Good Life Choices

The Best Workout You’ve Never Heard Of

Go ask your grandma, she’ll tell you

That’s right, I’m saying it. Your grandma knows how to work out better than you. She’s got some pretty serious game. Society’s grandmas got it all figured out.

I don’t know what age you have to be to “figure it all out”, but I can unequivocally tell you that it’s not in your naughts, tens, tweens, twenties, or thirties. That being said, 12-year-old me knew where the grandmas hung out. And those ladies knew what was up.

So many workouts, which one to choose?

I’ve done every kind of workout under the sun, although I admit I passed on CrossFit. My body does not like the pressure I place on it to succeed.

That’s right, I’m a pusher.

I like to push myself beyond what my body is capable of. I don’t know if I like pain or if I just feel comfortable there, but the endorphins I get from working out are just too good.

It seems I am an endorphin junkie. That’s why it is a surprise to me that my favorite workout right now is one that pleases my body and my mind, but doesn’t leave me reeling from the effects of those big pushes of endorphins (or hobbling for a week after).

Weight loss — app style

I’ve said goodbye to HIIT-style workouts. A couple of years ago, I started a health journey on Noom. Noom is a weight loss app that taught me how to live sustainably in regards to movement and nutrition.

I learned a lot about my relationship to food during my year of activity on the app, but I also learned about movement and the kinds of choices that are the best for life-long health.

Noom taught me that health is achieved one decision at a time. When it came to working out and spending time doing activities, it was imperative that I chose movements and workouts that I liked doing.

That was it. Every day I made the choice to move in a way that made me smile. Not grimace and push, like my mind is programmed. Not pushing myself over and beyond limits to prove my strength to myself.

I started moving in a new way. Instead of moving for the after-effects, I moved in a way that brought me joy while I was doing it.

All I had to do was move.

If I loved my minutes of movement, I looked forward to making the healthy decision to move.

In the spring of this year, I suffered injuries to both of my hips. I forgot my good movement choices in the name of “healing”. I tried my best to work them, stretch them, and strengthen them with every kind of workout. Unsurprisingly, it hasn’t done much.

This past week, I remembered my Noom realization and returned to my first “workout” to do some movement that I love.

My first workout

When I stepped into the chlorine-scented locker room of our local (at the time) Michigan YMCA, I had no idea that I would find the secret to fitness and a key to living a fabulous full life.

I was 12 and I was fat. My mom wanted me to move more and she’d said, “Let’s go somewhere fun!” I didn’t know where we were going.

I obliged. I was not happy about it.

We entered a heavy metal door and my shoes hit tiny squares of tile.

Here it was: fun. Everything was wet and the pool smell burned the insides of my nose, but my mood instantly changed.

I was excited. I loved flapping about in the water. My favorite part of pool-swimming was doing handstands, something my oversized stature wouldn’t allow on dry land.

I pulled on my skirted swimsuit and ventured out into the pool area. There they all were, every grandmother: the sweetest, funniest, smartest little old ladies I ever did meet.

They weren’t doing handstands, of course. But they were moving and they were loving it! They smiled brightly as they ran in place and pumped their wobbly arms to the YMCA song.

They were positively lovely and kind. They accepted me and I began to dance along.

I moved.

I moved and I couldn’t stop smiling. Without realizing it, I got a good workout that night.

Getting back to basics (THE BEST WORKOUT EVER)

I’m working out with everyone’s grandmothers and it is the best workout ever. I’m working out with everyone’s grandmothers and I love it, but I honestly don’t know why you’re not there, too.

The answer to why there are at least 30 years of difference in ages between myself and every other being (a few of your grandfathers are there, too) in the pool is one I ponder every time my 36-year-old toes hit the water.

The workout is great. The company is fabulous.

But why?

Why am I the only 30-something in the pool? And why did I wait until my hips were complaining before I began doing water aerobics again?

An invitation

I look out through glass over the gym at all ages of gym-goers. They grimace and groan as they push, pull, carry, strain, and “get ripped”.

I smile because I’m already smiling. Not because I feel any hate for the people who choose to move in the way that they do, but because when I’m in the pool I can’t help it.

The grimaces and fatigue of the other patrons do make me feel a bit like a grandmother:

I just want to give them all a big, wet, wobbly hug and invite them to experience happy movement with us.

I’m content with my movement, but I want for others to be able to smile and move at the same time, too.

I wonder if I step out of the pool and drip my way through the grimacing faces if my invitations to move with me will start a revolution. Maybe I’ll get the other fab grandmas in on it, too. We’ll call it:

Operation “Come on in, the water’s fine!”

I’m Brett Jenae Tomlin, The Anxious Enthusiast.

If you love, love, love my writing and want to shout out, “You get it, anxious girl!” You can contribute to my cookbook collection here or join Medium to put your own stamp on the web and the world. I get a little love if you use my link ^^