Image: supplied.
“You really need to shake up the exercise you do.” I still remember the judgey look my friend’s personal trainer girlfriend wore on her sweaty face after I revealed post-run, that I rarely ran.
That, in fact, my whole fitness routine consisted mainly of walking (with the occasional run thrown in there for good measure). That if I had to choose to commit to just one form of exercise for the rest of my life, I would unflinchingly, unhesitatingly devote myself to a 30 minute walk.
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Her reaction (and smug fit running pace) wasn’t a shock, it’s something I’ve become used to over the years. Since I could read magazines and watch The Biggest Loser, I’ve gleaned that exercise, and getting full benefit from said exercise, is about variation.
The message is clear: I should be filling the spare minutes in my morning, lunch break or evening achieving an endless amount of fitness escapades. Yoga on Monday! Pump class on Tuesday! CrossFit on Wednesday! Swimming on Thursday! (Post continues after gallery.)
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For a while, I obliged. I tried to haul myself to aerobics classes and Bikram Yoga because I thought it would have the best effect on my mind, my fitness and my body. Last year I even trained my butt off, dragging myself bleary-eyed out of bed a couple of times a week to train for a half-marathon.
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Yes, crossing that finish line brought me a great sense of achievement. But did I continue my burpees and mixed cardio after the fact? God no, it wasn’t sustainable for me. I fell swiftly back into the warm, comfortable embrace of my leisurely morning walk.