How has exercise improved your life?

HoneyBadger302

Well, for more of my life than not I was generally fairly fit - just an active person who had physical jobs and active hobbies.

Then, I got the dreaded professional desk job. My days were long, stress was high(er), and my activity was minimal.

I was getting into the motorcycle racing thing though, and I got to a point where my fitness (or better, lack thereof) was holding me back - I was too weak, and got tired too easily, to go any faster. I decided to make fitness a priority.

I won't lie - it pretty much sucked. I was so out of shape I couldn't jog for so much as 5 minutes. But, I decided to "embrace the suck" and push through anyways. Eventually made some great progress and even started to somewhat enjoy the workouts.

Few bumps along the way (mostly my badly broken leg that set me back the better part of 2 years with life-long limitations), but I'm about back to where I was when that happened, and my racing is getting back on track as well.

Exercise is also key for helping me lose weight - it's slow (since to me my fitness is more important), but I've had a general, overall, slow loss, and exercise let's me eat enough where I at least feel like my meals are "meals." As an otherwise inactive 40+ female, eating to lose weight without exercise means little to no food LOL - and darn it, I like to eat!

Like someone else, I honestly can't say that I "love" working out or getting up for the gym every day. I do it because of what it allows me to do - and is a very important key to the next steps.

RealWorldStrengthLLC

This is a thread that needs to stay current

Bump

girlwithcurls2

I tried working out on and off throughout my teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. At 45, I started running. I didn't know it at the time, but I was following my own version of C25K. I had always stopped running because it was too hard. I was running too fast, but didn't know it. Then I got hurt and I found a water fitness class. There were people swimming laps at the same time and it looked so graceful and easy. Ha. I learned to swim over the next year, watching goswim videos and just showing up to keep practicing. I was terrible, but there was something about the challenge that was fun. It's like I had my own secret. Nobody knew or cared what my workout was, so I just kept going and getting better. A year ago, I added lifting back into my life and I love it.

It's been 5 years this autumn since I started working out. Now I do it because it allows me to do what I want to do when I want to do it. I'm not always motivated to go to the gym, but it's just what I do. Most days, my car ends up there after work without any conscious thought on my part. Hooray for habits!

jamiedowney390

The number one benefit is mental strength , without that I got problems

springlering62

I am going through a stressful time this past month.

I walked into my yoga studio Friday and unconsciously heaved a big noisy sigh. Everyone looked up. All I could think to say was “It’s my safe space sigh.”

That pretty much sums it up for me. Excercise represents freedom from worry, sunshine, fresh air, bird and cricket song, focus, smelly mats, sweat, satisfaction at job accomplished, and - most of all - the opportunity to just simply be me, and not what people who do not respect me project onto me.

Theoldguy1

I was in the hospital for 7 days with sepsis. Was fortunate that I got by without dying or no complications like heart attack, stroke or other internal organ issues. My medical professionals told me the only reason I was fortunate was because I was in good shape when I got the infection and my body (plus the meds) was able to fight it off.

debrakgoogins

I am more confident and happier. I take risks and push myself. It has led to world travel and making friends in every corner of the planet.

I joined a global group called "My Peak Challenge (MPC)" a few years ago. It started me on a journey to better overall health, mentally and physically. I met local Peakers who challenged me to do things I had never done before...like running a half marathon, hiking the Scottish Highlands, and participating in Highland Games. I have made friends from all over including Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Columbia, Australia, Japan, and England.

It has also changed my self title from "overweight" to "athlete". After an accident led to dozens of surgeries and weight gain, I was immobile and constantly in pain. I joined MPC and made small changes until finally one day, I didn't hurt. Then, I started making big changes. As noted before, I was challenged by one of my Peaker friends to participate in a Highland Games competition (there may have been whisky involved). I had never thrown in my life...not high school track, nothing. My son had been a high school thrower and had some contacts. I got in touch with his old throw coach to get some pointers. He had never participated in or watched a Highland Games so we kind of learned the sport together. I had to practice with high school and college kids because that was the only time he had available. Here I am 51 practicing stone throwing and hammer throws with teenagers. Turns out, I didn't suck. I did pretty well in my first competition. I thought it was going to be a one and done challenge but I really like it! I keep practicing and keep showing up at competitions. The kids still like trying out my weird implements and continue to cheer me on. One day, one of them gave me a compliment about my progress. I joked it off and made a comment about how I'd be happier if I could improve how I look in a kilt. One of the boys (who is also a friend of my sons) said something that changed my mindset. He said, "Stop doing that to yourself! You see a person in the mirror that doesn't look the way you want. I see a thrower. I see an athlete." Imagine that! A teenager saw me as an athlete. ME!!! I didn't expect wisdom from a 19 year old but thank you to Matt Brady, UConn thrower for teaching me a life lesson. I am an athlete.

