Sunday, February 16, 2014

Learning to love exercise....NOT!

This is one of the first cartoons I did (maybe 20 yrs ago?) and it is still SO relevant! I still feel so resentful about HAVING to exercise! I wish it was involuntary like some of the other bodily functions that we have no control over! For instance, what if we were a few pounds over and our body forced us to head for the gym or our personal workout space just like we are forced to head to the bathroom when we have to pee? 

As I get older I become even more resistant to all the "advice" that comes flying at me via the tv, radio and, of course, the internet, but at the same time I realize that there are gems of information that I can use to benefit my health. Sifting through all of it and trying to determine what is valid and effective can give you a real headache! That's why I try to pull out bits of articles for you each month in my newsletter.

Just like all the "health food" and supplement tips....if you don't take the time to read the small print you're possibly wasting your time and money. You each have your own health radar that tells you when something sounds legitimate. You've also had experience with what works for YOUR body and I believe we are all becoming more self-educated which is to our ultimate benefit.  

As many of you know, I found walking to be the perfect exercise for me about 4 years ago, but it took literally one month of forcing myself out the door each morning before I started seeing the benefits. Even when I did notice that I was losing weight, could breathe easier and my back didn't hurt as much,  I still needed extra motivation to keep doing it. 

That's when I started taking my camera on my walks which provided a much needed distraction to what I consider very boring exercise! I know not everyone has a beautiful path to walk, but even everyday scenes and objects can become something special when you zoom in on it or catch it at the right time of day.  

Anyway, I'm getting off topic (which is what happens to me when I talk about photography). My point is that it's not easy to get healthy or stay healthy before, during and after menopause, so we have to keep talking, keep trying, keep searching for what works. I am a prime example of what happens if you don't pay attention to your health until AFTER it starts going downhill. It's so much harder to recover and you're more susceptible to illness than if you can "nip it in the bud" and take precautions like eating healthy (for YOU) and exercising regularly (at YOUR pace, with YOUR routine).