The gym. Scary, I know. Up until last year, I steered clear from the gym at all costs. My excuses were valid too: big scary men, teeny tiny girls, and the fact that I simply did not know what to do at a gym. As far as I was concerned, a solid workout was some cardio and a few sit-ups.
My senior year, all of this came to a screeching halt; I got a personal trainer. I'm not going to lie, at first it was terrible having to go to the gym three to four days a week. Getting my butt kicked for an hour right after school got out? No, thank you. However, wanting to get into better shape, I went back week after week. And each week, the drive to 24 Hour Fitness got easier and easier until eventually, my workouts were something I got to do as opposed to something I had to do.
Leaving my trainer behind when I left for college was tough. She was my workout buddy -- someone I could always count on. I knew I was dependent on her, but going to my college Rec Center for the first time was a slap in the face. At my gym at home, I was welcome to work out anywhere without any judgment; not to mention my trainer made sure I wouldn't make a fool out of myself. However, here at school, there seems to be an invisible line that girls do not cross -- strictly athletic males in the lifting area. As ridiculous as this sounds, that’s what my new gym looked like; no trainers walking around in red polos to guide me through my workout. As you can imagine, I was less than pleased, and as a result, I stopped working out altogether.
Long story short, this proved to be a horrible decision. I was grumpy, tired, and out of shape. My body went into shock; I was so used to working out practically every day, then all the sudden, walking to and from my classes was the only exercise I was really getting. Don’t get me wrong, walking up endless flights of stairs is enough to get your heart rate up, but that alone doesn’t constitute “exercise.”
Weeks after not going to the gym, I finally mustered up enough courage to head back to the gym… with my roommate and her encouragement, of course. After reluctantly stepping onto the treadmill, something finally clicked -- I’m not scared of the gym at all. That day, I had one of the best workouts of my life, and instantly felt 100 times better. The feeling right after finishing a tough workout is incomparable, and it was something I hadn’t even known I was missing.
Fast forward a few months to today: I just got back from the gym and am already sore. I’ve been to the gym five days this week, a statement I would have been shocked to hear just a few months ago. Of course, not all weeks can be good weeks. Life happens and sometimes I just don’t have time to make it to the gym or really just don’t feel like walking all the way across campus to get to the Rec. With that said, I’m beginning to realize that the days I don’t feel like working out, are the days I need to the most.
We all know instant gratification is hard to come by. So why not go to the gym or even run around your neighborhood? It’s rewarding and, who knows, maybe you’ll even want to keep going.