LeeH31

I just started my journey to make myself over about 60 days ago. My first day of exercise was a 5 minute walk to the mailbox and back...and that took 10 minutes! I had to start my strength straining with chair exercises. Now, in just 2 months, I am walking 2.3 miles every other day. The alternate days I cycle 3.5-4 miles and do a 30 minute strength training program on my feet. Next month I will be out of the beginner sets and into the intermediate sets.

60 days of tracking my calorie input and diligent exercise have resulted in a 20 pound weight loss.

I exercise for the satisfaction of completing something every day. I exercise for the results, more energy, better able to handle normal life, ENDORPHINS, just the sheer joy of feeling my body getting stronger. I exercise because I love the way I feel when I am doing it, even the burn, the tired, can't do another rep, another step, sweat dripping feeling, and then do one more!

I thought I was just a lazy, fat bag. Guess what...I thought wrong!

debrakgoogins

cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »

Weight training frames my life really. It’s like a structure I really enjoy it as a switch off from work and life stresses. And my dance aerobics classes are fun and the choreography is good for my brain though I’m never gonna be a dancer.


My body feels better when it’s moving. I also think I eat better when I work out. It’s like a positive reinforcement.

Do you go to a class that requires dancing? YOU ARE A DANCER.

Thehardmakesitworthit

@Northcascades great topic! And BTW, really appreciate all your cool photos...I am a Washingtonian as well. Anyways, when I brought exercise into my life, I had life. Like, deep, deep, abiding love for my life. I am still 40 pounds heavier than I hope to be some day but in the meantime....I can walk 20 miles just for the love of it....I can Deadlift 250 pounds now... somehow my mind flipped and I no longer seek the approval of people around me..I invite them to wonder about me....As a 55 year old woman .. you become invisible to the world which does something to your soul (or at least it was to me) but now not so much. There is not one single solitary downside to being strong and fit. Not one...

NorthCascades

TheMrWobbly wrote: »

I AM LIVING LIFE instead of watching it.

Seriously, sat in your house - what do you see? Who do you see? Exactly the same things every day. Get outside and see things, see people.

middlehaitch wrote: »

This is such a big question I couldn’t even try to answer it here.

Enough to say, I am someone who hated exercise when I started, and now have a mild dislike.

I have turned it into training. Not quite that though. I love to travel, I love getting all the experience I can get out of my travels, so I train for them.

Paddling through irrigation canals in India to learn how to make rope.

Hiking up sand dunes (really really big ones) to watch the sun set over the Arabian Desert.

Snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea.

Rock climbing, rappelling, etc in Mexico.

Pony trekking and leading the pony up through a tropical forest to swim in a pool.

These experiences, and so many more, couldn’t have been achieved without my 1x 60 x 5 day a week (min) dreaded exercise routines.

In a nutshell, I am experiencing life, not sat on the bus watching it pass me by.

Cheers, h.

CSARdiver wrote: »

I never thought about this until losing it after giving up and gaining 70 lbs. Looking back and thinking about everything that exercise has granted me.

It enabled me to explore and live in the wilderness for weeks. It enabled me to climb mountains, explore the depths of the the oceans, explore caves, dive under the Antarctic shelf. It enabled me to complete the most challenging evolutions offered by the US military. It enabled me to survive a career ending injury.

What I underestimated is the impact this had on other aspects of my life - mentally and spiritually - until losing it. Once engaging in deliberate exercise again this woke up other aspects of my life - hitting those smaller goals enabling motivation and confidence to look to higher goals.

I draw massive inspiration from reading the victories and accomplishments of others. Reading threads like these make me question all my previous knowns and limitations and push against these.

Awesome thread!

There are a number of themes emerging, and I can relate to several of them. Probably most of the folks reading this can.

I really love the story these three posts tell. My travel has been on a smaller scale, I'm exploring the mountains in my regional back yard, but, like in the above, I'm grateful for the fitness I have, it's allowing me to do things that make me feel like I'm participating actively in life, leaving me fulfilled. Line in a song: because the clocks don't stop when you set 'em to snooze. And this did makes me feel like I'm spending my time well.

