It can happen so quickly for some and others it can take a lifetime. Falling in love isn't easy and falling in love with exercise is one of the hardest relationships people will have throughout their lives. I got a tweet this week about "needing to find a class or a team in order to get the fitness goals back on track" my advice back was to find something you love and just go for it. Like dating you might have to try a few or kiss a few frogs before you find your prince! This is true of exercise too, as we grow and get older our tastes invariably change, with age comes knowledge and especially the knowledge to know yourself when you don't like something.
This can be tricky with exercise, often training and being healthy is seen as a chore, something with must do in order to be tick a box for ourselves or to be engaged in societal norms at certain times of the year, shaping up for summer, slimming down for Christmas and of course the New Year resolution shake down.
If this is you, then you need to really think about the form of exercise you are doing. There is so much choice out there now and it can be confusing for people who are starting out or back, so just what is the best training system for me? This is where trial and error will play a huge role. In order to know what will suit, we must go out and try a new class but try it more than once.
The first class will always be hard and you will feel slightly at a disadvantage but not knowing the lay of the land. I remember a couple of years ago trying a step aerobics class, (now back then I didn't have the professional like rhythm I have now......) and lets just say when the instructor said right I went left, co ordination was poor. However I continued on my quest to be the next Jane Fonda however knowing deep down this just wasn't the class for me. Another great memory for me was going to play with Touch Rugby in Dublin with my old boss Lucas. I don't even feel I can tell you how bad this went but the fact that 3 years on Lucas remarked to me just last week when I was telling him my gymnastics struggles "Are you as bad at it as Touch Rugby?" So in short I have tried alot of sports, exercise classes and training styles and after alot of attempts at them all- I now know what I like, what I love and what I am good at.
There really is something for everyone, so my advice is to get out and try exercise, running, walking, Olympic Weightlifting, Yoga, Crossfit, TRX, Kettlebells, Reformer Pilates, swimming, handball, camogie, hockey, netball, squash even roller blading!
Don't shy away from anything because you think you aren't fit enough or make excuses like you will start tomorrow or next week, start today. See what is happening where you are and just go today and do it. Because the great news, you will find something that you actually like and enjoy spend the time doing. Then as this love grows you begin to expand your interests and your appetite for a challenge grows so you will venture towards things that really challenge you so you can improve and see just what you are made of. It is really all part of the course of life though because if you are not moving forward well then you are just standing still.
Exercise gives you something like nothing else can, self fulfilment and a greater sense of purpose. It leaves you feeling energised and full of happy, positive thoughts and vibes, so remember that when its minus 2 out the fire is on the last thing you want to do is put on those runners! But as my good friends at Nike always say Just Do It....
