Selfish Sessions at the Gym?
When I moved from shift work a little while back, I was not used to suddenly being ‘on the clock’ 24 hours a day. My email would ‘ping’ at midnight, at 5am, at 11pm, when I woke up, when I was getting dressed, when I was chatting to my husband, when I was going to bed…and whilst I was at the gym.
I was riddled with guilt any time I took an hour out to exercise. (In fact, it isn’t an hour is it? It’s time to get your stuff together, drive there, register, get changed, do your workout, shower, re-straighten your hair and then drive back to where you were before.)
You could do a 20 minute HIIT session at home, but what if that doesn’t motivate you?
Yet both work and family commitments make such a mentally, physically and physiologically important activity, i.e. keeping fit, so very difficult to fit in.
If you dislike exercise, I honestly believe it is because you have not found the exercise for you yet. Scientifically, it makes us feel good. Anecdotally, I have yet to hear a patient say that exercising has not in some way helped the way they feel about themselves.
So why are we often riddled with guilt for taking that time for oursleves?
My gym The Underground Training Station SW is amazing. They have supported me in my quest for fitness despite being a new mum. They have housed baby walkers, bouncers, random family members coming to watch the boys and even encouraged other members to help pitch in whilst I hold muscle under tension.
Yet I still fear for being judged, harbour guilt at trekking little ones to a non soft play environment and am riddled with the feeling of being selfish for taking time out completely to go and work out alone.
Shouldn’t I stay at home and be with the boys every single hour that I can?
I could use this time to catch up with work emails if I decide not to do my class today?
Will my boss think I am taking the michael if I do not respond immediately to his email/text requests?
Deep down, I know that exercising is not selfish. It is pivotal to enjoying a healthier lifestyle whilst ultimately making you a better work colleague, a more energetic mum and a sane(r) human being.
We need to let go of the guilt. But more so, we need to make exercise more accessible for all.
These are my attempts at making the gym accessible for me…
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