Exercise. Some people love it, some people hate it. Nay, most people hate it. Recently, I've decided to really commit to exercising. I'm going to be honest, I'm overweight, and it's starting to cause some other health related problems. There's a lot of things I want to accomplish before I do, and being in the shape I am now will shorten my life and I want to have as much time in the world to do everything I want to do, and accomplish everything I want to accomplish. That's why I am now committed to exercising as much as possible.

Now, I am going to be honest with you. It really, really, really sucks. One of my friends has installed himself as my personal trainer (shoutout to Mike Aman) and I'm very grateful for that, but damn he pushes you. I welcome it, though, because honestly, when you want to exercise and get that body you always dream of the only thing that's holding you back is you. When I exercise by myself, I get lazy. Instead of doing 20 minutes of cardio, I do 15. Instead of doing three sets with 15 reps, I do two sets with 10 reps. I need someone there to push me to actually do the workout. Some people have the willpower to force themselves to do it, but I know for a fact I won't do it to it's fullest unless there is someone there pushing me to. I want to shape myself into the person I want to become, and I cannot do that unless I push myself to exercise.

I'd like to include a side note here: exercise alone will not get you the body you want. You need to make major lifestyle changes that will in turn help you get the body you want. If you exercise for a long time but still go home and eat like a pig that will not get you the body you want. The diet is equally important, if not more important, than the exercise. People also assume that when they diet they need to follow a strict template that has been used before. Things like the Paleo diet. I'm here to tell you that honestly, you don't need to do that. Of course it doesn't hurt, but if you just want to lose a couple of pounds simply just cut down on serving sizes. When I came back from college I was 278 pounds, and now I'm 263 pounds. Most of the change I contribute to simply cutting back on my serving sizes. I used to eat a lot of food for lunch and dinner, and I would also eat things late in the night. If you cut your serving sizes in half, that will help you lose weight a lot. Of course it's not easy. For a while you'll feel slightly hungry throughout the whole day, but your stomach will get used to it and eventually shrink so you will not need as much food as you did before to become full.

This is where you get the full effect of the exercise. Since your body does not need as much food as it does before to get full, the pounds honestly just start to fall off. Also joining a gym doesn't hurt. Honestly at first I was hesitant to go simply because everyone there was so fit and I was clearly overweight due to the fact that I looked like an overstuffed sausage in a tight fitting exercise t-shirt, but no one judges you. And even if they do, well screw them! At least you are grabbing life by the reigns and trying to make yourself better. If other people in the gym make fun of you that's like making fun of a sick person at a hospital. You go to the gym simply to improve yourself and they should be impressed with the fact that you have the courage to get yourself up and to the gym to help yourself.

In conclusion, yes exercise sucks. And dieting isn't a walk in the park either. But my dad recently told me, "Now it is time for you to shape your own destiny. Only you yourself can make you better. People can help you along the way but ultimately you alone are in control of your future." So stop saying you'll start exercising later and get up and do it now. Go push yourself to do it before you can stop yourself. The only thing holding you back is you. Join a gym and get your butt to exercising. The gym I go to gives out free samples of its protein shakes so I always have something to look forward to.