As I was thinking of the topic, exercise as punishment, I wondered why this is a problem for adults. Then I remembered that we were taught in school (PE) that exercise is a form of punishment. Is this a reason why some people use exercise as punishment? Maybe if you were late for PE or were having too much fun with your friends during class you were made to do push ups or run laps. I wonder if teachers still do this… or if there is still PE in school? What a poor lesson to have been taught, especially for those who have possibly carried this with them through their lives. I’m not saying this is ‘the’ reason or if it is, it may not be the only reason, but I’m sure it has played a part. Some sport coaches use exercise as punishment too. Do they really think pushing the athlete to run (or other exercise) so hard & so long that it will make them better?

Even decades later, some still think of exercise as punishment. I hear so many people say they ate this so now they have to exercise harder to work it off. Sounds like punishment to me. On social media you’ve probably seen lists of foods with how much of an exercise you need to do to burn so many calories listed beside them. Example: in order to eat a chocolate bar guilt free, you need to do hundreds of burpees. These people are telling us that we should punish ourselves with exercise for eating. They are telling themselves & others that we have to punish ourselves for eating or one must work off meals and treats. We are still hearing that this type of behavior is acceptable but it’s not, it’s WRONG! How do we change this? We’re not doing tricks for treats, we don’t have to earn our food. We don’t have to work it off either. Do we make our pets earn their food? No, it’s a necessity for life.

It’s best not to become obsessed over an enormous meal we ate or are going to eat or a day of overeating but focus on what we do for the rest of the week, month & year. It’s the habits that we are doing continually that matter. If I over indulge on something, I prefer to think of it as energy for my next exercise session, mind you my next exercise session isn’t a week or a month later, usually it will be the next morning. I like to view exercise as making me feel better, having more energy. Rather than viewing going for a walk as something I have to do because I am going to eat a big dinner or I ate a big dinner.

View going for a walk as a way to get some fresh air, clear your head & improve your mood. Go for a walk because it makes you feel good. Look at the big picture rather than just one day. How are your eating habits throughout the year? Is exercise a part of your daily routine? We should exercise to feel good, get stronger, relieve stress, have fun, expand our physical boundaries & improve the overall quality of our life. We shouldn’t be exercising to punish ourselves or to earn food or because we hate our bodies.

Exercise is medicine. Practice makes Permanent. Move more to feel better.

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