Go to almost any children’s playground and what do you see and hear? Typically smiling, happy, faces mixed in with ongoing laughter. Go to any adult gym and what do you see and hear? Typically, a serious look with occasional frowns and grimaces and even a bit of moaning and groaning. It doesn't take long to figure out who is having the most fun.

 Why, as adults, do we decide to "workout" instead of having fun or even "playing"? Did the "fitness police" dictate that adults have to "exercise" while children get to “play”? Of course not. We made the decision on our own. What are the consequences?

 Since we cannot store fitness, physical activity becomes an ongoing, lifetime, process. If two people are engaged in physical activity and one is having fun while the other is going the "I want more" route in terms of their intensity and duration levels, which one is more likely to look forward to the next physical activity session? Which one is more likely to be doing the same two years from now? How many people do you know who have started an “exercise” program but are no longer doing it? Would they still be doing it if they thought they were having fun?

 At what age do we have to stop playing and begin working out? The answer is that there is no such age. It’s simply a mental choice we make. Maybe this is one area where we should go back to thinking like children. If you’re like the millions of us who do not particularly like to exercise, make the decision. Ditch the workout. Let’s play!