Forever Young

This morning I got together with some of my girlfriends to attend another girlfriend's kickboxing group exercise class. I have not been to the gym nor consistently exercised for over two years and completely underestimated how HARD exercise can be for me! Like math, it appears that if you do not use it, you definitely LOSE it. Only 30 minutes into the routine, I felt lightheaded and nauseous and had to sit down to catch my breath. As I sat there and watched my energizer-bunny friend teach the class, I realized that I do not want to make my life more complicated than it has to be by not taking care of my health.

I don't want to stroke out. I don't want to be out of breath when I walk up 5+ flights of stairs. I don't want back pain, joint pain, or any other type of pain that stems from lack of exercise and poor diet. I don't want stints in my body to hold my arteries open. I don't want chemicals coursing through my veins to regulate my blood, hormones, or weight. I don't want to require an oxygen tank to breathe nor a motorized vehicle to get around a grocery store. I don't want to prick my finger to test my blood-sugar levels. I don't want blood vessels to be the cause of my poor eyesight. I don't want my libido to drop because of the medication I take to lower my cholesterol. I don't want my life scheduled around doctor's visits or therapy sessions. I don't want Walgreen's to have a reocurring prescription for me every month. And I don't want to own one of those SMTWTHFS pill containers.

The benefits of exercise go beyond looking good. Although I've always known them, I have paid no attention to their importance. As a reminder to myself, I have listed those benefits below:

1. Increase our moods. Screw bad days!

2. Combats chronic disease.

3. Manages our weight.

4. Increase our engery levels. No more feeling tired all day long!

5. Helps us sleep better. Goodbye dark under eye circles.

6. Raises our libido. Hubba hubba.

7. Wards off viral illnesses.

Until now, looking good was the ONLY benefit that mattered to me. Today's experience, once again, has shown me how wrong I was in my twenties.

Gawd, I love my thirties!