Getting Out of My Fitness Funk

I’m in a fitness funk. I know exercise is an important part of my mental and physical health, especially now that I’m over 50. I know I feel like my best self when I get some form of exercise every day, whether that is a walk, gentle yoga, or something more strenuous. I experience less negative self talk, more energy, a better attitude, more confidence. I also don’t feel “old” when I am stretching and strengthening my body through exercise. I have fewer of the physical symptoms that people align with getting older, which is awesome because I’m sure as hell not ready to feel old.

But even knowing all of this, I am still struggling to actually DO something every day.

During the pandemic, I got used to working out at home, teaching yoga over zoom, and taking online yoga and fitness classes. I committed to some form of daily movement, even if it was just for 20 minutes. I improved my consistency in setting aside the time, found a balance between strenuous and easier options so I could reduce my excuses not to do something, and was creative in giving myself enough variety to keep me engaged. But what worked then isn’t working anymore.

This week I asked myself, what’s different? Where am I struggling and what can I do differently?

Struggling with motivation

I think I’ve been doing too much at home alone and need to get out of the house and interact with other people more. Working out at home the past few years has met two needs: budget friendly and time efficient. Through an online membership to a local fitness studio and youtube videos I’ve had variety and definitely saved money, but it has meant that most of my life is lived inside the four walls of my house. It’s time to find some ways to change that while still respecting my budget and time.

Menopausal middle

The physical changes that come with menopause are not a myth. All of the sudden, what has worked to keep me healthy and fitting in the clothes I own isn’t working anymore. My waistline is changing shape, and I find some old familiar voices ringing through my ears. This is not the still, small voice I like to listen to. It’s the narrative that has always told me my body isn’t good enough, and it is sabotaging. It puts me at war with my body, messes up my relationship with food, and for some reason actually makes me less likely to exercise. I don’t enjoy exercise when I am beating myself up mentally or beating my body into submission. This is an opportunity to work with those voices again and to build a good foundation for post-menopausal health. This will include therapy (again), education about menopause, and creating an action plan. I know I can do all three.

Prioritize exercise for the right reasons

Logic says that if something is really important to me, I will make it a priority. But I’ve learned that if I am exercising for the wrong reasons, like to win the approval of a man or in hopes that I one day have “the perfect body,” then I’m already off on the wrong foot.

I have to exercise just for me. Moving my body always makes me feel better. It detoxifies my body and my thoughts at the same time, keeping in mind that there can be a fine line between exercise that detoxifies my body and thoughts and the “punishing” exercise that beats me up. I need to stay on the detox side of that line.

 It’s time to stop beating myself up.

I’m not making myself a priority

When I have a lot of things going on, it is so easy to prioritize everything else, and sometimes everyone else. I am a to-do list girl and live to mark things off my list. But even when I’ve tried putting exercise on the to-do list, somehow it manages to work its way to the bottom of the list. So what is that about?

I think this shows me two things. I have reverted to the old belief that my value is in my accomplishments or achievements, not in who I am. It also shows me the old pattern of not considering my needs important enough to have a permanent place on my checklist. Neither of these are true, so I need to get my actions back in line with my beliefs.

My comfort zone is somewhat confining

Even though I’ve been bored, I am STILL struggling to get outside my comfort zone and try something new. I have a lifelong fear of looking like an idiot or like I don’t know what I am doing. I realize that isn’t uncommon, but paired with being somewhat introverted, this has felt increasingly paralyzing and claustrophobic. My goodness, if I don’t try new things because I don’t know how to do them, how limited is my life going to be? This is not what I want dictating my next chapter.

Here’s my plan

Unpacking all of this leaves me determined to make some changes. Change isn’t easy at midlife, as often we are stuck in ruts that have been decades in the making. Acknowledging this, I’m going to set myself up for success, baby stepping my way out of my comfort zone and into some new types of workouts to challenge my brain, my beliefs, and my body.

I will start with some workouts that are somewhat familiar or at a familiar place so that I am honoring my introverted side. I will be more likely to do something if it is not completely outside of my comfort zone. I can consider ways to get into the pool through the shallow end. That doesn’t mean I won’t challenge myself in the deep waters, it just means I’m not jumping in over my head.

For the most part, I’m choosing things I can do close to home so that I don’t spend a lot of time getting to and from my workout; that way I am less likely to tell myself that I don’t have time. And I’m determined to keep this budget friendly so that cost isn’t an excuse either. Many places offer a “first class free” promotion, so that’s a good place to start.

I’m going to get out of my fitness funk and my comfort zone and make the main character of my next chapters a healthier, more mindful and connected version of me. I’ll track my progress and my experiences here, so put on your workout clothes and join me. Start where you are and build from there. There is no place from which it is too late to get started. As the Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Figure out what your first step is going to be and…let’s do it!