On Being 'In Shape'

While Listening to “I Gotta Feeling” by Blk Eyed Peas

What does that mean first of all? There are so many levels of this state to which it seems the entire world aspires, right?

There are people who appear to be in amazing shape who have terrible habits, who are depriving themselves, who are out of balance and could drop dead of something wacky any minute much to everyone’s shock. Or their are those who are just naturally a skinny minny, but think a ketllebell must be a cross between a kitchen appliance and a cow accessory.

Or there are those people who are quietly and inobtrusivley living under their clothes without fanfare, but they could rip steal wires apart if asked. They could run 10 miles to Mr. Tan and Taut’s surprise. These people aren’t too flashy and no one would look at them and drool out a Paris Hilton ‘hottt.’ But they take amazing care of themselves in general.

There are those who are naturally given to stealth and svletness, but they also are aware that health is so much more than a shape; that taking care of themselves is a long term investment with appearance not taking first priority. Generally, these people are an irritant to us all and send us into circles of debate with ourselves and God. (or is that just me?)

There are many others, I suppose.

But there remains “the feeling.” You know what I’m talking about: that feeling you get after you bust out a few miles or dead lift and / or circuit train for a while. You feel like the world is brighter, you feel sharper, your clothes just seem to fit better even if you haven’t changed an ounce. You can focus better in this place.

I’ve had trouble finding a balance with all of this in my life. I’ve dabbled all over the place, but today I feel like I’m understanding something / experiencing something that makes me very happy. I’m old enough to know that I have to be careful with this God-given instrument of a body – it’s fragile and frail, but simultaneously resilient like mad. Even still, care and planning and mothering are required to do right by it.

I still crave that “feeling.” I’ve gone without it enough to know I just ain’t right if I’m not engaging in putting my body through rigor on a regular basis. For crying out loud, every person on the planet is better for this rigor. It’s delicious. So this begs the question, “Why in the wide world don’t I put more priority on it?!”

Why is it so difficult for me to find some consistency? I just get used to feeling half awake and lying to myself about it, I suppose. And this translates to more than just physical shape; every part of our lives can suffer from this half awake curse.

But not today for me. I’m awake…and I’ve got a ‘feeling.’