Beware: Bad habits come out in droves! Over the past few months I have:
- Failed to stretch regularly (I used to do it 6 times a week.)
- Deliberately not counted calories nor watched what I ate.
- Increased my expenses while decreasing my income and increase my work.
- Increased my TV viewing habits.
- Increased my Internet Reading habits.
- Decreased my exercise intensity.
- Not published many blog articles.
- Failed to achieve many of my 2011 first quarter and second quarter personal goals.
- Let my productivity in my non-work time decrease dramatically.
I could go on, but I’ll stop before I start depressing you too.
What’s the deal? What’s going on?
I don’t know really. Once the tidal wave gets started, it picks up steam, and boom you are back at the beginning.
Take my blogging. If you are still reading my site and read my recent posts, you can probably get a sense of my lack of urgency. I just haven’t wanted to publish. Note: If you are trying to lose readers and followers, not publishing is a fabulous way to do it.
Self-discipline and moderation was difficult for me in College. Yet, I learned my lessons, and for the most part, in my post-college life, I’m a disciplined and controlled person. In fact, I’d like to think I am better than the average joe.
What happened? What has changed?
A confluence of events have taken place.
Event #1: We added a beautiful HDTV to our household last year.
Event #2: We decided to add a Netflix subscription to our lowest of low Cable TV package. (Believe me when I say low Cable package, I’m an ardent Chicago Sports Fan, and we don’t even have ESPN, TNT, and other stations.) In general, I’m just not much of a TV watcher. Yet, my past taught me to stay away from time-sucking habits. Its one reason we don’t own a DVR.
Now, if you are reading where this is going, a couch potato is born
In fact, if I look at the dates, my blog production started to really deteriorate when my Netflix subscription started. Coincidence, I think not.
Now: You might think that my exercise habits have regressed too, and you’d be correct in many ways. However, when I’m watching Netflix, I am often on the treadmill or elliptical. Its a soft rule I have: if I’m just watching TV mindlessly, I must be moving.
I don’t follow the rule entirely, but more times than not I will.
Wait a minute, I thought I said above, that my exercise intensity is down? You’d think if I’m doing all this TV watching which means exercising, that I’d be in buff summer condition.
Picture Snoopy the dog pointing at me rolling on the Floor Laughing.
My winter sedentary-season training habits combined with my active-summer-season diet results in weight gain. My calorie burn is not enough to keep up with eating.
Event #3: A couple of months ago, I decide after a reading a great article on weight-training, that I’m going to get back into my exercise intensity groove. I think to myself, I’ve been on the treadmill for a few weeks. I’m just going to pick up the intensity of my workouts.
One day, I decided to combine heavy dumbbell deep squats in my morning workout with evening incline treadmill workouts and very little rest. Mix in a lack of stretching, and Boom: I have a leg pains.
Although, I don’t remember the date. I can vividly imagine the circumstances leading up to a painful leg. I’ve self-diagnosed a groin pull with the help of from medial friends. Leg pain is not fun. I’m only now starting to get over it. I still have not ran yet. I’m going to test my leg at Fitbloggin.com’s 5k this year.
Three Events start to rattle the cages of bad habits, then one habit starts the ball rolling. Then another and another and before you know it, I’m engulfed in an avalanche.
In fact, I’ve been so frustrated at myself for my lack of self-discipline, that I’ve let anger seep into my personal relationships. I know its wrong, and yet I can’t seem to control it.
Stay tuned for my Recipe for Recovery!