At the beginning of this summer, I had no intention to go to the gym whatsoever. I was going to sleep in every day, catch up on some Netflix shows, and get everything set for my semester in California.
Little did I know I would become practically addicted to working out.
It all started when my sister asked me back in June if I would go to kickboxing classes at the YMCA with her. Kickboxing sounded fun so I went. That class quite literally kicked my ass. By the end of the first session, I felt like I was going to pass out. It was a wake-up call for me that I was even more out of shape than I thought.
From that moment on, I made a vow to myself that this summer would be the summer I would finally get in shape.
For a month, my sister and I went to kickboxing every Monday night and then went to the gym just to work out every other day of the week besides Sunday. Getting into that routine was difficult at first. I hate getting up before 9 am, especially in the summer. The thought of going and getting ready to go is way worse than actually going and working out. But at the end of each session, I would feel so good about myself.
Not only was I becoming happier and stronger, I was also able to run for longer periods of time without feeling the need to throw up. While this doesn't sound like an achievement, I was never able to run for long distances and feel confident about it.
Each day, I would only stay at the gym for 45 minutes to an hour, but in that time, I would try to work out every part of my body in some capacity.
As the days turned into weeks, I realized how much I actually enjoyed working out. It was something I looked forward to, not something I hated. I began to notice the gym regulars and would say hello to the people I recognized. It was fun to be around people who just wanted to be healthy like me.
Speaking of health, I also tried to cut down on sugars and carbs. Instead of having dessert at dinner, I would have a piece of gum or would just go brush my teeth to prevent myself from eating anything else. At parties, I would only have a handful of chips and no other appetizer until the actual dinner came. At restaurants, I would have one piece of bread if I had any bread at all. This was hard at first, but, like working out, it became easier over time.
The moral of the story is this: if you want to start working out, pick a day and start. Don't put it off and don't keep telling yourself you'll go tomorrow because you never will. Get a friend or sibling and work out with them to motivate you. Eat a bit healthier, but don't give up your diet entirely.
You can do it and if you do it often enough, you might start to enjoy it like me.
