Trina Machacek: Ugh. Exercising.

There are no resolutions that seem to be broken faster than, “I’m going to treat my body better.” Be it by diet or exercise. I’ve been invited to a gym. I’ve gotten notes from diet supply companies. I see the barrage of go, do or buy all things to make me “normal.” Well, at blabbity-blab years old, I have come to terms with this; where I am is my normal. But! Yes, an out of shape “but.” But I kinda like how I feel after I exercise.

Now don’t get all hot and sweaty. I am not going to make you feel like you have to exercise. You should, but you don’t have to. I posted a little video on Facebook a few days ago showing an exercise plan I have implemented for years and years. It has kept part of my body in tip top shape. You take your index finger and raise it and lower it and stick it out in the only direction you can stick it out. Then repeat, saying this as you go, “We must do our exercises, we must do our exercises, all day long.” The count must match the finger movement. Quite a workout, I must say. Especially for a writer. Got to keep the fingers flying. OK, so it isn’t going to get me up onto the Ms. World Bodybuilding stage. It does, however, remind me to exercise to keep me in my happy place.

Exercising is a very personal goalsetting experience. It’s true, you know. Any exercise is good exercise. As long as you can still move the next day! I enjoy stretching exercises. Gets all the kinks out. There was an exercise we did in school where you bend at the waist to the left, right, forward and back eight times each way then seven times and six and so on. It really loosens things up. I tried it recently because my memory told me how good it felt. I bent and oofed and went from eight each way all the way down to one. After my head stopped spinning and I straightened back up to center, I was rather pleased with myself. That next day? Well it was a good thing there were some good old movies on my boob tube or I would have just been sitting there in the dark and quiet until I could move again. Ha, ha. But I did it again the next day when my body stopped screaming.

Perseverance is the key to unlock the lock keeping my overly-stuffed, streusel-lined muffin top from continually sending shade down toward my feet. So let’s look at that word, perseverance. Mr. Webster says it is a continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure or opposition. Talk about hitting the nail on the head. It’s very difficult to walk by the pantry where the popcorn is stored and often I fail at passing the soft squishy couch to go over to pick up my hand weights and at least five of my six pack are opposed to me doing more than 20 situps. OK, eight situps. OK, one good brisk sit! Ha, ha.

Now here’s something weird. Perseverance, that effort to achieve? Well, to persevere means to be persistent. Not to get to tongue-tangled, but does that mean if I were to have perseverance to persevere to get my streusel-laden, muffin top downsized, would I be persistent enough to achieve it even though I have to push myself past the refrigerator to huff and puff my way through my finger exercise reps? I think I can. If I could just figure out what I just said.

Persevere to keep any promises you make. In the end, it will pay off. My persevering self says it will be, and I always persevere to listen to my persevering self. Does that make me a perfectly preserved person?

Trina lives in Eureka, Nev. Find her on Facebook, Instagram or at itybytrina@yahoo.com.