As you can see from my previous article “My YMCA Experience”, I love racquetball. I have never been a great exerciser. I have tried many classes over the years in an attempt to try and be healthy and exercise. When I started really playing racquetball at the ripe old age of 36, I knew I had finally found the answer to exercise for me. I have been playing for 15 years now and still enjoying it as much as I can. It is a very addicting game once you have been bit by the bug, but it does take it’s toll on your body over the years. I have had many bumps, bruises, sprains, cuts, black eyes, etc. but I keep coming back for more. I have laid off playing for 6 months at a time in order to recover from injuries. When I started this journey to weightloss back in February I was doing the Activtrax workout as well as playing racquetball. Around the end of March, I tore my meniscus in my knee and had to stop playing.. I wasn’t quite sure what I would be able to do with this type of an injury but I was determined to continue exercising anyway I could. Walking was always an option, and I would continue that everyday. The weather was starting to get nicer and I started playing golf again. I learned how to play golf last summer and I really love it. It is such a challenge learning all the different shots, and which club to use when. As long as it was nice outside I could play 2-3 times a week. If I could walk 9 holes I would, but I did enjoy riding in the cart, especially after working all day. I played in a ladies league on Wednesday nights and looked forward to it every week. I was seeing an Orthopaedic doctor for my knee and started doing physical therapy twice a week. I did this for about 2 weeks at the hospital and decided that I could continue at the gym doing the same routine. I could ride the bike for 10 minutes and go 2 miles. I never realized that I could do this but my PT guy loved challenging me and I was always up for it since I was in major exercise mode. I decided to make this part of my weekly exercise routine, a couple of times a week. So now I had golf 2-3 times a week, walking the dog, and going to the gym a couple of times a week, and don’t forget my trusty ab workout every morning. It’s amazing how much exercise you can get in your normal daily routine.
The most important thing is finding activities that you enjoy. If you don’t think of it as exercise, or a necessity, and just make it a fun, positive part of your life, you will look forward to it, and actually want to exercise. Take a walk after dinner, or a big meal. Park further away from your destinations to get a few more steps in. Find that sport that you used to love and try it out again. You will be amazed how motivating it is, participating in something you look forward to, and seeing/feeling real benefits. It’s all a state of mind.
Living to Exercise
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