I missed my routine fitness appointment with myself last Friday, and then Saturday and Sunday are my “rest days” where I do housework (up and down the stairs at least a hundred times), laundry, food prep, and some grocery shopping -- along with celebrating my birthday.  I had no reason for missing the appointment other than a phone call that took much longer than anticipated and a schedule that I insisted on keeping.  It’s okay, in the long run one extra day off would not “hurt” me.  I know that intellectually and I let go of it emotionally and enjoyed my birthday weekend immensely.

Monday morning came, and off to the gym I went for my Monday training day, which consisted of 30 minutes time on the elliptical and 60 minutes weight training.  September, according to my trainer, is heavy weight month.  She wasn’t kidding.  I was pressing 60 pounds on a bar for 10 reps 3 times over as one of my routines…  Boy did I feel accomplished as I strutted out of the gym, sweat still pouring down with a big smile on my face.

Today I got in the pool and pushed to swim for 45 minutes - yes back and forth, alternating breast stroke with back stroke because free style hurts my right shoulder which is 99.9% recovered and that’s as good as it will probably get.  Everything hurt when I first got into the pool, then loosened up, and now several hours later I am once again stiff.  Oh my, it hurts so good.  I am getting up from my desk and moving every hour and still, as the day wears on, the body is remembering everything I did yesterday.  My trainer is in Hawaii - I think I’ll text her… NOT.

Why do I tell you all of this you ask?  Because it is all one of the reasons I exercise.  Not to hurt, but for what comes after the hurt goes away- the stronger, fitter, more flexible me.  That’s what I love about exercising regularly.  It took me a long time - close to 2 years- to build up a regular exercise program where I was getting in the recommended 30 minutes per day (or 210 minutes per week which is how I approached it) that was given to me by my doctor over 14 years ago when I had my surgery.

Here are the reasons I exercise 5 days a week for at least a total of 210 minutes:

• It feels great when I’m done
• It helps keep my weight stable
• It speeds up my metabolism
• It makes me look smaller than the actual number on the scale (muscle is more compact than fat)
• It feels great to flex any part of my body and to actually feel and see the muscle
• I wear a smaller size in clothing than if I didn’t exercise
• It keeps me aware of my body and how I am truly feeling
• It keeps me mentally alert
• The endorphins can change a grumpy morning into a happy day
• I am flexible, I can move my body (even stiff and sore from lifting) in ways that many others can not
• It is helping me keep from having my knee replacement surgery, and if I finally do have it my recovery will be easier because I will have core, arm, and leg strength built up
• It keeps my bones strong
• It helps me sleep
• I get to meet new and interesting people at the gym
• I like having a set schedule and following through - it helps my accountability with food as well

These are some of the reasons I exercise.  I am proud that I have developed a schedule that started with 5 minutes per day, and over time has increased to 5 days totaling at least 210 minutes.  I am trying to keep my body from remembering that it is 70 years on this Earth.  I do it because I CAN.

Why do you exercise, or if you don’t, why do you not exercise?