Feeling a Bit ‘Blah’
There is very little to report from the week just gone. As far as exercise and fitness are concerned, it’s been the way of the past couple of months during isolation, with just the usual grind of trying to stay fit, when I really don’t feel much like bothering. Lately, I’ve been in a bit of a funk, with a case of the ‘blahs’ and laziness, which is making exercise difficult and not fun. Wet weather and mud, have been making the tracks where I usually walk, in the National Park near home, slippery and a bit dangerous, due to my recovering knee injury. Cycling is on the back burner, for the same reasons.
But, really, I have to own up, that these are just excuses. In times past, pre Covid, I wouldn’t ever use the weather as an excuse. Ever! Having said that, though exercise has been a struggle, on most days I’ve been pushing through it, even though my heart is not in it. I should also mention that I have a home gym, which means I have no excuses at all to avoid exercise.
When I think back to my gym instructing and PT days, I remember telling clients, when they complained that they were losing motivation, to forget looking for motivation, and just turn up. My advice would be to turn up to a session, even if they really didn’t want to do it. Turn up and do it, no matter how half hearted the attitude. The key is that turning up is half the battle. Often just turning up will kick start enthusiasm. If it doesn’t, and if you do what is a ‘below par’ workout, don’t worry, be proud that you turned up, and kept your integrity intact by not skipping a session. I know full well that one skipped session, can lead to two skipped sessions, leads to three…..and on and on it goes. Before you know it, gym is a thing of the past. I know all this, but for the first time in what feels like forever, I’ve been ignoring my own advice. While being in isolation, which should mean that I have more time than ever in my day, to fit exercise in, I have skipped quite a few sessions. Not all sessions though. I’ve probably been doing more than many people do, but it’s less than usual for me, and the intensity of the session’s I’ve turned up for, has been quite low, most days.
During isolation, I’ve spent hours in the garden, which I don’t usually classify as exercise, but at the moment, I feel like claiming those hours as exercise hours. I’ve been doing strength training and RPM Cycling classes, along with walking, though I have walked less than usual and my weights training is far less intense than usual. I’ve been doing a short yoga session at the end of my normal gym session, most days, but not everyday, as I had previously committed to doing.
Feeling More Positive Now
I’ve thought about it constantly over the past few days, and have decided that I need to start taking my own advice from all those years ago, and keep turning up every day. Every day, not just some days. I’m trying not to make myself wrong over this period of slackness, and just trying to accept that we are in trying times, and the experience of living in a pandemic is different for everyone. Life was quite hectic for me, in pre-covid times. Now that I have an excuse to slow down, I’ve been feeling the need to come to a complete stop. Life in isolation is feeling a bit like a full stop on life as I know it, and an interlude before the next phase begins.
Apart from stressing about becoming a bit slack, I’ve been loving life in isolation. I’ve blogged about this, a few times during the pandemic, and nothing has changed. It really surprises me how much I’ve enjoyed the past three months at home, as I did enjoy working and was struggling to think about retirement being a reality. Now I’m not so sure. For now, I’m practising being retired, and trying not to stress about making any decisions yet.
I’m not sure about the focus of my blog posts over the next few weeks, but now that I’ve given myself a talking to, I plan to just keep turning up here also. I’m not sure if anyone would have noticed, but I haven’t published a blog post for three weeks. I’ve been feeling a bit like a fraud, posting on a blog called Next Phase in Fitness, when I’m struggling to keep my fitness program going.
Also, life in a pandemic, as I see it on the news, with all the struggles and worries that it’s causing, has created a bit of brain freeze in me. It doesn’t seem right to bother posting about my life experiences, which are very trivial compared to the problems facing the world at the moment. Lately, there has been nothing that I can think of to write, that really matters, in the wider scheme of things.
Just Keep Walking
I plan to keep walking and gym-ing, even when I don’t feel like it, and even while I’m not feeling very fit. My plan is to keep doing it, day by day, step by step, and hopefully the fitness will return. During most of my working life, I’ve thought of how I want my retirement to be. I want to be fit and active and healthy enough to do whatever it is that I want to do. I’m not sure when retirement will happen, but I’m so close to it now, that I just have to keep plugging away at improving my fitness to ensure that retirement goal does happen. I’m feeling confident again that it’s still possible.
The biggest disappointment for me, about not blogging for three weeks, is the loss of connection with fellow bloggers that I’ve met and become friends with over many years of blogging. I’ve really felt that loss of regular connection, and I’m very much looking forward to catching up with all the news from the blogisphere, over the next few days.
