Jan 6, 2013

My high

I've become one of those people who like exercise. I say become because I wasn't always a gym junkie. In fact, I never really played much sport in school (coordination doesn't feature in the top 10 list of my skills) and fitness for the sake of fitness isn't a huge part of the Indian culture I grew up in for 22 years. I never understood how people exercised voluntarily or craved a trip to the gym.

A few years ago, I was a bit of a mess. I was getting rapidly sucked into a vortex of black clouds and dementors and I didn't really get the help I needed. I'm stupidly stubborn like that sometimes. I don't like asking for help when I most need it so instead I chose to self-medicate. With exercise.

I'd had a gym membership for a while but I went sporadically and didn't really know what I was doing even when I was there. But during this point in my life, I was just looking for things to keep me busy and since I wasn't prepared to handle the guilt of cancelling my gym membership, I figured I may as well use it. (Yes, THAT was my motivation). So I started with a Body Pump class (I didn't know much about weight training so I thought I'd give it a go).

I could barely move the next day but I went back again (after about 3 days!). And again. And again. Somewhere along the way the endorphins replaced the dementors and its a high I did not want to get off from.

I can't pinpoint an exact moment of time when my attitude towards exercise changed but today I'm one of those people who is cranky when I can't exercise.

Exercise helped me love myself, love my body. Not be so conscious of my bum and love the definition in my thighs. Exercise makes me  feel sexy.

Exercise gives me a happy.

That's why I exercise.

4 comments:

Psych Babbler said...

I hear you! I reckon the only reason I didn't succumb to clinical depression last year and the year before I came to Australia was purely due to exercising at the gym. I notice that for me at least, just going for a run around the block/walking doesn't work. It has to be hardcore cardio and weights that help my mood. Weights more so.

R.Bit said...

Any surprise that it's the same for me? ;-) I absolutely LOVE a good weights session and nothing gets me higher. Intense workouts work better for me too.

sajani mrinalini dutta said...

Im trying so so so hard to find myself on this front! I LOVE running, and swimming, and walking.... but i reckon I need to catch up on this sooner than now! Thing is....I take things like they have to be a disciplined everyday thing! And with current work settings..Aaargh!! IMPOSSIBLE!! Im determined, though...to do Barre, and TRX and BodyPump or something. Someone mentioned Zumba. heck.... we all know how dance-like I am NOT!

R.Bit said...

I agree. I look at it as part of my work day, so as soon as I finish work, I have to work out. No questions. I like that discipline too so I can understand how it would be hard if you didn't have a set routine. Maybe commit to a bit of exercise first thing in the morning? So you don't have to worry about running out of time and energy later?