The Grind

Hi. It's Laura.

Here we are, the last day of February (happy Leap Day!). That makes two months into the New Year with resolutions abandoned, for some long ago. Today is also Wednesday, the hump day, the “if I can get through today, the weekend is almost here” day.

I call the juxtaposition of no longer new but still not near the goal, the "Grind". The New Year has passed and the excitement of making a change dissipated. It is also midweek. The anticipation of a good week has either come to fruition or is no longer possible. You are just dreading going to work today either way. It is still February, one more month of winter. There are three more days to the weekend and 1 more month until spring. How do you get through?

Let's start with knowing yourself.  Are you a planner? Do you prefer the company of others? In order to keep your workouts going and make them a little different from the normal “get up, go to the gym, go to work, blah blah blah”.

Prefer the company of others? Call a friend and schedule a play date! (For you, not the kids or the dog.) You don't have to go to a spin or Zumba class, go for a walk/run in the park.

Making a commitment to show up for someone else will not only get you there but will change the entire routine of your week. Hopefully it will make it more fun (try to not buy movie tickets for your play date).

Have you set a goal yet? We talked about it in the beginning of the year. Find something that you are interested in and enter an event.  (I have two goals: the TD Five boro bike tour in May and the NYC Tri, but you may have already known that.) Knowing that you have a competition coming up can certainly keep you motivated and bring out your competitive spirit, even on the coldest of mornings (oh wait, it is not really cold these days is it?).

A great way to break out of the “same old same old” is to try something new! Local health clubs offer all kinds of classes. I know mine offers free classes to non-members (of course they are at odd times but you get the idea).  How a about a kettle-bell class, Zumba and/or a karate class?  Do something that you have never done but you are interested in trying (and bring a friend! double bonus). 

Not only will this change up your routine it will make it fun and perhaps renew your interest.  It can be as simple as taking your run outside instead of running on the treadmill again.

This weekend, after 18 years of skiing, I am going to take a snowboarding lesson and I am super excited about it! It is something I have always wanted to try and it is keeping me going through the week. [Editor’s note: And she hates snowboarders. Oh yeah, so do I and I am taking the lesson with her]

Think about your daily routine and figure out where you can build in something new and different to reenergize yourself before those warmer months arrive (that everyone looks forward to but dreads due to bikini season). Yeah, those months are coming!

Play hard & stay motivated!

Laura