21.1.10

physical therapy

You know how on t.v. people talk about therapy sessions being so hard but so wonderful? Well I have my own kind of therapy and I would describe it alot the same way. I seriously think that without exercise I would require medication to be happy. Did you know that there are chemical processes that happen in your body after exercise that basically make you happy? It's true!

I am so sore and so tired and still looking forward to the next three days of teaching classes. Isn't that crazy? I know that some of you are emphatically shaking your heads chin to sky and saying, "Yes! You are so crazy!" but I also know that you, at the very least, have a glimmer of what I am talking about. You can say you hate working out. You can say you hate lifting weights. You can say you hate running but you CAN'T say you hate exercise. That would mean you hated walking, hiking, riding a bike, dancing, swimming, surfing, playing any organized sports, throwing a Frisbee, chasing your toddler, roller blading, and playing DDR. I told you that you don't hate exercise! Only the part where society has made you believe that exercising requires a gym pass or some hard core workout videos.

One time I challenged a friend to floss for a week and then stop flossing for a week and then start again. I told her that after the three week experiment she would floss faithfully for the rest of her life. The same goes for exercise. Once you feel the benefits you can stop but your body will remind you that it likes it so much better when you get physical.

Last night at the gym I was in the bathroom washing my hands after class. There was a woman who had just endured the hour long beating that I had. I asked her if she liked the class and she said, "I loved it. I just love exercise. I can't wait to go back in there and take Pump right now." She was maybe in her late 50's early 60's and she was about to go back in the studio for another hour and lift weights. My jaw hit the floor. I thought, "Dude. That is totally going to be me someday."

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning I take BodyPump from my friend Linda. She is 61 years old and lifts twice as much weight as I do. She looks MAYBE 45 at the oldest and yet she really was born in 1948. She loves to exercise and she has been teaching classes for over 20 years. I am so inspired by her! Don't you want to look mid-forties when you are 61? Cha. Me too.

These are people at the gym. They may not inspire you because I know just the word, gym, turns some of you off but there has to be an outlet for you to move your body. I beg of you! Move your body! Every day or at the very least 4 times a week! Try it for a week, then stop for a week, then try and tell me you are glad you gave it up. :) Exercise in all it's many forms is therapeutic and wonderful. It will revive you, as long as you choose the right kind.



*Now for the clarification. I usually don't worry about my previous posts needing to be clarified but for some reason I want to defend myself. You know how Weight Watchers is a points system? How good foods have low points and bad well...you get the idea. That is more what I am doing then constantly starving myself. The difference between a good Weight Watchers client and I is that I have more "bad" days then good. But it's ok! I am allowed to eat whatever I want as long as I'm eating and feeling good. Have you ever eaten your last meal at 3 and then not eaten for the rest of the evening? It's really not that bad.Besides that, I don't do it everyday. I am not sitting on my couch at night with my hands underneath me to prevent me from eating. I swear! So stop thinking that I am so unhealthy and starving myself and hurting my body. I am not retarded. I just exaggerate. Come on peeps! You know me. I am likely to describe my toilet overflowing as the flood from Noah. I'm like George Castanza. Everything is a big, dramatic deal. :)

11 comments:

The Ensign's said...

I believe that's called fast sunday =). Fasting without prayer is starving so I recommend a daily prayer for your fast. =)

As Kelly on The Office would say "I'm gonna look amazing!"

Seriously I'm not one to criticize about dieting being that I'm a horrible eater. So I'm glad you found something that works for you.

Kelli said...

I genuinely do hate exercise. All of those things you listed I hate to do. I would rather sit on the couch. I wish I liked it, but I so don't.

Jene Johnson said...

I hear ya sista!!

I did weight watchers for 3 months and loved it and it taught me portion control and how to make wise food choices. Like, if I want a snack and I choose to have an apple instead of chips then I could eat more later. One day I wanted ice cream so bad so I ate a whole carton of Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches for 8 points and then later I could only have a little bit for dinner.
Now, I just count my calories and I work out at least 4 times a week. It's a love/hate relationship. Love the results hate the actual working out although I feel so much better after I do workout. =)

Bailey bits and pieces said...

I just KNOW there is a skinny girl in me begging to come out. But I have just about decided she is gonna have to find her own way out..I can not help her!? ;)

Heather B said...

Was there someone else you challenged to floss for a week, or was that just me? This year one of my resolutions is to floss every day for a year. Just went to the dentist this week and no cavities! Yay for rollerblading. I'm so glad we had that conversation. It made me see things in a whole new light. We bought a soccer ball too. :)

{lindy baker cakes} said...

I love exercise. I seriously LOVE pilates and I am starting to like to run. However, we need to stay out of the hospital long enough for me to have a routine. Thanks for the motivation. It really makes me want to get on a schedule!!!

Camille said...

Lately I've been thinking that if I ever go back for a master's I'd like to get it in Exercise Science. Can you do that after an education BA? I don't know, but I completely agree with everything you said. I just wish I knew some of the science behind it and could teach other people because then they could be healthy and happy! :)

Lindsay Gunnell said...

:) You are great motivation and I'm sorry if I was the reason for that little clarification at the end. I just get so worried sometimes because we see such sick people at school. You understand, right? I didn't mean to lecture--I get a little self-righteous sometimes, so thanks for keeping that in check. And I should probably get my butt in gear more than I do, so way to work out the hippocrite in all of us.

Anyways, thanks for being dramatic. What's life without a little hell-raising? Anyways, I love you Kat and I'm glad you are so brutally honest.

Amy said...

I hate to motivate myself to exercise, but I do love how I feel during and the buzz after. All those happy endorphins I guess! :)

Prina Family said...

Amen! I love working out and its a good thing because i freakin' LOVE to eat! haha Sometimes ill go a few days without working out because ill get too busy and ill think 'im just too busy to stay active and ill probably just stop working out for a while'. Then before i know it, ive figured out a way to fit in 2 workout dvds and an hour run in 2 days. I just cant keep away! one key for me is variety. If i switch it up, i get so excited to work out. Anyway, im glad you feel the same way, its a good way to be:)

mylittlegems said...

you make me feel fat.
I used to run marathons with my 70 year old grandma- she is still running them. I used to work at Weight Watchers- for 4 years- and taught people how to eat. I used to do Body Pump a few times a week with my trusty VHS I got from my training. And now look at me.;) It's ok it is a long process after having 3 kids so close in age in your late 30's....