Group exercise, not my cuppa tea.
Backstory
OK, it is Sunday morning and there is class at noon. Plenty of time to get ready. But for the last two hours, I've been talking myself out of it. It is now 11:20. Class is 20 min away. I'm not ready.So, what is my problem? I think I just don't like group exercise. I'm a loner type. I'm an empath, and I have PTSD. I hated gym in school, hate the thought of being embarrassed by the instructor, hate feeling like an imposter. I'm 78% introvert. I'm probably higher, but I lied on some of the questions to look better.
So what DO I like? Walking, riding my bike (alone, slow-ishly), video exercise in home, weights (light weights).
I obviously have had success, lost 50# doing it like this. Both my acupuncture lady, my nutrition lady think I need to get out to exercise, with people.
Nobody really socializes at exercise. They rush in, have class, and rush off again. That's my experience. Even back in the day when I went to Jazzercise. Some people are really good at meeting other people, I'm not one of them. I'm nice, friendly, I just don't talk much in a group.
So, here's my new plan. Do what works best for me. Lately I've felt so bad about not being able to go to yoga, I've stopped everything. Like I'm a big fat failure.
Well, poof, enough of that! We're all made differently. I can hardly tell you how much relief I feel coming to this realization. It makes me feel like dancing! (alone in my house).
For now. Until **I** feel differently. Not when someone else says I should feel differently. Big lesson for me. :)
by Dragonflower in Six-Word Memoirs on Feb 10, 2013 | 
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Comments
MO_Thoughts2 says,
I tried the class exercise, and enjoyed it, but it was hard to make the classes all the time between work and the kids. So I purchased Zumba (from Craigslist) which I do every now and then, but I've found I like the Walking DVD best. Best $10 I've spent at WalMart. Yesterday I did a two mile walk in the comfort of my front room. The video is a 5 mile video and I'm working my way up to the five miles. But 30 minutes and 2 miles is a great start and doable in my schedule.Dragonflower says,
Yes, MO, you told me that before and that's s what got me to thinking....I'm lucky I don't have the weather to contend with like you so I can get out and walk most every day. I used to until "people" started making me feel that wasn't god enough. That's my own interpretation-they really are just trying to be helpful.Thanks again for your encouragement! I feel better now and more myself.
Dragonflower says,
*good enough*MotorCityMich says,
I totally understand and sympathize. I've only found one group exercise class that I felt comfortable with, but I'd still prefer not to embarrass myself with a bunch of people who are more fit than I am. I need to get back on the exercise/movement kick, but it's hard... especially since I feel so much further behind anyone else and have a lot more to do than they do. *hugs*Layne says,
I don't think theres anything wrong with exercising by yourself. I'm the gym class hero. The girl that gets the ball passed to; the one with the touchdown dance. I wasnt always athletic though. I had a long awkward phase where I feared gym class. I got involved in sports around seventh grade, and things got better from there. But still, I try to help the kids that probably feel how you did; give them an easy pass to help them stay included. Nobody likes watching something happen around them but not knowing how to jump in. I know what thats like. Even now that I'm used to the group participation, I still like being on my own sometimes. I run on the weekends by myself, and it gives me a chance to catch up with everything thats going on and just get out of my own head for a while. Sometimes thats even more beneficial than group training. So kudos to you DE! And remember, no matter what, even if your just going for a walk you're still improving more than the person sitting on the couch at home:)Dragonflower says,
Thank you, Layne! You really do understand. You are sonice to help out the kids who aren't as physically inclined! If someone had done that for me, it would have helped so much. I used to love to play basketball and was good at free throws,but the inyourface thing was not me. The gym teacher would then put me somewhere where I had little activity so I wouldn't mess up the game. That didn't help anything! Yay for you for being so kind and not all ego driven.I was doing just fine and feeling proud of myself for my strength and weight loss until my "authority figures" started pushing me to group exercise. Then I felt stupid again and clumsy. So I went for walk today and feel happy again. I'm healthy and take no medications and eat well.
Thanks for the support! We're back in business, as my father used to say!