It’s No Secret— And It Really Is The Truth

May 27th, 2010 by Amy Gonsalves Leave a reply »

(I’m probably not the brightest bulb here when I share the secret of exercise.  It would be maybe smarter for me, as a trainer, to keep it from you and make you pay to exercise with me and never share the truth.  So please, benefit from my perhaps shortsightedness.)

The funny thing to me is that this isn’t a secret at all!  It’s more like the magic a lot of people somehow miss about exercise. 

Are you ready?

You’re supposed to enjoy it.

Yes, that’s all.  Exercise is supposed to be fun!

I can tell you all kinds of reasons and explanations for why exercise is important, and why you benefit from regular vigorous exercise.  I do think you should know at least some of what exercise does for your physical self.  But that’s like telling a smoker why they should quit—seems obvious in a “no, duh!” kind of way, yet startling in its ineffectiveness.

So what to do?

Find something you enjoy doing, and make it work for you as your exercise.

But how do you find something you enjoy if you haven’t exercised in a while?

Well, start with answering some of these questions:

Do you remember what you liked to do when you were younger?  Why did you like it? You’d be surprised how many adults still enjoy a game of soccer or a bike ride; your age should only mean you are wiser, not more sedentary.  If you really enjoyed flying a kite, or creek walking, or if you were a cheerleader, there are tons of ways to make those fun “kid” activities translate into fun exercise as an adult.

Is there something you’ve always thought would be cool, but thought it was out of your league?  A lot of people think that it would be cool to climb Mt. Everest.  But what about the gym down the street with a climbing wall?  Baby steps may be baby, but they are still steps toward a goal.  Oftentimes, taking those baby steps leads you someplace new and exciting.

Do you have a dog that just adores water?  What if you take your dog for a walk and try to keep up with her as she sprints toward the duck pond?  Goofy fun that you didn’t think about when you were a kid was actually exercise then, and it can be exercise now.  You just have to go for it!

 What kinds of sports do you watch on TV or online?  Do you watch the World’s Strongest Man competition when it comes on ESPN?  Think it’s fun to watch and think about carrying a tree or pulling a fire truck?  Make a few calls to some fitness centers and see what kind of wacky group classes they offer. 

You’d be surprised what is out there for those curious enough to find a fun new way to exercise. 

Life is short.  Go have some fun!

Be Sociable, Share!
Advertisement

Leave a Reply