Tag: #workingout

  • I Did the Minimum, Now Reward Me!

    I went to the gym this morning. Now, someone tell me how great I am! That’s right, I went to the gym. This is a big moment in my life as I; One, have never gone to a gym before, and Two, I have been paying for a gym membership since December and just now used it. I think the people who run the gym were happy, but also, disappointed that I showed up this morning.

    That’s right, in my forty-five years, I never set foot into a gym. In fact, the last time I was in a locker room, was seventh grade when I was thirteen. (Not much has changed, as I kept my eyes down and tried not to look at anyone.) But grown up me had to admit that I have put on twenty-five pounds in the last year and a half. I know that I will never get back down to my fighting weight when I was thirty, but I need to take better care of myself.

    That’s the world I occupy now; I don’t need to look good and trim; I just need to not die earlier than usual.

    And for that, bask in the warm glow of my bare-minimum effort with zero results!

    This reminds me of a story. I had a friend that, if he had a particularly good workout, he would reward himself with a donut on his walk home, but ONLY if the donuts were fresh and hot. I asked him if there was ever a time that he found the donuts were not fresh and hot? He told me, no, that he never encountered that situation. I did suggest that he eat the donut on the way to the gym, this was he would gain a net zero, and not undo the workout, so to speak. He didn’t like that idea.

    Anyway, I’m looking to go back on Thursday, and see if I can keep two days a week going.

    But, we’ll see.

  • ODDS and ENDS: Josh Hawley is Still Stupid, Aaron Rodgers, and Gyms

    “ODDS and ENDS” is my continuing series of random thoughts and follow ups…

    This morning as I was sitting in the car for the street sweeper, and I read Josh Hawley’s Op-Ed in the New York Times. If you have forgotten, Josh Hawley is the Republican Senator from Missouri who tried to help overturn the 2020 Election and was pro-riot at the Capital. You know, that Josh Hawley. As you can tell, I’m not a fan, but out of fairness, I read his Guest Essay, “The Only Way to Solve Our Supply Chain Crisis Is to Rethink Trade.” First of all, I love how conservatives rally against liberal media like the NY Times, but still want their opinions published in the NY Times. Second, the awful trade deals were created by both parties, not just Democrats like Josh claims. Third, jobs going overseas started forty years ago, which clearly doesn’t make it a new phenomenon. And last, if I understand Josh here, he is a person that doesn’t want government telling business what to do, but in his essay he  wants government to tell business what to do. Right… You still stupid Josh. Not for suggesting government regulation. No, you stupid for thinking that if it comes out of your mouth, it’s not a liberal idea. Stupid.

    So, does Aaron Rogers look he’s having the most fun playing football in the NFL?

    I have never been to a gym. That shocked my wife, but I really don’t workout, ever. I might have to join one soon though. Just saying…

  • Walking

    So… I have been doing the video work out stuff, and I pretty much hate it. I’m doing it, but I hate it. And again, it’s the fake level of excitement of the people in the videos that really bother me. Now, I freely admit that the system works, so it’s just the thing I have to deal with. I hate working out, but I want to lose weight and live for a while.

    I have been following the routine for two weeks. I have also adjusted my diet, and focused on getting 8 hours of sleep, and no more late-night snacking. And the results…

    Nothing…

    I have neither gained or lost weight.

    Last time I did this, back when I was living in New York, I saw results in two weeks. I could clearly tell that positive changes were having an effect. So, why is there no change this time around?

    I thought about this for over the past few days, specifically what are the changes from the last time, to this time?

    And then it hit me.

    I checked the pedometer on my phone…

    In California, I average 500 steps a day.

    In New York, I averaged 8,000 steps a day.

    I have lost the linchpin of my ability to get into shape; having to walk everywhere.

    Looks like I will have to get back to running…

  • Stay Alive

    I had made a promise this weekend that I would start working out again come Monday morning, which by the way, is the worst morning to start working out. It’s a fact… or at least should be.

    Most people say that and make this promise and have written about getting started and all the motivation crap.

    For me, I lost my running shoes in the move. They were in New York, and I remember packing them up, or I think I do. When all of our stuff made it to California; no running shoes, and I also lost a pair of gray slip on Van’s that I loved.

    So, I had no running shoes, and honestly, not a big deal, right? Yeah, I don’t have a job, and I can’t justify spending money on shoes, when that should go to rent, and I also don’t want to add to our debt.

    That left me one option, that I’m not very proud of… a workout DVD. It’s more like a program as the thing has like 20 different DVDs for working on parts of your body. Look, I will admit that the shit works, provided that you stick to it, as the wife and I used it in the past. So, I’m not knocking the program.

    What makes me uncomfortable about the whole thing is the super positive attitude from the people in the workouts. I interpret their reactions as inauthentic, and that has everything to do with me and not them. I also understand that they are paid actors to be super-hyped about “gains” and crap.

    Exercising for me is just a necessary evil of getting older. I want to stay on the planet as long as possible (wife, kid, family, friends, things like that) so I have to get up and work out.

    I sort of wish there was a workout video that was like “Hey man, we get it. You just want to be healthy or look good with your shirt off. Whatever it is, we get it. So, let’s get this over with so we can move on to other things.”

    I don’t know how motivating that would be.