Bringing Fun Back to Fitness

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll start by admitting I hate working out. That’s bad, I know, for the managing editor of Heart & Soul, the pre-eminent health and fitness magazine for African-American women, to say she doesn’t like exercising. But you should know up front that I’m just like you: trying to balance my work life with my home life and squeezing my fitness in (grudgingly) where I can.

I’m so bad about the fitness part that I had to hire someone who will kick my butt and keep me in gear, or I’ll accidentally-on-purpose get sidetracked and start crying in public in six months when I’ve gained 20 more pounds and I’m standing on a stage somewhere, giving a speech and my pants are too tight to button. Enter Thurman Lofton of UnderConstruction Fitness. He’s a U.S. Marine with 17 years of experience. And on day one of our sessions together, he had me crying “uncle,” even though he said it was a “light” workout. He also said I have good form and will be in shape in no time. That’s a good thing, because the whole time he was putting me through my paces, I was gritting my teeth and hating it.

It wasn’t always this way. I remember being a kid and spending entire summers on my bike. Or playing softball on the ponytail league and quick games of two-hand touch football with my cousins. I climbed trees and hiked in the woods (in spite of my fear of spiders and ticks). In the winter I worked up a sweat building snow forts and making snow angels. I was always moving, and it didn’t seem like a workout. It wasn’t a workout; it was play.

My Sorta Significant Other and I just discussed this same thing. “Babe, I can play basketball all day long,” he said. “But when I jog, I’m out of breath very quickly. I’m huffing and puffing. I hate it.” We came to the conclusion that we’ll never get rid of our love handles if we don’t bring the fun back to our fitness.

He’s dusting off his basketball. It’s time for me to dig out my jump rope and hula-hoop!

Sisters, we're going to get healthy together. Let's keep each other posted on how we're doing!

Kendra Lee
Managing Editor