For years I’ve been a big fan of working out on Mondays. I like that it sets the time for the week.
But that plan isn’t going so well this fall. First, I’m a bit of a weekend warrior, riding bikes and playing outside. Second, Tuesday is a big workout day with personal training in the morning and Zwift racing in the evening. Third, Tuesday is also my university seminar and I tend to spend Sunday preparing.
So I’m reminding myself it’s okay to take it easy Monday. I can love Monday without working out. I reread an older post of mine about Mondays. It’s good advice. I need to take it.
Philosopher, feminist, parent, and cyclist! Co-founder of Fit Is a Feminist Issue, co-author of Fit at Mid-Life: A Feminist Fitness Journey, published by Greystone Books.
View all posts by Sam B
3 thoughts on “Movement Monday, Magic Monday, or Meh Monday: All Mondays are valid, do what works for you”
I was always with you in the “must start Monday with a workout”. And then a few months ago, Monday ended up being my day off of the week and I’m settling into slow Monday mornings to start the week. Being gentle with myself is a whole new territory to explore. In the back of my mind there’s this worry: What if I become a marshmallow, not physically, but overall in life??
Monday seems like an ideal rest day for those of us who work M-F. Or who, like me, are retired but get in their long rides on weekends with friends who aren’t. The first time I was forced to take a rest day was when I had to bring my bike in the day before 1000 or so of us headed off on an AIDS ride. My first multi-day tour, and I was terrified that one day’s less prep would be awful.
It doesn’t need to be all about sitting still. I take dance classes, do gentle yoga, maybe easy walks with friends. It just needs to be, for me anyway, a day when nothing is hard.
Since then, I have experienced over and over the value of rest days – and sometimes even weeks. We’ve gotta leave some matshmallow time in the schedule.
I was always with you in the “must start Monday with a workout”. And then a few months ago, Monday ended up being my day off of the week and I’m settling into slow Monday mornings to start the week. Being gentle with myself is a whole new territory to explore. In the back of my mind there’s this worry: What if I become a marshmallow, not physically, but overall in life??
I think of gentle and strong as going together, but I do kind of like the ring of Marshmallow Mondays! But just Monday, one marshmallow day a week.
Monday seems like an ideal rest day for those of us who work M-F. Or who, like me, are retired but get in their long rides on weekends with friends who aren’t. The first time I was forced to take a rest day was when I had to bring my bike in the day before 1000 or so of us headed off on an AIDS ride. My first multi-day tour, and I was terrified that one day’s less prep would be awful.
It doesn’t need to be all about sitting still. I take dance classes, do gentle yoga, maybe easy walks with friends. It just needs to be, for me anyway, a day when nothing is hard.
Since then, I have experienced over and over the value of rest days – and sometimes even weeks. We’ve gotta leave some matshmallow time in the schedule.