My dog ate my gym socks

Ok, I’ll admit it!! I’ve been slacking.

Fall Break at my school caused me to miss meeting with my trainer last week. So, instead of staying motivated and working out on my own at home, I watched TV and ate some delicious home cooked meals choked full of carbs and plenty of delicious calories. “I’m just enjoying my break,” I told myself. “I’ll be good next week.”

Well, at least that was the plan. Next it was, “I’ve just got too many other things going on in my life. I don’t have time for this.” So here I sit, a week and a half later lamenting the time I’ve lost and the pounds I’ve invariably regained and I ask myself, why do I make so many excuses? Why have I allowed myself to lose sight of my goals and not continue to move forward? And I think I’ve finally figured it out. Excuses allow me to live in a world where my not exercising is simply not my fault. I can’t possibly make it to the gym with all my other activities! And please, why should I ruin my fall break, killing myself with cardio?!?

Fast forward to tonight. At the end of the day from hell, I sat on my futon on the verge of another excuse. I could taste it on my lips, “I’m too tired,” or “I’ve just been through too much stress today.” And it hit me, as long as I continue making excuses I will never reach my goals and it will be no one’s fault but my own. So, I shoved my feet into my neglected tennis shoes and hit the gym. Still dreading the workout ahead, I jumped on the bike and began peddling, slowly at first and then faster and faster. My ipod pounded in my ears, my feet following the rhythm of my mix, encouraging me to keep going for just one more song. And something magical happened my stress just seemed to go away. Lost in my workout, it seemed to drain out of me as if it were intermingled with my sweat. My excuse for not going to the gym has now become my excuse not to skip.

Now, I just have to face my trainer tomorrow. I wonder what excuse I can give him.