Exercise
I think that I've discovered the secret to sticking to an exercise routine: Laziness. Seriously.
I find that every time I take up an exercise routine, whether it be jogging, lifting, swimming, regular calisthenics, whatever, I end up quitting because I get bored. I usually start off strong, make progress in the first week or two and find that to keep up my rate of success, I have to increase the workout time until it just gets too boring to finish. It's not the physical exertion that gets me, its the time that I have to spend doing something that doesn't stimulate my mind. That's saying something because my mind isn't something to be proud of. Eventually, the exercise just seems like too much of a burden and after a few excuses every day, I just leave it off like I'd never started.
However, this time I've figured it out: Instead of focusing on improving, I focus on getting it out of the way. I run for a few blocks and stop, every weekday. I figure insufficient exercise is better than none. So, if I put in insufficient time into my workout, but consistently do it, I'm better off than I was before. It's working so far: I've been at it since December. Better yet, I've doubled me distance and kept it under the same time I was at the start. I do it every day and treat like a chore and now it's part of my routine, something I would notice if I quit.
So when folks tell you that laziness is a vice, or that you should turn your daily chores into fun things, you can cite this as a counterpoint.
I find that every time I take up an exercise routine, whether it be jogging, lifting, swimming, regular calisthenics, whatever, I end up quitting because I get bored. I usually start off strong, make progress in the first week or two and find that to keep up my rate of success, I have to increase the workout time until it just gets too boring to finish. It's not the physical exertion that gets me, its the time that I have to spend doing something that doesn't stimulate my mind. That's saying something because my mind isn't something to be proud of. Eventually, the exercise just seems like too much of a burden and after a few excuses every day, I just leave it off like I'd never started.
However, this time I've figured it out: Instead of focusing on improving, I focus on getting it out of the way. I run for a few blocks and stop, every weekday. I figure insufficient exercise is better than none. So, if I put in insufficient time into my workout, but consistently do it, I'm better off than I was before. It's working so far: I've been at it since December. Better yet, I've doubled me distance and kept it under the same time I was at the start. I do it every day and treat like a chore and now it's part of my routine, something I would notice if I quit.
So when folks tell you that laziness is a vice, or that you should turn your daily chores into fun things, you can cite this as a counterpoint.
posted by Andrew Stine at 5:22 PM
3 Comments:
What if instead of increasing your time, you increase the intensity? Or while you work out, think of a way to invent a better internet or translate something into Sanskrit, or something?
I already do.
You should see the wonderful Sanskrit Internet I invented.
i'm impressed...yeah exercise...something i need to add in...and stop being a lazy bum about...:P
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