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<p>I was about to begin that back in 1985, then got pregnant and never got back to it. I hope it’s an inspiring experience.</p>
<p>I like to think I’m an intelligent person, and when I swim for 30 minutes (actually an hour) I don’t think about anything. That’s one of the reasons I do it. </p>
<p>But when I’m cross country skiing, I make myself go faster by pretending I’m Bill Koch. I barely even remember who that is, but I think he was a cross country ski champion when I first took up the sport.</p>
<p>hey missypie…I was never the most coordinated soul…and I’m inflexible too (I remember you saying that you are as well). </p>
<p>I was pretty much a couch potato in my younger years…and I was OK cause I was pretty skinny. After college, I took up aerobic dance and got pretty good at it. But honestly, I have tried skiing and snorkeling and skating and I was terrible at all of them! Not good given that both my dear H and S are very athletic.
So I have persisted and I am now competent at a few things (and I was usually horrible when I started). I love long distance biking. And hiking. And yoga. And I used to run. I have tried really hard to see myself in a different way. If I see myself as an uncoordinated mess, my wish will most certainly come true! </p>
<p>I have a good friend who complains ALL the time about being uncoordinated. And she also tells me she hates to sweat. She would rather sit around and read books all day but the problem is that she is getting quite doughy. I think it’s a self perpetuating thing.
You have to believe and also be persistent. I know you hiked the grand canyon, so you are doing better than most! </p>
<p>Oh…and ask your kids to show you how to set up an ipod. I love mine…could not do without it at this point!</p>
<p>As to sports fantasies, I OFTEN dream that I am ice skating. I can go really fast and turn beautifully. I don’t know why I dream this, but I always love it when it happens, though I do feel a little embarassed when I wake up. I took skating lessons briefly when I was in my early 20’s, but never got very good at it.</p>
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<p>Yes, I do. I have even been laughed at/made fun of as an adult (by other adults). Not a recipe for making me enjoy sports. The only things I can stand to do are walk my dog and walk on the treadmill with the TV on (I would prefer to read but can’t seem to do that without falling off the treadmill).
Oh and I once broke my ankle walking my dog.</p>
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<p>Ah, at least there are some people out there who understand. I’ve thought that I could benefit from counseling because I am so terribly self conscious. But then I think how foolish and wasteful that would be. It’s not as if I’m too self conscious to work, make a living or do something productive.</p>
<p>Give me a sport that involves a ball and I’ll show you how good I am at catching it with my stomach or face. So those fun volleyball and softball games at the company outing? I’ll have to pass! </p>
<p>I love the skating dream. Took lessons as a kid and still love it. Great exercise and it’s fun.</p>
<p>I’m just incredibly uncoordinated. I like cycling because I can do it even though I’m uncoordinated. I like yoga because (at least in the classes I go to) it’s all about my own practice, not comparison to some damn pretzel-twisting Gumby on the mat next to mine.</p>
<p><a href=“I%20would%20prefer%20to%20read%20but%20can’t%20seem%20to%20do%20that%20without%20falling%20off%20the%20treadmill”>quote</a>.
Oh and I once broke my ankle walking my dog.
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<p>We may be receiving some insight into your choice of screen name!</p>
<p>missypie, how about imagining you are Bo Derek in 10 in that scene where she is running on the beach? I have to make up all kinds of things to trick my mind so I don’t stop or slow down until my time is up. I read somewhere that you only needed 12 minutes of aerobic workout to maximize the benefit, so I usually tell myself I will stop when my heart rate has been at my target for 12 minutes and then I keep adding 5 minutes to that until I have done my three miles. Why my mind believes this trick day in and day out is a mystery.</p>
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<p>OMG, that sounds so cruel - I imagine myself as Bo and then I catch a glimpse of my middle aged self in the mirror?! Y’all obviously are miles ahead of me in the imagination and creativity department!</p>
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<p>The motivator to train for that hike was unadulterated fear…I didn’t want to have to be rescued or drop dead on the trail.</p>
<p>Even Bo Derek does not look like Bo Derek in 10. 
