Activity is actually… fun
Perhaps the biggest blessing to come from the changes I’ve made has been the world of activity that has opened up to me. It’s possible to be active at any size (and kudos to people of all shapes and sizes who get out and get off their butts). For me, I’d gotten to a size where it was simply difficult to be active. I wasn’t comfortable or confident riding a bike. Regardless of what I was doing, I quickly became tired, winded or just simply didn’t have the strength to continue lugging my body around. Things like hiking weren’t much of an option unless I didn’t mind be left behind at around a tenth of a mile into the hike. Any elevation gains sent me into “exercise induced asthma attacks”.
Photo: My “new” 2011 Cannondale Quick 3 that I traded for on Craigslist.
The great news is that the same way poor habits have an exponential snowball effect… so do good habits! I’m absolutely stunned by how quickly my body responded to regular exercise. Early on it was hard. As it got easier, I’d step up my workout programs in order to increasingly push myself and keep my body responding and changing. I grew to love the gym and working out (took awhile) and actually started to see that as fun. My balance and coordination improved. I started to be able to go upstairs without gasping for air. I started to run. But even better than that, suddenly more fun stuff opened up to me. I started to feel stable on a bike. My favorite thing right now is biking. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I’ve joined a hiking club. The last time I was in snow, instead of feeling unsteady and afraid of falling, I *played*.
When I first bought my bike about 4 years ago with the intention of using it to get fit, I had difficulty getting on and off. I wasn’t comfortable. I felt unstable and once I got going, I was barely able to ride a mile. 2 weeks ago, I completed a 50 mile ride. Cardio and leg wise, I could have gone 100. My butt said 50 was plenty.
My point is… fitness is fun. Living life is fun. I can’t wait to explore the next new (to me) thing.
Photo: Me (left) Biking the Centennial trail with Mari-Ann (right), a PhD candidate from Denmark who is working on her research project at the company where I work.
WeightyTopics 
I finally started walking on a regular basis after problems with my bp landed me in the ER recently. Today, as I was walking, I was thinking how you wrote that when it comes to exercise, we should just get out there and do it. It really is true. It’s not a passive activity or one that can be experienced vicariously.
I also was reminiscing about the days when I used to lift weights and do cardio, go dancing, play backyard sports — decades ago. I am looking forward to reaching that goal once more, and I am hoping that it all turns “fun” again.
The main thing I realized is that by the time I was through thinking these things today and daydreaming about other things, I was finished with my walk! Boom, bam, done!
Yeah, I notice when I’m able to let my mind wander the time does pass quickly. None of this was fun right away and I had a hard time imagining it ever would be, but here I am. I think as long as we stick with it and don’t beat ourselves up physically or mentally, it gradually starts to shift from work to fun.