When you stop exercising, your body goes into the ‘indolent mode’. It thinks “oh isn’t this wonderful…no work and fuel coming in!!!” It is a humungous effort to get up and approach the closet which contain the dreaded workout clothes. I tend to remember all the stuff I need to get done and have been putting off. Suddenly, replying to all the insignificant FB posts becomes of paramount importance.

PS: I stopped exercising for more than two years.

Finally, when I manage to reach the rack holding those greatly feared outfits, I am unable to find the specific pair of tights which I want to wear that day. There are ten others right there which I can pick up and wear but I simply have to wear that specific one cos it’s so comfortable, or it’s so pretty or…just because i want to wear IT.

After long deliberations and arguments with my own self the outfit is chosen and workout shoes and socks on…I drag myself to the basement (that’s where the treadmill is located) and approach the terrible machine which will give my muscles the aches and pains that they hate oh…so…much!!! My legs feel tired and mind is tired-er thinking of what is to come.

I get on the machine and hit start. The warm up begins. As I take one step after another, I think “I’m not going to strain myself…what if the pain is so great that I can’t get out of bed tomorrow?” But somehow I carry on. Steadily, the speed increases and I start breathing heavily. I look as the stats on the screen and think…”Not too bad for a 40 something yr old…you go girl!!!” The enthusiasm takes over. Huffing…puffing…and panting I comeplete the measly two miles that I aimed for.

“I did it, yay!!!” I say to myself. Full self confidence, I send a screen shot of the calories I’ve burnt to the husband, fully expecting him to commend me for all the hard work I put in instead of browsing the ever so important Facebook posts. Sweat dripping down my forehead, spine and several other areas of my body which I cannot elaborate on here, I walk up the stairs of the basement. Who says you feel rejuvenated and energetic after you exercise? Right now I feel I can drop dead. I need to sit. I need to lie down. I need to sleep. I need never to exercise again.

The above thoughts race through my tired mind over and over again as I keep looking at my achievement on my smart watch. Slowly a sense of elation envelops my mind and takes over my body. The mind tells the body, “you’ve worked so hard. Poor you. You need a reward”.

I pick my self up and walk towards the pantry. My hand reaches out towards the box of soft baked chocolate chip cookies…..should I eat them????…..????…..