Exercise
Exercise is mean! That’s right, I said it. The machines at the gym are big and scary and half the time I don’t really know what they do. Personal Trainers like Jillian Michaels are genuinely petrifying and once you’ve finished your work out you feel like you just survived passing through the seventh circle of hell and spend the following two days walking around like something out of Thriller.
To me, the hardest thing about exercise is that the benefits aren’t immediately obvious. For example, if I buy a chocolate bar and eat it, I immediately enjoy the taste. The same goes with shoes, if I buy and wear a new pair of shoes I immediately feel confident, fashionable and may even get a few ego boosting compliments.
The problem with exercise is that it does not work on these same principles. If I walked into the gym looking like Kirsty Alley and walked back out looking like Miranda Kerr I can guarantee you I would be there every day all day. I may in fact quit my job and dedicate my days to being good-looking and walking around London in my swimwear.
But no, that isn’t what happens. The harsh reality of exercise is that I walk in there looking like me and walk out smelling and looking like a sweaty, panda-eyed, red-faced version of me.
My problem is that I need to see results fast or I’ll quit. I’m a quitter! I am such a serial quitter that I have, on occasion, thought about not eating at all for the rest of the weekend then immediately gotten hungry, quit my starvation attempt and eaten some form of cheese covered complex-carbohydrate.
In saying all of this, I have stuck to an exercise regime before and made it work. It is one of those annoying things that you really do have to commit and then stick to without cheating in order to see the results. But when you do, it is definitely worth it.
The only real way to get these amazing results is diet and exercise. What’s difficult about that is trying to maintain a normal social life while sticking to your new-found routine.
Who really has the time to go to work all day then go to the gym and still go out for dinner afterwards and make a healthy choice at a restaurant? Not me! Honestly, are you really going to turn down Tapas and 2 for 1 cocktails with the girls to go bust your hump on the rower? I didn’t think so.
I tend to find I’m either at one extreme or the other: A) in a self-imposed exile avoiding any temptation in the form of friends and flavoursome food or B) face first in a bowlful of nacho’s at my local pub, pint in hand.
Living abroad does not make finding a good balance any easier. I know I’m not going to be living in London forever, so naturally I don’t want to miss out on doing anything fun or trying anything new. But at the same time I don’t exactly want to get larger and larger until I’m that person, paying for two plane seats and having Matt wheel me out of the airport on a luggage trolley to my awaiting, and now horrified, friends and family.
While I wish I had the answer to this problem, I really don’t. I’m hoping that over the next few months I’ll be able to find a balance between the Elliptical Trainer and the stunning Sunday pub lunch at our local. If you have any ideas or suggestions on finding a good balance, let me know! In the meantime, check back in to littlegreybox and I’ll keep you updated on how I’m progressing in finding my balance.
If you don’t hear from me, I’ve gone to Poland to get liposuction.
littlegreybox.
14 Comments on “Exercise”
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What is littlegreybox?
littlegreybox is a meeting point of humorous perspective, food and travel experiences and my life journey. It's my outlet, a source of inspiration and a way to share and connect with people around the world.
Pheobes!!!
Firstly, I love your blog- great idea!
Secondly, I find balance hard and intimidating too. I’m trying (although probably not hard enough) to do the same thing. Though, I love pizza and wine too much!!
I think if health and fitness is constantly on your mind though (like I’m guessing yours is at the moment, and mine definately is), it can’t be a bad thing, right?! I guess maybe the first step is thinking about it and the next step is putting it into action.
Thanks for your wise words :)
xx
Thanks for reading it Lirra!
Wine, Pizze and pretty much anything that’s carbs… I love! Exactly, if it wasn’t on your mind at all it’d be a bad thing, right? I’ll let you know when I get my plan into action haha I’m going to Portugal today and braving the beach in a bikini!! wish me luck!
haha how was Portugal Pheobe?
You’ll be happy to know that I’ve joined a gym near my house since reading your blog. I try to go for an hour a day and I’ve started cutting crap from my diet. Thanks again for the extra push, lady xx
Portugal was amazing! I ate too many egg tarts.
Really!?? I’m proud of you Lirra! I started a 12 week challenge today too… let me know how you get on with yours yea :) we can be sexy mofo’s together! haha
Love this!! Was only thinking this the other day. I am constantly trying to convince myself (while looking in the mirror) that the exercise I have just completed has immediate results. I know the kfc works immediately.
nothing like a zinger burger combo to give you immediate results! I need touch footy to start up again, the forced cardio is great for the butt and thigh area :)
I hear you. Too bad the only thing worse than working out is not being able to work out, and that line gets thinner every year. That’s the only thing that gets my butt to the gym. :)
hahahahahaha so true :)
My dad’s girlfriend once told me something to keep in perspective about exercise that I think is pretty insightful–”we say that we don’t have time to work out, say we don’t have time to hit the gym. However, we can carve an hour our of our day to wait to get in at a restaurant? Obviously, we can see where our priorities are.”
Hi! Exercise becomes easier when you make it a habit instead of “choice.” In the words of Nike, You “just do it” like you brush your teeth. And you don’t question whether you should (because you almost always should). And I’ve never regretted working out but almost always regret not working out. An at home elliptical is awesome because you can watch a show on the ipad or tv while doing it (and you almost forget you’re exercising. Having a buddy or going to a regular class makes it easier to be accountable. If you can do something that you find fun (for me it’s circus school) then it won’t feel like exercise. All this being said, it’s still really difficult sometimes. Today I haven’t got a work out in yet. Yesterday I was in my workout clothes all day and finally worked out after my husband got home from work and did his workout. As I was on the way to the elliptical, I was literally shouting “I don’t want to work out!!!” But I’m glad I did. :)
Very encouraging, thank you! :)
Aim to do at least 20 min of heavy sweating today! I bet you’ll do at least 30. Jumping into my workout now (even though I don’t wanna).
I’m hearing you sister! The trouble with exercise is that you have to continually keep doing it – and there’s the rub. Keep on keeping on like the hamster who can never get off the wheel! I waddled off the wheel some time ago and that was a bad idea! I am so unfit but your blog is a good incentive to set the alarm 20 minutes earlier and ‘just do it’.
I don’t have any wisdom about exercise (I hate it too), but the picture you included almost made me laugh out loud. Maybe THAT will be my new motivation for regular exercise. . . most days I feel like those seals look!