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For some people, staying fit qualifies as a fun hobby. They choose to do things they enjoy, like running, biking, swimming, or rock climbing (or all of those things, and more). Other people know that they should move, so they choose activities that are convenient and effective -- even if they don’t particularly like to do them. But what makes someone go from just liking (or putting up with) exercise to saying, “I LOVE to work out?”
Personally, I find it hard to imagine that someone can have a good time on an indoor cardio machine, like a treadmill or elliptical. Even when I used an elliptical machine on a regular basis, I would never have said that I was enjoying myself. Sure, you can tell me that you don’t mind it -- that you’re easily distracted by the television or music and it makes the time goes by "so quickly" -- but a good time? When I think of pumping endlessly away on an indoor machine versus getting up early to bike outside in the crisp morning air...it just doesn’t seem like a fair comparison.
To be fair, it’s impossible to enjoy physical activity all the time, even if we’re doing something we normally love. While I prefer to be outside because it helps the time go by faster, I certainly don’t like it every time. Of course the best situation is being outside when the weather is beautiful and I have a lot of energy -- but that doesn’t happen nearly often enough. Last night I went for a walk even though I didn’t really want to; the air was a little humid, and my legs were sore because of the lower-body workout I’d done the previous day.
I was glad when I got home, and no, I didn’t particularly enjoy my walk. Still, I was glad that I’d gone out, especially since I could relax on the couch afterward without feeling quite as slug-like. But did I go out for a walk because I wanted to? No. Did I go because I felt like I had to? “Had to” is a strong term, but I knew it had been a few days and that I needed it. So I guess I went for a walk because I felt like I should.
Now, working out with weights, I actually don’t mind that so much. I like the feeling of walking out of the gym, barely able to lift my arm to unlock the car door because I’ve exhausted my upper body. But do I love weights so much that would I do it even if I knew I wouldn’t see any results from it? Of course not.
Yes, I definitely work out because I feel like I should. No, I don’t always love it. But I do like the results -- which is why most people spend time working out, I suppose. Exercise doesn’t just improve your physical appearance, it makes you stronger, increases your endurance, and helps maintain a positive mood. Given all those advantages, it’s definitely worth it to me.
Do you love to work out, or do you do it because you feel like you should?
Related Reading:
Roni’s Weigh: Roni says she loves working out, but it was a gradual process to get to this point.
I convinced myself for so long that I was not athletic. That I didn’t like the gym or working out. I made fun of gym rats, calling people who exercised on vacation insane. I really thought I just wasn’t built for exercise. Then S.L.O.W.L.Y. things started to change. [...]
Now...I’m embracing my new hobby. And that’s really what it is, a hobby. I enjoy it. It’s an outlet. It can be social yet solitary. I can measure my success by weight lifted, miles ran, time, even muscle tone. Not to mention it has health benefits and makes me feel fantastic!
Cindy’s World: Cindy loves working out “so much that sometimes I wonder why I didn't choose a career as an athlete of some sort rather than as an artist.” She was encouraged by a recent article in the LA Times about “the original owner of Bally Total Fitness who is 76 and still in GREAT shape and kicking butt in all kinds of athletic endeavours.”
Phillygrrl used to work out, “but that was back when I worked at
