accomplishing really mundane tasks is a triumph for me!

[guingel]

I don't know what's up with me lately. . . well, okay, today and yesterday. But I suspect it's related to, like, in school if I had a bunch of work to do, I'd get down to it and get some inertia going and just get it done, right? But if I had just a little, I'd be totally unmotivated and do it at the last possible minute. So maybe it's because I've been so busy, but I've been quite energetic lately!

I slept terribly Sunday night, but I still managed to do my laundry and my shopping. Now, the laundry was such a fucking pain in the ass that it literally had me in tears (a little - of frustration. Mostly it had me screaming with rage. Oh well, I needed to let off steam.) because I kept trying to come down at the right time to get a free machine and kept JUST MISSING IT. I only got to put my stuff in the washing machine on the FOURTH TIME I went downstairs! And the two women who'd beaten me the previous two times I went down were like "She's really upset," to each other, and then were sort of like acting like I had no right to be - even though I wasn't yelling at them or anything, I was just looking annoyed in general and not chatting happily - and said "You've got to laugh" to each other and I was like "FUCK YOU NO I DON'T".

SO THAT SUCKED. But. I got it in eventually. And in between the first and second attempts I went to the grocery store - I didn't need much because I was given a week's worth of kielbasa and potatoes (my birthday dinner) from my mom, yaaaaaaaaaay so I didn't have to cook on top of the laundry debacle. So I got milk and salami and juice and yogurt and cake.

But anyway, I managed to channel some of my laundry rage into push-ups - even after I showered, I still had enough rage to fuel 33 push-ups. I kept doing sets of 11. And then after everything was done I managed to do the rest of my exercise regime. XD

Have I mentioned this? I've been exercising? This is very much not me, I'm usually just a lump. Mostly I'm focusing on flexibility because mine is appallingly bad. Like, it's literally a health hazard - I'm always pulling muscles. So I'm doing all different stretches. If anyone has a good source on stretches, I'd love to hear it, because I'm running into some conflicting sources. But yeah, in addition to the stretches I've been doing sit-ups and push-ups, so basically it's like the beginning of gym class. I used to be really good at sit-ups, so I thought
"why not!" A couple weeks ago I tried the first sit-up of my adult life and it was TRAGIC. But now I've gotten mostly back into the groove. And I'm doing push-ups cos my arms are weak? Luckily for me I don't weigh so much - not much to lift. I'm concerned that I'm not doing them right, but I think I'm doing well enough - I'm not trying to fake it or anything. I hope I can make some difference to my level of fitness, though. I even got a nice exercise mat so the sit-ups wouldn't bruise my lower back anymore! It was a birthday present, kind of ;) so it's new this week and I love it!

Then today I worked 2 and a half hours overtime, so I left the house at 7:30 AM and got home at 8 PM (which is similar to what my day was like when I commuted from Long Island, except that was shifted up an hour and a half earlier). I got a lot done at work and was able to keep pretty focused til the end - I had a brainfart moment in the middle of the day but it was overcome and I reached my goal for the day and left cheerful. Then I just caught an R train and got home in time to watch the Jon/Brian Williams interview again. :D

I also made cauliflower tonight, and I did all my ironing! Even though there wasn't anything good on TV. So I'm really proud of myself for getting those done! And I exercised - full-on! I even broke a sweat, which, you know, I don't have a cardio element or anything. But I did do 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups (I think - I did the sit-ups in two sets and I couldn't remember what the first one was by the time I got to the second one a little later). (Yeah, these aren't consecutive - usually two or three sets.) And all my stretches, all through the Daily Show and the first half of the Report. Except for when I was doing my dishes.

So really there was only a little bit of time tonight when I was just sitting around watching TV or computing and not doing something productive at the same time! Seriously, I know that none of this sounds like a big deal but I usually have such a hard time motivating myself to do little household tasks like laundry or ironing or cooking! I'm genuinely proud of myself, especially considering the overtime and everything. The exercising I enjoy, really, since I do such simple stuff, but it's still tough for me to haul myself away from the computer and get started.

