How has exercise improved your life?
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After many years on zero exercise and being top end class 2 obese I have been back at it for just over 4 months. My prompter was on our 25th anniversary holiday I had to be removed from a ride at a theme park as they could not close the seat belt and was too heavy for the water slide and helicopter ride.
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. When / if you travel don't sit in a complex going nowhere doing nothing.
This has made such a difference in such a short time. Until you do it you have no idea how good it is to know you can see the best sights, climb the stairs to the best viewing points. I want to go back to our holiday location for our 25th and take those rides!!!!9 -
Weight training : You can't fail to find rewards...you get stronger, everyone will see strength gains and it is soooo rewarding and motivating to feel yourself getting stronger.
Cardio - ditto, for those who never do it, it isn't uncommon to find it difficult to walk to being able to run 5 km in a few short months.
I7 -
I started doing PIlates daily (unless I'm traveling) last December and it has been life changing for me:
Body overall looks so much better- "waddle" under arm is gone, gut is slowly shrinking
Huge confidence builder
Better balance
Much stronger
Mood booster
More energy7 -
It's a major stress reliever for me. I have a horrible commute to and from work. On a 'good' day, it's an hour there,and an hour home. On a 'bad' day, you can double that....sometimes triple that. The first thing I do when I get home is change, and workout. Really helps relieve the stress - AND - I'm in better shape now at 53 years old than I was when I was 20 something LOL! Actually, I've always worked out - but the past decade or so I've focused on weights - and it's pretty cool to have muscles, I gotta say!7
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Exercise has not improved my life at all! The two hip replacements I got two start 2019 did! Exercise has become my "enabler"...to keep, to maintain and improve upon the second chance in life and related benefits the surgeries have given me!3
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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!12 -
I have Ehler danos syndrome type 3, and just today a Facebook memory came up where my knee had popped out 3 days earlier and I was still unable to walk. I used to sublex or dislocate on a very regular basis sometimes simply falling to the floor.
Now I strength train and exercise my rate b of injury has gone down to once in the last year. Currently suffering from nurse maids elbow thanks to my son tripping over several times in 5 min .while holding my hand. Recovering a lot quicker than
I used to and a few years back it would have been a complete dislocation9 -
Physically, exercise (particularly strength training) has allowed me to achieve an appearance and physical capabilities I did not thing possible 5+ years ago. When I took the leap and bought my beginner barbell + weight plates in 2016 I recall telling me wife, after loading it all in our SUV, that I couldn't imagine ever needing more weight than the 300 lbs I'd just bought... my profile picture shows a 385 lb deadlift. Being strong is so fun, liberating, and helpful. It's not as taxing to do household tasks, help friends move, etc. At roughly the same total weight I've added ~15 lbs or more of muscle and look and feel more like I've always wanted.
Mentally, exercise has been like a cheat code. Practicing self-discipline, mental toughness, and spending time on my version of self-care has been a boon to my mental health. My overall daily routine is better when I exercise; I get to bed on time so I can easily get up early to lift before work, having time to myself before I get to work and having been up for a few extra hours when I get to the office lets me hit the ground running as soon as I get to my desk.8 -
I'm one of those people that grew up hating running and in my late 40s I started playing old timer soccer. I was horribly unit and ready to puke after 5 minutes on the pitch so I decided to start "running" to get into shape.
Fast forward about 14 years I've long since retired from my soccer career but developed a love for running that saw me run my first race (a 5K) in September 2009 and have since gone on to half-marathon distances and Olympic distance triathlons 3 & 4 K swims etc.
Exercise has changed my life in so many positive ways I feel better now than when I was a couch potato in my 30s & 40s and I learned the valuable lesson that I was the only one setting limits on myself. My runs are my therapy, they've gotten me through deaths in the family and other rough patches and when my kids were younger and still at home they gave me a way of spending real quality time with them.
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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.11 -
This is a thread that needs to stay current
Bump5 -
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!
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The number one benefit is mental strength , without that I got problems5
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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.6 -
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.3
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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.6 -
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!5 -
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.2 -
@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...6
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