Laziness, for me at least, is a form of rebellion and defiance, possibly because my own lazy, ambivalence towards exercise was formed in secondary school PE lessons. I hated enforced exercise and still believe that no good can come of it.
In choosing not to take part and devising ways to be exempt from physical exercise I was rebelling against the system, against social norms and against sweat! So enforced inactivity is just as bad as enforced activity and my inaction this week is providing me with none of the sense of rebellion that a forged note from my mum used to give me as I sat on the bench watching my classmates do the beep test.
Secondly, the forbidden fruit always tastes sweeter. Why do chocolates and cakes taste so good? Other than the amount of sugar and saturated fat that they contain? Because they’re ‘naughty’. Why is it great to lounge in bed all day when we’ve ‘pulled a sickie’ but I feel compelled to do something useful with a day’s holiday? Skiving a day’s training (although tainted by the guilt that I should be doing exercise) is indulgent and naughty, whereas ‘rest periods’ are less satisfying.
Also, I’ve been eating way more since I started running and if
I take a week off training but keep shoving my face at the same rate I may just explode.