From the time I was a young boy, regular exercise of some kind has been a part of my life. How old were you when you began regularly exercising? What form did it take? First for me was baseball, followed by cross-country as I became an adolescent.
I'm confident saying most people like me, i.e., those who have remained physically active for many years, share a common tendency: The main thrust of our exercise regimen has switched at least a few times over those years. For me, cycling and tennis took over in my post-college years. Later, I returned briefly to running, then took up skiing, joined a gym. In between, there were short affairs with squash and racquetball and lots of bike tours. Tennis returned with a vengeance after I stopped working full time in 2010. Currently, it's hiking year-round, cycling from April-October, visiting the gym when it gets real cold or funky outside, skiing a few days a year. How has your regimen shifted over the years? What does it look like now? OK, enough reminiscing and sharing commonalities. Here's what I really want to know from those of you who exercise regularly and extol its undeniable value.
If there was an affordable pill with no side effects that guaranteed the same physical benefits as regular exercise, would you begin taking it in place of all that sweating? I'm reasonably sure I would. Just think of the good use you or I could make of all those hours we'd get back. But wait, I can hear the gym rats objecting: What about those endorphins, they ask? Sorry, even when training for the marathon I never finished, that legendary runner's high stubbornly eluded me. I've never disliked exercising, exactly. I also know staying fit "should" be its own reward or something vaguely Buddhist like that. And, I fully acknowledge quality of life is often enhanced by staying active and fit as we age.
Still, the magic pill fantasy dances around in my brain pretty routinely. Like earlier today, about five minutes into my bike ride. I stoically - or something - pushed through my resistance and stayed on the bike. But if that pill was available?
In Nia we don’t say we exercise. Rather we move or we engage in movement. An entirely different mentality. It isn’t called the Joy of Movement for nothing! Ines
ReplyDeleteInes; I remember you telling me about this at our last 1X1 book discussion. I even used the notion of "movement vs. exercise" in my May 28 post called "Mission 3.0" published just days after our conversation. And though I appreciate the reframing of this (as you say "a different mentality") that doesn't mean I wouldn't welcome that magic pill with open arms. Just saying.
DeleteGood morning, Pat. Ahh, exercise. For me the ever elusive 'I know I should be doing' event. Wasn't much into exercise when I was younger. I did try soccer as a freshman in HS, but never got too far with that. Tried Cross Country that same year but barely finished the only race I ever was part of. But, as one of the assistant coaches said after the race 'But, you finished'. Encouraging words that I've never forgotten. But it didn't keep me running. There was some exercise when involved with theater. Staying in shape, breathing exercises, vocal exercises were all very important. But nothing too much until fairly recently. When I first retired, 4 1/2 ears ago, I needed something to do so I started walking. A bad back and bad knee took running off the table, although I wasn't ever a fan of that. Then, after about 12-18 months walking stopped for some reason. But over the last 5 weeks I am back into doing it and am averaging 60-70 minutes each morning, 35-40 miles a week and have dropped 9 pounds. As for the pill .. probably would take it but I would miss the mind wandering, music listening times I have during my morning walks.
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Bob
Bob; Thanks for the comment and your honesty about your struggle to find the right exercise regimen. Looks like the walking (especially with the aid of a song like "What Is Hip") might be your magic pill. Stick with that, at least, until the actual pill comes along.
DeleteYeah, I'd take the pill. I want the results of exercise--better functioning of body and mind--and I'd get them the easy way were it only possible. Incidentally, I suspect that such a pill is not likely and that, were one developed, it would have seriously different results from those of exercise (cf anabolic steroids).
ReplyDeleteHey Alan; Thanks for the comment. I suspect you're right about the low likelihood of a pill like this ever being developed but I'm still glad to know you'd line up with me to take one IF no side effects (cf anabolic steroids) were guaranteed. Here's to us (budding) couch potatoes who'd rather be doing other stuff (playing guitar, reading, writing, sleeping) vs. sweating.
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