Since I graduated from high school, I have gained almost thirty pounds. Now, I'm not one to care too much about how much I weigh, and I know I'm not overweight by any means (I fit neatly within the weight bracket for my height.), but I do know that for the past few years, I haven't been taking proper care of my body. The weight I gained was not a healthy weight.
Recently, I've been trying to change the way I treat my body. I've been doing a lot of walking on the treadmill. I try not to eat unless I'm actually hungry. And I only eat until I'm full—not stuffed.
Getting into the groove of working out isn't always easy. It's disappointing to look into the mirror after a hard workout and note that there are no significant physical changes. But I was wrong to think that there isn't any instant gratification to be found in working out; I feel so much better about myself just for getting up and exercising.
For the past few months, I've been getting on the treadmill several days per week. I turn on an episode on Netflix and settle in to watch and walk for the 42 or 43 minutes that the show runs. Lately, I've been walking one mile at 4.2 mph, then one at 3.9 mph, then I run one at 6.6 mph, and then I walk at 3.5 mph until the end of the show. It's a good way to squeeze in an episode of a favorite show and get a workout fit into my schedule.
The results of my efforts didn't really show up in any noticeable physical form for a while, but when they did, it was worth it. Instead of looking permanently bloated, my stomach began to shrink back down. The muscles in my legs visibly flexed when I walked. And I no longer felt self-conscious about wearing tight-fitting shirts.
Somehow, without really realizing it, my body had begun to reward me for my hard work. It was the best "thank you" I could've received for watching how much I eat and fitting in some exercise a few times per week. Now, working out is just part of my routine. After all, I would probably still be squeezing in that episode of "The Walking Dead" either way. Now I'm just doing that in a healthier way.