Moderation

This morning at the gym I was thinking about moderation. I can remember as a child that my parents told me,

all things in moderation

However, they also told me,

if you aren't going to do it right, don't do it at all.

I have tended for most of my life to be a all or nothing kind of person.

When I began my quest for fitness, my first few weeks of exercise were very painful. I could barely make it through 15 minutes on the elliptical trainer. I would be breathing heavily, sweating profusely, seeing stars, etc. And this was going slowly on the lowest setting. Every trip to the gym, was painful. Yet, I perservered. I kept going. After awhile the pain, sweating, heavy breathing, seeing stars began to subside. Now, I can workout for thirty minutes without all the drama.

I find that on the days that I exercise with moderation I go home feeling great. I get that exercise high. I enjoy my time at the gym. But, I don't increase my level of fitness. When I work out to excess, past the point of comfort, I go home feeling like crap, but the next day - I am stronger. Pushing myself past the limits of a moderate session of exercise hurting, sweating, seeing stars, falling to the floor in exhaustion, causes my body to overcome and adapt. Pushing myself just to the point of raising my heart rate to the aerobic levels, where I can still hold a conversation and where I can get that exercise high, go home and feel great - at this rate my level of fitness remains steady.

I do wish to increase my level of fitness, to be able to run faster, harder, longer. So for me I feel that a combination of moderate exercise and super exercise sessions is the right fit.

I think the rest of my life like how I approach parenting, school, housework, cooking - is a lot like how I approach exercise. Sometimes I just do what I have to do to get by at a moderate pace. At those times, I am not perfect or a superstar, but I am happy and my days holds very little stress. On the other hand there are times when I want to really give something my all and to feel a real sense of accomplishment, to be great. Being great causes a lot of stress, turmoil and pain - but ain't it great? Greatness in moderation.