Twit2Fit Diary 3 - July 24, 2008

Comment

Comment by Jason Falls on July 28, 2008 at 3:49pm

Excellent feedback, Michael. I guess the place that puts me is thinking that I have to prioritize my workouts a bit better because if I don't, I'll drop dead at 45. I want to be better for my kids as much as me, so I just have to get up and do it. It's just not going to be easy while they're this young I suppose.

Thanks for the input, though. Interesting thoughts.

Comment by Michael Troiano on July 28, 2008 at 3:37pm

No answers, but definitely empathy on this one.

Framing the dilemma as I see it.. I'm a responsible person (father of 3, husband, son, brother, CEO etc.) If exercise is something I do for me, then it needs to come after all the stuff I need to do for all the other folks who depend on me. That means it doesn't get done. Yet if it's just another thing I "gotta do," well, then it's just another thing I gotta do, and I'll get to it when I get to it. Meaning it doesn't get done.

There must be a more balanced, productive mental place to get to on the exercise question, because what I'm doing it ain't cutting it, and I'm not going to be much help to the people who count on me if I drop dead at 45.

When I've worked out regularly, it was always because I got up and did it, 5 days a week, no matter what. It was "for me," I guess, but I made room for it by trading off other things for me (like staying up late watching TV.) I found that my obligations to others could most often be planned around, with sufficient lead time, a regular schedule, and support from the people around me.

Net - While you can't ask your wife for carte blanche in terms of your workouts coming first, it seems like you can reasonably ask for her support in committing to a defined, sacrosanct schedule. This has the added benefit of exerting additional pressure to get your butt out of bed and on the treadmill.

If your wife took the baby last night because it's a Tuesday and you have a workout early every Wed morning, for example, her sacrifice the night before is one more incentive to get up and at it when the alarm goes off.

Make sense?