how do i stick to a routine !!!

Morpheus

i cant break out of my lazy lifestyle.

every night im supposed to do my own fitness training to heal a serious sports related ankle injury which ive posted about here before,

but i never do,

or i start it and it works for 3 or 4 days and then i skip it for a day or two,

i promise myself everday that il do it that night, then i muppet around when i get home, head off to the GF's house, come home at 11pm play Day of defeat on the internet, climb into bed and read til 1am, then i get up at 7:20 and run to work every morning.

if i DO do it, it takes about 40 minutes to complete, calf and achilles stretches, wobble board and thera band.

I get depressed, i was super fit last year, really fast running, playing tons of soccer, got injured, came back too early, reoccured. im getting physio, but my ankle remains feeling weak. Ive put on a little fat round my belly, i do sit ups and pressups, but i realise i must begin running to lose the fat.

how do i come up with a routine for running and ankle recovery exercises and stick to it!!!

please help:(

Jak

When you hate or dislike yourself enough you will probably start doing it. Though some people never do and just continue to moan and make excuses.

The bottom line is it is priorities. If it mattered more to you than Day of Defeat or reading you would do it.

Genghis

Is there anyway you can do it before you get home? For example, at work after everyone is gone, or in a park or something on your way home, or at a gym?

During last winter I found that going for a run right after work helped me keep up my training. All I had to do was make sure I brought my gear with me in the morning, and I would be able to train later. It always felt good to be able to come home (a little later than normal, granted), and be able to sit back and enjoy the rest of the night, without worry or guilt.

Another tip might be to automatically change your clothes once you get home, into something you will train in, the first step psychologically is to get ready for the training.

And finally, I often think of how much more I will enjoy something - a book, a film, dinner, cinema etc - if I know I have got my training done earlier - this not only motivates me before the session, but also through it.

I actually think it is much more a question of motivation than one of priorities.

logic1

Originally posted by Genghis
I actually think it is much more a question of motivation than one of priorities.

If you make it a priority then you will be motivated to do it. If not you won't.

.logic.

Saruman

Create some pop-up thing on your computer telling you to turn it off and go train!!!

Morpheus

Great Ideas lads,
I think....
no.....
i WILL go home tonight and get into my shorts and gear and go running before i eat.

I am fairly fit from soccer, but I havent been able to run much until recently but now im ok to run again I was having problems physically motivating myself to do it, id get depressed about my ankle injury, thinking negative thoughts that it will never heal, but sure how will it if i dont run on it?!?

I came home last night and spent forty minutes doing wobble board and thera band strengthening exercises before going to bed, even did a few minutes stomach exercises )

I read that a six pack is not a good thing to aim for til you lose excess fat around your stomach? now im not fat, im 5'10 and weigh about 12 stone, but i think i should be about 11.5 which I always was until last year. So will 40 - 45 minutes running be sufficient every day with training twice a week when pre-season starts? ive cut out crisps and chocs too,well i cheat a little, if i eat crisps its Low Fat ones, but seriously no chocs, or ice cream, tough these summer days. drinking loads of water too.

any tips on general fitness OR soccer type exercises I should consider? I want to get a stomach strengthening regime set up for myself too.

thanks again for your input

Genghis

Morpheus,

I would suggest you take it easy at first - I cannot see how 45 minutes running everyday on an injured ankle will help things. You could risk more injury, and lose all motivation!

Perhaps build it up more gradually. I wouldn't think you would need to be so intensive to lose half a stone either.

Also try to eat something small an hour or so before you run. I always found a nutri-grain bar (Kellogs), with a piece of fruit washed down with plenty of water. And don't skip your dinner when you get home either.

Good Luck!

Morpheus

ok...

well unfortunately I got home and didnt get time to read your reply Genghis, and that NEXT time, il be eating the nutri grain and fruit about an hour before i train!!!

Suffice to say that I didnt get NEAR 45 minutes, way too high a target, I did about 30 minutes of good running and got home fairly whipped but feeling good. It felt great to run again, im like forest gump, I ran everywhere until the injury happened. The pleasure you get from going home changing and just getting out for a run is immense!!

I jogged to the local park, did 2 laps and plenty of stretching, then did about 6 laps and a couple more stretches, then ran zig zag like around the park (physio told me to do this to build up ankle strength) few more laps, a quick sprint and then ran all the back past my house about the same distance out the other awy around the town before returning home, running practically past my house on the way back from the park was VERY tough, I just wanted to return home and collapse, but I kept going and when i finally got back, I felt like id conquered the world!!

I iced my ankle for about 10 minutes (which physio also told me to do) and then did my usual evening relaxing stuff (playing soccer or tennis with the girlfriend!! ) then got home last night for a round of ankle exercises on the wobble board again.

im going to go home tonight and do the same stuff again, im quite enjoying it now, I love getting fit!! 30 mins may sound small but it was a big step for me.

any more thoughts are appreciated... should i bring water? kinda hard to run carrying a bottle tho!