We all know what it feels like to do something we don’t really want to do. It makes time drag, it drains our energy, and it can make us downright grumpy. And that’s not a cool way to live.
To begrudgingly have to go through the motions of an activity that we do our best to wish away doesn’t do good things for our health, nor our state of mind.
Unfortunately, exercise can be like this for many people. And for the sake of the health of our nation, this needs to change. Pronto.
For so long exercise has been about pumping massive bundles of iron at the gym, or striding the pavements because we’re trying to beat our MapMyRun run time, or getting grilled into the ground at bootcamps, or stumbling and bumbling about at group fitness classes – in a less than dignified and highly uncoordinated and often embarrassing manner. Some people live, love and thrive upon these fitness modalities; but for others it’s worse than eating a dry weetbix.
For many these images do nothing for motivation levels. They don’t sell fitness any better than a noisy, American-ised, cheesy, and unrealistic infomercial about the newest fitness gadget.
And the likes of programmes like ‘The Biggest Loser’ – well, that wasn’t exercise they were doing. That was downright physical brutality thrown upon an unhealthy human body. The inhuman and insufferable acts that were demanded of those participants was less than fair, and it was by no means healthy. Exercise shouldn’t ever be used as punishment. Ever.
This mentality needs to change. If we want to make something – anything – a habit then it needs to be something that makes us happy and makes us feel good. Period. If we want to let fitness or exercise be something we want to do, then it needs to make us feel happy, feel liberated, feel powerful and be empowered.
We have too short of an existence to embark on things that pay us no dividends, that we begrudgingly do, or that we despise doing – every, single, time.
There is an innumerable array of movement, physical activity and exercise options available to us. There is something to suit everybody, everywhere, at any time. So let’s choose wisely. And let’s be mindful of choosing wisely – not just choosing to do something because somebody said we should, but instead choosing to do something because it makes us feel good AND it makes us happy.
We’ve each been given the privilege of having unlimited access to so many remarkable wonders, so many undiscovered destinations, and so many healthful opportunities – possibly more than we dare to realise. And although exercise is not essential, movement is. So we must use these things – to explore, to adventure, and to dare. We needn’t always have the goal of necessarily challenging ourselves, but just willing ourselves to get out and just move, plain and simple. To allow our bodies their innate need to experience movement in all planes of motion, and in an assortment of differing environments is the very least we can offer it.
But, with every choice you make to move, be mindful of it being something that makes you happy, gifts you with greater energy, uplifts you, inspires you, builds you, and gives you the desire to do it time and time again.
Movement and exercise should be enjoyable, always. With such an abundance of movement opportunities available to us we’d be insane to repeat things that don’t bring us joy and fulfilment.
Embrace activities that put a smile on your dial and that turn your frown upside down.
Choose HAPPY movement.
- Corinne Austin
- Movement Motivator
- corinne@fitfixnz.co.nz
