Thin Mentality And Exercise

Do everything you can to make exercise nice for you.  Do not beat yourself up. Do not berate yourself.

I make my workout joyful.  I don’t count reps, I just turn on music and do some weight lifting.  I say to myself, “Okay, do squats for this song.”  I listen to a song I love and start the move.  If I am miserable because it ended up being too long of a song, I stop.  I might stretch a little while the song finishes, or I may just sing along or whatever.

I don’t workout to the point of misery because I want to workout for the rest of my life.  And I know my human nature, which I value, will rebel against that misery and I won’t want to workout at all anymore.  So, instead of punishing myself, I congratulate myself for working out.

And some days, I feel stronger than others-  don’t you?  So why would I predetermine reps?  I workout with weights a couple of times a week and every time I do, I go with the attitude of- work hard, but not so hard that I am unhappy.

I taught aerobics and spinning for 15 years-  I understand the value of working out and pushing yourself, so don’t get me wrong.  I just noticed that those who work out at reasonable levels work out consistently.  Those who go crazy working out, burn out.