Exercise Is Like Flossing!

I've compared diet and exercise to a lot of things in this blog, but I think I hit the winner today. Here's how this thought process works:

I was post workout high (naturally, folks). Nothing beats this feeling. I know there's no way that my body went from squishy to bikini ready in 1 workout, but somehow I felt like it had.

Side-rant: this is the sign of a perfect workout for your personality; when you feel amazing and happy post working out, and would do it again. Know how 1 size does not really fit all? Well 1 diet plan, and 1 exercise plan does not fit all. Everyone tells you that's because body chemistry for people are different, so you respond to some things but not to others. I would like to add that everyone's personalities are different, so what gets me jazzed will likely not be exactly the same for you. You have to try all the 1,000,000,000 exercise programs, DVD's, and plans out there so you can find the one(s) that fit your individual preference and style. Exercising IS a style. It adjusts how you carry and feel about yourself. I walk taller and with a little attitude post my workouts. That is, when I have the energy to actually lift my legs. But hey, even when I crawl from room to room, I do it with upbeat attitude, because I feel great about what I've accomplished. Find your exercise and diet style!

Back to the endorphin from working out. I was thinking about my progression thus far, and I realized there's a real difference between my last attempt of losing weight and this one: I'm happy to keep it going. I haven't made any huge progression. My clothes still fit the same, the scale hasn't really moved, and my measurements have actually increased .5 inches all around (granted, that could be muscle). If anything, I should be discouraged by now. According to my calorie tracker, I have reduced my calories by 10,000. If a pound is 5,000 calories, I should have at least lost 2 pounds by now. Discouraging, right? So why am I still happy to keep going at it? Why don't I feel discouraged?

Part of that is the endorphins right now (hehe). That high might also be why I constructed the other part of why I'm happy: I'm treating exercising like I treat flossing!

Yep, I've officially lost it. Follow my thought process and see if you agree:

Flossing: it's just something I have to do. Same with diet and exercise.

Flossing: if I skip a day, no one will really notice. Same with diet and exercise.

Flossing: The only person I'm accountable to is myself. Same with diet and exercise.

Flossing: no one will really notice right away if I stop doing it all-together. Same.

Flossing: at first even I won't see the backlash of quitting, but eventually it'll catch up with me. Same.

This goes into my mentality shifts about how we approach diet and exercise. We know we can quit, so we do. It's easy to get lazy. But fear of losing our teeth makes us eventually pick that floss back up. It should be the same for exercise. Fear of the need for knee surgery or extended healing time from a major surgery or injury should be motivating us to keep at it today. Fear of heart attacks or long-term health problems should be motivating us to keep dieting. For me, it is. As I shift my thinking about how important diet and exercise is, I find it's a lot easier to just keep at it, regardless of the fact that I can't see results today.

A long, healthy life is worth it, isn't it? God knows I don't want a long unhealthy life.