The Love/Hate Relationship with the Gym

Ever get that guilty feeling when you don’t go to the gym one day? Life happens, you get stuck at the office, your kid is sick or has a game, or you are just overall exhausted, mentally and physically. My family wasn’t gym-goers, or they were goers here and there, but never anything consistent. I think my gym life began in college, but it felt more like a chore than anything beneficial.

Fast forward to today, I go through the same mental struggle and I am sure most people go through it as well. Put the workout clothes on, drive to the gym, get your plan in your head or from your phone, spend thirty or so minutes lifting weights or doing cardio, get home to your responsibilities, get your protein in, rinse and repeat.

Don’t get me wrong, when I leave the gym, I feel great and always say, why did I miss a day or why did I stop going to the gym? Every time, it never fails, but here I go, missing a day, then another day, mentally struggling with myself. I’ll go tomorrow no matter what I tell myself, then tomorrow comes and I’m exhausted.

Guilt takes over, so then I go to the gym every day, pushing myself harder, and start to get anxious when I don’t close all my activity rings on my Apple Watch. It takes over my whole life, like an obsession, to close the dumb rings. When I don’t get to close them, BOOM, guilt! Then I get depressed and just stop going and ignore the rings completely. I have no middle ground, it’s either go big or just don’t go.

It’s always just the getting started, the force to go, and if you can’t, it is ok. How do I get to that point? Are my workouts boring? I don’t think so. Is it the other people at the gym? Maybe. Do I most likely need a significant other or partner to come to pick me up and make me go? Definitely.

How do you get motivated to go to the gym or complete a workout?

Jeanne DeLasalle
Jeanne is a single mom to a wonderful son who loves nothing more than her family, friends, and her Saints. Born and raised in New Orleans, she enjoys everything this city has to offer. In her spare time you can catch her napping or binge watching movies on her couch. On Sunday's in the fall, she is in the Superdome and goes into a state of depression when football season is over.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here