Hypothesizing…
Okay, so a lot of us REALLY hate exercising…
…and a lot of us have always been over weight. I was reading somewhere (a blog? Not sure) about gym classes… and running a mile (yeah I think someone’s blog)
It just got me thinking… do we really hate exercise, or is it a learned emotion? What I’m saying here is, I know al ot of us faced the dreaded gym class as a chubby child. We got mocked, made fun of, saw the teacher’s disappointment when we couldn’t do things. So, I’m proposing that we really don’t hate it. We all love it after we’ve done it… we’ve just learned to associate the thoughts of exercise and working out with negativity. All our early experiences with it were negative– therefore, we now associate all experiences with it as negative. At least, I’m pretty sure that explains it for me.
There was one form of exercise I always loved –colorguard/winterguard. And you know what? My first instructor was the most encouraging, understanding woman I’d ever met. I think she’s the reason I learned to love it so much–and not see it as exercise.
I think if we adjust our thinking about exercise (much like with everything else) it will come more easily, more naturally, and we’ll stop seeing it as a daunting task but rather something we can enjoy.
So all of you exercise haters, I challenge you to evaluate what it is you exactly hate about exercise, and learn to associate exercise with more positive thinking .. and hopefully get the ball rolling like I hope to for me. :)e
Yeah. I can agree with you on this
I got a little chubby when I hit puberty in jr high, and actually joined the basketball team to help control my weight. My experience was very positive though, which instilled a genuine love of running and sports in general. (and respect for those who do it, since I know how hard it is) So… the opposite of that has to be true, too.
One of my team-mates was a girl who wasn’t exactly big, but had very large breasts for our age group. Still mortifies her to this day to run, due to all the teasing she received.
I think your challenge will help those who choose to accept it.
Wonderful Joy, I think you are right on target!
I think the other thing we associate exercise with is boredom. So, we need to find ways to make it fun because we all like the results
I don’t hate workouts - I just hate to get my butt up and get started
But I have to agree that there are some workouts I don’t enjoy doing, either because I can’t do them or I just don’t like the type of workout.
Now that’s what I’m talking about!!
Great blog! I hated exercise especially running because my ex-husband told me it’s the only real exercise and the only real way to lose weight. Well, I showed him! I found other exercises on my owned and loved it. Only this year did I run….sometimes I think of him and how he pushed it on me and how I rebelled and wouldn’t do it.
LOVE THE BLOG HON!
But now I have a love love relationship with exercise. It’s my baby and my best friend besides my honey.
Girl, I think you hit the nail on the head with this blog! I need to challenge myself to change my attitude about excercise!
HUGS
I have to agree with you. I always hated running the mile. I remember one year a group of us rebelled and walked the entire thing together. I think a part of my hate of exercise comes from laziness. I don’t like to leave the couch, honest. And part of it comes from not being able to “really” do it. Before I found out I was pg I started running. I would love to run like a runner but as a beginning it’s a matter of adding seconds to seconds. I just didn’t feel successful because I couldn’t just jump on the treadmill and run like everyone else at the gym. It take a lot of hard work to be “successful” (how we think of it anyway) at many exercises. I did find that as I got better at exercises, and exercises I was good at to begin with, that I liked them more.
I have never thought of exersice like that before. Good thinking.
Well put!! I did colorguard in high school too, so I know exactly what you mean about not even thinking about it as exercise. It was so fun it couldn’t possibly have been considered exercise, and yet it was.
I still have an old flag from high school, maybe I should get out in the yard and practice some of my old routines!! haha
great blog. Hope all the exercise haters start to love exercising after reading this blog. And I hope you start to enjoy it too…
Yep- almost didn’t graduate HS because of the exact reasons you mentioned. I don’t mind excersize now- as long as it’s just me and a BUDDY- I STILL hate group excersize tho.
Have a good one hun!!
great perspective, good advice!
Joy,
Your hypothesis has merit, a form of Learned Helplessness. I remember that I was never able to do pull ups and in 7th grade I got a C in PE because of that. This was a hugh blow for me, someone who was use to As and Bs.