It wasn't until my 30's that I began exercising, and not for reasons you may think.
My fitness journey began so differently than people think. When someone assumes I was athletic in high school or "always in shape", I just kind of laugh and say...nope. It wasn’t the
case at all.
In my teens I used to joke that I was allergic to exercise. That is how much I hated it. Looking back, maybe it's because I was so klutzy, I was embarrassed to participate in anything physical. Or maybe it's because I was self conscious about myself. I mean, I'm not going to dive into some therapy sesh about my past, but the point is my friends, I was a chubby kid. But not chubby enough to want to go to a gym or for a run.
Any type of exercise annoyed me. I always had a note to get out of gym class. I never participated in fun group sports. If you caught me running, more than likely I was running away from someone. The only time I would break a sweat was if I was dancing, which I considered fun, not exercise. So, how on earth did I get here?
Why does anyone exercise to begin with?
Vanity.
Sanity.
To get leaner.
To get stronger.
To get faster.
To be better.
Sport.
Money.
Fun.
There are tons of reasons to exercise. I didn't find my reason until I almost died at 30 years old.
As I grew into my mid and late twenties, I became more cautious about what I ate, and, I was aware of what I put into and onto my body. I was wising up. I would research skin care products and food ingredients. I became obsessed with toxins, GMOs and all things harmful to the body. My shopping list went from whatever soap was on sale to natural, cruelty free, toxin free soaps and I traded packaged frozen dinners for fresh, whole foods.
In 2007 when I had my first son, my fascination with healthier eating just expanded. I wanted my family to be as healthy as possible because I realized that when you have your health, you can get through anything. For 2 years I continued studying food, ingredients and newly, food allergies. My son had them all. My knowledge increased ten fold.
Still, aside from daily walks with the baby and the dog, I had no desire to exercise. Fast forward to the birth of my second son, and the upheaval of my life. Upon having him in 2009 I became very ill, I was misdiagnosed, mistreated and wrongly medicated. Through this long process of hospital visits, specialists, medical testing and suffering, I learned a lot about my body as well as my medical history.
This is when I learned how crucial exercise is for optimal health. Fitness became a part of my life at around 32 years old. Specifically, Cardiovascular exercise. My family health history included massive heart disease and for me, well, that was enough to get my ass on a treadmill. Cardio became a habit, nothing drastic, but enough to make a difference in my health.
I began learning about the benefits of muscle building at around 34 years old. Once I began lifting, I realized I finally found my exercise niche, something I truly enjoyed. Calisthenics and weight training became a part of my life. Not only did I notice my body begin to change, but I started to feel good. I gained self confidence, my health is improved and I became certified in a ton of fitness and wellness areas.
So, the purpose of this post is to help you understand that it doesn't matter why or how you practice fitness. It doesn't even matter when you start, as long as you just start!
If you are not exercising, if you loathe it, I promise you, there is some form of fitness you can find that you will enjoy. You just have to go try. And there are tons of reasons for you to do it. None of them are wrong. Fitness is an essential piece to your overall health so find your reason, find something you can have fun with and just go do it.