The Theory of Exercise

Many studies have shown that exercise is proven to reduce stress levels and make you feel better. I never really understood this because generally speaking I have had pretty low stress, well nothing that I haven't been able to cope with by doing a little bitching here and there, and generally speaking I have always felt "good".

With being put on the infertility bandwagon and while watching life around me continue I've become stressed. Extremely stressed and I can't deal with it by bitching. Mostly because nobody I bitch to really gets it, and I don't want to be that girl that constantly bitches. I've also felt like crap - all of the things I've been putting into my body have not done wonders for my overall well being.

I have recently (in the past three months or so) discovered running. I used to hate running, with every fiber of my being - hated running. Now I'm really starting to enjoy it. I think I'm starting to get it. Here's my theory:

People who run are stressed. They run, not because they are "running away", but because running is an extremely taxing activity that nobody in their right mind truly enjoys* and while you're doing it you really can't think about anything else except the things that are happening right in front of you and concentrating on putting one foot in front of another and trying to get through that next minute. Its survivial. When you're trying to survive you don't have time to obsess about anything that is stressing you, whether that's work, family, or trying to create a family, its just you, your feet, and trying to ignore the little voice in your head that's saying "its ok if you stop now".

I could extend that theory to exercise and working out in general. I have been working out with my trainer since May or June(ish). Those three nights a week where I'm getting my ass kicked gives me at least a half hour and then about another 20 minutes afterwards where I'm thinking about nothing but how much my butt hurts or how tired I am. Again surviving. And if you're exercising and you're still feeling stressed - obviously you're not working hard enough because you can still think straight. After a particularly hard work out - I can barely walk and comprehend how to get home, nevermind think about anything important. It goes a little something like this: MUST.GO.HOME... NEED. FOOD.COUCH... NOW.... The last thing on my mind is all my troubles with starting a family and the minor things at work. Its fantastically freeing.

So that's my theory for today. The reason why we sadistically torture ourselves with things like running is because it makes us feel better. And the reason why it makes us feel better is because it returns us to the very core of ourselves where nothing else matters except the most basic things.

Surviving an exercise routine is saving my mind.




*refer to my first sentence of this paragraph - people who run are stressed and hence aren't fully in their right minds anyways.