I hate exercising.

Actually, I don't hate the actual exercise itself in whatever form it is taking. I dislike the peripheral activities as well as one of the main by-products of exercise.

One particular by-product.

Sweat.

I know, I know. It's necessary. It is vital. I love biology and physiology and I understand the function of sweating. I just don't like being sweaty. And it is because of the sweating that exercise becomes such a pain.

First, you have to change into your special exercise clothes; which are either the scuzziest things you own or make an exercise fashion statement. You need special clothes so you don't ruin your regular clothes by sweating in them all the time.

Step two is the actual exercising; the fun part. You get to play a game, dance, walk, run, or try to turn into Superman or Wonder Woman. The half hour or so you spend exercising is the actual purpose of the whole thing.

Now, you're all done and you are back to the parts that are really a waste of your time. You are now all sweaty. Perhaps even soaked in sweat. You have to get out of the sticky exercise clothes and take a shower. This involves getting ready for the shower - do you have a towel? soap? shampoo? washcloth or scrubbie? You get into the shower and you have to adjust the water temperature. Finally, you can actually wash. You have to wash your hair because your head sweats a lot. You have to wash your pits because they sweat a lot.

Well, you simply have to wash all of yourself.

Then, particularly the women, you have to apply oil or lotion so you don't dry up and turn flaky - your skin that is; you might already be flaky otherwise. You dry your body; you possibly have to dry your hair as well.

Last, it's back into your regular clothes and you are finally done.

Whew!

Just think, if you didn't sweat you wouldn't need the "exercise clothes". You wouldn't need to change clothes so you could just do your half hour or so of exercising. When you finish, off you'd go and you're done. No need to strip off again. No need for the shower, for the moisturizing, the drying (and maybe styling as well), no need to re-dress.

Ah well, I can dream can't I? Meanwhile, tomorrow I get to do it all again!

Sandra