Sometimes

For the majority of time I'm really motivated to do some form of physical activity. I do enjoy it, and it isn't a chore. But. Sometimes I just don't feel like exercising. The sofa calls to me. A good book may grab my attention. The tv pulls me in and I spend ages flicking or watching some random programme. I find something to distract me from getting out there (or onto the turbo) to do something. To be honest I'm not really sure what it is that sometimes causes me to be lazy. There are plenty of valid reasons at the time. Snow on the ground. Ice. Too cold. Too windy. Too tired. Feeling not quite right. Girl stuff. But I think ultimately it comes down to being lazy and motivation evading me.

In January I made a concerted effort to do at least one hour of exercise a day. No pressure on what that was, or how strenuous. Just one hour, or more. Here's how I got on (the number at start is the date):

1 Walk (90)
2 Strength & conditioning session (75)
3 Walk (60)
4 Turbo easy spin (60)
5 Walk (60)
6 Walk (45) and fell run (41)
7 Run (69) and Strength & conditioning session (90)
8 Walk (90) and fell run (81)
9 Strength & conditioning session (90)
10 Tempo run (40) and Turbo spin ups (60)
11 Road run (32)
12 Park run (race) (26)
13 Lambs Longer Leg Fell race (47)
14 Strength & conditioning session (90) and easy Turbo (60)
15 Run in the snow (72)
16 Strength & conditioning session (90)
17 Easy walk (60) and road run (32) and easy Turbo (60)
18 Easy walk x 2 (60 + 90)
19 Walk/Sledging in snow (150)
20 (0)
21 Strength & conditioning session (90)
22 Walk in snow (150) and Easy walk (60)
23 (0)
24 Turbo spin ups (60)
25 Easy walk (40)
26 (0)
27 Run with club (75)
28 Strength & conditioning session (75)
29 (0)
30 Strength & conditioning session (75)
31 Easy walk (60)

So here's a bit of analysis, so that I may learn from the reasons I don't get active sometimes. I'm basing this on the fact that even when I don't feel like doing strenuous exercise or beasting myself with the weights, I can at least manage an easy 60 minute walk around the gorgeous hills outside my door.

11th only reasons I can find for doing a short run are that it was "chilly" which probably equates to flipping freezing, and I had an early client and an evening workshop. The next two days I had races scheduled so I was probably using those as a reason not to do too much, though I'm sure I could have done a very easy 28 minutes. But I did get out and active.

12th this was a race. I have no reason to do more in a day if I've done a race.

13th as per 12th. plus it was a flipping hard race, only 5km but 300m ascent.

20th zero activity. we had snow on the ground and I was on a course all day (about 50% of the time on my feet so I was active) and out of the house from 8.30am to 5.30pm. I could have done an easy turbo session.

23rd zero activity. this is the only day so far this month that I can actually say I didn't want to, and actually didn't do any exercise. I was seeing clients so on my feet, but lazyitis struck me on this day. This day coincides with girl stuff.

25th snow on the ground, very windy and cold but I did do a walk in the morning. Was busy with work too. I should have fitted in a short turbo session.

26th zero activity. busy morning and afternoon working. heavy rain, wind, thunder and lightening in evening but should have made time to do a turbo session before going out socialising. Is girl stuff still affecting my motivation?

29th zero activity. busy day working with clients (sports massage) and admin/paperwork. and a good dose of lazyitis again.

Looking over the month there's only 4 days with zero exercise, one of which I was on a course all day and I reckon 2 others affected by hormonal influences. Perhaps I should redefine these days as rest days...it doesn't feel like I earned them though with the level of activity I did. Next month could be different, I've a new running programme, but more on that later. For now I'm pleased I've taken time to look at when and why I'm sometimes lazy. A useful analysis, for me anyway!