Exercise Doesn’t Have to Be About Running 10 Miles
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I’ll be honest, when I hear the word exercise, I cringe. The only thing that has ever interested me is the possibility of a toned body. It sounds great. Who wouldn’t want that?
Unfortunately, I lack motivation. I worked out a lot in high school, but only because I had to. I rocked my balance ball during my freshman year of college. I was set on winning a man back with my sexy abs. I did end up winning him back (though I don’t think my abs had anything to do with it). Since then I have stayed roughly the same size, which lucky for me, is pretty petite. But lately I have this never-ending feeling of weakness.
I recently accepted a desk job. Nice benefits, but it has taken a toll on my daily exercise. Some days the most movement I get is walking to and from my car. I try to park as far away as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I still look pretty good, but I don’t feel healthy on the inside. My heart starts racing after I walk up the stairs. I don’t ever want to feel that way.
I have never been a gym-er and never laced up to run around the block. But that doesn’t mean I can’t find things that work for me. I still have my balance ball, and I received a nice jump rope and yoga mat from my mom. I often lay my mat down in the hall for crunches—which is pretty effective when my dog isn’t licking my face and climbing on my legs. And now I own a few DVDs from the Yoga Booty Ballet series. They are extremely challenging for someone like me. If you can get past the silly instructors, you will feel the burn.
The thought of trying new things terrifies me. And that includes getting out of my exercise-free comfort zone. But I’m starting small with things I know I can do. (Even if I’m reminded of elementary school when I do jumping jacks.)
Exercise doesn’t have to be running 10 miles. That’s great, but not for everyone. If you’re like me, I recommend starting with a good workout DVD. You can work out in your home, have a “class” full of people, and there’s only a one-time fee. Sounds perfect to me. —Katie Everhart
Katie Everhart is a Midwestern girl, born and raised in the Kansas City area. She earned her bachelors in communication studies from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She’s a beginner in the fitness world but enjoys a challenge. One of her loves is drinking coffee and writing—anything. When she isn’t writing, she can be found hanging out with her fiancé Jared and their dog Harvey. She rocks the vocals on RockBand and would watch a movie a day if she had the time. She blogs regularly over at katiemeverhart.blogspot.com.