So I feel it is time to start exercising. Not to lose weight (obviously) but because I want to be healthy. As we all know exercise does make you healthy no matter what size you are.
At the peak of my dieting I used to exercise a lot. I remember I used to run for 10km once a week and about 5km every day. I also remember riding a bicycle for three days straight on a road trip. I felt such a sense of accomplishment doing that. I also used to go to the gym regularly and do weights. So I was strong, fit and healthy. I was also still fat. But I felt good…..so good.
But now the thought of exercising is so associated with weight loss I just cant find the motivation. Even though I really like the idea of swimming. I am a marine biologist and so I love it when Im in the water swimming around in the ocean. Luckily I live in New Zealand and so its not far to go before you bump into the sea. I love the feeling as you move through the water and it rushes past you. I love the meditative effects as you count your breaths. I love not getting hot. I love feeling weightless (no not like that). In fact fat people are almost the perfect people for long distance ocean swimming. Generally, a lot of people who do this tend to be large people. This is because you don’t get cold and you are able to float more easily. Thus you conserve energy since your not expending a lot to stay afloat or stay warm. There are other advantages too (see pic below). But I am going off topic. My point is the motivation is just not there despite the fact I do enjoy swimming. Somewhat of a dilemma. I just cant seem to find the motivation when weight loss is not the end result. I would be very interested in hearing peoples ideas on this?
One thing I was thinking of is perhaps I need a goal such as to complete a marathon for example. This way I would be working towards something concrete that has an end date. It is not just getting up and exercising for the sake of it. You have a goal its just not about losing weight. Any ideas…… anyone?
I think setting physical goals like running in a marathon or some other similar thing would be a good idea.
I am in a similar place, I think. I have at times in the past exercised regularly, sometimes to the point of obsession, but not always. I know I feel better and sleep better when I exercise regularly so I have been thinking about exercise too. I thought about buying a treadmill but I fear I’d get bored with that. There is a gym in the building I work in, staffed by exercise physiology students, that I am thinking about joining. They have weight machines and lots of cardio stuff too. The only thing is the gym is also the site of a weight loss study (including a diet). I would not have to be in the study to gp to the gym but I fear that I would get “diet” pressure.
Seems like a lot of people are. I have an idea but more on that tomorrow.
I don’t know if you had started reading my blog when I ran my 5K, but … I did.
I decided to run 5K for Crohn’s disease and colitis research, and hot damn, I completed that run. Now I’m running a couple of times a week to keep up that level. I’d like to be able to run that same charity run faster next year, and maybe enter a 10K race.
Swimming is DEFINATELY a good way to exercise regardless of your intention. During the warmer months I tend to run a lot outdoors in suburban areas. The pounding on my knees is starting to take it’s toll. This summer I amended my fitness program to add swimming days between my running days. Just the workout alone of the breast stroke makes me feel like I’ve gotten my cardio and weight workout simultaneously. Plus there is the added advantage of not drifting off into boredom doing the same old routine day in and day out.
Diets stink. My motto in the past was “Why diet? That’s why I run.” In my quest for a better weight program, I recently stumbled on a fitness program with a module focused on food choices. To me, this is the first real “diet” that doesn’t actually sound or feel like a diet. It just adds different food choices that promote fat burning. This is more of a serendipitous result than it is an actual goal.
You can get more information at http://fatburningandfitness.blogspot.com/.
Cheers!
yeah the pounding of my knees is what I am afraid of. I can get quite sore knees and hips if I run. Plus I just like swimming more.
A marathon or triathlon is a really good idea. I can always just motivate myself by knowing I’m doing it for my health and to help me stay on this planet a little longer!
Great pictures of a swimmer, eating while floating.