NorthCascades

Thehardmakesitworthit wrote: »

@Northcascades great topic! And BTW, really appreciate all your cool photos...I am a Washingtonian as well. Anyways, when I brought exercise into my life, I had life. Like, deep, deep, abiding love for my life. I am still 40 pounds heavier than I hope to be some day but in the meantime....I can walk 20 miles just for the love of it....I can Deadlift 250 pounds now... somehow my mind flipped and I no longer seek the approval of people around me..I invite them to wonder about me....As a 55 year old woman .. you become invisible to the world which does something to your soul (or at least it was to me) but now not so much. There is not one single solitary downside to being strong and fit. Not one...

I love reading stuff like this, thank you so much! 😁

Drop a line if you ever want to know where any of them were shot. Or if you want to go hiking, I'll be healed up enough by next spring, and get sound the state a lot.

I managed to hike a few miles these last two weekends and have some pics to share, I'm working on a trip report now.

cwolfman13

I think that all too often, people just have a very myopic view of "exercise" and what "exercise" is and what you're "supposed" to do...and I was certainly in that boat years ago trying to force myself to do certain things because that's what I though you were "supposed" to do.

I tried for many months to be a runner because I saw healthy and fit people out running and I thought that's what you were supposed to do. I spent months going to the gym and droning away on a treadmill or stationary bike or elliptical because I thought that's what you were supposed to do. I tried jumping around my living room to some workout DVDs...group boot camp classes, etc...because I thought that's what you're supposed to do. I didn't enjoy any of that and it was nothing but a chore.

One day, pretty much out of the blue I was sitting around bored at the house and decided to dust off my old jalopy of a bike that had been sitting in the garage and I just went for a ride on a whim. It was fun, and I wasn't thinking about it in terms of "exercise" or a "workout"...I was just out on a ride having fun. A couple weekends later my wife and I saw a flyer for a local bike and wine tasting tour and just thought that sounded fun...it was. That's about the time I dumped the stationary cardio equipment and running and just started riding my bike...a lot.

I enjoyed it so much that I decided to invest in a nice bicycle which enhanced my enjoyment even more...it was a CX bike and I bought it because I live in a somewhat rural area with mixed terrain and figured that was my best bet. Shortly after my dad passed from complications of type II I signed up for the Tour de Cure and put some slicks on my cross bike and started training road. I liked it so much that a couple years later I invested in a nice carbon road bike. More recently I purchased a mountain bike and have been hitting that mountain trails in the foothills of the Sandias on weekends and having a blast.

Over the last 6 to 7 years I've engaged in a number of physical activities from hiking to rock climbing to kayaking, etc and I rarely think of these things as "exercise"...it's just me being out there and living life and enjoying the great outdoors. To that end, regular physical activity has given me the level of fitness necessary to do these things that I always thought would be fun, but I was too out of shape to really do and enjoy.

I hit the weight room 2x per week, and that's about the only thing I do that I consciously think of as "exercise" or a "workout"...everything else is just hella fun.

Aermorgen

I was never good at athletic things in school and generally last in every race. I've been working with a running coach and am finding myself adding to my identity: I may still be working on my form and I may not be the fastest runner even now, but I'm starting to think of myself as "a runner."

My running time is between 5-6:20 a.m. because it's the only way that exercise doesn't get dropped in favor of family needs or work crises. I find that psychologically, it gives me a little plus every day to know that whatever else happens, I accomplished one goal that can't be undone.

When it's the right time of year and the weather cooperates for outdoor running (neither is true right now), I can see some beautiful sunrises. And when I'm on the treadmill, I enjoy watching television shows that I get to pick without having to be considerate of what anyone else might want.

hollymgt1

I recently started walking 2 miles twice a week after work. I know it's not much but I didn't want to overwhelm myself and quit. I intend to add more days but I'm taking it slow to start with. My reasons for starting walking again are pretty basic...I sit all day at work then go home and sit in front of the TV all night; I've been having hip and leg pain and hoped to relieve it by moving; I gained 5 pounds in one month this summer and am terrified of gaining more. My number one reason is that my husband and I are going to Glacier National Park next summer; I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I want to be able to walk/hike and see everything we can without having to stop and rest every 5 minutes and feel like I'm dying. I always tell myself I'm going to prepare my body for our trips, but this time I really am! Plus, I just really enjoy my walks! It's my alone time, my time to get fresh air and sunshine, my time to listen to my music as loud as I want, and my time to do something I'm proud of rather than going home and plunking down in front of the TV all night.