Well, that works for me. I’ve always dreamt of having a perfect body w/o any efforts. Guess what? It doesn’t work that way, ha ha, therefore, I have decided to put a stop to my idleness, and I have resumed my regular gym sessions. Working out helps a lot. Not to mention the fact that time passes pretty quickly, and I surely forget about anything that has troubled me throughout my loooong working day.
Sometimes I force myself to wake up on Saturdays/Sundays at 8AM (yeah, that’s very early for me , and I mean VERY) And I do. Jog. Listening to my fave broadcasts; well, life seems a lot more enjoyable.
It is not a question of weight anymore. Has anyone experienced something like that?
Sure. Working out regularly changes your body and your brain chemistry. Additionally, breaking out of routines tends to add variety and reduce the boredom due to the more mundane day to day stuff most of us are subject to.
It’s hardly a well kept secret.
But it sure feels like it was when you finally discover it for yourself.
The best thing is, that it doesn’t really cost you any time. On average, exercisers live longer than non-exercisers, enough to make up for the time spent exercising.
It can sort of work the other way around, too. It helps to get to the point where doing exercise is the “natural” thing for you. You aren’t “someone who has to go and exercise,” but, instead, “You’re an exercising person.” It’s what you do. Not exercising feels unnatural.
I’m entering geezerhood, and long walks on hiking trails are my main exercise. At first, it wasn’t really “my thing.” But now it is, to the degree that it is “me.” It defines me. I reshaped my reality!
Ten years ago, I was 38, overweight, extremely sedentary, and (unbeknownst to me at the time) pre-diabetic. Even so, I was relatively happy – pretty good marriage, I liked my job, had a lot of friends, hobbies I enjoyed, etc.
8 years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes, and had to start thinking about my health, and what I could do to manage the disease. I started walking, and then, three years ago, I started running, despite the fact that I’d always been convinced that I didn’t enjoy exercise (particularly solo exercise).
I was able to stick with it, and now running (and other exercise) is a part of my life that I can’t see doing without. I’ve run a bunch of races (mostly 5Ks, but I’ve even run a half-marathon), and I’m now, without a doubt, in the best shape of my life. My endocrinologist loves me – he says, “whatever you’re doing, don’t stop!” What’s more, I’m pretty ridiculously happy.
Last Saturday, I got up at 4:40 a.m., so I could go pick up my running partner, as we were running in an early-starting 5K that morning. Yes, we “complained” about the early start, but we had a blast.
I once heard about this idea about willpower. Don’t feel like googling it right now. So you’ll just have to take my word for it.
Basically this guy hypothesized that exhibiting discipline (willpower) in one aspect promotes it in others. Like, if you discipline yourself to sit up straight all day long, you’re more likely to successfully resist the temptation to eat an extra cookie. Or you’re more likely to floss before you go to bed. Willpower is like a muscle that you can strengthen through regular exercise.
So yeah, I can believe the devoting oneself to an exercise regiment can “reshape” their life in a positive way.
I was going to post this same thing. Willpower is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets. At the same time, like a muscle if you use it too much in one area you don’t have as much for anything else. So if you crack down too hard on your lifestyle you will see your general willpower go up, but you may end up using all of it trying to control your diet.
The right middle ground is enough self discipline to make your willpower stronger, but not enough that it eats it all up.
nah, not really. Over the past couple of years I’ve lost 35 lbs, which has re-shaped my body to some extent. I don’t feel any different about myself than I did before, and I doubt anyone else thinks anything different about me.
Absolutely. When you are fit the world judges you differently. Doors are open for interactions that would not happen if you were overweight. It changes your context.
Having said this you are still fundamentally you personality-wise fat or not, and taking advantage of those opportunities for positive interaction is up to you. So yes your reality can be re-shaped to a more positive context, but if you are unassertive, or an introvert, or over-controlling etc., or just a mean jackass being fit isn’t really going to change that aspect of your personality.
Personally, I prefer to incorporate exercise into everyday tasks. Walk or ride a bike instead of driving, when you can. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Use a muscle-powered reel lawnmower instead of a gas one, and a shovel instead of a snowblower. I don’t take the stairs for the exercise, I take them to get to the higher floor. I don’t ride my bike for exercise, I do it to commute to work. But I get exercise in the process.
Yes, life is more enjoyable when I exercise on a regular basis. It was the only way I was able to transform my body a few years ago. I was carrying an extra 40lbs. So many aches and pains went away - my knees didn’t hurt anymore, for instance. This morning I wanted to do something different to get me going - I jumped rope. It’s amazing how quickly you can increase your heart rate by doing that. I’ve had more energy all day, which makes everything more pleasant, IMHO.
I wish, I’m always miserable when working out. The only “workout” I ever enjoy is playing basketball with friends, and that isn’t something I can do at will or even regularly.
Yes, leading an active lifestyle has changed my life forever. I started exercising daily about 8 months ago, with the assistance of a fitness coach, and I feel better every day. But I quickly learned that sitting on the couch all day and then working out brutally for an hour is not enough. That’s not an ‘‘active lifestyle.’’ The trick is to be constantly moving. Walking, hiking, doing things around the house. I used to be a person with abnormally low energy, depression, fatigue all the time. Now I can’t stand to sit in the house. I need to be outside. I don’t care if it’s raining or what. I need to be outside.
And yes, who I am is changing. Having this commitment I keep to myself every day has given be deeper insight into what it takes to achieve other goals I have. It’s difficult to explain, but even on my worst days, on sick days, even on days where I don’t perform as well as I’d like to in my workouts, just having the comfort of doing it means I can go to bed knowing the day was not a complete waste. I’m learning to trust myself, to have my own back, so to speak. I’m letting go of a lot of negative beliefs about myself and pretty much feel like I can take over the world.
I used to see a lot of limitations in my life for a lot of reasons, but now I see those limitations were just excuses to stay comfortable. ‘‘Can’t’’ is a word that seems to be dropping from my vocabulary.
I’m 18 pounds down, but that ain’t the half of it.
Although I let myself to skip this weekend’s exercise b/c I couldn’t stop reading a novel by Lee Child. I had my hands full so to speak Therefore I shall work out a bit harder today b/c it is very hard to pick up the right pace after even a short-term break. In order to succeed, I need to put as much effort as I can. I found the book irresistible, though
After my brother took his life, I fell into a terrible depression. It didn’t help that it was the snowbound, sun deprived part of the winter. When I lay in bed unable to get up, my dog would appear, put his head up onto the bed and his woeful eyes seemed to beseech me, “let’s walk, just you and me! You know we have to walk! I have to walk! Come on!” It worked every day. I’d drag myself up, throw my snow clothes on over my Jammie’s, and we’d head out into the sun rising on the cold and sleeping city.
I never had weight, metabolism or body issues. I had a depression issue. And yeah, the exercise definitely changed my reality, I’d say. I called it the walking and weeping therapy. Initially we’d head to lonely spots so I could weep privately. But, after a time, I felt the location was triggering the weeping and we switched it up, back to public spaces, and i managed to leave the weeping behind.
Exercise can be a wonderful remedy for so many things, it’s true. And can definitely reshape reality!
, and I mean VERY) And I do. Jog. Listening to my fave broadcasts; well, life seems a lot more enjoyable.
Therefore I shall work out a bit harder today b/c it is very hard to pick up the right pace after even a short-term break. In order to succeed, I need to put as much effort as I can. I found the book irresistible, though