Why you don't become any happier with that flat stomach
It is Tuesday and that means I need an excuse. Because on Tuesdays I always exercise. And on Tuesdays I never want to exercise.
The same goes for the other six days of the week. I think cycling is fine, I quite like to walk a bit and yes, I used to be able to hit a tennis ball quite well. But now? I hate racing to the gym after a workday. It's always far, I'm always late getting home, I'm always hungry halfway through the class and I can always strangle everyone who can plank better than I can (and there are quite a few) after standing together in a class for two minutes. No. That washboard and six-pack I can forget. I go at most once every two weeks and you don't grow half a abdominal muscle with that. But that's not so bad.
Because it's of course nonsense that you become happier if you're a bit slimmer, have a muscular belly or when you fit into a dress size 36. It sounds silly, but science confirms: you become especially happier from the journey towards it. Exercising every week keeps you fit and keeps your body healthy and in shape; that makes you happy. Once you have those muscles you've always dreamed of, you'll notice: nothing changes. You're still the same person, your world and your life are still the same and the day is not suddenly filled with gold, men like Zac Efron, and rainbows. Everything is the same, except that you have one clothing size smaller. You can be very proud of that. But don't let it be your ultimate goal if you exercise a lot, eat healthy or move. Do it for the journey towards it.
The problem with exercising often lies in the end goal. People with depression or gloomy moods hope that once they have those muscles, everything will fall into place. That the days will be different once they've worked off that belly. You can feel better in your skin, certainly, but fat, thin, tall, round or pear-shaped: it doesn't matter for your feeling of happiness, your positivity in life and your daily activities doesn't matter. Don't think that everything is different if you do have a flatter belly because that will disappoint you.
In short: I once again cancel the class without any guilt. And what can you do? Enjoy a glass of wine, a bitterball, and a nice piece of cake every now and then. Better a block of cheese than a block under your shirt.
