The belief systems we create for ourselves govern our daily decisions and actions. Unfortunately, we usually don’t have an initial say in developing these beliefs because they’re adopted subtly and quickly from messages we internalize from the world.
We latch onto whatever it is that we’re being told, and believe it to be law. We believe it’s not only true, but that there will be severe consequences if we go against these beliefs, disregard the “right” way to live and instead go our own way.
In reality, these beliefs are normally false and implanted in our brains without our permission. There are varying degrees but a few examples could be believing that:
“When I finally make $100,000 a year, I will have everything I want.”
“I’m a bad person for eating out more than two times a week.”
“My boyfriend won’t love me if I’m not skinny and petite.”
“I receive more attention when I lose weight.”
“I gain more power in my life by climbing up the corporate ladder.”
Some of these beliefs are more serious than others, and depending on the degree, it can run you into the ground. There’s one belief in particular that I’ve been noticing a lot in the fitness world and feel the need to explain my own experience with it.
It’s the belief that you must do lots of cardio, or very intense cardio, in order to stay healthy/thin/beautiful/successful/etc.
I’m not even sure exactly when I stopped believing this myth but I think it was about six months after I started testing this theory, stopped doing cardio and saw that “fat” never happened overnight.
In fact, my eating habits didn’t become out of control either. I actually got my period back too! I even quit my job and became a full time entrepreneur. Hmmm, I also wrote a book! I made a coaching program as well. I flew to Hawaii and spent two weeks there (not running). I scheduled photo shoots confidently with my favourite photographer. I ate yummy delicious food without any consequences at all.
I even wore a swimsuit and took a picture in it!!!
Come to think of it…I love my body ten times more than I EVER did when I was religiously engaging in weekly, scheduled cardio.
My knees no longer hurt. My heart, which was once longing for perfection, no longer aches at the thought of gaining weight.
I tested my theory. About a year ago I gave up cardio, hoping and trusting that nothing terribly bad would happen. I was praying that I wouldn’t wake up with a different body than the one I was used to, or that I would still be the same Maddy Moon I always was. But deep down, I just wasn’t sure.
Every Pinterest “fitspo” picture, every Instagram running meme, every self-righteous “clean eating” Facebook group invite kept trying to reel me back into my old ways.
At first it was difficult to ignore pictures like this, but deep down I knew there was something phony and fake about them.
I knew that many girls in fitspo photos have most likely 1. Been photo-shopped 2. Lost their period 3. Wanted to stop doing cardio too!
So I pushed on.
And years later, I still look the exact same as I did when I was doing cardio…if not better. I look better in my eyes, at least.
To me, “better” means confident. Every time I stepped on that treadmill, I was running away from fear. I was scared that the minute I stepped off the treadmill, elliptical or spin class bike, I would have to face real life situations that made me feel out of control.
I would have to go to events where my perfectly portioned Tupperware meals weren’t socially acceptable and I would have to eat whatever dinner was served. I would have to go on dates where I didn’t know what he thought of me. I would have to go to class and school and face rejection from my peers.
But I always felt safe doing cardio. I believed that as long as I used the treadmill to keep me thin, everything would be under control.
Years later, I can say that ever since I stepped off of the treadmill I now have better coping mechanisms for when life feels “out of control” and one of them involves embracing life’s unexpected moments.
I feel more beautiful, confident, and comfortable in my own skin. I also love my life more because I respect it enough to spend what precious time I have doing things I love. Playing, laughing, hiking, rock climbing, stretching, walking, singing (in the shower), coloring, podcasting, coaching, and so on.
I opened up SO MUCH TIME for myself by subtracting cardio. SO MUCH. I stopped wasting my life away doing things I hated, and started exploring new interests. With cardio, it took about two hours to finish the whole shebang including getting dressed, picking a perfect playlist, going to the gym (or track), running, getting back home, showering, doing my hair and make-up, eating, and then getting back to work. And hating the entire process.
Now I have two more hours to do something that I love, that won’t stress me out (physically and mentally) and will also allow me to create something magical instead.
It goes without saying, some people love cardio and this obviously isn’t for you. Keep doing cardio if you love it, I think that’s great!
It also goes to say that SOMETIMES I do run. Sometimes I do high intense workouts. I’m not black or white and all or nothing. I do what my body enjoys doing, and that means many days my heart rate does get high but it’s not from pre-planned, scheduled running routines. It’s intuitive, spontaneous and always, always enjoyable.
If you are continuing to do cardio out of fear that if you stop, “something” bad will happen, than trust me when I say, ending your cardio obsession will open you up to life’s biggest possibilities. More confidence, time, energy and love are waiting just around the corner.
