Monday, October 21, 2013

Motivation Monday - Reasons to Exercise

If you know me, this is my opinion of exercise:




My "hate" of exercise probably goes back to my being the last picked and chubbiest one in gym.  I have had such hurt feelings when it comes to anything athletic that I don't even try.  In fact, exercise is like a 4 letter word - in my vocabulary.

I just don't enjoy it.  I know everyone who has a work out routine says:  "I love it - I feel so good when I am done."  Ya, ya, ya...I've never experienced that.  I "work out" - lift bales of hay, buckets of feed, pieces of furniture up flights of steps .... but, these are not increasing my heart rate or burning off lots of calories. 

I have lost 40 pounds this past year - 35 of that on Weight Watchers.  I've done that without doing "any" real exercise.  I have lost slow and steady - this was my plan.  I know that I have been on an up 1 down 1 pound game - maintaining what I have lost for a few weeks.   I realize now is the time I need to get moving.

My daughter, Justine, has been doing Zumba for over a year.  She loves it.  I thought I would give it a try.  I was worried I would be the oldest and biggest one there - I wasn't.  It was hard for me to keep up with the instructor - but, I did what I could do.  Others were at different levels as well - but, we all were moving.  I actually had fun and liked it!  




I know that I need to exercise in order to continue losing.  I probably won't ever have a "love affair" with exercise.  I just need to find something I "like" and keep doing it.  

Motivational reasons to exercise:  spending time with my daughters at Zumba, doing something for "me", burning off more so I can eat more (food is a motivator for me), losing now so I can move later, tightening up "saggy" skin left from weight loss, losing more weight .... you get the picture.  

Just start - just get up and do something, anything is better than sitting.  You will feel better about yourself, when you take care of yourself.  I will use my favorite quote here as well..."only you are in control of your ..... " what you do...including exercise - no one can do it for you.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

P.S.  If you live near here, Friday night is a Zumba costume party at Northland Lutheran High School in Kronenwetter.  This is a fund raiser for Bethany Day Care (where Justine worked).  I plan to go...now for a costume....



4 comments:

  1. i have learned to 'love' that feeling of sweating, breathing, moving. it has taken a long time for me to find something i enjoy doing - and it turned out to be walking/jogging that i began when i was 48. and i do it for my health and feeling better about myself. i do it for me.

    stick with it!

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  2. HI Jacky! That's great, you like Zumba! It is such a fun and exhilarating workout! I need to get me a Zumba DVD! I love the sign, sitting on the couch! So true! Walking, and working out with weights is what I'm doing these days! I haven't done either in over a week and my body is letting me know! So glad your daughters convinced you to join them! They are probably loving it as well! You should post a photo of you in your costume! Wished I could come! Have a great week! Blessings from Bama!

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  3. Congratulations on the great Weight Watchers loss... that is super! I have lost weight just taking care of our place for the year since I retired, nearly 20 pounds. I feel better, too... but your two "sayings" in your piece made me laugh out loud!

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  4. My niece is a Zumba instructor and she's lost over 80 lbs since starting. I think it was about a year ago. Have fun with that. I really need to get motivated myself ~ maybe the clown chasing me with a bloody knife might do it!
    'hugs from afar'

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