How Much Longer?

Recently, I have had several friends ask how much longer will I be exercising 5 times a week.  That question has also been asked as, "what weight will be enough?"

It's not about the weight and hasn't been about the weight for a long time (do I still need to lose some ... yes I do ... ).  Weight is the thing that people focus on because it is the physical manifestation of this journey I have been on.

I sat with a friend the other week trying to explain what it is that keeps me going.  I said that I love the challenges ... Can I do a handstand?  Yes (I still have to take a breath and slap my mind around it but am becoming less fearful)!  Can I do a handstand pushup?  Not yet but I am determined that I will!  Can I do an unassisted pullup?  Not yet, but I have graduated from a black band to a green one!  Can I get out of the hole when squatting with weight?  Not very well yet ... but I am working on it.  Most of all, I love overcoming fear and doing something that I was afraid of.  The joy of the journey is in the little successes along the way, and like life, we never arrive.  

As the "unsporty" kid, I never dreamed as an adult I would find exercise enjoyable.  And never in a million years did I realise the connections between the mental and the physical.  When work is stressful, it really helps to go and push some weight around.  When I am tired and cranky, it often helps to work out.  My body feels more in balance and my mind is being stretched and changed.  How much longer?  Hopefully, for life!