On this week’s episode of “Ways Laura is trying to get her ish together” I thought I’d tell you how I’m tricking myself into exercising.

Reality check: Over the last seven years I’ve been riding the hormonal rollercoaster that comes from pregnancy, miscarriages, giving birth, and post-partum seasons. I have a history of hormonal issues that began in college. I’d like to lose about 25 pounds. There’s a history of arthritis in my family and I can kinda feel it sometimes in the morning. Add all of this together and it becomes clear that I need to work out.

There’s just one problem. I hate it. Like every bit of it. The making time for it, the sweating, the clothes, the actual working out, the fact that it works. So lame.

But the endorphins! And I’ll feel great! And all the other motivational things people who like working out say. It’s all true except for that thing where when someone tells me to do something I kinda want to do the opposite. I’m very mature.

Anyhoo, I had a bit of a revelation a few months ago. What if I kept hating exercising, but did it anyway? I was inspired by a group of men from my church who started an I Hate Running Running Club. That’s the kind of witty honesty that I can get behind. So, I started the I Hate Exercising Exercising Club. I am the president and only active member. If you would like to join, you’ll need to start your own charter because any sort of peer pressure would make me ditch the whole endeavor.

One of the founding principles of the IHEEC is that sticker charts are not just for kids. Which means I’ve been putting a sticker on our wall calendar every day that I exercise. Sometimes you just need a visual reminder of progress, so why not use a cute sticker?

Have I skipped entire weeks (ahem, months) since starting this? Well, sure. But when the exercise does get done… I feel great, which is so annoying. I would much prefer to stay healthy by eating whatever I want and napping regularly, but alas, that’s not how it works.

Exercise is the worst, but I guess I’ll do it anyway.

P.S. Is it obvious that this whole idea is basically my dating story repackaged? Hated it. Did it anyway. Maybe we should start a club for that too…