You can read Part I here.
Where was I?
Oh yeah…
There’s more than one way to be fit and healthy.
To me, fitness means learning how to move my body in a way that:
1 – Keeps me fit.
2 – Makes me feel good.
3 – Allows me to enjoy life.
So what does that mean?
1- Keeps me fit.
This is so incredibly subjective. What’s “fit” to me, might not be “fit” to you. I know my healthy weight range and I know what kind of activities I like to do without huffing and puffing from exhaustion. For me, it’s no good to be at my “ideal weight” if I can’t run a mile because I’m living off of Diet Coke and rice cakes. But that’s just me. I get to choose how fit is the right fit, no pun intended.
And guess what – so do you.
2. Makes me feel good.
There have been several times in my life when I have overdone it and several times when I have underdone it. You’ll accept “underdone” as a word for now, right?
Overdone means my body aches, not from sore muscles, but from being overtaxed. I feel weak and lifeless. It is then I know I have worked out too much. Underdone means I feel lethargic and gross. You know what I’m talking about. That, “my body is one with the couch” feeling that you get from inactivity.
When I have that perfect balance of exercise + rest, I feel awesome. It makes me feel good!
3 – Allows me to enjoy life.
Standing on a bridge in Vancouver, Canada
Casey’s bridal shower
This is a doozy. I’m a firm believer that when you start dreading every single run, it’s time to take a step back and ask yourself, “Why am I running (or insert activity here)?” If it is because you think it is the gold standard of fitness or because you really want to check it off your list for the day, you’re probably running for the wrong reason.
Now don’t get me wrong; there are days when you exercise because you know you need to, not necessarily because you’re really jonesing to move your butt. It happens, and we get through it. But when you dread it, every single time, it’s time to reevaluate what you’re doing. Did I say you? I really mean me. This is what fitness means to me, afterall.
That everyday feeling of dread — that’s where I was when I stopped running. And what did I learn from my little hiatus?
I really am a runner deep down inside. But as much as I love chocolate cake, I can’t bear to eat it at every meal. Well maybe for a day or two, but I’m pretty sure I would get tired of it eventually. And just like cake, I love running, just not everyday.
Taking a break gave me exactly what I needed, which was to go a little easier on myself. I have to admit that part of signing up for that second marathon was to prove I was a marathoner, not just a runner of one marathon. See the distinction? If so, you might be as crazy as I am. Seek help immediatly.
You know, chocolate cake tastes better when you don’t eat it at every meal. Running is the same for me. I had OD’d on running and I needed to take a break from it. On the days I was not running, I was trying to pack in all the other exercises that I needed to be “fit”. So I took a break from them too.
Fitness for life means finding something I can do…well, for life. I might not love running forever, but for now, I’m a runner. I might take something crazy up next week and decide I like it better than running. I might turn 30 and decide to do a marathon a month. I might decide walking is all I need.
I am committed to doing fitness on my own terms, whatever that means on any given day. Being fit doesn’t mean I need to identify myself as a runner or a cyclist or what have you. It means moving my body in the way that fulfills me at that moment.
It means having nothing to prove to anybody but myself.
To be continued…
What have you learned from your fitness journey?