Importance of Exercise - Essay Example

Eager to get started I willingly signed up for my fitness test wherein the trainer would determine the physical fitness program that would best suit my needs.
Excited and enthusiastic would describe my mood at the time of assessment. My first task was to test my endurance and meant that I had to run two kilometers in twenty-five minutes. Me run! My enthusiasm for fitness instantly decreased by 30% upon visualizing myself running around the block in the midday sun, dying for water and collapsing less than halfway around. Nevertheless, once I realized I would be running on a treadmill I decided to give it a go. I felt quite pleased with myself to start and thought that the task would not be so difficult after all. After ten minutes, however, I was not going as fast as I needed to finish the length in the allotted time, so the speed was increased. That was the end for me. I had to stop. I felt my heart was in my mouth and if I took one more step I would send it into oblivion.

Strength was the next assessment area, and after composing myself from the endurance catastrophe I keenly ventured into my next venture, for, after all, I considered myself to be quite strong and able to lift a few weights. My enthusiasm instantly nose-dived by a further 50% on finding that I was not lifting weights but doing push-ups and sit-ups. I was expected to do at least nineteen push-ups and twenty-six sit-ups - according to my age – forget the time frame. How many did I do? I did ten sit-ups and zero push-ups but what seemed a hundred attempts.

By the time I was confronted with my final assessment which was flexibility I was feeling extremely tired and disillusioned with the whole idea of fitness. My next test was flexibility. My body was manipulated into unspeakable contortions and by the end, I felt every muscle and bone in my body was either bruised, bent or broken. By the time I left the gymnasium my enthusiasm for a fit and healthy body was now sitting at minus 10%.

While many women are subjecting themselves to such torment and physical abuse in the quest for health and beauty, I have decided to forego the torture but not at the risk of detriment. I have decided to take care of my own healthy lifestyle, not by pain but by gain. I will switch to low-fat dairy products and eat lots of fruit and vegetables and whole grains. I will avoid excessive salt and white sugar. I will make sure I have at least eight hours of sleep a night and take a brisk walk – NOT RUN – each morning. Who said there can be no gain without pain? Read More