the "E" word
so while burning calories today on the eliptical, i read an interesting article in prevention magazine about how exercise, for some of us, has turned to work instead of fun... when you were younger, remember how much it was to ride your bike to your friends house or rollerskate in your driveway or take dancing lessons every week? at a certain age (puberty), our bodies become objects instead of something that lives and breathes - we are more concerned about how we look over how we feel... this carries over into later years and suddenly, you hate to exercise and have lost your way...
what can you do? well, the article says, "approach the E word with softness, humor, and care... stop battering, threatening, and torturing yourself... stop whipping yourself into shape... learn to appreciate the body you have right now"... and it goes on to discuss doing things that you used to love to do, regardless of how stupid the activity may be, and make a firm committment to do it... moving your body shouldn't be about anything other than physically connecting with the fundamental pleasure of and gratitude for being alive...
so guys, what is an activity that you loved doing as a child and miss?
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Thank you so much for your words of support Jodi. I cannot tell you how important they are to me.
Jill
During 5th and 6th grade we lived in an apartment complex that had a tennis court directly behind us...as well as a pool. I think I spent every single day either on that tennis court playing with my parents and friends or at the pool swimming and diving. I LOVED that stuff! I wish I had that much energy nowadays!
I loved ALL activities when I was a kiddo: rollerskating, swimming, soccer, football, tennis, dancing. I miss the FUN of those things, but but when I was a kid, I had friends to "play" with. I'm sure part of the reason I HATE exercise these days is because I don't have anyone doing it with me.
As far as appreciating my body, I'm working on that. It's a struggle.
~Les
I loved biking as a child and I just recently took it up again!!