinking about failing, you've already failed. =^..^=

It sounds like you understand the mental part of it. When I stay in my comfort zone, I really don't grow as a person. I learn about myself during adversity. When I'm out there running, there comes a point that my brain wants to shut it down. Our brain is the most powerful instrument on earth. It's the only thing that knows all of our weaknesses and vulnerabilities. It knows our struggles in life. Our brain knows there's places that we don't want to go and that's what leads to quitting. When my brain tells me to quit running and I tell it that I'm not going anywhere and it sees that I'm not stopping, it has no choice but to adapt. I call it putting a callus on the brain.

[Hansoon]

The hardest part for me is always making the commitment. Once I get out there, I'm glad that I did. I've found that running and exercise isn't so much physical but mental. I have to override my brain every morning when it tells me that it doesn't want to run.

Exactly the same here. For me every time in the beginning there is a lot of pain and discomfort because of the underlying ailment I have, but after around 20 minutes all clears up and then after an hour I cannot stop anymore until being exhausted or my wife calling me where the hell I am.

Thanks you shared your experience with us.

Hans

[BillyCarpenter]

I've been mixing it between running on the beach (on the boardwalk, not the sand) and the treadmill @ the gym. I just got back from the gym and today was the day that I pushed it really hard.

I've been trying to work on my breathing. When I get tired, I tend to breath through my mouth. This morning I made sure that I was breathing through my nose. Also, I tend to slump over slightly when tired. I'm trying to run upright with my shoulders inline with my hips and my hips in line with my feet.

Progress is slow but progress is being made.

[BillyCarpenter]

Exactly the same here. For me every time in the beginning there is a lot of pain and discomfort because of the underlying ailment I have, but after around 20 minutes all clears up and then after an hour I cannot stop anymore until being exhausted or my wife calling me where the hell I am.

Thanks you shared your experience with us.

Hans

Keep up the good work, Hans.

[subaro]

Good stuff Billy and hopefully it will give others some motivation to do what they know they MUST do. I do outdoor things and sports, and do not like the gym at all. Well what works for each is all good, but to your point, must get going as the human body needs to be exercised to function healthy.

[BillyCarpenter]

It was a little cold out this morning so I went to the gym and got on the treadmill. I usually do 2 miles. That's what my body is used to doing. When I hit the 2 mile mark, my brain said to shut it down. But I wanted to push it further. I thought about it for a couple minutes and reached a conclusion: I was being a little bitch. I went another 1.5 miles. I walked out of the gym drenched in sweat. The cold air never felt so good.