No Pain, More Gain: My Journey to Embracing Moderate Exercise

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Hey there! So, let me share a little something about my fitness journey. I’ve finally figured out how to exercise without the pressure to push myself to extremes. It’s funny how society often rewards the hardcore fitness enthusiasts, but that’s not me. When I stroll into the gym every couple of weeks, the friendly manager, who has the best sense of humor, greets me with a teasing, “Oh hey, nice to see you again!” And you know what? I’m totally cool with it now. I used to feel guilty about my sporadic gym visits, but I’ve come to realize that exercising less obsessively is my version of mastering fitness.

Let me backtrack a bit. Growing up, I was pretty active, but then college hit, and I found myself deep in my love affair with cigarettes. Yup, I was that person. Smoking was just part of my identity back in the ’80s, and fitness was the last thing on my mind. Running? Please! That sounded like climbing a mountain or swimming across an ocean to me.

But once I kicked the habit, I got curious about what my lungs could do without the smoke. I decided to sign up for a five-mile race, which, looking back, was quite the spectacle. I started off too fast and ended up gasping for air just a mile in. It was a brutal cycle of sprinting and catching my breath, but crossing that finish line? Pure joy! I thought I’d found my new passion.

I kept signing up for races and learned to pace myself, but here’s the kicker—I really didn’t enjoy running. It was more about pushing myself to the limit and then taking long breaks until I felt sluggish enough to dive back into training. Not exactly a healthy cycle, right?

Once I became a parent, I thought a sprint triathlon would be the way to shed the baby weight and get motivated. I joined a women’s training group, got a bike, and tried my hand at interval training. The triathlon day arrived, and despite panicking during the swim, I did surprisingly well. I felt great, so I immediately signed up for another triathlon. But guess what? That next race was a year away, and without a race looming, I slipped back into my old habits (hello, M&M’s and potato chips!).

Over the years, I found myself starting from scratch more times than I can count, and those races became less enjoyable, often feeling like a reminder of my lack of consistency. The last few races I did were fueled solely by willpower, and all I could think at the finish line was, “Thank goodness that’s over.”

Eventually, I stopped signing up for races altogether, canceled my gym membership, and gained a few pounds. I convinced myself I just wasn’t cut out to be an athlete. And you know what? That’s okay. I’m not an athlete, and I realized I don’t need to compete in races or collect medals to be fit.

At this point in my life, staying healthy is about integrating movement into my day. Climbing stairs, enjoying weekly yoga, walking with friends, and jogging in the park when the weather’s nice—that’s my jam. Sure, I might not earn medals or have sculpted abs, but I just want to keep my body running smoothly for years to come. Sometimes, doing less is the most effective workout of all.

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In summary, I’ve learned that fitness doesn’t have to be about extremes or competitions. Embracing a moderate approach has made all the difference in my life, allowing me to focus on what I truly enjoy while keeping my health in check.