Fresh Start Fitness

In my previous unhealthy lifestyle, I never felt guilty for not working out. I didn’t work out for like, 5 years in a row, so any feelings about my inactivity were just another day to me. They either weren’t significant, or I was skilled at suppressing them.

Now that I’m a regular exerciser, I’ve noticed this pattern when I don’t workout: if it’s been 1-2 days, I feel something like obligation to move. It’s similar to how I feel about brushing my teeth— I’m not dreading it or stressed about it, I just know it’s time. It’s “mid”, as my kids say.

If it’s been 3-4 days since I last worked out, I feel restless in my body and anxious to move. I feel something like short-term regret about my fitness goals: Ugh, I’m going to be set back on my running pace. But it’s not insurmountable, and it’s no big deal to just get out and go for a run. When I do workout, I feel enjoyment and relief to be back on track.

If it’s been a week without working out, my body and my brain suffer for it. I don’t sleep well. I feel sluggish and I start binging Diet Coke. My food choices are about convenience or comfort rather than fuel for movements. And I start to feel something annoying like guilt. I should be working out. Why did I let it go? I’m gross. I’m fat. I’m not really a fit person… I’m just pretending.

Guilt is a funny feeling because it has the power to motivate change: one time I spanked my oldest son too hard and the guilt I felt for years motivated me to control myself when disciplining my other children. But guilt that sits too long without making change has the power to turn into something like shame, which doesn’t spark change. It makes me want to hide.

When it comes to my fitness journey and other things in life, I have learned to feel all my feelings, even the ones that are painful. Pain has purpose. Pain is a teacher and motivator for change. When I’m not active, I feel the guilt for not taking care of myself because my health is important to me and I’m not prioritizing it. The guilt reminds me of what’s important to me.

If you feel guilty for not moving or nourishing your body, here are a few tips to get you back on track:

• Feel your feelings. Don’t suppress them and convince yourself that they aren’t there. Validate them because they are important to you and they reflect who you are.
• Go back to your why. Remind yourself why movement is important, how you feel after a workout vs. how you feel after a day of lethargy.
• Start small: drink water, walk, stretch. Talk yourself into it, not out of it.
• Just get out the door. Show up. Get in the gym and piece together a workout, or do a walk/run. Make consistency a goal rather than “how good” a workout can be. All you have to do is show up.