Will you give it a shot?
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This is an amazing story. Thanks so much for sharing, Maddy! i’ve gone through the same process over the past year, and I feel so much better now that I’ve stopped obsessing over exercise. Now I exercise when I want to because I enjoy it, not because I’m trying to achieve a certain body type or am afraid that I will gain weight if I won’t. Much love 🙂
Thank you so much Dana! I am SO glad that you agree- cardio is great for people that love it, but if it’s not your thing, don’t bother with it!
Life is way too short to spend all your time on a hamster wheel out of fear 🙂
Hi
Very inspirational, I did the same, after years and years of cardio every day and weekends, starving my body, my mind and my soul but never feeling I had achieved the body the looks that I thought everyone expected me to have.
I haven’t gained weight since but my body looks different in clothes and in a bikini I am a bit saggy!!! Mine eating didn’t work out as well as yours as I eat good meals but cannot stop eating carbs.chocolate, cakes etc and am really battling to stop it. But to be fair for someone who eats anything they want I don’t actually look that bad lol!!!!
Your story is great thanks,
Thank you so much for this post! I know I don’t like running or plyometrics, but I DO like hiking and I get some cardio that way. I really like walking too, but I have a hard time fitting it into my schedule. I end up doing workout DVDs in my living room in the mornings and then trying to fit in a 30 minute walk during the day.
Thank you for reading Calista! I am so glad to hear you are doing what feels BEST for your body!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this! I have always, always had a distorted image of myself. I’ve been clean for almost 3 years and became obsessed with my health. I’m working on the negative side of it and it’s a moment by moment thing. I’m still discovering what my comfortable is. I went through 2 1/2 years of dreaded workout routines because I was obsessed with a certain body type. I’ve recently discovered yoga mixed with interval training and I’ve finally found what serves my body best. Thank you again for your open heart and vulnerability.
My pleasure Nikki. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me- I understand it more than you know!
So happy you have found what works for you!
Every post you write reconfirms how similar we are. Seriously could’ve written this myself and had the same experience. I have run 2 times in the past 3 months (granted I was injured but still I didn’t feel any anxiety from never working out during that time) and those times were both from genuinely wanting to and only doing it as long as I enjoyed it. I wish I could go back and tell my old an hour of cardio a day self that I would be okay, actually WAY HAPPIER, without it. I now spend that time doing things that make me happy 🙂 aka what life is about.
Thanks for sharing babe! I am so glad you feel the same way and now do whatever feels best for you! <3
OK so while you stopped doing cardio, did you lift weights? Or did you just stop doing planned workouts all together?
Does it matter? :p I just move my body however it feels best! Sometimes it’s weights, sometimes it’s yoga, sometimes it’s gymnastics!
I apologize for the stupid question. I misunderstood your post at first. I don’t think I realized how much I had been brainwashed by the fitness industry/media till I started reading your blog. Trying to workout like all the magazines and websites told me to only got me injured and frustrated. It is very freeing to realize that I don’t have workout a certain way just because some “expert” I’ve never met told me to. Thank you for another inspiring and eye opening post.
No problem babe 🙂 Glad you understand the post now! I appreciate your kind words…let me know if there is any way I can personally serve you on your journey!
Ok, I love you! I know I just met you but I think you are amazing!!!!!
Thank you for this post and thank you for your message.
I found you through Matt Stone and I am so glad!!
Warmly,
Katie
Love this so much! I did the same thing a couple years ago. I was running long distances (like half marathons) and I was underweight, not fueling properly, and super unhealthy. I started lifting and never looked back. I weigh more, but have such a healthier relationship with my body and food than I ever did.
That’s amazing- and it’s truly inspiring! More people need to try this out, and watch how easy it can be to heal a poor relationship with food and body image. Love you babe!
As a former half marathon and cross country runner I fully relate to this article. I tell the same to people all the time, if marathons are your thing and you just get jazzed doing them, then great, but if your doing it for health or weight then you can slow down a bit and run a lot less (if not not at all). I haven’t actually run in almost a year, and I have never been thinner and never felt happier or more comfortable in my body, and I love what you said about it being about control, and not loving it. So so true! <3
Amazing, babe!! Thank you so much for sharing your story!!
Fantastic post!! 🙂
Thank you Lauren!
Thank you so much for the post. I totally agree with everything you’re saying however there is small part of me thinks that girls like you who had a perfect body that you achieved by doing some cardio is easier to maintain then someone like me who has 22 % body fat and does require some kind of monitoring in order to lean out. I was doing paleo/ very healthy eating / organicfoods where I wasn’t paying attention to my macros and while I got healthier I did not loose any weight. Once I started lowering my fat intake that’s when things started moving in right direction.
