I used to love swimming. Swimming pool was this special place where I could get a break from the outside world. When I was trying to lose weight, I made swimming my primary sport. It was great for a few weeks, but after a while my body was telling me to take a break. But I kept pushing it. I pushed myself to the point where I started hating swimming and just couldn’t bring myself to go to the pool.
If you have also combined dieting with exercising, chances are that you did the same. Forced yourself to do sports just because you promised yourself to do it 5 times a week. This can seriously distort our relationship with exercising. There are many benefits of exercising, our body loves moving and it releases endorphins (happiness hormones).
Exercising improves your brain functions and memory, protects against many chronic diseases, reduces stress and anxiety, lowers your blood pressure, it’s an effective treatment for depression, improves digestion, improves sleep quality, strengthens the lungs, increases your energy levels and so on. There are so many benefits of physical activity, yet we have been focusing on one only: weight loss. And to the point when just the thought of it makes us feel sick.
Being active doesn’t mean a strict gym regime or running 5 days a week. It’s about moving your body and enjoying it. Try different things and see what you actually enjoy doing. When I started exercising at home, I did cardio to lose weight. I hated it but forced myself to do it 5 times a week. Then I noticed my body started feeling weaker and I had less energy.
I changed what I was doing, tried weights and I loved it. Stop seeing physical activity as a painful duty you must do to lose weight. Start seeing is as something fun and enjoyable. Start noticing how your body and mind feel afterwards. I’ve discovered many enjoyable activities like snowboarding, weights or walks… still working on swimming but I’m getting there.