I first bumped into Ruth some 7 years ago. We were both taking stress busting walks within the neighbourhood. We stayed so close to each other and yet we had never met. The economy was taking a nose-dive and 2014 was the beginning of the era of  massive job lay-offs. A gnashing of teeth for thousands, the two of us included. 
Our friendship and the commitment to taking walks hit off on that note. The sunset walks  proved to be very therapeutic, both emotionally and physically. Without realising it, we started shedding weight. We were pleased of course, and so we decided to take exercising seriously.  The next four years we worked out and worked hard together and we toned up. We had such interesting conversations, laughed like mad women and became very close. It has been 2 years since my dear friend relocated to England. I miss her.

A year into the program Ruth asked when we were going to stop seeing we were happy with the results. I told her that there was no stopping because the whole undertaking was a preparation. I must have sounded quite convincing because she seriously wanted to know what it was we were preparing for and for how long. I had no answer then.

I have had family and friends asking me how I have managed to stay fit for this long. Seven years might not be long for some people but for me it is quite an achievement considering how I started off. After giving birth to my babies I gradually gained weight and had a sedentary lifestyle. I had come to accept that weight crept on as you grew older and there was nothing you could do about it. Do you know there is also belief that the moment you stop exercising you are bound to put on more weight than you had before? That was enough to scare me off plus of course the hard work involved in working out. Seven years ago stress sent me walking and fast forward to today, I am a fitness enthusiast to the surprise of many myself included.

And so to answer the question, let me share what has worked for me.  Please bear in mind that what works for me might not work for you because we are different. I however hope you might be able to come out with pointers that you can use to develop your own program.

1.Start with the end in mind

I might have started off wanting to manage my stress but along the way it became a mental and physical health issue. Being this intentional I needed to have a plan. On my vision board I came up with a picture of how I would want to look in 5 years time. Role models for me became women like Angela Basset who also happens to be one of my favourite actresses. Then in her mid-50s she looked as amazing as the day she dove into the pool in the movie, How Stella Got Her Groove Back.  And now in her 60s, Angela still got game! She made me realise that an active lifestyle is possible at any age. It only required a change in mindset.

2. Take small steps

 If you do not set realistic goals, you are setting yourself up for failure. You don’t have to bite off more than you can chew because changes do not happen overnight. It’s like sprinting without any form of training nor a warm up.  You will not be able to keep the momentum and eventually you burn out. I gave myself a five year target which I felt was achievable.  My aim was to get to 50 years of age still in active mode. For me that would be an achievement and I could choose to stop if I wanted to. Well, I turned 50 last year and a milestone reached and yet had no reason to stop. The bug had gotten me! Now I have another 5 year target to meet but am not under any pressure. 

3. Do what you enjoy most

There are so many activities out there but not all of them are cut out for us. The key is to have fun while exercising rather than feeling like it’s a punishment. There is no denying there is hard work involved, but the moment you start dreading it then that exercise might not be for you. Chances are that you will give up somewhere along the way. I enjoy walking and jogging just as much as I enjoy the beauty and serenity of the outdoors.  Come rain, sunshine or winter I will go out there to do my thing. I always look forward to it. I also enjoy running marathons. I am always challenging myself to run longer distances than the previous marathon. Call it runner’s high or maybe am a sucker for pain!  The Covid-19 pandemic and the stay at home regulations have seen me introducing skipping to my regime. I also enjoy it and so I now alternate the days between jogging  and skipping.

4. Prioritise

We are sometimes so busy, such that we find it difficult to set aside time for exercising. What I now know sure is that if exercising really that important we will set aside time for it.My family and friends now appreciate that there is a certain time of the day when they cannot get my attention because I will be exercising. There are times when we have to put our needs first. It’s not selfishness but self care.

4. Happy feet

I enjoy running marathons but there was one I just didn’t enjoy.  My running shoes were such a close fit and my toes rubbed against the material as I ran. I forced myself to get to the finishing line but I was in so much pain. I had to hobble to the car after the race and sadly lost my toenails a few weeks later. My point here is, dress appropriately and comfortably so that you can focus on enjoying the exercise. If you are going to walk or run, your feet had better be comfortable. You will be surprised by how far they can take you if they are happy.

5. Patience and Discipline

Most times we want things to happen fast and with least effort. Exercising sometimes is not like that. Results may take time to show and if you are not patient you will give up easily. It took me almost a year to reach my ideal weight. Though I had to be patient, for me the joy of working out outweighed the urgency to lose weight. I gradually lost about 18kgs. I also made sure I had enough motivation and discipline to keep at it with as few excuses as possible. Therefore be patient, be gentle with yourself  and trust the process. Please note, results are different for different people.

6. Buddy up!

It is always good to be with someone who shares the same interests as you. That way you can encourage and become accountable to each other. The 4 years we worked together, Ruth and I pushed and pulled each other along. We worked so hard and laughed so hard we sometimes did not feel the pain of exertion. There were times we would ask ourselves how we made it uphill. We were however not overly dependent on each other. You could still go it alone if the other was too tied up to join you. I have been exercising alone ever since she left. If you are doing it for you and enjoying it you can not find excuses.

7.Take time to rest

Our bodies have a way of communicating with us, if we listen. That dread you experience when you think about going out to exercise could be that your body needs rest. Failure to rest can lead to constant fatigue and injuries. It is important to set aside days for rest and recovery. You are not a robot and neither are you training for the Olympics. Rest and relaxation are critical parts of a healthy lifestyle.

8. To be or not to be

When we journey and then arrive at our intended destination, the next thing to do is to disembark. People also do the same when they exercise and reach their targeted weight or fitness. Ruth and I used to joke about the dangers of reversing ,“ the hard won gains of independence”. Ii is very easy to give up just as it is easy for the body to put on weight again. I believe it is even harder to start all over again than staying in the “maintenance mode” as we called it. The maintenance mode is now the life journey that keeps you going even if it means embracing the sweat and pain that come with it.

A fantastic journey it has been…….

In conclusion, it has now become clear to me that exercising has all the while been a preparation for a life journey. I have no wish to see end nor to disembark, if God wills it. I am inspired by people in their  60s, 70s, and even 80s who have remained committed active lifestyles. Now I know that staying fit is no mean task. It takes a lot of dedication, discipline, patience, sweat and pain. And yet there are so many benefits that one gets to enjoy along the way. The physical, mental,spiritual, and the list goes on. My final words are, it’s better late than never!