What has (insert exercise/sport) done for you??

Kickboxing, for sure. Not that aerobic type either. I'm talking get your boxing gloves on and hit a bag for an hour. It's fun and has helped me learn self-defense at the same time. My instructor is great and the ladies in my class are great. We talk about healthy eating and strength training. It's helped my confidence and inspired me to look into strength training, and MMA type sports.

Yoga. It has increased my awareness, coordination, flexibility and confidence. I can't decide which of those I am most thankful for, they are all phenomenal.

I run-and from a physical standpoint, it has helped me lose weight, be cardiovascularly healthy, muscled up my legs and has drastically reduced my levels of anxiety. But for me, running has given me my life back in ways much more powerful than physical changes. If you're interested in that aspect, read my profile.

Just read your profile and hats off to you for being so strong, in every way. Really inspiring!

Gymnastics/calisthenics has made me functionally stronger. Training for plyometric pull ups (clap pull ups and more) and front levers makes me feel awesome. It's taken me about a year to develop the ability to be able to hold a front lever; plyo pull ups took maybe a couple of months.

And gym/cali's fun!

Oh, and I discovered I can climb a rope without needing to worry about the legs due to the strength I've developed - last time I tried to climb a rope (at school), even using my feet I'd struggle. Now I can climb a rope with my legs in L-sit position. :-D

Six years ago I was 280 lbs and a total couch potato. About the same time that I realised I needed to do something about my weight someone gave me a bike so that I could follow my young son round the park. It took me one ride to find that I loved it and about three months later someone introduced me to mountain biking. I dropped about 90 lbs in eight months and my weight hovered around between 200 lbs and 215 lbs for a couple of years while I rode a fair amount. Last summer I decided I wanted to get serious about my weight again and I'm now 167 lbs which I did by upping my riding and controlling my diet.

I love just about everything about cycling but particularly riding off road through beautiful countryside challenging myself to climb the hills and tame the descents. I commute to work regularly (I can do a 5-6 mile route but my standard route is currently 11.5 miles each way as it puts in some good hills and is good training) and do some recreational road riding as well. My son is now 14 and we both love mountain biking (although he doesn't ride on the road) and my youngest is 7 and has been riding a bike since he was 3.

I know other people who love it but personally I hate the gym but I'm now thin and extremely fit and while diet is a key part to it the bike is absolutely what has kept me motivated.

Sprint triathlons. I'm not built for speed and my gross motor co-ordination isn't enough to play team sports (I was a disaster in phys. ed classes), but I was roped into my first one at age 55 and got paranoid enough about not being able to finish that I kicked my exercise up a notch. I did fine, and realized it was the perfect event for me- mixing up 3 types of exrecise, just enough workout to make me feel spent but not enough to be punishing. A couple of years ago I did one that was a slightly longer distance (1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 5K) and kicked the exercise routine up a little more, and there it stays. I may need to find myself a couple of tris this year- new employer may not be participating in the one my old employer did, and i'm out of town for the other one I usually do.