Sometimes we eat when we don’t want to feel pain.

Exercise is painful.  Can I change that thought to start loving exercise?

Sometime we eat when we don't want to feel pain.

It makes sense.  Why wouldn’t we want to avoid pain?

I recently was asked about my exercise habits and I had to confess that I don’t like to exercise because I don’t like the pain.  The discomfort doesn’t call me.  Being cold, or sweating, trying to do what I can't do – not fun for me. I’d rather avoid it. 

Yet everything I know about my health screams that I should exercise.  Just like it used to scream – eat whole foods.  Now I love whole foods.  Veggies are my friend. 

So, I decided I wanted to want to love exercise. I want to love exercise. 

Other people love to exercise.  They wouldn’t consider not working out.  They love the feeling of their muscles straining and stretching and maybe they don’t think of it as pain.  They see the benefit of exercise and connect the act of exercise with a good feeling. 

They know that what I call pain, leads them to growth.  They understand that today’s workout allows their body to progress and that they will be able to do more at the next workout.  They know that they will be stronger and their brains will benefit, their immune system will benefit, their knees will be able to carry them. They know it will stop the aging process.   

My Pilates teacher, Evan Rachel ONeill at Pilates of Marin,  kicks ass.  She is no joke, and I love when she pushes me.  Sometime I hate it when I can’t do what she is asking because my body just isn’t there yet. And it hurts. And it feels good.

I know my thoughts about every circumstance create my feelings.

I decided I will open up to exercise and scheduled 3 Pilates classes. 

At the end of first class, Evan said, “Relax, and just be a body.  Feel your body and integrate all the work you just did.”  I felt tears running down the side of my face.  The feeling of closing my eyes and just being a body was fantastic.  It also had some sadness in it. Another thought drifted in about the pain I experienced in my past.  It was a brief moment. I came back to the present deliciousness of being a body in space in a safe place.  Strong at 64 and full of joy.

At the end of the second class, I felt a hot tingling all across my shoulders.  It wasn’t really pain at all.  It wasn’t easy to do the work, but when it ended I really liked the feeling.

Now, I think “Exercise is wooing me.  Flirting with me.” I can’t wait for our third date.

Thank you, Ari Whitten, Energy Blueprint, for the question.  If I had not been asked – why don’t I exercise?  I would not have made the connection between my thought about exercise and my emotions and the sensations I feel in my body.  I had to stop. I had to slow down.  I had to use my brain to think and my body to feel.  I had to use my consciousness to decide. 

One thing I know about life, there will always be thoughts and there will likely be pain and I will always have a choice.  I’m good with it.