Why do you exercise?
5 Nov
Lentils have been saving the world. I’m not sure if you’ve heard. They calm your fears, they give you belly hugs. They just love you back.
So, lunch was on the somewhat lame-o side today (minus the lentil lovin’, of course), and I’ll admit that. I’m just happy I packed and am saving my wallet a bit. Just a regular turkey sandwich with some melted string cheese (that didn’t exactly melt) and a pile (oh a pile) of ketchup.
Then, of course, there were these beauties.
Hello, magic healer. You make all the bad stuff go away so well.
An ordinary but filling lunch!
On Exercise
Dudes, I’m starting to get down in the dumps. I haven’t ran in a very long time. I think I’m starting to miss it like a family member.
I’ve been doing some stretching/yoga throughout the day, and it seems to help my back temporarily, but then it goes back to a crink (that’s my word for what my shriveled body has become). I’ve been walking more often, but I’m still in pain.
I’m having a hard time figuring out my physical limitations. I know the x-ray will probably help (I hope). In the meantime though, I’m getting anxious. You see, I use exercise for more than just staying in shape and being healthy.
I use exercise to:
- destress
- feel positive
- zone out (sometimes)
- think, write and feel
I’m still trying to do those things in other formats, but running is the way for me. Without it, I feel really… just… blah.Like I’m here, but not completely here. Do you know what I mean?
Why do you exercise?
Tags: lentils
i hope you find out more after that xray – that should help get you going with what you can do right now.
I miss running too (haven’t gone in over a week), but at the same time…now I don’t want to run in the cold + dark. So…I’m not sure what that means. We don’t have money to join a gym right now, and I have no treadmill so it’s either run outside or don’t run at all. I feel like I’m going to be doing a lot more yoga
I don’t really care what I do, but exercising just makes me feel better, lighter…it gets rids of stress, clears my head, and i need that after days of sitting at a stupid computer all day.
I run for similar reasons. Plus I’m trying to lose 20 lbs! My knees have been bugging me lately and it hinders my running., I hate it. So I can imagine how you must feel right now. I hope you fix your back soon!
Yes, I DO know what you mean. Exercise used to be all about trying to look like the fake photoshopped models (ooops).
But now I do it for ME! To de-stress, shake the rust off my bones, get those endorphins going. And, oh look! It’s making me slim and sexyfied too? – that’s more of an afterthought now, but I do love that extra benefit!
Oh yeah, and I do it to set a healthy example for my children.
About those lentils, I cooked some up for hubby but it made him ill. Sorry dude. More for me, though. I loved it!
What do you know about your x-ray so far? Your condition sounds more and more like mine. Yoga is the WORST for it.
Here’s how I think of it. I know this may not be any consolation, and excuse me if I’ve told you this before, but we are animals. Animals in the wild don’t exercise. Wild deer for example run to catch their food, or to not be caught, the play around and frolic with their little baby deer, and frolic with the Daddy deer too
But if you saw a wounded deer in the wild, you wouldn’t say, “You lazy frickin deer! Get off your fat deer ass and get some exercise!” You’d want to take care of that deer and let it rest and heal up, so that it could go and run around sooner. If it tried to get up, you’d make it lie down and rest. You’d bandage it’s wound. You’d take it food instead of making it get up and catch it’s own.
I know that voice in your head that says that you need to exercise is hard to quiet. Trust me, I know. But there are a lot of crazy voices in my head that I have to quiet, and I’d rather be a “little bit stressed and stir crazy deer” than a terminally injured one.
Dude. Someone needs to switch to decaf. And that someone is me.
Dude, I totally feel you. Like, 100%. I’ve been plagued with chronic back issues for the past several years (it’s a family thing- my parents both have backs from hell) and it often prevents me from running/doing yoga/bending over at all. What kind of back pain do you have? Lower? Upper? in the middle? Mines in far down in my lower back – pretty much in my butt. Fun times.
As for the exercise- I agree. I feel incomplete and aimless when I don’t exercise. My appetite’s not the same and my joints feel creaky. I think I’m just accustomed to a daily hit of endorphins, so when I don’t get it my body is NOT happy. I haven’t worked out for almost a week because of a nasty stomach bug and being busy, and I’m ITCHING to get back to the gym (I would be itching to run outside, but that’s just not possible in Nairobi).
Being injured is the worst–I hope that you get better soon.
I exercise because it helps me destress, makes me sleep more soundly, gives me more energy, and because I just like it. I always thought that I was just “not an exercise person,” which, in hindsight, meant that I didn’t like competetive sports or running. I had a much better relationship with movement once I gave myself permission to do the things that I liked–yoga, walking, light weights–rather than the things that I thought I *should* like or the things that burned the most calories.
