Growing up, I disliked exercising. I
only did it because I felt like I had to. In high school I was the slowest
runner on my track team. Even though I was slow, I pushed myself to the point
of exhaustion. In college, I went the opposite direction and lived on French
Fries and soda. I didn’t exercise, and was constantly getting sick in the
winter. Winter was “Z-Pak” season. Every college winter I would pay a visit to
the campus infirmary where I was prescribed a “Z-Pak” for bronchitis. The Z-Pak
lowered my fever, but it didn’t help change my habits. I was staying up too
late, eating fried foods, avoiding the gym, and constantly stressing. Freshman
15 became Sophomore 20 and finally Junior 25. As a Junior, I was overweight,
physically drained, and constantly coughing during the colder months. I knew I
should be exercising, but the “should” didn’t become “did” until much later.
I now exercise to be healthy. I’m
happy with my weight, and I don’t stress out if I gain a few pounds. Last time
I checked the scale, I saw I had gained 3 pounds, despite exercising 5 times
that week. I owed the weight gain to fried ice cream and pecan pie. I also
realized that I gained 3 pounds, not 30. And
that it wasn’t something to stress over. Weight gain doesn’t mean you’re a failure.
It’s important not to base our self-worth
on our weight.
I eat to stay healthy. This
Thanksgiving I stuffed myself, and I’m glad I did! But I know in the long run,
having copious amounts of pecan pie every single day isn’t going to help my
health. I’ve also learned that there is no need for me to deny myself food. In
the past, when I tried to diet, I noticed I was constantly irritated. Now I eat
whenever I’m hungry, but I don’t eat until I’m over-stuffed. I notice I get
tired when I’m overly-stuffed, and then I sleep and sleep and sleep. That’s why
I stop eating when I’m 70 percent full, so I’m not starving or tired. It’s a
happy medium.
Growing up, I wasn’t a vegetable
fan. I drink Shakeology because it’s plant-based so I know I’m getting my veggie
intake. And there are vegetables (besides potatoes) I do enjoy such as
eggplant, green peppers, Thai basil, onions. I prefer sautéed, flavorful
veggies. The best part of Shakeology is that whenever I don’t feel like
cooking, I can make it in less than a minute, and it’s chock full of veggies!
Sometimes I’ll drink it as breakfast, other times I’ll drink it as a snack,
depending on how hungry I am. It’s also easier to exercise when I’m not hungry.
I prefer walking to running. I enjoy
running in extremely short spurts; it feels good to know the end is very near! Walking is good exercise, as
is Zumba or yoga. I take group classes at my gym after realizing I prefer
classes over the elliptical. I go to my classes regularly, but I don’t push
myself. The most I’ve ever lifted is 20 pounds; I normally lift 15. The classes
are an hour long so I still feel the burn, but I’m not panting or overly sore
the next day. I know I won’t get “ripped” by lifting 15 pounds, but I’m ok with
that. I want to be able to enjoy exercising. Last weekend I went to my friend’s
Beachbody Fitness class where we learned a hip-hop routine. I enjoyed it
because it was a fun workout with Bruno Mars music. I felt the burn, but I
wasn’t exhausted afterward.
In the past, I didn’t enjoy
exercising because it bought back painful track memories, when I would force
myself to endure unnecessary pain. But not exercising at all made me miserable
as well. I realize I’m happiest when I’m regularly exercising, yet not pushing
myself. I have no desire to compete in the Olympics or play professional sports;
I exercise to stay healthy. When I was in college I was constantly coughing and
getting sick. Now, with regular exercise, my immune system has improved, and I
don’t get sick as often! Exercising cuts down doctor bills.
To stay healthy, find something that
you enjoy doing, whether it’s walking, skipping, rock climbing, etc.. Exercise
at a pace you enjoy, whether it’s walking 30 minutes a day, or completing a
Michael Phelps routine. Personally, I would never
work out 6 hours a day like Olympic athletes, but there are people who can do
it. It’s all about finding what suits you.
Not too long ago, I used to get fast
food after the gym. It felt good while I was eating (yes, carbs!), but
afterward my stomach felt funny. My mentality was: I deserve a reward after a
work out. Except fast food after the gym was more like a punishment because of
the way my body felt afterwards. My body feels better when I skip fast food,
and eat healthy after a work out. My dream, as a little girl, was to live on
Cheetos and soda, but now I’m glad that it didn’t come true.
Like many people, I feel more energized after a work out. If
you had explained this to me in college, I wouldn’t have believed it, but I’ve
found that exercising helps with maintaining energy level. I’m sure we’ve all
experienced it before, that I-Want-To-Keep-Going feeling after a workout. I
feel that way when I don’t overly push myself, hence the reason why I stick
with lifting 15 pounds! I’ve always wondered what the mind frame of a
professional athlete or Olympic star is; they spend hours, every day, training.
I believe many of them genuinely enjoy their sport, which is their motivation
to “keep going”. From what I heard, the ones who genuinely enjoy their sport
are the ones who perform well during matches. Enjoyment is important.
Doing something fun, really
fun such as kayaking, snowboarding, or playing Dance Dance Revolution
definitely helps! I’ve yet to go kayaking or snowboarding, but I want to one
day. Hiking with friends is fun too. I’m always super excited when I see an
unexpected animal, like a beaver. I recommend doing something outdoorsy with
friends; you can laugh and talk while walking down a new trail!
Exercising can definitely be enjoyable, which is something I
didn’t believe as a teenager. We all have different levels of physical stamina,
and enjoy different activities. Find something you enjoy, and go for it! I
believe life should be easy.
My book (link below) details my journey from severely
depressed to consistently happy. For much of my life I felt like I was running
an endless marathon. I know if I can find happiness, then so can anyone.
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