My relationship with the gym was on the rocks, and something needed to change.
The gym and I reached a point in our long committed relationship where things had become stale. After going through a period where the last place I wanted to be was the gym, I came to the realization that while I was fit I wasn't very active at all. I didn't want to break up with the gym, I knew it was good for me but if we were going to make it something needed to change. Don't get me wrong, I love exercising, but a girl can get burned out. We'd gone from inseparable to "it's complicated" and it was all my fault.
The first bump in the road was realizing my goal oriented attitude was present both inside and outside of the gym. For example, when I wasn't focused on cutting or bulking, and just in maintenance mode, I had to work harder to get myself into the gym. I suppose that's the double-edged sword of being a goal oriented person, the "what next?" When I struggled to answer that simple question my motivation fell right off the cliff.
After a couple weeks of slacking and making excuses why I didn't even want to see the gym, I realized that I relied too much on it to be my main source of activity. It was time to switch things up, or at least add some variety. In came Pokemon Go, outdoor activities like rollerblading, more dog walks, and playing rugby. Any one of these activities was fun, socially engaging, and burned a decent to an extensive amount of calories. Gone were the days where my main source of activity was the weight room and I'm now happier for it. Staying lean-ish now feels more effortless, rather than a constant effort. It made my relationship with the gym more satisfying after years of the same ol' same ol' and I feel more athletic overall.
The list of interests is ever-growing. Shall I try learning to spar in a boxing ring? Barre seems kind of cool. Frankly, I could use some yoga. My old bike sucked but I did enjoy going for rides, once the seat broke my butt in. Variety is the spice of life, and the options are endless. The curious part for me is that winter is coming, and I'm NOT a fan of cold weather, so what the heck am I going to do then? It's a head scratcher I tell 'ya.