For those of you who don't know, Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lungs. Asthma makes breathing difficult and prompts attacks of coughing, wheezing, and tightness in the chest, as well as shortness of breath. Now, put this unpleasant and pain in the ass condition with going to the gym. Sounds fun right? Yeah, no. You more likely than not, end up looking something like this by the end of your workout:

1. Trying To Remember Your Inhaler

If you're anything like me, your asthma is often induced by exercise, cardio mostly. I can push myself into a full swing attack simply because I find myself forgetting to breathe when lifting or holding a plank. If this sounds like you at all, this probably means that it's a good idea to always bring your inhaler with you to the gym. Sometimes I forget it and am stuck between the decision of going back for it at home or clawing my way through cardio, while possibly staring death and all the normal-lunged people who are judging my weird breathing, in the face.

2. You Hope Your Partner Won't Want To Do Cardio

Okay, now I recognize the importance of cardio and try to do it in some shape or form a few times a week. However, it's kind of nice after a heavy- lifting workout to skip the stair master or the running, and just end with a nice walk. When my gym partner suggests this I have a mini celebration in my head, and my lungs rejoice.

3. Trying To Look Normal When Doing Cardio

Like I said, I try to do cardio a few times a week. However, my lungs still fight me the whole way through it. Thus, I do not tend to look my most attractive state when doing cardio. Between just trying to get through it, in addition to trying to get through it without having an asthma attack, I do not look cute. My gym was kind enough to place the stair master in the corner of the building, so that everyone in the cardio room is facing me and my ugly "I'm dying" facial expressions. To those who attend my gym at 5 am, I'm sorry. I swear I'm trying to look as normal as I can. I know I fail at facial normalcy when people come up to me asking, "Are you okay?".

4. Fighting Off Cologne And Other Asthma-Triggers

One of the worst parts about being an asthmatic who goes to the gym, is the gym goers who drown themselves, and their clothing, in strong cologne. This especially sucks if I'm doing cardio and they're on the machine next to me. I'm trying not to cough and basically have a full- fledged asthma attack, and they're just going about their workout completely unaware that they're slowly killing me. If this is you, please be courteous of those of us with lungs who function below par. We don't appreciate the extended challenge of trying to dodge your scent in addition to surviving our workout.

5. Taking The Inhaler

This is something I fight left and right but inevitably do at the end of my workouts. Depending on the workout, sometimes I have to take my inhaler to be able to move onto the next thing. If you do not have asthma please know that, while I know you just mean well, you do not have to ask people who are using an inhaler if they're okay whenever they use it. This is how we push on and get through our gym sessions. For those of you with asthma, I know it's annoying and sometimes even a little embarrassing, but just take your inhaler when you need it.

Having asthma can definitely be a challenge when going to the gym, but if you have it, just push on and do your thing. Oh, and take your inhaler as needed.