Why do you workout?

FiddleFit

FiddleFit

Cathlete
Hi everyone,

Why do you, personally, workout? Are you after the perfect body? For health reasons? To alleviate stress? Because you love the activity itself and are driven to do it? Some other reason?

Personally I began working out to reduce my weight and become healthy. Somewhere along the way I upped the ante and started wanting the "perfect" body. I was successful with losing the weight and gaining my health; the quest for the perfect body is becoming frustrating and demoralizing. I no longer want to pursue this mythical thing; I want to accept myself as I am. So, I need to focus my workouts around something else. Hang the 10 pounds that have creeped back on in the past year; I want to stop worrying about them. Any suggestions? What motivates you? And are you able to accept yourself, "warts" and all?

Take care,
Sandra
 
Define "perfect" - LOL!! There is no such thing. Not in this world, anyway. We could debate the "perfect" body on here from now till doomsday and never really define it.

I workout to stay healthy so I can live and live well, and enjoy my family, my work, and all the cool things life has to offer!! It clears my head and keeps me centered. If I happen to look good in my clothes because of that, that's a bonus. But at 47 years old (well, I will be tomorrow anyway!! LOL!!), my days of the quest for "perfection" just seem silly to me. These days I define "perfection" in terms of feeling good, decent blood pressure, decent cholesterol numbers, and having enough energy to sprint up the stairs like they weren't even there. Yes, I have really nice muscle definition, but I've lifted for a long, long time. Do I worry about losing them? No way. There's no reason on this earth unless something serious were to happen to me that I could not continue to workout enough for the rest of my life to at least maintain the muscle tone and maintain the aerobic endurance I currently have. I'm not trying to be a professional bodybuilder, or look like I'm an 18 year old swimsuit model. That's just silly, in my mind. I'm not 18. I never will be again, and quite frankly I wouldn't want to be!! LOL!! Actually, I look more healthy now than I did in those days, because I no longer starve myself to be super thin, and I have discovered the power of lifting weights - literally - LOL!!

Okay. I'm done now. I hope my rambling provided an answer somewhere in there to your question!!

Carol
:)
 
(((((((((( THANKS!!!!!!!!! )))))))))))

Nothing much, really!! Taking a few vacation days here, and I think I'll veg out tomorrow and watch mindless TV - LOL!! (After I workout of course!!!!!!!!)

Carol
:) :) :)
 
Just wanted to say "Happy Birthday" to you as well and hope you have a great one! You and I are the same age (well, I'm a little older...I'll actually be 48 in March, but close enough!) ... anyway, sounds like the perfect day to me, vegging out and watching mindless TV...have fun! :)
 
Hi Sandra! :)

Good question and food for thought...I guess I started working out (way back when, in the '80s) to look better... I'm finding, though, these days, that the older I get the more it seems I'm on a quest for "perfect health"...don't get me wrong, I still worry about "looking good" way more than I want to, but I do notice it shifting a bit...especially since I'm perimenopausal these days, it seems the most important thing is to FEEL good...and working out definitely gives me a nice healthy dose of that, lol!
 
I work out for health and b/c I've come to really enjoy it.
I use to think working out was all about getting that perfect body and even thought ppl who worked out were stuck on themselves. That was an immature assumption!
Exercise and healthy eating was actually a treatment plan my dr. put me on when I was 15. I was bed ridden for 2 1/2 years with fibromyalgia. I couldn't walk down the street without being in pain then spending the rest of the day in bed. That pain was something I had to work through when I was starting my fitness journey. After 6 months of progressive exercise (with no pain pills b/c it was causing my stomach to bleed) I was able to return to school with only minimal pain and only a few major extreme spells. Then I just have continued to progress to the point where I can keep up with Cathe. If I don't exercise for 4-7 days I will have the pain back so that is great incintive for me to be consistant! I think Cathe workouts really help purge my system of toxins better than the ones I
was using b4 I found Cathe. Its been a four year journey and I have to say its been well worth the suffereing to get to where I'm at. It can only get better.

~Reece Out~
 
Carol...

This has nothing to do with the subject of the thread... but had to wish a fellow scorpio Happy Birthday!!! My birthday is tomorrow too... the 28th... or did you mean the 27th?

Autumn
 
Hi Carol,

I hope you won't mind if I offer a suggestion -- if I were you, I'd pick up a copy of the book "YOUR BODY'S MANY CRIES FOR WATER" and also "READY, SET, GO!" You can either order them cheaply from half.com or from any bookstore. If you follow both of these, you should be able to lose those 10 pounds fairly easily. If you do try it, let me know how you do.

Sometimes the body doesn't recognize the difference between being hungry and being thirsty -- you might simply be a little dehydrated and that's actually making it hard for you to lose that extra weight. But do get the books and read them. I think they might work for you.:)
 
I workout to be healthy but more then anything I workout because I LOVE IT! It fulfills some need I have for movement besides keeping me in great shape, healthy and very energetic. I have always had a need to "move" and I suppose I'm lucky that I've always been motivated to do so! Thank goodness for videos as I have all the variety I want and never get bored! Can't wait for those Hardcores! :) :) :)

Jo
 
I workout to relieve the stresses of suffering depression, pure and simple. Life is manageable when I exercise regularly. It all goes to pot when I don't. Part and parcel of this are the endorphins that cardio releases, and the sense of empowerment that lifting weights and conquering them gives.

It's that simple.

Clare
 
RE: Carol...

I'm today - the 27th!! Happy Birthday right back at ya' fellow Scorpio !!!!!!!!!

Carol
:)
 
Karen Kay, Sandra is the one who wrote the original post and wants to lose the 10 pounds. Not me.

Carol
:)
 
Clare,

I remember from reading previous posts, as well as this one, that exercise really helps with your depression. I'm wondering if you've ever missed a few days, then gotten so down you find it difficult to get started again? How do you motivate yourself at times like those? How do you get enough energy together to pull yourself out of it? Is there any secret that helps you?

Shari
 
To keep from getting fat and to relieve stress. Also to attempt to be a not-so-heavy burden on the health system when I am older.....
T. :)
 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL!

I workout

1) to help keep trim (a health and aesthetic reason)
2) to maintain muscle mass
3) to increase bone density
4) to stay flexible and coordianted
5) to keep my heart healthy
6) it energizes me... I feel sluggish if I don't exercise and I actually need more sleep if I don't exercise. ot feel like I need more sleep
7) it is a stress buster and I can think clearer

all of which will help me keep a fit healthy body so that I can enjoy my life for a long time and stay off age associated maladies for as long as possible.
 
I started working out at 30 years old, so I could eat more food and not get fat. Almost 15 years later, I'm working out for that same reason but have added many more:

1) Keep my cardiovascular system healthy
2) Reduce stress
3) Stay energetic
4) Build bone density
5) Be able to move easily for the rest of my life!

PennyLaney
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top