Exercise...I Hate It...But I Love It

I went to a spin class this morning.  Bikes, I've got that, right?  Holy kick my behind...I think I died.  Twice I thought I was going to hurl and was scanning for a trash can.  It was not fun.  It was a reality check.  I did not realize the extent to which I have let myself fall.  Clear off and miles behind the wagon.  Send a rescue party.

I also realized that I really love exercise.  I love when my heart feels strong.  I love when my lungs can take in enough oxygen to fuel my muscles for long periods of time.  I love when my legs feel like they could run/pedal/burpee forever.  I do love exercise.

In order to love it more and hate it less I need to do it more often.  I also need to push myself a little harder than a light sheen of sweat.  I need to exercise more often with someone so we can push each other and get intimidated and competitive.  And to have just plain old fun.

Part of "Cake & Skinny Jeans" talks about breaking up with exercise.  What?  Break up?  Yes.  Break up with it as a terribly inefficient and slavish way to pay penance for eating something you didn't really want to eat.  It takes 90 minutes of yoga to burn off two Oreos.  It takes 2 hours of spin class to burn off a Big Mac.

This goes along with what we've talked about before, how physique is 70% diet & 30% exercise (or 80/20 as some people believe).  It is morally defeating to think that you can eat X amount of calories if you exercise X amount of minutes or burn X amount of calories.  You will spend your life doing depressing body-math that will never ever ever come out on your side.

Solution?  Please tell me there is one.

Yes there is.

eat when you are hungry

 + 

exercise because of how it makes you feel

Your body will be stronger, your brain will be happier, and your psyche will be fed.  Using food to lift your spirits is temporary and fickle.  Soothing with food is associated with lots of negative feelings based on how you look and feel at that very moment.  Exercise is more lasting. 

“No one in our society needs to be told that exercise is good for us…But has anyone told you – indeed guaranteed you – that regular physical activity will make you happier? I swear by it.” 

Sonja Lyubomirsky, forerunner in research on happiness

So break up with exercise as a duty to burn off the nutrient-bereft foods you are going to or did eat.  Create a new relationship with exercise by associating it with positive & happy feelings, feelings of wellness & strength, feelings of self-control & power, and you will come to crave it.

What did I do when I came home from spin class?  I made a protein shake swore off junk food forever and committed to an hour of hard cardio 6 days a week.  Can I do it?  It's still pretty early...