Hand me the whining towel. Probably not the best way to start a new post. Just want to forewarn that the post may start out on a negative note but I promise, I'll end it on a positive one. If you're brave, read on.
Exercise. Exercise sucks in my world.
I have a hate relationship with exercise.
Yes. My feelings are that strong.
It evokes several different feelings in me all at once: hate, fear, embarrassment, even shame.
Growing up, my brothers were athletic. I was not. I always had a sense that my dad was disappointed in me when it came to sports. It was a different time. Parents parented differently in those times. I'm sure he thought he could motivate me by his...encouragement...but today, not many parents would say the kind of things that were said back then.
School wasn't much better. I was heavier than my peers. I got made fun of a lot because I was heavy and slow, uncoordinated. I never put myself out there to compete with the more athletic kids. I had no wish to be their target. So I never tried sports. I was the last kid to get picked for teams in gym class. I always had hope but I was always the last pick. No wonder, I didn't have confidence.
High school next. I did phys ed only to get the credit in grade 9. My vision of myself was pretty poor even though I had slimmed down quite a bit. Not a chance was I doing sports. Nope. Not this girl.
Over the years I tried health clubs, spent a fortune a few times over, only to go for a short period of time, then quit. Memberships wasted. Ugh.
So where am I going with all this? Oh yes. I hate exercise. It really wasn't about school or friends or family or wasted monies. It was about exercise. The thing I detested most.
Then I found out I was diabetic in 2005. I found out the best medicine for me was diet and, oh flip...exercise. I'm done. I'm out.
My doctor suggested walking. Oh. I can probably manage that. Turns out, I LOVE WALKING!! AND IT'S EXERCISE! Who knew?
I have loved exercise ever since.
I said I'd end on a positive note. And I did.
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