Getting Started - Small Movements are OK!

Dance is about the friends you make.

Small Movement is OK!
Before I discovered dance, I was no athlete. I wasn’t even one to like any kind of casual exercise. Sure, I could walk for miles, but usually only with the dog and/or human company.
 
After my Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Insulin Resistance (IR) diagnoses, I heard constantly “diet and exercise.”

Ugh.
 
First, I don’t have a clue as to what to do in a gym. If it wasn’t an elliptical (which I actually do enjoy) or a bike, I wasn’t going to be doing it. To ask for help was difficult because I didn’t know who to ask.
 
I tried a yoga studio for a few times. The stretching part was fine, but I never felt included in the group. Other than the teacher, no one ever came up to me and said “Hi, I’m glad you are here.” After about a month, I stopped going.
 
I knew movement of any kind was important, no matter how small. So, I tried to incorporate what I could into daily life.

My favorite:  
Squats during a shower.
 Easy (so long as you have good balance and grip in the tub. Do not take unnecessary risks on slippery surfaces!). It was also a good brain workout when I started (like brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand).
 
Then I tried parking farther away.
 
I walked around the sidewalk.
 
I don’t know how much “good progress” these measured out for me. However, they did begin priming my brain to accept that movement is good even when you are tired.
 
That was about everything I did before I discovered dancing.
 
Dancing/Ballroom Fitness allowed me to find a world that incorporated exercise that wasn’t “exercise” in the typical dreaded sense of the word.
 
And I discovered a group of friendly, fun, inclusive people that I was able to be part of.
 
Lessons learned (and my advice):
 

1. Exercise doesn’t have to be what you normally would call “exercise”. The important thing is that you are moving and challenging yourself in a fun way. If you dread it, you will not do it.
2. People make a difference.
   • Whenever you see someone new or looking uncertain, please go say hello! Personal invitation makes for feelings of inclusion and positive associations.
   • If you are the uncertain new person, be brave and go say hello to the person nearby. Most people are friendlier than you would expect from looking at them. And YOU are more fun to be around than you may believe.
3. ​Don’t give up. Cliché, I know. However, if you can find something enjoyable, keep at it. If you have not found that “something” yet – keep looking. Look for non-traditional “exercise” ideas (dance, horseback riding, rock climbing, trampoline jumping….)

 
I wish you a great week, and keep dancing forward!