Darwin in the gym

Darwin is the name most associated with the concept of evolution, so I'm using his name, symbolic like, to indicate that this post deals with evolution. In the gym.

No, I'm not talking about people on the monkey bars starting to walk upright or anything like that.

I'm talking about Punctuated Equilibrium. Which has nothing to do with someone balancing on one leg trying to think about punctuation.

Punctuated equilibrium is one of those terms evolutionary biologists like to talk about: great bursts of change followed by long periods of slacktitude.

(Yes, I know that a) that's a major generalization of the theory, b) Darwin didn't write about punctuated equilibrium, and c) neither Darwin nor any other evolutionary theorist has ever used the word 'slacktitude' in his writings.)


What's that got to do with the gym?

My exercise routine also follows this pattern. I get all motivated, fired up with great bursts of enthusiasm. I do great for awhile, coast on my momentum for awhile, then... start... to ... slow... down...

The past week month or so I have been majorly uninspired to work out -- at all -- ever -- I mean we're talking time-to-hang-up-those-running-shoes-and-put-on-those-slippers, I need to re-bond with my couch and the remote.
[Photo credit: Pat Hawks]

Only one thing to do in a situation like that -- go shopping.

[Photo credit: MarkHillary]

No, not that kind of shopping. I got another damn exercise DVD.

Last time this happened, I followed the couch to 5k schedule. Before that it was swinging kettlebells. (Crabby's right, they don't ring. For that matter, who has a kettle shaped like that? Or that weighs that much? I vote we change the name officially to something else.)

The trouble is that I want exercise to be a habit without its becoming a bore. So I try all these different methods to keep the relationship between me and my exercise routine fresh and exciting. I want to stay in the sweetheart dating stage of exercising and avoid the responsible, adult, settling-down-and-raising-the-kids stuff.

Damn. Don't you hate it when a blogger switches metaphors in mid-post like that? Is exercise like evolution or like a relationship? Hell, maybe it's both.

From what I can tell from the comments, all of you are responsible, hard-working, and in a committed relationship with your exercise routine. Do you have any secrets for success? That you can share, I mean. Darwin and I would love to hear them.