I have just posted some thoughts at a community board I use, but they are relevant to here, so with some adaptations, here they are:

The phrase ”working out”

I have often said how I want physical activity to be fun in its own right and not “a workout” – I would even go on to say that “working out” made a chore out of it and therefore set up negative pathways through your brain and thus wasn’t a good idea. In my case though, I used this as a hook on which to hang my resistance to the idea that I need exercise and now I can see that aspect which I would have denied heretofore.

However I remember that back in the late 80s/early 90s, when I was at my best, both to look at and in terms of what was going on in my life, I went for a swim every day after work. And of course I didn’t call it a workout, I called it a swim. This was what I wanted to set up by joining Habit – I remembered how work stresses just floated away at the end of each day, and I got good stretches and heartpumping into the bargain. Now, however, I have a weight problem, so I have to put more work into it. But I’m still not calling it “a workout” – already I am talking about “doing my weights” or “going to the club” rather than “working out.” Is it an age thing? maybe women our age have an aversion to the phrase. Maybe everyone does!

Motivation and McKenna

McKenna is working well, each evening at a dead point TV-wise I’ll disappear off for half an hour to listen. Sometimes I drift off but I figure he’s got a hotline into my subconscious at these times so I’m not worried by that. I have my motivational secret signal which I can use during the day which works. It’s not the signal which works, of course, it’s the commitment to what the signal represents – your decision to use it reminds you that you are committed to what you are trying to do, and **that** motivates you. So when I’m schlepping along on my way to the gym or the pool the negative thoughts come – can I be bothered trekking all the way up there? (it’s only a 10 min walk) – can I be bothered getting changed? and heck I’ll have to have a shower afterwards, what a pain – and anyway don’t we have to go to the supermarket? At this point my secret signal puts me back on track and gets me to the changing room at which point I just have to get on with it.

A big motivator for me is Podna. He is supportive, but that’s not what I mean. He’s taken up cycling and tries to get out on a decent ride (20-40km) every couple of days. He’s only been doing it for 6 weeks and his back is getting so lean and muscly!

Managed to get my gear together and went for a swim after work.  25 minutes this time, 12 laps (400m).

Listened to McKenna last night and really enjoyed it. He wakes you up at the end though, and as I listened to it when we went to bed, I was awake until 5am!

Listened to it again tonight at 11pm (ie a couple of hours before going to bed) and drowsed through a large part of it. Hopefully he got straight through to my subconscious.

The eating-when-I-feel-like-it thing seems to be working. I probably ate too much at dinner time though.