Thanks to this thread and also to Costco, I renewed my gym membership. I figured out a way to pay the premium with 30% discount.</p>
<p>That’s the nice thing about using your imagination. You can look like anything you want. We don’t have any mirrors in front of the treadmills at our Y. There is glass that looks over the swimming pool and then there are some TVs up high.</p>
<p>The pool at my gym is glassed in, too, and everyone has to walk past it. You’ve got to admire those NY Resolution folks who are willing to don their swim suits in front of basically the whole gym.</p>
<p>Missypie, I had a significant accident that rendered me beyond uncoordinated. I was a runner and a skier and that was all over after a ski accident. </p>
<p>The bottom line is that getting coordinated again required the help of a PT and great trainer. Building muscle and gaining balance can be achieved by anyone.</p>
<p>In all honesty I think you have to give up the notion of having to love doing a sport or exercising. It is just amazing how great a worked out middle aged body can look. We’ll never be 18 again, but there’s no doubt in my mind we can all be relatively pleased when we catch a glimpse of ourselves in a mirror. </p>
<p>Was it this thread that quoted someone saying looking great tastes far better than any food? I couldn’t agree more.</p>
<p>Starting is hard–diet and exercise are painful to some extent for all-- but the results are so worth it!!!</p>
<p>Hey, Missypie, I give you credit for letting all of your misgivings hang out. You are obviously a very successful woman and it takes a lot of courage to admit that you are intimidated by something. I think your comments have been helpful to those who have similar feelings!</p>
<p>My DH was a beautiful athlete. He was able to pick up any sport with relative ease. I was not an athlete, but I was coordinated. My daughter was not. It was so difficult watching her valiantly persevere in swimming. I know that those experiences were very difficult for her and had an impact on her confidence. </p>
<p>I know you mean well Hmom, but having been a successful athlete, even after an accident, you have a different set of experiences upon which to draw. It is a whole other thing when you have always seen yourself (and others have been happy to point it out as well) as uncoordinated.</p>
<p>Hang in there Missypie! You can be my virtual walking partner - you know I am always looking for company.</p>
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<p>They were quoting Kate Moss. Like I’m going to take health advice from a heroin addict.</p>
<p>worknprogress, my spinal injury left me in the same shape as those who had been uncoordinated all of their lives. The exercises I took up to regain strength are things I had never done before. I am honest in saying if I can begin where I did and succeed, anyone can. </p>
<p>I don’t understand the defeatist attitude. It’s all around me. Friends who insist weight is genetic and they can’t do anything about it. Those who insist they are just ‘not good’ at exercising. As I’ve said here before, those of us who want to live the longest, healthiest lives we can and reduce risk of major illnesses have no choice but to make peace with some form of exercise and healthy eating. You don’t need to be a great or even decent athlete and if you want to count WW points and eat food filled with additives, losing a half pound per week, so be it. Your life will be better and probably longer.</p>
<p>But even if you’re in a wheel chair, there are many things you can do that will dramatically improve your health and quality of life as you grow older. And I especially don’t buy into the idea that you need to loathe your middle aged body.</p>
<p>I’m not saying it’s easy, just doable.</p>
<p>I don’t think you need to be athletic/coordinated to be fit. Maybe it’s more fun if you are, but it’s not a requirement.</p>
<p>That said, I do think it helps to persist and TRY to be good at a few things. I am horrible at most athletic things…but I can bike for 35 miles, hike for at least 10, walk for hours, run or walk on a treadmill without holding on. Hold my own in a yoga class. And I’m a good bowler. And beat most women at ping pong. Hah. </p>
<p>My friends kid was horrible at sports. Tried everything under the sun. She’s now a leader in her college outdoor club, going on all sorts of wild hiking adventures. And she’s VERY fit…and looks great. Who needs to be good at a sport? Look what it did for Tiger :)</p>