Believe it or not, I only started to like working out a few months ago. I feel a little scandalous saying that as someone who recently competed in a fitness competition, but it is the truth. I liked the results I was getting, and I always felt good after a sweaty cardio session so I showed up and did the work, but only recently did I begin to feel a ‘yes! I can’t wait to work out!’ feeling. What changed?… well, I think it took a while for my head to catch up to all the changes happening to my body physically. As my journey continued to progress I became more connected and present within my body and I started to love the feeling of being able to sprint and feel so much lighter while doing it, or hold a hand stand for a minute with my feet up on the wall. The more challenging and unnatural the exercise the more powerful I felt and the more I wanted to do those type of things.
Along with feeling present in my body, I began to try new activities as well as resurrect some old ones, to discover what brings me the most joy and had me looking forward to doing it. I grew up hearing that exercise was only for weight loss, and that sweating was gross. It has taken a long time to alter my relationship with my body and the way I view physical activity. Now I feel the sweatier the workout the better and how it makes me feel is the most important outcome.
Exercise by definition is an activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve overall health and fitness. Exercise has a multitude of benefits such as improving strength and mobility, improving cardio vascular health, maintaining health as you age, supporting weight loss, and improving mental health. When the benefits of being physically active connect you mind, body and soul you will be so much more likely to carry on with it. Take your time and discover or rediscover what you enjoy. What you choose does not have to be what everyone else is doing, try new things. You do not have to go to a group class or go to the gym to be active, and you do not have to spend an hour sweating outdoors. Find what makes you happy, what makes you fall in love with moving your body, and reward your body by doing that as often as you can.