I am happy to welcome rhinofitnessonline to my blog.  I have not written anything fitness-related as yet, except my layman’s guide to dieting, but I am a regular visitor to my local gym and I do try to keep in shape.

My big enemy is boredom.  I can handle the pain of pumping iron and the like, but I get bored easily.  I know this is a problem for other people too, so I will share with the world my own tricks for overcoming it.

• First, I role-play.  When I’m lifting weights I become Rocky Balboa.  When I’m on the rowing machine I’m in the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.  On the cross-trainer I’m walking uphill through the snow to rescue a tipsy St Bernard.
• Second, I have targets and personal records to beat.  This applies mainly to the rowing machine.  My target is to row 500m within 2 minutes 20 seconds; my record is 2 minutes 9 seconds.
• Third, I vary my routine.  Every so often I drop one of my regular exercises and try something new.
• Fourth, I have something specific to think about while I’m exercising.  I’m writing a book at the moment* so I use my gym-time to work out the next twist in the plot.

I also made a rule that I eat chocolate only on gym-days.  That helps if I’m tempted to skip a day.

___

*  Actually a trilogy, of which the first book is called ‘Eeks’. It will be published as an e-book very soon.