When I started to get into exercising regularly, I definitely did it for merely physical fitness…but now, I get SO STRESSED OUT if I don’t exercise for a while. I think my body is used to a dose of physical distressing on a regular basis. But mentally, I am not the same either.
Injuries are tough because we feel like we need to push through them. They throw us off balance. I try to remember that it’s better for me to get back on track when I’m healthy and able in order to get the most benefits out of it. I’d try to think of other distractions that make you feel de-stressed…like laughing a lot with Bill? Or listening to music? Or cooking a ton of lentil dishes?
Hope the x-ray sheds some light on the situation….(oh boy, pun intended).
I feel the same way. Haven’t been able to run since May and have had to take short breaks from all cardio. I love yoga but it just isn’t the same sometimes.
Have you tried swimming? It’s as strenuous as running, but with less impact.
Nothing beats running, but if it doesn’t hurt your back, swimming may be a good temporary replacement.
I know what you mean. Injuries are so tough.
I need exercise to destress!
sorry to hear about your back
stress relief for sure, endorphins, fitness… think about something or nothing, depending on the day!
hope it gets better soon rose!
a belly hug, ha!
I exercise to stay healthy and in shape and to feel good in my body and about my body.
i just laughed out loud at the thought of a caped and masked lentil saving the world. sorry, my imagination takes other people’s statements too far. i did get a good lentil belly hug last night too.
anyway. i know how you feel with the injury situation. just know that you’re doing the right thing by resting and waiting until you get the xray. sometimes the worst part is the wondering about the unknown. i use exercise for the same reasons you do, and losing that outlet is very, very difficult. but because it’s such a healthy, positive aspect of your life, you know this will just be a break. it isn’t forever.
in the meantime, you’re right to look for other non-physical outlets. they’re out there – you might even discover something new.
I work out for a few reasons – to be healthy, because it helps me de-stress, and because I get tired of sitting on my butt all day! sorry to hear you’re still having trouble with your back :O(. Not being able to get moving is always a bummer.
- Beth @ http://www.DiningAndDishing.com
I exercise because it makes me feel good. Physically, mentally.. everything.
I’m sorry to hear you’re going through a rut, hopefully the x ray lets you know what’s really going on.
Oh, I exercise for many of the same reasons: stress relief, training, to make me feel stronger, to see new things with a different perspective…:)
i hope you can get back to running soon!!! and that your back gets back to being 100%!
why do i exercise? runner’s high. almost nothing feels better. also, food tastes really good after exercise
I exercise because I can’t not exercise. I love to sweat, love to feel my bones and muscles move and love it when I’ve pushed myself so hard, almost to that edge, you know, where you’re almost on the verge of puking but not quite.
I guess I’m an endorphins addict!
I hope the X-ray helps. I can identify. It’s been four days for me and I don’t know what I’m going to do.
Please let me know how you’ve been dealing.
I am in the same boat, sort of. I used to love lifting weights. Couldn’t get enough of it. Lately though, all I want to do is cardio. While cardio isn’t bad, it just isn’t enough for the weight loss situation. All you ladies here in blog land have showed me the awesomeness of running, but I miss lifting. Still looking for the motivation to go back. Hope your x-ray turns out well! Stay strong.
Haha, I like the notion of a “belly hug.”
I exercise for so many reasons: to have “me” time, to feel strong, to stay healthy, and to compose–I get some of my best writing ideas while on the treadmill:)
I exercise because it shows me I can push myself and grow. Lentils are pretty good
I agree with a lot of your reasons for exercise. I use it to de-stress and also to give me energy. I find that when I go too many days without a nice sweat session, I start dragging. Most people find it a chore to work out, but once they get into the routine, I think they feel it’s necessary to feel good!
I honestly haven’t experimented much with lentils but this post makes me want to start!
I exercise because it makes me feel better
I too agree with all your points. I think half-hour blocks of exercise once or twice a week will maintain our independence and Just two and a half hours of moderate exercise a week will keep us in the best of health. I ll always do exercise in the morning to keep myself fit and healthy.
I feel your pain – when I was injured in my car accident, I wasn’t able to/allowed to do alot of things, and it was very frustrating. Fortunately I went into an exercise rehab program, so that got me moving in a way to help, not harm, my injuries. Are you doing any sort of physio to help out your back? I definitely helps you keep your sanity when you can’t do the other things you love.
I too use to do exercise everyday.I think I cant live healthy without doing exercise everyday. I advice everyone should do exercise regularly because regular exercise can help to protect you from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure,back Pain etc., SO do exercise everyday and lead a healthy life.