Good vs. Evil... well Good Sarah vs. Evil Sarah at least

So this is how the conversations have been going in my head the past 2 or 3 weeks.

Good Sarah: Yes it's cold and raining out but it's Wednesday/Friday/Sunday and we're going to the gym.

Evil Sarah: But it's REALLY cold and REALLY raining and it's so warm and cozy inside, we could miss just this one time.

Good Sarah: You know once you miss one time it turns into two times, then three, then it's easy to miss whenever you just don't feel like going. Get your shoes on.

Evil Sarah: (hiding shoe) NO I promise if we miss this one time we won't make it a habit. It's December, you've been so busy, you deserve a night off don't you? Ohhhh look at those warm PJ's just sitting there waiting to be worn. I think there's some hot chocolate in the cupboard. We could have such a snuggly evening.

Good Sarah: HOT CHOCOLATE! Now that's hitting below the belt. By the way... look below your belt. See that? That's your belly. If you want to lose your belly by your brother's wedding you have to go to the gym.

Evil Sarah: Gym-schmim and the wedding is months away!!! Let's sit on the couch. I hear they're playing a 'Nanny' marathon tonight!


Plain old Sarah: Of course Good Sarah wins out, especially if Super Marco swoops in in his tights and cape and tells her 'we're going!'. But the drama continues once we hit the gym. This evil Sarah just never gives up!


Good Sarah: Good, there are plenty of cross trainers open. Once we're finished with the ab workout we'll hop on and be done in a jiffy (yes, my good side uses words like jiffy)

Evil Sarah: We already burned 100 calories just in the 10 minute warm up. We've lifted all the weights. We've done really well with our food today. I say we skip the cross trainer and head for home. We can still catch the tail end of the Nanny-a-thon.

Good Sarah: We're already here, we're already sweaty. We may as well push ourselves and finish the whole routine. It's only another 30 minutes.

Evil Sarah: My feet are killing me! That cross trainer always makes my feet go numb and hot. I hate it. I say skip the cross trainer until we get new shoes.

Good Sarah: It's really only 30 minutes and we just got new shoes! We burn almost 600 calories in those 30 minutes. That's your whole breakfast plus some gone in just one session. Remember that dress you wanted for J.O.'s wedding? They don't sell it in 'big girl' size!


Plain old Sarah: Once again good wins out over evil. The thought of shopping is always great motivation. But the drama isn't over yet!


Evil Sarah: Holy crap I'm hot and tired and *gasp* we're only 10 minutes into it. But we've done 10 minutes that's way better than we had planned on. I say we hop off this contraption and hit the showers. Who's with me? (pumping fist in the air)

Good Sarah: Calm down E.S. You know we always feel this way during the first 10 minutes. We do this all the time. Just quit looking at the time and before you know it we'll be done.

Evil Sarah: Before you know it my ass! We're just starting and you know we set it for the hill level so the worst is yet to come. I say we get out of here while the gettins good!

Good Sarah: Ok I'll make you a deal. If we can make it to 20 minutes without looking at the timer then we'll stop early. If we look at the time before 20 minutes is up then we have to do 40 minutes? Deal?

Evil Sarah: Wait a minute here... you're saying if we just don't glance at the time once before it hits 20 minutes then we can go home once it hits 20?

Good Sarah: Yes

Evil Sarah: Piece of cake! Mmmmm we could have a piece of cake after the workout with milk.


Plain old Sarah: Yes, this is a real deal that I often make with myself at the gym. If I don't look at my time before 20 minutes is up then I will allow myself to go home. If I peek at it and it is before 20 minutes I make myself do 40 minutes. Of course this is how is usually goes:

Evil Sarah: (to herself) Geesh it's been a while but I think it has to be past 20 minutes but if it's not then we have to stay longer. But really, it's got to be past 20 minutes we've been on this thing forever. I'm gonna glance...HA!!!!! It's 24 minutes! We win the bet! We get to go home now.

Good Sarah: Well it's only 6 more minutes to finish up the whole routine, we may as well stay don't you think?

Evil Sarah: Hell no I don't think we should stay. I won the bet fair and square I'm outta here.

Good Sarah: But see.. in the amount of time it took you to blurt all that out we're now at 25 minutes. We can surely do this last 5 minutes can't we?!

Evil Sarah: I hate you.

Good Sarah: I know. It's what keeps me going.


Plain old Sarah: Yes folks, this is the saga that actually happens in my head. It's not always easy to get off my butt and go to the gym but once I'm there... well sometimes even then it doesn't get easier. But afterwards, when I finish the whole workout I really do feel better about myself.