To Gym or Not to Gym?

I'm out-of-shape.

It's gotten pretty sad, truth-be-told. I used to be able to run four or five miles without too much trouble. Now if I make one or two miles, I consider it fairly miraculous.

Don't get me started over stairs.

I'd like to blame my job, my work hours, the fates, the alignment of the stars, the gods, etc., but the fact of the matter is that I'm paying the price for a period I spent wallowing in self-pity at the bottom of too many pint glasses, either in a bar or in front of my PC.

I've been trying to overcome the inertia I'm set on. I've done it before. Last time I lost a good thirty pounds in just a few months by changing my diet and exercising like a madman.

Of course, last time, I could bicycle to work. And last time I wasn't quite so tempted with so many food options in my work area.

Those are excuses, of course.

I'm trying not to eat high-calorie meals so much anymore or snack at work, but... yeah. That's a struggle.

I run, or try to, and attempt to fold in some calisthenics when I get home, but frankly, it's really not enough. I find too many excuses to skip or shorten my routines. I have to study. I have to figure out job stuff. I have to decompress. Blah-blah-blah.

So at lunch today with friends, one of my buddies who experiences similar issues suggested joining a gym.

I'll admit, I've considered the idea. My office will pay a subsidy to help with a gym membership. There's advantages to a gym, but they're ultimately overcome by the flaw in the premise: if I can't find the willpower to exercise on my own, what makes me think I'll do it in a gym?

Oh, there's the argument that if you pay for it, it inspires you to go. That's frankly bullshit. All that will happen is I'll burn money and be mad at myself.

So a gym... hm. Probably not.

I should get back into martial arts. I've considered it. I do enjoy it and it's an excellent workout. The issues (aside from willpower) really fall down to time constraints (working out class times with my work) and the fact that martial arts classes attract a fair number of assholes.

And, trust me. You don't want to deal with an asshole in a martial arts class. I almost lost an ear to one in the last style I studied.

In any event, it's certainly something I need to work out soon. Ugh.