Health & Fitness
Working Out Relieves My Stress
There has been more stress than I would care to admit to over the last nine months, and all the physical presentations of stress were happening to me. I knew I had to go back to the gym.
I have never been much on regular exercise. I was always active when I was younger. Then I had my first daughter. I started at 98 lbs, and ended MUCH heavier. Best thing that ever happened to me was Ernie’s American Karate. I was never in better shape after working with the great people there. Then Alicia got sick, we spent most of the time in the hospital. For a very long time. I wish I had realized back then how powerful a good work out was for clearing the mind. I would have been running up and down the stairs of those hospitals.
Later, I added two more kids to the fray. Oh, how my body changed and revolted! Never mind I waited so long to have the other lovies, the body just did not bounce back the way I would have liked. I think the only time I got back to a level I was happy with was when I spent so many weeks building Project Playground. Then reality set in again, and happy body left!
About a year and a half ago, my dear friend and cousin of my husband talked me into joining a gym. Unfortunately, we were unable to schedule time to get there together, but I stuck with it for quite a while. Then I had a few health issues, and never got back to the gym. Even as my stress levels rose, it never occurred to me to go back to the gym. I was a bit afraid, and fear won.
There has been more stress than I would care to admit to over the last nine months, and all the physical presentations of stress were happening to me. I just couldn’t take it anymore. I knew I had to go back. For many weeks, I played with the idea in my head, “go back, you’ll be fine, it clears your head.” And that is the part that won out. I needed stress relief.
426 Fitness, here I come. I got help reminding me how to work the elliptical machine. Twenty five minutes later, my legs shaking, I walked out the door, and took a deep breath. That’s when I realized the mind was lighter.
I ran into a friend who suggested I might like the classes better than working on my own. I did one more day of my own circuit. Tonight I went to the class. I told the instructor I was a newby, she promptly announced she brought her fast music. God bless you Sherri Winn, you worked me hard! When I thought I was going to melt, everyone else who regularly attends the class was wondering why it was so hot. Oops, the heat was on! Sherri’s take was that now I am ready for anything! If I ever get off the couch again, I just might be! Luckily, my stress level seems pretty low. I might be onto something here.
