Compassionate Exercise
“you do not have to get hurt in order to get healthy”
I do not see the drill Sergeant type of exercise sessions, that are popular today, leading to a lifelong commitment in exercise. What I see is the potential for injury, and a high dropout rate. The opposite of what all the major health organizations are asking us to do. What we need is a compassionate, disciplined approach, where people feel supported and encouraged to make fitness a lifestyle. I am a big believer in the Yoga concept of Vinyasa “To place in a special way on the next step”. Implying that a health and fitness programs need to be well thought out, so that they are primarily safe. In addition, as you adapt and progress you make sensible decisions as what direction will be next in your fitness journey. In other words, no quantum leaps, for example if you are lifting 10 lbs. and feel ready to move to a more challenging weight, do it in a sensible progression, maybe going up 1-2lbs. The same logical progression would apply to the aerobic and stretching components of your fitness program.
It is also true that productive exercise will be challenging by its very nature. Without effort we are not going to aquire the outstanding life changes we desire. Changes in blood chemistry, body composition, strength, endurance, better digestion, and better quality sleep. These incredible biological changes will come about as a direct result of compliance and adherence, and obtaining the biggest can of “elbow grease” you can afford! I truly wish there was a quick and easy way to develop basic fitness.
We work between the two extremes not too tight and not too loose. Exercise can be a creative and productive outlet, but that does not mean it will be easy. It will be productive, if introduced in manageable doses. Man’s adaptation to his environment has never been easy, and after all physical changes as a direct result of your fitness program are nothing more than physical adaptation to the challenges of exercise.
Today we are given many reasons to exercise that make perfect sense to our minds, but our bodies do not reason what they only know is survival. We are programmed to move for survival. If we want to get something to eat, we move. If we are in danger, we move. Engaging in movement for reasons other than survival is counter intuitive. Our genetic code is millions of years old, created when there were probably a few thousand of us roaming around in an eat or be eaten environment. Our survival depended on conserving energy and consuming energy.
Rejoice in your fat loss successes and failures. Try to be equally at peace when things are not happening as fast as you would like. The down times are actually periods of great learning. Remaining poised through these very challenging times is one of the great secrets to long lasting fat loss. There are deep core lessons that we need to learn, in order to achieve fat loss, with some level of permanence. You will never learn these lessons on the “30 lbs. in 30 days” infomercial style programs.