It Does Not Have to Be All or Nothing

Yesterday was my first day back at the gym in 10 days. I took some time off to adjust to my new RA medication, whose side effects are nausea and dizziness. I was able to take my dog, known as the Boy on my blog, for a couple of short walks. I did thirty minutes of incline intervals on the tredmill. I was pretty tired. My plan is to ease back to where I was before my break.

In following this month's Challenge point, I have revamped my workout schedule. I teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My schedule is long: I am on campus from 7:45 until 5:30. There is no way I want to hit the gym after that. Also, my new RA medication is taken once a week. In order to deal with the side effects, I can't work out on weekends. Now, I am on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule with dog walking on the weekends if the side effects are not too bad or for as long as the weather holds out in my neck of the woods.

In the past, I have not adapted well to change. I am a person who thrives on a set schedule. If something gets in the way, I engage in all or nothing thinking. If something gets in the way of working out, well then, I just don't work out.

Such thinking never works because I end up losing all the positive gains I made. Then I beat myself up for the slip up. It make take a couple of weeks before I am willing to start over again.

This time I have learned my lesson. Change happens. If you can plan for it, it doesn't hurt too much.