You look great and I’m happy you found your happy place, unfortunately I’m still searching.
Hi Olesya…thank you for sharing your thoughts! You wrote that you “require some kind of monitoring in order to lean out” I think it’s important for you to know, I’m not saying my goal is to be lean. That’s not my goal. My goal is purely health. It takes extra measurements for ANYBODY to make lean their goal, not just your body! That’s why I no longer focus on being lean…I only focus on health. I have found homeostasis by doing that, and therefore I’m at a weight that’s good for my energy levels, height, etc, but that’s all a bonus for me. Regardless of my weight or body fat percentage, by goal is mind and body health first and foremost.
I LOVE this post. All things I back 100%. Those pesky limiting beliefs!!!
So glad you agree, love!! <3
Katie says
May 26, 2015 at 12:11 pm
Ok, I love you! I know I just met you but I think you are amazing!!!!!
Thank you for this post and thank you for your message.
I found you through Matt Stone and I am so glad!!
Warmly,
Katie
Thank you so much for your kind words babe! I am so glad you enjoyed the post and I can’t wait to get to know you better!
Nice butt!
Thank you so much for this.
My pleasure, Genevieve. Thank you for reading!
Thank you! I needed this. I am just beginning my journey with intuition and I am trying to recover from my orthorexic tendencies. Lately I just haven’t been on a workout schedule…I used to have really structured workouts (which I learned were NOT good for me as I went way too obsessive over them) and I don’t really know what to do without structure now. I have been hiking a lot and doing yoga, and I am finding that I love yoga more and more (I always knew I loved hiking). I keep thinking I really need to get back to the gym and get on the treadmill, but I don’t LIKE it the way I like hiking, walking, and yoga. I am trying to stick to the activities that make my soul happy, and I’m trying really hard to quiet my ego, which keeps telling me I need to run/hit the treadmill. This post was exactly what I needed to hear!
You are so welcome Paige! I am so happy you enjoyed this post!
“Sorry, I can’t come to your wedding (the funeral, Thanksgiving, a date with you, etc.)–I will be at the gym staring at the wall while pounding my knees on a machine that has 3.7 incline and tells me the precise number of calories I think I burn.” Choose people. Choose health. Choose delicious joy. The adventures and lessons happen when we aren’t punishing ourselves. love!
Hahah exactly! Well said 🙂
I love this article and I have one question. How did you get past the fear of gaining weight from not doing cardio exactly?
At the moment the only reason to stop cardio is because my legs are quite thin and I want my boobs back ha ha…..but feel quite anxious only just thinking about stopping cardio 🙁
I am at the stage in my ED recovery where I am trying to be more intuitive with my exercise. This post has helped me so much- Thank you for your wise words!
Hi
Good for you in gaining that joy in your life and as you said even though you cut your cardio not totally you still manage to eat sensibly without gaining much weight.
I have read a few articles stating cardio isn’t necessary at all if you eat a balanced diet and doing weights which I have to say I did for year just weights 6 days a week 45 to 60 minutes short and sweet and not drinking any carbonated drinks or eating any fast food.
As you get older as I did your metabolism does slow and those things didn’t always keep my weight at a level that was healthy
So I introduced cardio but my mistake was too much too soon and lost healthy fat off the cheeks and neck area which can happen .
So my key is eat right dont pig out drink moderately in alcohol and add weights to your routine because you still have to sustain muscle as muscle weighs more and keeps everything in shape and if your young it may not matter but as you age over 40 you’ll start to sag trust me.
Meditate and enjoy spending time with people you like not ones you had to endure and sleep
Without sleep you’ll fluctuate even more
Good luck ladies
🙂
hey maddy, i have a question, if i stop briskwalk and jogging after reaching my weight goal, will i gain even more weight again?
I love this! I am currently training for my 8th marathon and second Boston marathon! However, I have been feeling like all I do is run a full time job…running…with no pay! Why I do this is beyond me! At one point in my life I guess I wanted to prove that I could do it…run 26.2 miles! And then I was training for my second marathon and my life changed forever! I had a tumor on my brain! In 2013 http://Www.celebratethefirewithin.blogspot.com tells my story! I couldn’t run that marathon because of a brain surgery,but came back with a vengeance the next year and took 35 min off my time and Boston qualified! I’ve been running and training for marathons ever since! I’m tired and worn out and want to find myself again! Do more things I love without having to answer to a mileage log! I’ll always do my cardio, it’s what I love but maybe not run 40-50 mikes a week but instead 15-25! Lol! I’m ready to step back! For sure!