Warning: this post is about women and fitness but it includes swearing

Yesterday Rebecca Holman wrote in the Telegraph about how she hates exercising and how even though she’s getting stronger, she cannot stand the extra ‘bulk’ she’s gained.

… I realised that doing more exercise has made me better at running up hills and touching my toes, yes, but it’s also made me put on five kilos, and go up two dress sizes from sheer increased bulk. Which was entirely the opposite reason for why I was doing it. …

I was going to let this nonsense go and not rant about it. Cathy already wrote a great post about it, her feelings about this are exactly mine AND exactly those of so many other women who have actually found the sport that they LOVE to do, who are NOT obsessed with how their bodies (or anyone else’s) look and who love what their bodies can DO and don’t give a rat’s ass about whether the Whole Wide World think they are bikini ready or not.

As I said, I was going to let it go but then I flipped open this morning’s Times Magazine and read Lesley Thomas’ “My get fit kit”.  Other than the ridiculous tip to put conditioner in your hair while doing Bikram (who the hell wants conditioner running into their eyes along with all the sweat?!?), she is yet another woman who exercises even though she hates it:

At this point I’m going to swear in all caps: FOR FUCK’S SAKE, WOMEN, FIND A SPORT THAT YOU LOVE AND STOP TORTURING YOURSELF WITH EXERCISE THAT YOU HATE!

Fitness / sport / exercise is a beautiful thing. It can be so empowering, so exhilarating, so exciting, SO MUCH FUN.  Just freaking find what you love!

Life is too short to sweat away at the treadmill if you hate it just because you want to be bikini ready (even though NO ONE ELSE will actually care whether your hips are a few cms smaller or larger than they are in the winter).

There are so many different types of exercise out there, try as many of them as it takes for you to find the one that puts a smile on your face.