Doctor's Orders

I had my annual appointment yesterday with my doctor. The nurse weighed me, took my blood pressure and asked if I had any concerns.

I don’t. I’m good. My weight is under control for the first time in years. My blood pressure is the same as it’s always been, right there at good.

When the doctor finally came in, he mentioned the weight loss. He asked how I’d done it. He asked what I was doing for exercise.

Sigh…and, ha. Hahahaha. Okay, so I was glad to be able to say that the girls and I ride our bikes about seven miles every few days.

He nodded, glad to hear that.

Then he suggested strength training.

I nodded back at him, giving him what I hope was a look that said I was listening and considering taking his advice.

But you know what? Not really. I have no intention of doing any sort of weight training. Resistance? Maybe. It could happen. It probably won’t but I won’t say that it definitely won’t.

I’ve said before that I hate exercise. I hate the feel of fatigued muscles in the middle of my living room. It’s different when we’re out on the road, riding our bikes. We actually going somewhere, the pain is worth the effort because we’re moving, we’re doing something, we’re not just in our basement, moving parts on a stationary bike or on a treadmill. I can’t just get off a bike in the middle of a country road and be done. I have to keep going to get to our destination.

That makes the exercise of riding a bike feel worth the effort.

Weight training? Strength training for the sake of lifting weights? It feels pointless and the pain of it all feels ridiculous to me.

I know I need to get over this. I do. I know I’m getting older and doing some strength training will do nothing but make me healthier. So…I’ll think about it. I’m not promising anything, though. Not even if it means ignoring my doctor’s orders.

Note: I realize that this all makes me sound like a big old brat. I’m working on that. Promise.