Let me start with an anecdote. I’ve never been a sports person. Never been on a team or tried to learn any sport. A quick walk is about the only
form of exercise I can boast of. That said, a couple of years ago a new ‘Parcours Vita’ was opened near our house. My cousins and I went there at least three times a week for the whole
summer holidays. It was fun and I was feeling very good and proud of myself until I arrived school at the beginning of the new school year. I remarked to a friend about how I had spent my holidays exercising and he was like, “But you’re still fat. You didn’t lose any weight’. Just like that he burst my bubble. I became annoyed with myself and questioned why I had ‘wasted’ all that time for ‘nothing’.
Which brings me to my first point.
The Whys
Most of us don’t exercise because we think we are not getting any visible benefits from it. It’s ‘hard’, ‘stressful’ and what’s the hassle if we aren’t shedding any kilos?? And that’s where we got it all wrong.
Exercise is not all about losing weight. There are so many other benefits: stress relief, increases endorphins (happy hormones), beautiful memories with friends etc. Even if you don’t lose weight, it changes the shape and constitution of your body. The fat burned is replaced by muscle.
Besides being weight focused just takes the fun and pleasure out of the whole thing. Which brings me to my second point.
The Hows
Exercise is usually such a chore. We kind of dread those Sunday mornings that we had set aside. Why? Because we exercise in an un-fun way. There are so many different exercise methods and techniques. You should just find the one that suits you.
Jogging not your thing? That’s fine. Maybe you like dance. Why not try that? Two hour workouts are impossible? I think so too. How about 15mins daily? Or try doing it with a friend.
Rounding up…
Forget about those goals sometimes or the stereotype that exercise is just about fat people trying to lose weight. My summer was a happy summer until I thought otherwise.
Everybody needs to move just a little. Doesn’t matter if you’re fat or slim, young or old. And if you forget that you’re trying to get somewhere and just enjoy it a little more, you might
actually get there.
Now I hope I take my own advice!!! 😀
#HealthatEverySize
