I woke up this morning in a bad mood. I don’t know what it was, but I didn’t want to run. I didn’t want to play or talk or walk or be nice. 
However, (as always) I did want to eat so I had some PB toast while trying to talk myself into a run.
I didn’t even want to take pictures. Don’t look at me!
I really felt like giving my run a big “thumbs down” and going back to bed.
But I stupidly signed up for another marathon in February so I made myself go. It is very very rare that I don’t want to run so I don’t have any tricks or tips to “make myself”. If I don’t feel like running I figure I need a day off so I let myself rest. It’s really weird, but despite running fairly often and eating somewhat healthy – I have NO discipline. I just happen to do those things because that’s what I do.
So yeah, when people ask me, “How do I make myself run?” I am no help.
I pulled out my planner and realized I have a half marathon next weekend – which is shorter than my required training run. Then, another one the next weekend. Since I couldn’t postpone my run I just went (with a bad attitude).
Then, on my drive to my run location my Garmin died. #Fail
This is the first time I’ve done a long run without my precious sidekick. I decided this was a omen from the running gods that I could take it easy. I ended up doing about 12 miles and walking a few at the end. 
I’m really just glad that’s over 
I came home and ate Thanksgiving leftovers, grapes, a roll, no good watermelon and a chocolate chip pancake.
I’m pretty convinced the original creator of the chocolate chip pancake was a great ancestor of mine. They just speak to me. Literally.
“Monica, Monica!!! We were made for yooooooouuuuu!!!”
Question: How do you make yourself workout if you don’t want to?
I can’t make myself do anything I don’t want to do. I blame my red headed temper for not tolerating anything I don’t feel like doing 
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Monica you are a rock star! I love your humorous approach to life even when you are feeling grumpy.
I stepped on the scale a couple days ago to discover I have gained 10 pounds over the last 3 months despite my consistent dedication to regular workouts. I know I have been indulging myself with too much wine and WAY to many sweets and can only blame myself. But still I feeling completed defeated this hard reality. I know I should not let me weight define me, but I feel like a failure for gaining back weight I have worked so hard to lose. I feel like I am destined to be fat and should trust give up trying to fight the inevitable. Do you have any advice or inspiration when you are feeling defeated?
The best way to pick a watermelon is pick the one with “the yellowest belly”. As in the part that is on the ground, and is a spot normally without any stripes. My grandfather told me that trick and I ask my 4 1/2 yr old to pick the one, and we have had the BEST watermelons since we started this trick. I will say we have bought them all over, not just at Whole Foods, etc.
I can tell you what I don’t do. I never say “you’ve never regretted a workout” because that is absolutely not true in my case. I blame not feeling THAT sick and working out anyway, and then realizing that I absolutely was too sick to work out. I even blacked out once – before I learned how to properly fuel. So yeah, I’ve definitely regretted workouts.
But I can try and convince myself how much better I’ll feel if I go. I tend to get antsy at night if I haven’t gotten in a workout that day. This is especially annoying on rest days, because I know I should rest but I get the wiggles! Apparently I’m still three years old.
The thing that works best for me in terms of motivating myself to exercise is reminding myself that I’ll feel better afterward/I’ll be glad I did it. However, like you, there are days when I can just tell that I’d probably benefit from taking the day off if I REALLY REALLY am not feeling like exercising.
Also, pancakes are a gift from the Gods. I made some this morning with cinnamon chips…YUM.
Oooh! Difficult question. I’m really trying to listen to my body cues and go with them rather than external messages. But sometimes there is a voice in my head that begs me to get onto the sofa with a warm blankie, a good book and some good eats.
I silence the voice by ‘lacing up and showing up’. Gotta put the gear on and get to the starting point. If I still want to quit by then, it’s OK. Not sure? I give myself permission to quit after the first mile.
Almost always, once I’m out there, the run is going to happen whether it be a good one or a bad one.
I basically tell myself, you never regret a run, but always regret not going. Gets me out the door…but not without a slow start…but hey, at least it happens!
Wa-hay, nice going on the run! The ‘you’re only one workout away from a good mood’ mantra tends to do the trick for me! I also tell myself that I can come home if I’m not feeling it after twenty minutes- more likely than not, I am pumped by then!
Way to go making yourself get it done!
