Simply exercise

Exercising does not come naturally to most people. I was thinking back over how long I have been going to gym, and was surprised to realise that it has been over 15 years now. And I have only really found my groove at the gym in the last 7 or so years. That leaves 8 years of exercising without enjoying it much. Exercise obviously did not come naturally to me!

So what has changed? Mainly I have changed the way I view exercise. I have simplified my view to this basic exercise credo: "if you feel like doing it even just a little bit, then just do it". Go with the flow, listen to your body and your mind. It sounds simple, and it is simple. The trick is to get into the habit of being in touch with what you are feeling. The days I have not exercised (be it at the gym, walking or riding my bike) are usually restorative and healing. I have stopped (at least mostly!) berating myself if I don't exercise. What has changed over the past few years is that I have come to listen to myself more closely and to let go a little of the strict and harsh control of earlier years, and have relaxed into a more fun and joy filled workout regime.

Apparently, exercise does not directly help you to lose weight. It does burn calories, and that is always useful. But one of its main benefits if you are looking to trim down by incorporating exercise into your life is that it lifts your mood, gives you a nice dose of those feel-good hormones and therefore also motivates you to eat more carefully and more mindfully. Sounds good to me!

Another interesting study recently looked at the influence of exercise on genes. Basically, the study found that men who incorporated exercise, a healthy diet and meditation into their lives had certain cancer and disease genes "switched off". It was a small study, and I'm sure there is still a lot of work to be done on that topic, but if there is even a small chance that exercising can protect us in more ways than we have previously realised, then even more reason to do it.

I have come to love and enjoy exercise by simplifying the entire event - if I walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes then great. If I do a sweat-inducing workout or an hour long class then great. The key for me is to keep it simple, do it for the fun of it and listen to what my body is truly telling me!