Exercise

Some people do it, some don't. Some are consistent, some aren't. What gives? What is the difference? This week I've been having the same conversation over and over with clients and friends, and I'm starting to believe that maybe one of the things I'm meant to work on this year is to try and answer this in a deliberate, thoughtful fashion.

What keeps us from exercising?

We know it's good for us, and for most of us, there is some form of exercise we find pleasant or at least not UNpleasant. Is there some basic difference in personality or character that makes one person focused and habitual in his exercise, while another simply wanders off and never laces a running shoe again? Is it nature or nurture? If we watched our parents take their evening walk after every dinner, are we more likely to pick up the habit? Is it genetics? Are some bodies more inclined to crave physical movement than others? It is socialization? If our buddies are swimming three times a week, do we feel more compelled to jump in the pool than we might if all of our buddies sat on the couch all day? Are people who exercise regularly more disciplined? And what does that mean, discipline of self? I know plenty of people who never shed a drop of sweat in an exercise class, but when you visit their house, you can eat off the floor, it's so sanitary. That's not undisciplined, keeping a house spotless, and it's certainly not lazy. What about the non-exerciser who runs a company, makes payroll every week, goes into the store on the weekend whenever there is a crisis. That person is certainly motivated, and no one could call her lazy.

Is it the difference between feeling successful and not feeling successful at exercising? There are certainly those among us who are faithful at working out and eating well, but still lack the ideal physique, and yet they keep on working. And of course there are those who are naturally gifted with lovely physiques but couldn't lift anything heavier than a purse if their lives depended on it.

I'm starting to believe, and this is after 20 years of doing this, that there truly (stop the presses) isn't one thing that makes the difference. I've known people who had parents who would rather have slit their wrists than go for a fitness walk who turn out to be marathoners. I've known children of athletes who you can't pry away from the computer. Some clients have had great support from their families when it came to squeezing in another workout, and others leave for their morning walks with kids and spouses yelling, "You're so selfish!"

It can't be something totally extrinsic, and yet determining the intrinsic seed of possibility that leads to an active lifestyle may be better left to the scientists in the lab than to me, basing my opinions on anectdotal evidence.

What I'm finding is there are certain things that do tend to hamstring us, tend to trip us up. These are things we can work on. Tomorrow I'll take some time and study this a bit further, but for now, it's time for dinner. A salad and salmon, applesauce for dessert. Yum!