Isn’t this a great line? It’s a quote from Marc David in his book Slow Down; when I read it, it totally resonated with me.

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I was that person who often felt I had been given the red card and, therefore, had to suffer the penalty of going through many hours of grueling exercise. Why did I, as referee, feel I warranted the penalty? Simply because I had overindulged a little, or partied more than I had planned? So, I deserved the punishment of having to sweat it all out, and this would surely get me back on the playing field. (This was mostly in my 20s and 30s when I had the luxury of time on the weekend, both to party and spend hours at the gym.)

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of exercise and believe in all the benefits it brings. However, as is the case with food, it needs to be balanced and enjoyed in moderation. Doing three hours of grueling workouts because we feel guilty for overeating is certainly not the type of love and care our body needs.

I’ve written many articles about how we need to learn to respect and appreciate our mind and body, and then show it the love it deserves through healthy foods that will refuel us appropriately. This not only applies to how much and how we eat (regardless of how healthy it is) but also to fitness – there is a healthy balance for this too.

Maybe it’s because I’m turning 50 in a few weeks, or just getting wiser with old age, but I’m trying to embrace the benefits of slowing down and doing less in some areas, to save energy for others. For some time I’ve embraced the concept of slow food (as opposed to fast food), and endeavor to focus on enjoying it mindfully so that I am satisfied with less. I now understand that by slowing down our eating habits, we can slow down our exercise routine and simply enjoy moving our body, the way we want to, for the right reasons – because we want to, as opposed to feeling we have to. Enjoy that 50-minute run so you can get inside your own head, or the social interaction of partaking in a boot camp session, or the joy of a tennis match.

When studying to be a personal trainer a number of years back, I learned that in order to build strength and tone up, the secret is speed – and the slower the better. As you contract the muscle, you count very slowly to two, and then to four as you extend or release, doing less reps and sets with heavier weights. This is far more effective than racing through many long sets of bicep curls, or push-ups. To get the desired results – slow works, contrary to what we might think.

So, as we learn to pace ourselves more slowly and mindfully when we eat, we learn we are satisfied with less. This negates that red card, meaning we can exercise for enjoyment while still reaping the benefits.  And this, my friend, gives us so more time to enjoy the journey of life and be at peace with our body.

Look out for my follow-up article where we discuss how to exercise because you enjoy it, and not out of guilt.

Visit the Health & Vitality page to find out more about Liza's business.

_{Edited by Nedda Chaplin
Image credit: Friends Enjoying Drink And Snack from Shutterstock}

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