The following photos represent my week in fitness, which has been more passive than normal.
The O’Keefe Rail Trail at Axedale
The Axedale River Walk along the Campaspe River, part of The O’Keefe Rail Trail
How has your exercise program been going during Covid-19. Have you been struggling like me? I’d love to hear about your experiences and promise to reply to all comments.
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I confess I did not notice your absence the first two weeks, i am so new to the group, I do not always know who is who or how often folks post. But I certainly noticed your absence this past week and was very happy to get this notice. I received this post or a similar one last one, as well as one that looked like perhaps notes about what you sere going to do but hadn’t planned on posting, and I was frankly worried. It looked incomplete. In both cases, when I tried to comment it took me to a page that looked like yours but said “Page Not Found” I finally reached to Debbie Harris to see if she knew anything about you. Not that everyone in Australia, or even in #MLSTL knows everyone. lol. Glad you are well and hope you don’t mind such concern from someone who doesn’t really know you, just has read a few posts. Michele Somerville, The Beach Girl Chronicles p.s. Good for you for turning up!
Michelle I don’t mind at all. Big thanks to you for reaching out. Deb told me you had. About the incomplete post. That did my head in. I planned to post last week but when it published WordPress also published a draft. I have no idea how it happened. But it made me cranky and I deleted both posts. I love how the blogging community reach out to each other so thanks again.
You are welcome and I am glad to know that you are well. I think that many of us are struggling with the combinations of personal concerns, the long stretch of lockdown, the unknowns of COVID-19, the political climate, and racism. It gets overwhelming. In my short time, I find this community a huge blessing. Micheel
I wondered what was going on for the last few weeks… Being in the garden is absolutely like exercise – even if it just raises your spirits. I walk every day but there are days when it’s tough. I remember a fitness instructor saying to me one day (when I used to go to a gym) when I said I was lacking in motivation “do you need motivation to clean your teeth? To have a shower?” Naturally I pulled a rather immature face at her, but, sometimes it really is about JFDI – just flipping do it, go for that walk and take that pic of nature. There, I feel better for saying that. Mostly though, be kind to yourself.
Thanks Jo. You made me laugh because I can remember asking a client about the teeth cleaning many years ago. But it’s true. I’m feeling much more positive now
I’m so glad to read your post Jennifer and happy to have reached out after getting a worried message from Michele. That’s what I like about our blogging world, we miss those who have been missing for a while. It’s good to see you back!
I hear you on the lack of motivation and our place in the world given what’s happening out there! I think we need to be kind to ourselves and not beat ourselves up, life is hard enough! I know I also need to take my own advice 🙂 Take care xx #mlstl
I did appreciate you reaching out Deb. You really made me think. I don’t think I could ever give up blogging as the supportive network of bloggers is amazing. I agree with you we need to be kind to ourselves. I also think we need to try not to think too much about the future.
Hi Jen – it’s a strange feeling when your normal turns itself on its head isn’t it? I wonder if this little glitch in the matrix is an opportunity to consider all that you thought you wanted in life and to decide whether maybe it’s time for a change? I know that you’ve been super motivated and super fit, and also that you’ve kept working past retirement age, but maybe the universe is saying that it’s okay to go a bit easier on yourself?
I know that I went thru a huge life change last year and who I am now is completely different to who I used to be – and that’s not the terrible thing I thought it’d be. Life is slower but it’s full of things I enjoy – maybe you’re getting the opportunity to choose which parts of your exercise routine you want to keep and which ones to change out for something new (gardening etc), and maybe returning to work is looking less appealing because it’s time for a change there too? I have no idea, but I really believe we need to be open to change and the new normal is often way better than the old one.
Glad you’re still blogging though! #MLSTL
I agree with all you say. These are exactly the things that have been in my head. Not making any decisions yet bus I suspect life will change for the better
Welcome back Jennifer. I can definitely relate to feeling blah about fitness. I’ve very nearly quit running. I have taken some walks and done some half-hearted strength training. When my OT studio opened back up, I was hesitant to go for fear of the virus, but after studying up on their safety measures, I decided they’d done as much as humanly possible to keep us safe, and I needed the class–mentally and physically. It has made a world of difference for me. I also believe we need to be gentle and kind with ourselves right now. Keep showing up for those walks and other fitness routines, but perform them with self-love…if that makes any sense. Enjoy your week! Take care of yourself!
All that you say definitely does make sense Christie. I think we need to get some our routine back again to feel some kind of normality. It’s great that you are able to do that with gym.