Thursday, July 23, 2009

Daily routines

Last week, I went to the gym six times. And this week, I'm on track to do the same thing.

I still can't get over how good I feel about this. It's not like this is the first time I've ever been to the gym, because it isn't, at all. But it's the first time that I've ever gone nearly this often. And I am really liking it. Maybe it's because this time the gym isn't free in our apartment complex, so I feel more compelled to go and make use of my paid membership? Or because it has a pool and water aerobics classes and I love swimming?

Regardless, I go. Almost every day. And I like it.

I like it so much, in fact, that I have this crazy niggling thought in the back of my mind about maybe, someday, some VERY FAR OFF day, doing a triathlon. I know. It's insane. But I'm thinking about it. And I really want to do it. I wrote more about that over at Bodies.

I think it's a good long-term goal to add to all my short-term goals. Last night as I was swimming, I was thinking about that triathlon, and I swam faster and with fewer breaks than I'd been able to do before. It's very motivating.

The one thing about going to the gym is that it has totally changed our daily routine. We work, and I finish sooner than Torsten, so I take Montana to the dog park while he finishes up. When I get back, we go to the gym. The gym takes about two hours, what with getting ready to go, driving there, getting all my pool stuff ready, actually swimming for an hour, showering, getting dressed, and driving home.

So by the time we actually get home, it's usually already 8:30 or so, and we haven't eaten dinner yet. Torsten usually grills food for dinner, which takes about half an hour, meaning that we don't even eat dinner until 9 or so. Sometimes it's really tempting to just go into Whole Foods to grab dinner instead. Especially because it's in the same plaza as the gym. In fact, it's literally right next door.

But for the most part, we're able to resist the temptation, which means we don't usually finish dinner until around 9:30. And we have to get up early for work because we start on East Coast time, so we try to be in bed by 10:30. So that leaves us an hour of time to relax, get something done that we've been needing to do, etc. And an hour just isn't very much time. Plus, with the time difference, by the time I have any free time it's nearly midnight on the East Coast, which makes it hard for me to find time to call my family.

Still, I kind of like the routine. It feels simple, and healthy. We're at the gym together, and plus we're in the house together working all day long, so it's not like we don't get to spend time together. We still have time to talk, in the morning and in the car and over dinner and in the evening and in bed. We definitely still have plenty of quality interaction. It feels privileged, really, to have the kind of schedule that allows us to do all this every day without feeling totally stressed and overwrought at the end of it.

However, I have to say, thank god we don't commute. Because if we had even short-ish commutes, this routine would be impossible. And in fact, now that I think about it, I think that's really the reason that I never went to the gym six days a week before. The round-trip commute added an extra hour and a half to my daily work time, and sometimes you'd get home after a long day at work and an unpleasant ride on the bus or Metro, and the last thing you'd want to do is put on your gym clothes and go work out.

Now, there are no excuses. When I'm done working, I walk down the stairs, and voila--I'm home. And therefore, we can use that time that would have been spent commuting at the gym instead. And we do.

What about you? What's your daily routine like? Does it stress you out, or does it work for you?

23 comments:

  1. daily routine? ha! that went out the window when we had a baby. it's funny how busy i thought i was before now...now, we try to eat dinner together, but that doesn't always happen...and i like to eat before 9p so the food isn't sitting in my stomach when i crash by 10p most nights. :) enjoy it now! :)

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  2. You have touched on the exact reason I have a really hard time exercising regularly - time! I commute, and I'm one of those people that can't wait until 9pm to eat dinner. I also don't get "runner's high" or any of those good feelings from exercising (even when I was really into track and field), so motivation is really lacking. I also like more than an hour to unwind and relax.

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  3. I had a very different routine a few years ago. The last few years (yes, YEARS) have been a transition. One in which I haven't been happy with the routine I was in. I wasn't meeting my own personal expectations. And it was frustrating. I have finally aligned my personal expectations with what I can reasonably accomplish in my day. And I'm finally feeling good about it.

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  4. I was going to say the same thing--that the fact that you work from home probably helps with your motivation to go to the gym, because it gets you out of the house once a day and because you don't have a commute cutting into your free time. I have a membership at a gym in the town where I work, so I'm able to go over my lunch hour. I may do shorter, more half-assed workouts that way, but at least I do them more often, and it doesn't suck up those precious few post-work hours.

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  5. I'm still in school, so generally I can get into a pretty good routine for working out. I'm not the greatest at sticking with it when I have exams, but I'm getting better. I try to use it as a stress relief and I find that makes it easier.

    Speaking of triathlons, a few years ago I participated in a program called "Just Tri It" and I loved it. It was just for women and we met 3 times a week, once for each triathlon segment. There were groups of varying ability levels for the biking and the running (there was also a walking group), so it was really supportive of all fitness levels. Maybe Denver has something similar?

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  6. Your routine is similar to what my husband and I have right now. I work from home and he does have about a 20 minute commute to/from work. We're both up at 5:30 in the morning so he can get to work by 7am and he usually leaves at 4pm. Once he's home he likes to have a protein shake and a little time to relax. By the time we go to the gym, workout for at least an hour, head home and make dinner, we seldom get to eat before 7:30. Usually its closer to 8pm. We try to stick to it Mon-Fri. We often get attitude from friends and family about us not wanting to do things on weeknights but then they'll turn around and ask us how we stay in shape and we just have to tell them that we both make our health and fitness a priority and that we'll see them on the weekend.

