Basketball used to motivate me to do a lot of things. It used to motivate me to lift weights, interval training/wind-sprints on the treadmill, and most importantly, do it on a regular basis so you could see actual results. It was awesome. I’m also freakishly competitive so the fact I was getting better and stronger and more skilled just made me workout even more.
But then since I’ve been in India over the last 2 years, it’s been difficult. Basketball over here is just..different. It’s not as motivating as it used to be. At least motivating in the sense that it makes me lift 3 days a week and train the other 2 days. I can’t explain it, but it’s just…not helping me get in shape.
Which is why I think I’m on to the next stage in life: Dance. I’ve talked about it before, but now that I’m actually spending more time in Bangalore, I’ve signed up for classes and such. And man. Are they amazing. Humbling, and awesome. I signed up for contemporary dance, and I’ve never done it before but I love it. It was everything I thought it was going to be, and then some. And the best part is that there are all these things my body can’t do because I’m not strong enough, which now means I”m gonna hit the gym to get it right.
And I started classical Indian dance classes as well. That’s a different story in that…it reminds me of what I used to be able to do, but what I can’t do now. Which sounds really sad, but it’s actually kind of cool. I know that if I practice, I can do it. And the best part is that I know I can be better than what I used to be. I used to be all right. But now that I”m starting over, I want to be great. Or at least significantly better than before.
The weird thing about all this is that it’s actually made me appreciate my body so much more. It’s strange, and it probably deserves its own post, but I like my body so much more now than what it was 10 years ago. I used to be a size 0 ten years ago, and let me tell you, it was terrible. I definitely weigh at least 30-40 pounds more, but would never go back to the way I used to be. I feel stronger, healthier, and just…more able to do things. I like the muscles that I’ve earned over the years, and yes, the excess cake that deposits in places around my stomach and hips and thighs and other parts I probably missed. Whatever. I feel like it makes me human. Mostly, I like the feeling like I have trained my body to do anything- that I can take on the world.
So I Quit My Job and Moved to India 