I should be at the gym.  I should not be writing blog posts.  But I don’t want to go to the gym.  I don’t want to go so badly that I spent the last thirty minutes cleaning the inside of the washing machine. I was motivated earlier this week.  I have been completing two gym sessions a day. My morning cardio workout and an afternoon stretching and hill walking workout I was given by the physiotherapist. The afternoon workout is tiring but worthwhile considering I have slept for three nights without waking with leg pain.  I’m sure that I will do that again this afternoon, but this is morning and typing is not a good substitute for my cardio workout.

I am aware that my morning workout is beneficial but beneficial is such a dull word.  It doesn’t excite me today to think about the health benefits of exercise.  My fluctuating thyroid hormones mean that I don’t get to see many physical signs that the exercise is making a difference.  There is part of me that knows that it has to be making a difference but it’s not like I can run an experiment with another Karen who doesn’t do exercise and then compare the differences.  I can read about it, be told about it by experts, but awareness is not enough.  As adults we are aware of all sorts of things.  We know we should watch what we eat.  We know that we should do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.  We know!  If you say to someone who asks about their health, “you should exercise more”, they will probably respond with, “I know!”.  But what is the point of knowing if it doesn’t produce change and it doesn’t motivate us to do anything at all?

I will go to the gym.