Exercise as therapy

SarahBeth0625

In the past year or so at work, additional duties have been piled on me. I work full-time and clean my house on weekends but the clutter stresses me out. I have noticed that since I began working out back in September (and really kicking it into high gear mid-January) that of course, some of those things around the house became less priority. I feel like everything is stressful, but I am at peace working out. I feel just terrible if I can't make it to the gym, but I do get there 6 days a week unless I have something else going. I have 3 kids, so working out at home is really not an option and last time I tried, I hated it. I tried an aerobic video and since I'm directionally impaired, it was hard to follow the moves this crazy chick was doing.

I guess I'm not really looking for any advice, just wondering if anyone else feels that working out, more than anything else, is therapeutic. The benefits are nice. The toning is coming along. I feel AMAZING during and after. I am just worried that I'll get to a point where I can't catch up at home and I'm so busy at work that I can't take a day to clean my house. And yet, the exercise HAS to stay in my life now!

aelunyu

It's probably the most therapeutic thing you can do. \What we modern humans deem as therapeutic is actually a return to our fundamentally active biologies. I'm sure that activity, motion, exercise, movement, agility, and strength--the thing we were equipped with to hunt, scavenge, run, fight, and endure are written into our genetic code. Now that we sit at 9-5 jobs and our dietary needs are always readily in abundance, we default to a sedentary life of non action. Obviously this goes against our intended physical needs. Just like my dog goes crazy if she doesn't get her 1 hour walk/play, we face depression, diabetes, and obesity because we also do not get our exercise. We are animals after all, intended to be able to move over long durations, sprint over short ones, jump, climb, and swim.

Now that you're exercising regularly and engaging in the movements that stimulate both our minds, muscles, and bones, you're returning to the status of "normal human". And that can be very, very therapeutic.

SarahBeth0625

Very true. I feel like if I didn't exercise, I would be on medication right now, and I am against medication (for myself). I feel so stressed, like I can't deal with life, but exercise makes things temporarily right. I wish I were as organized with my thoughts and life as I used to be!

ebr250

I feel the same way. I am not a pleasant person to be around if I don't get regular exercise haha! As for the chores, sometimes they just go undone at my house :ohwell: Gotta have my workouts!!