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The old saying that "doing something is better than nothing" might be more useful than it seems.
When it comes to including physical activity into your daily life, some can maintain a regular exercise schedule with no problem, while others struggle to find the motivation to walk around the block. We are all at different levels of ability and athleticism—and that's normal!
The truth is, exercise isn't about running the farthest, or lifting the heaviest, or whatever our minds think exercise should be.
Exercise is about moving our bodies in ways we enjoy. It's that simple.
Personally, I grew up thinking exercise included hours at the gym with lots of running, lifting heavy weights, and more running. Why did I think this way? Well, mostly because whenever I did exercise, it was with my older brother—who is abnormally athletic. So athletic that he competed in the division one collegiate level track and field's decathlon events.
I, on the other hand, am definitely not a collegiate athlete. It took me a very long time to realize that my version of exercise did not have to look the same as my brother's in order to be healthy.
Trying to exercise in a way that you don't like or can't physically do is not sustainable and won't help you maintain an active lifestyle. One really intense workout is not nearly as good for you as walking for 30 minutes every day over a long period of time. Our goal is maintenance and sustainability, not killing yourself just to beat your friend's Apple Watch calorie counter.
Don't get me wrong—if you can run for miles and you really enjoy it, or if you can bike for hours and couldn't live without it, then do that!
But, if you just need to do something to get your body moving, find something you like. You and your body will thank you for it.
The Muscles for Myeloma 20 minute Fitness Challenge has been joined by over 200 myeloma patients who have already logged over 9,800 minutes of exercise since March 1. Join us to help us reach 80,000 in total minutes! Prizes for patients and caregivers will be given in multiple categories.
Thanks to our Muscles for Myeloma sponsors:
The old saying that "doing something is better than nothing" might be more useful than it seems.
When it comes to including physical activity into your daily life, some can maintain a regular exercise schedule with no problem, while others struggle to find the motivation to walk around the block. We are all at different levels of ability and athleticism—and that's normal!
The truth is, exercise isn't about running the farthest, or lifting the heaviest, or whatever our minds think exercise should be.
Exercise is about moving our bodies in ways we enjoy. It's that simple.
Personally, I grew up thinking exercise included hours at the gym with lots of running, lifting heavy weights, and more running. Why did I think this way? Well, mostly because whenever I did exercise, it was with my older brother—who is abnormally athletic. So athletic that he competed in the division one collegiate level track and field's decathlon events.
I, on the other hand, am definitely not a collegiate athlete. It took me a very long time to realize that my version of exercise did not have to look the same as my brother's in order to be healthy.
Trying to exercise in a way that you don't like or can't physically do is not sustainable and won't help you maintain an active lifestyle. One really intense workout is not nearly as good for you as walking for 30 minutes every day over a long period of time. Our goal is maintenance and sustainability, not killing yourself just to beat your friend's Apple Watch calorie counter.
Don't get me wrong—if you can run for miles and you really enjoy it, or if you can bike for hours and couldn't live without it, then do that!
But, if you just need to do something to get your body moving, find something you like. You and your body will thank you for it.
The Muscles for Myeloma 20 minute Fitness Challenge has been joined by over 200 myeloma patients who have already logged over 9,800 minutes of exercise since March 1. Join us to help us reach 80,000 in total minutes! Prizes for patients and caregivers will be given in multiple categories.
Thanks to our Muscles for Myeloma sponsors:
about the author
Erika Johnson
Myeloma Crowd Editorial Contributor, Nursing student, and cancer advocate.