I usually have more energy at the beginning of the week, though. I guess I'll go to sleep now so I can hopefully continue to be productive tomorrow! (Also, tomorrow Katie gets home from Berlin yaaaaaaaaaay!)

Comments

[ex-wannaber.livejournal.com]

Honestly though, it's heartening to read about people who struggle with motivation as much as I do. But it feels so damn good when you manage to achieve something despite that. For example, atm I'm feeling very proud that I've eaten consistently under 1800 calories a day for a whole week. Most people would be all 'pfft, so?' but I know that THIS IS A BIG THING for me. If I can keep it up for another week I'll be into a habit and then the game is most certainly on!

Good luck with your exercising, and may you continue to feel awesome for it. You should - because willpower is a difficult beast to tame.

[guingel.livejournal.com]

Yeah! People need to judge these accomplishments by how hard they are for ME. I don't care how much someone else loves ironing, it's like a miracle if I can get myself to do it. XD (if the dryer doesn't take the wrinkles out of something, I wear it wrinkly or not at all, usually. And um, we shouldn't talk about the few clothes that I have that are dry clean only. >.>)

So, way to go on the eating! Heck, I'm already impressed with you for keeping track and paying attention!

I've been trying not to skip days on the exercising so I can form habits too, but I am giving myself hot days off. XD I suck at hot weather, I just shut down. Still, so far - so good! If I get started doing something I can keep doing it, but apart from that I have a hard time if I'm not being paid or on a deadline. Housework. ::sigh::

[ex-wannaber.livejournal.com]

You know what I think the ultimate solution for me would be? If I just went on holiday for a couple of years. I always lose weight on holiday - mostly because I spend 99% of the time in the pool. All day, every day - in the pool. I could spend hours just swimming around, letting my own imagination keep me happy. I would always come home from holidays with a righteous tan (and sunburn on my back) and having lost a bit of fat.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS.

[guingel.livejournal.com]

That is an excellent solution! Or you could. . . get a job. . . swimming in a pool. Pool tester. You could test for. Um. Alligators.

I looooove pools and swimming and what-not. I haven't done it in way too long! Oh, wait, I haven't swum since Smith had a late-night showing of Little Mermaid in the pool. It was awwwwwesome. I guess that was over a year ago. I should have used that pool more. D:

[shimmeredusk.livejournal.com]

Yay for exercising! I really need to but ... I am lazy D: I suppose once you start it up then you get the hang of it but taking the first step is always so hard XD;

[guingel.livejournal.com]

For me I just do the stuff that's easy and relatively enjoyable and satisfying for me, and I do it while watching TV. So I've really removed as many barriers as I possibly can. But for me the hardest part is. . . tearing myself away from the computer. XD It's so sad.

I suggest start small and don't do anything unpleasant and get yourself into it, because I actually do like the exercise if there's something good on tv. Moving my body when I don't strictly have to is quite novel for me!

[shadowflute.livejournal.com]

One year for Christmas, my mom gave me a VHS of "Yoga for Dummies," which has some really simple, basic yoga poses, really good for stretching and some strength-building. I've got all the poses memorized, and we could watch the tape/practice it if you make your way to Worcester!

I understand about motivation... I'll start going to the gym, do good for one week, then something big and time-consuming will come up the next week, and I'll be tired and stressed and the routine will fall apart and I'll try to restart it two weeks later, and... it's hard. But I am very, very proud of you for stretching and sit-ups and push-ups and ironing and everything!

[guingel.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, simple and basic sounds good! We should definitely do that! Although I must admit, now that the election season has begun, I really can't see that I'm going to be able to make it up to you for a while. >.< We'll have to make a mental note.

Yeah, it's the restarting thing that has me worried. I'm so prone to losing interest in stuff and then just not doing it. Also, if I stop watching TV, I'll probably stop exercising, and my normal level of tv-watching is a couple shows a week and then one night of binge, which does not make for that much exercise time.