Where Did The Time Go?

Exercising used to be one of my favorite activities. I exercised six days a week. Usually four days were devoted to weight training and the other two for Cardio-vascular fitness. I loved the feeling of accomplishment that came with exercise. But more intoxicating was the level of confidence that being physically fit generated. Unfortunately, life took over.

It is as if at some point I let my life dictate how I should feel and what I should be doing with my time. Work in itself takes up so much of one’s time that it becomes very easy to turn to a sedentary lifestyle. Even though my desk job lacks the need for physical stamina, it is the mental stresses that deplete my energy. Not to mention that I have to devote an hour and a half to two hours a day just for the commute. Include my college courses and all of the sudden, I am out of time. I know that these are just excuses, but they do have an effect on my state of mind.

I recently started back up on my exercise and I must admit it is definitely tougher than I remember. I still get the sense of accomplishment, but it will take a while to get all of that confidence back. Luckily, exercise is still a great deal of fun for me. I also enjoy the mental game that one experiences while working out. (Can I get one more repetition in? or I think I will try forty-five minutes on the treadmill today.) The internal motivation to grow is a powerful force. I am very proud of myself for starting to exercise again, but time constraints will continue to plague me.

I am having trouble finding a happy medium between work and fitness. Now I am exercising more, but I am also more physically drained. This makes some of my work hours more complicated as I sometimes fight to stay awake. Where does all of the time go? I know that life wasn’t always such a scramble.
I will do whatever it takes to get my health back, but it will be a long arduous road. I just need to maintain focus and avoid distractions. I also need to be sure that I reward myself occasionally for any small goals I meet along the way. And above all, “Don’t get discouraged.” It took a great deal of time for me to get into this physical state, so it will take me just as long to get out.