I was trying to remember the last time I did some proper exercise that a. wasn’t just a run (shuffle) so slow it barely qualified as aerobic, or b. a ‘long walk’ which has many benefits as we know, but weight loss isn’t one of them and I think it was a circuits class I did last September. I’ve gone through long periods in my life, years in fact, where exercise has been a proper part of my everyday schedule twice if not three times a week. It’s been vital to my mental health and wellbeing as well as keeping the flab, if not off(it’s 80% what happens in the kitchen) but at least at bay. Equally, there have been long periods where my exercise regime has dwindled to the aforementioned shuffle and the need seems to disappear, just like that, despite the conscious acceptance of how much better I would feel if exercise was back in my life. Why is it that when we know something would be really beneficial to our whole life in fact previous experience has demonstrated this time and time again, it’s free to do and can be sociable, do we still choose not to do it? Probably for the same reason we choose to do things, principally drinking, that we’re constantly reminded can be a significant risk factor in all sorts of cancers, heart disease, strokes and all manner of other nasties: it’s easier not to do something than do it and it’s easier to do something than not to do it! Bear with me – as 21st century humans we’re conditioned to take the easiest route and sitting down in front of the TV is much easier than going for a run! What it really is of course is habit and it takes a bit of dedication but new habits can be as easily made as they are broken. So armed with a ‘mindful’ approach to exercise and at, least an intent to make exercise a habit again, I have successfully performed my first set of squats since September. I really knew about it the next day when trying to go downstairs but actually it was a not an unfamiliar feeling or indeed an unwelcome one, as it reminded me that my body was a living functional piece of equipment that needs to be used! I also remembered what a fantastic feeling you get when having exercised and achieved something more than the last time. Muscle memory is also a wonderful thing and all those years of one foot in front of the other haven’t been in vain – I can still just about jog 3 miles, probably 4 if I had to and whilst this isn’t the half marathon of days gone by, it’s a base to work from. So take the plunge, put your trainers on and incorporate something different to your daily routine. It doesn’t matter what it is but once you’ve established (or re-established) a habit, you’ll thank us for it!
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