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  7. We eat super late, too! At least, when Kev cooks ;)

    We both work out pretty much every day after work. Last night I didn't, because I had some serious soreness going on, and just sitting around the house after work about killed me dead with boredom.

    I like being busy!

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  8. Oh my gosh, you and I have pretty much the exact same routine! My commute is 15 minutes and Andy's commute is about 2 minutes. He works less than a mile away from where we live. We both get home around the same time on most days, and we hit the gym together. Then we come home and cook or wander around the grocery store to get ideas for dinner and go back home. So our dinner time is usually somewhere between 9 and 10 and I love it! I always joke that we're very "European". We're so classy ;-)

    P.S. You can TOTALLY do a triathlon. They are SO fun. There is so much adrenalline and positive energy and people cheering you on, it's addictive. It's a great goal to have!

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  9. I like working out in the morning so that I don't have to worry about the evening timing- like if I work late, then work out, does this mean I'm not eating until 10:30? But routine is SO IMPORTANT.

    ALSO: let's do a triathlon together! Please? Please please please?

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  10. I have a four hour a day commute. I can't complain too much because the 2 hours into work I consider as extra sleep time and on the way home it's time for me to craft or read. Even with all that I've still managed to go to the gym 5 times within the last week. What I've had to give up is tv time and cooking dinner. We'll stop and pick up the healthiest food we can cope with and then come home and crash. This time I'm totally serious. No excuses. I want to see the scale with no "2" anywhere in it!

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  11. You ABSOLUTELY could do a triathlon! Maybe find a women's sprint distance. And if open water is a concern, there are plenty of pool swim races.

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  12. I would totally have kept going to the gym (probably) if it had a pool.

    For some reason the thought of being in a bathing suit in front of people at a gym doesn't bother me.

    At the beach? Totally different matter...:P

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  13. Sounds idyllic - I would love if my husband and I both worked from home. Ahh well. You'll get there with the triathalon I'm sure, you seem very focused about things that inpsire you!

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  14. 6 times a week- that's awesome! I have been getting back into the gym lately and it's been great! I love the fact that I have a gym at work AND near home so that i don't have any excuses. :-)

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  15. I commented on your bodies post but I must say again - you'll rock a triathlon!

    For me, I don't usually do the gym thing. i come home and go for a run or a bike ride around my house. I go swim in the lake by my house or in the winter head to the pool (who's gym sucks unfortunately) but I'm much more motivated when I'm outside.

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  16. I'm so happy for you. I'm glad you have a routine, and long & short term goals (so adorable to me, as I'm no kind of planner at all), and a POOL. I wish my stupid gym had a pool.

    My routine stresses me out, chiefly. Mostly because I work two shifts, neither of which is especially convenient to getting anything else done.

    But enough about me. YOU ROCK! Keep up the good work.

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  17. That's an amazing routine, I couldn't hold out on food that long- and I think Mister would crumple up working out after a full work day lol

    My routine has changed a lot since I took the summer off, but it starts the same every day- getting up, walking the puppies, getting some coffee and reading blogs. Love it.

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  18. Now that I've started working again my nights are even later and my free time less. I used to exercise every day and now I just don't have time. I hope it will change once the baby gets a little bigger but for now my mentality is "just get through it" My commute is 45 each way and I agree - such a waste of time!

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  19. Jess! Holy cow, I am so proud of you already for making it your goal to do a tri. I will certainly cry out of happiness for you WHEN you finish. I cried at the end of my first. It feels like how I've heard some women describe giving birth. Like you can do anything. Let me know if i can help with training tips or moral support or anything. I get back from Kenya in a few days. We're going to have to get all caught up on g chat! -lisa

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  20. This is exactly why I have such a hard time with a regular routine. I am NOT a morning person, beleive me I have tried. If I am up before 6 AM I am mean and tired all day. So...that is out. I get up, go to work, pick up the kid from daycare and am home by 5:15. Then it's dinner and some play time. The bedtime routine starts at 8 and if I am the one putting her down (we alternate nights) that could mean not being finished until 9:00. That leaves about 1.5 hours for laundry, grocery shopping (yes, I am a nighttime shopper), blog reading and maybe some TV. Exercising never seems to fit. On the nights when I'm not on bedtime duty I try to do 30DS or go for a walk but that's only 2-4 times a week and leaves me wired so it's hard to fall asleep and I'm cranky the next day. I've tried to workout at lunch but by the time I get to the gym and change I have about 20 min until I have to stop and shower (because I am always a sweaty mess) and go back. I'm still struggling to find a balance and it's hard.

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  21. My routine is pretty crazy - wake up at 4:30, at work by 7:00, leave work at 4:30, home by 6:00, then work out for an hour. I usually get an hour or less to relax too (after dinner). I waste 3+ hours a day commuting. It's ridiculous. Sometimes, I can fit a workout in during lunch so I have some evening free time. That's nice.

    I am happy you've gotten into the swing of things with the gym. It's hard to get used to a packed schedule like that, but it feels so good!

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  22. P.S. You could totally rock a triathlon! Pick a fun one for me to come do with you :)

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  23. Since the Baby came, we've had an almost endless stream of visitors and I'm SO ready to get back into some sort of routine. Maybe once the summer is over. I LOVE me some routine!

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