Hopping on the exercise bus

Everyone knows exercise is good for you. It fills your body with oxygen and invites endorphins to cavort through your body to make you feel good. The energy you expend to work out comes right back at you, producing more energy to carry out the activities of daily life.

I had a great exercise routine before cancer. But during treatment I turned into a sluggish couch potato, and it shows. So after seven months with only walking, a few swims and some failed attempts to get back into a workout routine, I'm hopping back on the exercise bus -
with an inspirational driver.

T encourages me to be the best me I can be, so she's the perfect personal trainer. She put me through the rigours of my first fit test on Monday. While I was disgusted with my performance in a few areas (my balance is out of whack and my cardio ability has greatly diminished), I surprised myself in other areas. She also said I still had good form. We now have a starting place from which to judge my fitness improvements over the next six weeks.

She's pushing me, which is exactly what I need. At the end of our session on Monday, she asked, which cardiovascular exercise I was going to do on Tuesday. Hunh, I hadn't thought about it. But I quickly said, "swim some laps." Then I was committed. So yesterday, I swam just over half a mile in 30 minutes without stopping. Yay!

T then reminded me of our appointment today where we'll work together and asked, "So what do you plan to do on Thursday?" I was compelled to provide a specific answer, which again committed me to following through. Then she told me I had to plan one more cardio activity between Friday and Sunday. Alrighty then.

It takes 21 days to form a new habit. I'm lucky I have T inspiring me to reintegrate exercise back into my life. Since I'm forced to be accountable to someone and don't want to let her down, I'll form this awesome habit again.

I have to admit, I've felt good the past two days after working out. Focusing on exercise also pushes cancer from my mind, which is a good thing.

Although I do have another job from my social worker that will bring cancer back to the forefront, at least temporarily. She wants me to write myself a letter from cancer. I have to mull this one over a bit before I write, but watch for it within the next week. I think it's going to be harder than the one I wrote to cancer.

But in the meantime, I'm going to sweat my way to a healthier, stronger, better me.

Tina