Exercise is not something that comes to me naturally. My family never paid that much attention to physical health, both parents were overweight, and the last time I can recall doing any exercise together was cycling to the beach when I was seven.
I was one of the lucky kids who had “real” childhood, which meant I spend loads of time outside playing with my mates. We did a fair amount of running, badminton and alike. However, as soon as I grew up a bit all that shenanigans were over. I was just way too cool and grown up to be running around with kids!
Of course, there were PT lessons, but there was always some way to avoid it or do the absolute minimum required. As soon as the university started, there was no more obligation to do any exercise…I was free!
Over the years, it has happened a few times that I started thinking about doing some exercise. I had an exercise bike which worked very well … as a clothing hanger. At least for a while until my husband moved it to the loft. Grumbling and complaining all the way… ” I always knew you would never use it, waste of money ” or something along these lines.
Problem area
I have only one part of my body I would consider a “problem area” and that’s my midsection. More precisely, my belly. Overall I’m what you would probably describe as standard size 10, but my stomach sticks out. Always, but mostly when I eat something or drink something with bubbles. And here lies the problem. I like eating and am partial to bubbles, mainly alcoholic types.
So to battle the problem, and still avoiding the exercise I have invested in one of those electric belts. Mine is called Slendertone. It basically works by sending an electric shock and causing your muscle to spasm. I know it sounds horrible, but actually, it’s not bad at all. The recommendation is to use it daily for about 20min and gradually increasing the strength of the electric impulse. All the reviews and online promotions claim the result will be visible after 30 days. The only problem is to remember to use it. I usually remember late at night when I’m in bed already and can’t be bothered to put it on. So I am sorry, but I can’t tell you if it works or not. I never made it past day 4!
Recently I noticed that it’s not my belly or weight in general that is a problem, but my overall fitness. Especially after a few months in lockdown, I started to turn into a bit of a slough. My physical condition is shocking for someone in the early forties, and I feel that my whole body is becoming, soft and slobby. And btw it’s not the sort of nice and cuddly soft, oh no. It is the feeble and lacking elasticity type of soft. So what now? I still hate exercising; I’m still lazy and lack motivation. I don’t like of the changes I’m observing, but I don’t seem to translate this dislike to any action. Do you know that feeling, when you know you should do something, but you still don’t?
House of cards
In the first few months of lockdown, I’ve been binge-watching the ” House of Cards” series with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. If you haven’t seen it and you like a political drama with intrigue corruption and loads of money… it’s a must. But anyway more to the point. Several times through the series you can see Frank Underwood (the main character) exercising at home on a rowing machine. That got me thinking. Years ago, when I had a gym membership ( only to feel good I have, not actually using it), the few times that I went there, I enjoyed the rowing machine…
Of I went, researching home-style rowing machines. Choices galore! I could even get the same one Frank was using I’d I wanted to spend over a grand on it. But I didn’t, or at least I didn’t think it was sensible. Anyhow, I settled on magnetic resistance, middle-range “domestic” rower. Exciting!
I got the rower, and I like it. It’s fully assembled and set up in a spare bedroom. I even used it several times and felt good about it. But it’s standing untouched for a while now. Even my husband started to mumble something similar to the sentiment about the exercise bike.
Honestly speaking, I’m annoyed with myself. I actually genuinely enjoy rowing and had the best of intentions to be consistent and do something about myself. But still, it’s as far as it goes.
What would it take
I would like to know what is the reason for my “resilience” to exercise. And even more importantly, I would like to know how to change it; how to break it.
I wonder if it is laziness, though I’m not generally lazy when it comes to other aspects of life. Or maybe lack of discipline… but again I can be very disciplined when I need or want to. Perhaps lack of will … possibly but again, I’m actually quite wilful.
Maybe it’s a matter of routine. I’m an “owl” type of person. I rather stay awake late than get up bright and early. I even write this piece at half-past midnight. So maybe for someone like me, morning exercise is more of a torture than pleasure. Not to mention the elephant in the room … I hate sweating. I find the feeling disgusting and have to have a shower as soon as humanly possible straight after. If I consider exercise and a shower, then it means I would have to get up at the crack of dawn. And that is simply, humanly impossible for me.
So afternoon then, but when exactly? I often work till 6-7 pm, then some dinner, chat with husband, occasional walk with dogs (the other laziness of mine, though I got better recently), and it’s 9-10 pm… bedtime. Exercising just before bed doesn’t seem right as it wakes me up and causes problems with falling asleep.
I’m lost!
Stop being a little b…
Does all of the above sounds like a load of excuses to you? It does to me when I read it back.
Maybe I should listen to words of Grand Cordone and “stop being a little bitch” just sorry for myself and finding excuses not to do anything. Possibly, but so far, it has been challenging to break the habit of 40 something years.
So how about a pledge. Maybe I should promise to you and myself that for the next 30 days I will use my Slendertone every day and I will use the rowing machine a few times a week. How does that sound? Let’s see if the public expose mobilises me to action… Starting from 1st September… Or is that another excuse…? Like these people who start a diet or quit smoking from the new year… mhmm it might be.
But never mind me, at least for the moment. What about you? How is your attitude when it comes to physical effort, sweating and the whole business of fitness? Are you as good at finding excuses? Or maybe you are managing your motivation and get on with it? I would love to hear what you think on the subject.