I exercise for lots of reasons…Losing weight is not one of them.

I love exercising. I really do. But I don’t love all exercise! I hate running and spent YEARS telling myself that running was the key to optimal health so I just had to grit and bear it. Running would keep my heart healthy, my body lean, and my mind clear. It did none of those things. Some people love running, and that’s great! But running is not the answer to a healthy lifestyle.

The reason I exercise is primarily for enjoyment. I find things I like to do, and I do them. Exercise is like a weight loss program for my mind. I use it to destress, decompress, and let go of the rest of life’s pressures. It is a time when I breathe, move my body, and do not look at a screen. It’s glorious. My exercise of choice is yoga. I love hot yoga. I love to be warm, to stretch, to move, to sweat, I love the music, and I love the people. I know I get a cardiovascular benefit, and my muscles get longer and leaner when I attend regularly. But the real benefit is the way I feel during and after. I can literally feel my mind racing at the beginning of class, busily making to do lists, thinking of all the things on my plate for the day, week, month, year. Sometimes these thoughts stay with me throughout class, but sometimes they begin to settle down, and that is where the magic happens. My mind begins to quiet, I feel more energetically still, and I find peace. I begin to feel lighter. I feel calm and free. I feel whole. From this place of peace, I can much more easily determine what on that to do list is important to me, what I actually value in my life, and which of those tasks I can just let go. Everything amazing happens at yoga. Seriously.

The truth is, you just can’t outrun a bad diet. No amount of exercise is going to ‘burn the calories’ needed to drop excess weight. So don’t sweat it! LOL, see what I did there? So punny. ;) But seriously, don’t stress over how hard you’re exercising, how frequently or how many calories you burn. Find something you love and do that. If it’s a chore to get there, pick something else.

Like I said, I love exercising. I don’t love running, but I do it sometimes. Because I love running when I feel like running and when it’s really hot out. Call me crazy, that’s what I like. I also love hiking and listening to a podcast. I loved going to Orangetheory pre-pandemic! Now this one is interesting. I didn’t always love GOING to OTF, but I loved being there. I loved seeing my splat points add up, and I loved the energy I got from achieving my goal and leaving feeling fit and strong. So it was worth it to me. I liked that.

Exercise is incredibly beneficial for mental and emotional health. It is also key in cardiovascular health and musculoskeletal strength. But if you use it as an excuse to eat more or to try to lose unwanted pounds, you’re wasting your time. Focus on your diet for that. Let exercise be a glorious release and something you look forward to on a regular basis.