Does the word “exercise” just make you mad?
Does the term “work-out” make you want to burrow under your covers and never come out except for meals of buffalo wings and chocolate?
I get that way, too.
And no, I don’t want to take a walk with you, thanks for asking, because I am nervous that I’ll get out of breath while we’re talking and walking and I don’t like that feeling. I like to walk by myself and look at the trees and think of nothing or whatever I want, and watch my dog sniff stuff.
I know — God, we’ve all heard it a billion times — that finding something you love is the key to keeping up with your exercise routine.
AGH, there’s that word EXERCISE again! I love water aerobics. What I hate is the necessary shower before and after and all those wet suits and towels and watershoes and stuff that has to be dealt with after the class. I love Zumba but I have meetings that time of night. See what I’m doing? Proving WRONG those “do what you love and that will cure all your resistance to exercise!” cheerleadery types.
Because I’m an emotionally rebellious fat girl, darn it.
So anyway, the other day I said to myself, “I need to set aside 30-60 minutes every day for dedicated body time.” That can mean stretching, that can mean uninterrupted house work, that can mean two fifteen-minute dog walks, it can mean anything where I’m up and moving.
This is about pain management and health, period.
So, it turns out that I really like this DBT concept. It’s very open.
PeaceBang to Self:
“What am I going to do for my DBT tomorrow?”
Self to PeaceBang:
“Well, I really need to clean the storage room, how about that?”
PeaceBang to Self: “That’s great. An hour of that is great, I’ll get a ton done, and it’s totally DBT.”
Feel free to adjust as necessary for your own needs. I just like the term DBT because it takes me away from that “must work-out for an hour three times a week” mechanized mentality.
I know I could easily spend the rest of the afternoon at home avoiding the heat, but I made a commitment to do my DBT today in a friend’s pool. I can’t let my DBT down.
I hope this might be something some of you might dig, too. Cheers, darlings.
DBT. You don’t have to monitor heart rate or wear any special clothes or compete with anyone or keep up with the class if you don’t want to. You don’t have to count calories burned or do anything but keep movin’.
I have always hated the term ‘work out’. I want to PLAY out…
Dedicated body time–yes, but I have days when that means sleeping an extra hour! And today, when I’ve hauled my rollercase through train stations and streets in three cities, walked a lot, and have a cold coming on, my DBT consists of a long hot shower, and extra decaf tea with lemon….
Just sayin, health and pain management isn’t always about the dreaded ‘e’ word!
Thank you for this! It’s a shift in thinking about how we take care of our bodies… “dedicated body time”. I’m borrowing this for sure 🙂
HALLELUJAH! thanks for posting this, for being fabulous, and for articulating so many things that i often think but never say.
Love this! One of my readers once said that as their New Years’ resolution they were going to stop “exercising” and “dieting” and start having “playtime” and “snacks” instead. I thought it was brilliant. (And good call about changing it to “Dedicated Body Time” from your original FB post. I was going to warn you not to use that other acronym on the internet.)
This is a wonderful way of thinking, and I appreciate it enough to pass on something from the first thing that comes to mind when I see DBT, a song (with PG-13 language in the first line) that has helped me through hard times: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBCfYr5rUp0
Your advice is basically step one of this book, http://www.amazon.com/Move-Little-Lose-Lot-N-E/dp/030740854X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283310388&sr=1-1, Move a Little, Lose a Lot. ITs written by a doctor from Mayo. He says to look at activity level rather than exercise. Activity can include walking for any reason, including grocery shopping or similar activity, swimming, yard work, etc. Anything that moves the body counts!
Oh, I loveeeeee this. Lovelovelove. Thanks, PeaceBang, for introducing “DBT” into my vocabulary. 😀
Personally, I’m the Zumba convert who is sad you can’t go to classes (my gym has some in the mornings? maybe? sigh). My favorite instructor doesn’t ask us if we’re ready to sweat or “work out” anything like that– she starts the class asking (yelling- that gal has pipes) if we’re ready to DANCE. And after stressful work days, ohhh, am I ever. 😀
I love this concept of getting up and MOVING, getting physical, somehow. On our own terms. I’m more likely to take a walk or clean my bathroom or go to Zumba if it isn’t a CHORE. Let’s make it about what’s good and right for us.
Amen! And thanks for the new perspective. Much needed today
I get all my exercise for the purpose of (a) fun or (b) getting somewhere/getting something done. I refuse to break a sweat just for the sake of breaking a sweat.
So, lots of walking, biking (for transportation), gardening, climbing mountains.
When reading this, I felt as if you were writing my story. It was odd having you in my head and heart on this subject. I joined my local YMCA last spring and have committed to doing deep water aerobics, zumba and the cross trainer machine. I am stronger and feel much better – alas, I am not a smaller person as my appetite for food has not changed at all!
If we do not care for ourselves, how can we in good conscience encourage others to care for themselves – are we practicing what we preach. Or more importantly, if we ignore self-care will we be authentic ministers?
Thank you!