I’m just going to say it, I hate the freaking gym. Thank goodness that, unlike what those incessant corporate gym ads will tell you, you do NOT need to go to the gym in order to be healthy.
The gym always felt like a chore to me. Doing the same things in the same boring place with the same annoying “motivational” upbeat music and the same other-people’s-sweat smell. Plus, the perpetual fear of contracting toe fungus in the locker room…terrifying. Some people love the gym, and to them I say go for it, but for me, except for on a rainy or excessively cold or hot day, I’d rather avoid it.
But, since exercise keeps us fit, looking and feeling young, and most importantly, contributes to getting and staying healthy, it needs to happen on a regular basis. It’s easy to make excuses and skip exercise when we are trying to do something we hate. Let’s remember we are trying to be healthy; we are NOT trying to punish ourselves! We are far more likely to stick to exercise routines that are pleasant, calming, and dare I say, fun. So the question we need to ask ourselves is, how can I exercise and enjoy it?
There are many ways to up the enjoyment factor. For me, I’ve found the two things that I enjoy the most and have made them the bulk of my regular exercise routine -- these are yoga and walking.
The first yoga class I ever took was while I was still recovering from my big Ulcerative Colitis flare in early 2011. I was amazed at what my body could do even after having been sick for a long time. It was the first time I had felt powerful and strong in over a year. I was instantly hooked and now, going on 10 years later, I still practice yoga on a regular basis. It has made me feel connected to my body in a way that I had never experienced before and I believe this has definitely played a role in my continued health.
My muscles are way more toned now than they ever have been, even more than back when I did regular weight lifting in my 20’s! Now as I knock upon the door of age 40, I feel leaner and stronger and have more flexibility and muscle stamina than ever before as well -- my regular yoga practice gets much of the credit for this.
Walking is my other favorite way to exercise because I walk so much already, just as part of regular life. Living in an urban area means lots of walking for transportation which means I get my errands done and get lots of exercise at the same time! As a Type-A multitasker this makes me very happy. I also take non-errand related intentional walks/jogs and hikes which help me to blow off steam while boosting my heart rate. I make it a point to regularly hike nature trails so that I can enjoy the emotional/mental/physical/spiritual healing benefits of spending time in the fresh air of nature.
I do mix up my exercise routine some in other ways when I feel like it. We have a pull up bar attached to our bathroom door frame, so often going into the bathroom means spending a few moments trying my darndest on the pull up bar (I'm no pull up master but I have fun trying!). I also like to use light free weights from time to time, like to dust off the old bicycle occasionally, and LOVE a good, aggressive game of badminton with my daughter, who is getting really good at it!
What do you enjoy? Maybe riding a bike makes you feel like a kid again. Maybe tennis brings out your competitive spirit. Maybe you are a goal oriented person and training for that 10k will bring you much satisfaction. How about running around and playing with your kids consistently? That will get you in shape in no time! Whatever works for you, do it.
So what’s the BEST way to exercise? The answer is, whichever one you are actually going to do!
When it comes to our health, the food we eat is the most important thing, so let’s take what we are putting into our bodies very seriously, and let’s take the ways in which we exercise our bodies a little less seriously. If we are moving daily and pushing ourselves a bit on a regular basis AND still smiling, then we are doing a good job. Have so much fun while you sweat that you forget you’re working out!
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