Gym Update

I realised I forgot to blog about reaching my gym goal. Way back in January I wrote about my goal to go to the gym 25 times. If I went 25 times I could by a new pair of gym pants. I later adjusted that goal down to 15 times. Still I didn't reach the goal until March 17th.

I haven't bought the pants yet and I haven't been back to the gym. (Coincidence? I don't think so) I get paid next week so I will buy the pants then. In the meantime it's time to set another goal and get back to the gym.

I've gone 15 times which makes my $40.00 Spouse card now worth $2.66 per visit. This is much better, but I would like it to be $1.00 a visit. To do this I would need to go to the gym 25 times by the end of the semester on May 1st. I don't think that is going to happen. So I will settle for $1.30. That means I need to go 15 times in April. Starting tonight I will go every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until May. I will also have to go on 2 Saturdays or Mondays. And what will I give myself for reaching this goal? I'm thinking that I will be working towards a new pair of head phones. I'd like a pair that are actually modern looking and not like the old school headset type I have now.

Here is an update on the four ways I get myself to the gym.

1. Go in the evening.
This is working really well. It is easy for me to come home from work, eat dinner, change into gym clothes, and go up to campus. Depending on how early I go to the gym there is still plenty of time to come home and work on projects, or watch movies.

2. Distract myself.
I was listening radio dramas of Sherlock Holmes stories. This went well and motivated me to go to the gym to hear the end of the story. I haven't done this lately though. The past several times I have read old copies of Time Magazine that the gym has. I've found the 2008 presidential campaign to be much more interesting in retrospect. Still I think I will switch back to listening to books on tape. They were much better motivation to go everyday.

3. Do what I want.
I'm still perfectly content to hang out on the exercise bike. I tried the elliptical once, but it completely wore me out. I like just stilling on the bike and pedaling for 25 minutes. Yes I probably don't burn as many calories as a could, but this isn't so much about getting skinny as it is about establishing a habit.

4. Bribe myself.
I've got to learn how to follow through with this one. What is the use of an incentive if the incentive doesn't ever happen?

Well there you have it. Look for a post next week about my new gym pants.