Well now that I’m blogging about my fitness goals, and I have the blasted half to train for, it’s pretty easy to make myself do it. I really don’t have a choice. However, yesterday I didn’t workout, I just got busy and didn’t feel like getting sweaty before date night (since I was all showered), so I rationalized not going since I did an extra run the night before. Nice job on making yourself go even though you woke up in a crappy mood. Jess
runningtobeskinny.com
Sometimes, like this morning, I wake up super tired and groggy and I want to go back to sleep – then I remember how GOOD it feels to run. And BAM I’m out the door like a ninja! XD
Well, not really, but I remind myself of how liberating it feels to run, and I never regret it; during and after my run, I felt great and tons better.
It’s hard to talk myself into working out if I don’t want to. Sometimes just putting on my workout clothes motivates me. Or if my kids are being extra “active” then that motivates me to leave the house and go to the gym…so get some kids, maybe? Lol
Ha! I love that your advice is to get some kids 🙂
Awesome run for not even wanting to!! Whenever I don’t want to, I just get ready to go and walk out the door. Rarely ever do I turn around and go home without doing at least a few miles.
Hahaha food speaks to me too. I’m glad I ‘m not the only one. 😉
Your morning sounds like mine. I didn’t want to run but I did and I’m always glad I did when its over.
I usually take my bad attitude and grumble the entire way and occasionally get blinded by my firey tears. But for some reason, when I’m not in the mood, I usually go faster and get a better workout.
(Ugh I’m in a mood now and don’t want to go!! But I’m pissed about what I thought was going to be a “quick” 5 page paper turning into an incredibly difficult 15 pager. a;lsdfja;dlsfj. Time to hit the pavement and release the aggression!)
Those days make it SO hard to get out the door! Glad you decided to go, though. At least you got it over with. 🙂
You know me, I would just get back into bed 🙂
I am blond but it is the same with me: if I don’t wanna do something I won’t do it! But I would really like to change this! I think it is standing in my way from time to time.
Can’t be the red hair, cuz mine is brown and I’m the same way. And you do know that running 12 miles isn’t exactly “taking it easy”. 😉
I am the sameee way! I usually crave a run or a good sweat sesh. If I am not feelin’ it…I just don’t do it.
Sometimes, when I don’t want to work out I just don’t. I think it’s ok to just chill out once in awhile – but most of the time I will do something, even if it’s just a quick ride on the elliptical or a short run. I’m definitely a lot more motivated when I have a race to train for. I wish I was self motivated though 🙂
“I can’t make myself do anything I don’t want to do.” but you just did!! you didn’t want to run, but you did it anyway!!
I do pretty good if I can just get to the workout place, either out the door to run or to the gym. Once I’m there I’ll do something. Even if its not everything that I had planned, I figure some is better than none. And it keeps the habit going.
Being a slave to a training plan helps. My depressing way to “force” myself to run when I am lacking the motivation is to remind myself that some people don’t have the ability, so I’m actually lucky that I can. I may not love every second, but it gets my lazy a$$ out of bed at least. Great job getting the miles in!
This is always a struggle of mine – trying to overcome the “ugh so not in the mood to do anything especially running.” Honestly, a lot of the running blogs (like yours, skinny runner and hungry runner girl) inspire me to run more. Also, I dont have the extra money right now to buy new jeans and dress pants soooo as soon as they start feeling tight (like yesterday) it reminds me get back on my feet!
Hah! I definitely do the “register for another race” motivation technique. The dead Garmin is definitely a negative motivation. But my deep love of food definitely keeps me going 🙂 Oh … and that strong, accomplished feeling I get after getting up to run at 4:30a before work sometimes helps. sometimes :/
Sometimes, once running is a habit, I forget how hard it was to start. I think we run because 1) we love running (most of the time) and 2) have committed to running regularly.
Regular running is the only way to acheive that running “happy place”. It’s because of this that I run when I don’t want to. For a future “happy moment”. 🙂
to make myself run THIS a.m. all I had to do was think of the 1000 empty calories that were consumed this weekend. 🙂 On NON-holiday day’s/weekend I “just DO it.” Nike really should sponsor me, pay for my races and hook me up with apparell!! 🙂
Have you ever ate at “Mario’s tacos” in Pico Rivera?? Oh my goodness…soo good!! We made a stop there Tuesday evening. It’s my husband’s favorite and now I’m a fan! Their french fries and special quesadilla are the best!
VEGAS next weekend!! 🙂
R & R Vegas next weekend? Me too!
When I don’t feel like going I typically bribe myself. I used to do it with food but saw this funny little post that said “don’t reward yourself with food, you are not a dog.” So, I try to give myself an extra 30 minutes to relax, permission to postpone laundry, a pedicure, etc… But desperate times call for froyo.