Most of my columns have focused on the food aspect of dieting because that’s where my biggest problems lie. But I know that for a lot of people it’s getting off their ass that is the hardest part about attempting to live healthier.
Exercise is hard. It takes effort. The idea of running down the sidewalk or on a treadmill for 30 minutes certainly doesn’t sound like fun to many people, including me. So how do we turn exercise into something that we want to do?
My relationship with exercise had been strained ever since I can remember going to physical education class as a wee child in elementary school. They used to make us run around our school and our teachers would be waiting to give us popsicle sticks for every lap we completed in a 20 minute period. I was the chubby kid who had maybe 3 sticks while the rest of my classmates had upwards of 7. We also had those little square scooters with wheels that you sat on and used your legs to propel yourself. We used those to compete in relay races, and I swear I could always hear the kids on whatever team I was on groan, because I was super slow. And I won’t even talk about the sweating. Needless to say, gym class is one of my more traumatic childhood memories.
I would also go through periods where I’d get into a home fitness kick because of some awesome infomercial I had seen late at night, and I would somehow coax my mom into buying these products for me. I tried Body Flex, which was really strange because it just consisted of letting all the air out of your lungs, flexing some part of your body, and holding it until you just had to breathe again. I tried Tae-Bo, which was kind of fun, but not fun enough for me to keep doing it on any type of regular basis. My parents also had a treadmill in their room, but it was mostly used as a drying rack. But every so often I’d get the urge to use it while I was watching Power Rangers.
I played volleyball from 4th through 8th grade, and while I enjoyed playing and thought I wasn’t half bad, I couldn’t stand the conditioning aspect of it. I think my lack of fitness is what ultimately cost me my spot on my 9th grade team.
Before I decided to commit to losing weight, my life was marked by sporadic periods of exercise. This was a good start- but how could I make the jump from exercise being something fun to do once in a while to being an essential part of my life?
Here’s what I think did it, and what I think will help you to make the jump as well:
- Being in an athletic environment. When I came to Northwestern, not only did I find myself walking a lot more than I did at home, but I also played a lot more sports because of intramurals and the fact that people in my dorm will just decide that it’s a nice day and that we should go out and toss the Frisbee around. Peer pressure gets the job done.
- Deciding that I liked to sweat. This may be a big jump for a lot of you. Maybe I’m just a dirty kid at heart, but it is so satisfying to finish a workout and be almost dripping. Gross? Maybe. But no one ever said athletic activity was a walk in the park. Unless you actually walk in the park.
- Finding something I enjoyed. The treadmill wasn’t exciting me, and I honestly found it rather difficult. The elliptical, however, feels like I’m walking on air and I still can work up a good sweat while doing it. I also discovered the beauty of Turbo Jam. Yes, I saw an infomercial for it, but I ordered it off eBay, that gives me some street cred right? So whether it’s the elliptical, yoga, Pilates, or going for a jog through Chicago, find something you just plain like to do.
- Making it an appointment. I try to make it a point to exercise at least five times a week for 30 minutes at a time. My priorities have changed, and I have given up watching some TV shows that I used to watch. You just need to think about exercise as something as being as essential as going to class. Exercise like it’s your job. Show up on time, do it for the whole time, whether you’re happy about it or not. And you can probably get a lot of reading done on the exercise bike, so you won’t have to sacrifice study time.
If you use these tips it will be easier to commit to exercising, and then you can start enjoying the benefits, including reduced stress, more energy, and of course, less body fat. Good luck!