pumping iron

I just went to the gym.

That sounds like something someone would write on "twitter" - perhaps daily. For me, however, this is not a daily (or weekly or even monthly, lately) occurrence. Which is why I'm writing about it here. It feels like an accomplishment. (However lame that may sound.)

I don't mind exercising, really. Not while I'm doing it. It's the getting started that trips me up. I find it nearly impossible to get myself motivated to work out. It's like a sort of mental block... I fully recognize that I feel great afterwards, but I'll look for any excuse not to do it - I'm kind of tired... I don't have enough time... it's raining... It's raining!!! I used that one yesterday, and at that point I realized that I had a problem... So today I didn't even think about it. No arguing in my head. No mental preparation whatsoever. I pretty much tricked myself into going by just putting on running shoes and heading out the door - and by then I couldn't get out of it.

Oddly, the exercises that makes me feel best are the ones I have the hardest time making myself do. (I float around in a blissful calm for hours after a good yoga session - but haven't managed to attend a class in... I don't know, six... maybe seven months?) Today I just did 30 minutes on the "arc" machine (if a treadmill and a starmaster had a baby it would be an 'arc' machine, if you're not familiar with it). I know, "big deal". And it's not...

Except that I went.